Fractal Geometry is a somewhat new branch of mathematics that was developed in 1980 by Benoit B. Mandelbrot, a research mathematician in I.B.M.'s Thomas Day Watson laboratory in New York. Mandelbrot was experimenting with the theories of Gaston Julia, a French mathematician when he discovered the fractal set was discovered. Julia dedicated his life to the study of the iteration of polynomials and rational functions. Around the 1920s, Julia published a paper on the iteration of a rational function, which brought him to fame. However, after his death, he was all but forgotten...until the 1970's when Mandelbrot, who was inspired by Julia's work, revived his work.

By using computer graphics, Mandelbrot was able to show the first pictures of the most beautiful fractals known today.

Mandelbrot, who is now Professor of Mathematics at Yale, made the discovery of fractal geometry by going against establishment and academic mathematics -- going beyond Einstein's theories to reveal that the fourth dimension includes not only the first three dimensions, but also the gaps or intervals between them, which are known as the fractal dimensions.

Fractal geometry is most widely recognized as pictures used as backgrounds on computer screens but it is really much more complicated than that. According to Mandelbrot's theory, the majority of nature's physical systems and human artifacts are not regular geometric shapes and cannot be found in standard geometry. Fractal geometry focuses on this, offering countless methods of describing, measuring and predicting these natural phenomena.

Fractal geometry has caused quite a stir in the mathematical world, as people are fascinated both by the pretty images of...

Fractals are the optimal existing mathematical descriptions of various forms in nature, including coastlines, mountains or parts of living organisms.
Fractal geometry, which was created nearly entirely by Mandelbrot, is now recognized as the true geometry of nature. This fractal method has replaced Euclidian geometry, the dominant theory behind mathematical thinking for centuries. Today, mathematicians view Euclidian geometry as pertaining only to the artificial realities of the first, second and third dimensions, which are imaginary. Mandelbrot introduced the fourth dimension, which is real.

Before the discovery of fractal geometry, the academic world was dominated by arithmetics. Geometry was placed in a secondary position and mathematics was rather detached from the real world, particularly nature. Fractal geometry changed this entirely.

Mandelbrot was born into the atmosphere of academic math, as his uncle was a distinguished member of a well-known French mathematician group in Paris. However, Mandelbrot received no formal education. He was never taught the alphabet and never learned multiplication tables past fives. Still today, Mandelbrot says it is difficult for him to recite the alphabet.

However, he had the mind of a genius and enrolled in Paris universities when he was older. In college, his mathematical mind, which was unlike anything ever seen in the academic world, helped him to obtain his doctoral degree. His mind…