Isaac Newton praised nature as the handiwork of God, highlighting the beauty and symmetry in it. However, he acknowledged the asymmetry in the human body, such as the unequal size and functions of internal organs and the prevalence of right-handedness over left-handedness. Despite praising God's plan and assuming symmetry, Newton had to accept the natural asymmetries that exist. This contrast between the perceived perfection of divine symmetry and the actual asymmetries in nature is exemplified in the Vitruvian man concept by da Vinci, which idealizes geometric perfection not found in real human forms.
What would aliens think of our inventions? Neil deGrasse Tyson and comedian Chuck Nice answer fan questions on Maxwell’s Equations, the symmetry of the universe, and the physics around us all the time.
NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can listen to this entire episode commercial-free here:
https://startalkmedia.com/show/cosmic-queries-physics-all-around-us/
(Originally released April 12, 2019)
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