April 30, 2016

Pierced Rock


Percé Rock. Percé, Quebec, 1974.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 29, 2016

Forbidden Geometry


Forbidden Geometry by Christoph Spath in collaboration with physicist Paul J. Steinhardt. Quark Park, Princeton, New Jersey, 2006.

This sculpted form is based on three-dimensional models of four different shapes (zonohedra) that can be combined as building blocks to form quasicrystals.


This sculpture of a quasicrystal is made up of six building blocks, three fashioned from limestone and three from glass. The projections on the blocks represent the rules that define how the blocks can be combined to form larger structures.

Photos by I. Peterson

April 28, 2016

April 27, 2016

Level Set Ripples


Fountain contour pattern. The Park at CityCenter, CityCenterDC, Washington, D.C., 2016.


Photos by I. Peterson

April 26, 2016

Shadow Curve


Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois, 2009.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 25, 2016

Magnetic Field


Iron filings trace the lobes of the magnetic field surrounding a compass needle. National Museum of Canada (Victoria Memorial Museum Building), 1973.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 24, 2016

Liberty Bell Slots


Plaque honoring invention of the Liberty Bell slot machine by Charles Fey. Market Street, San Francisco, California, 2010.

"Charles August Fey began inventing and manufacturing slot machines in 1894. Fey pioneered many innovations of coin operated gaming devices in his San Francisco workshop at 406 Market Street, including the original three-reel bell slot slot machine in 1898. The international popularity of the bell slot machines attests to Fey's ingenuity as an enterprising inventor whose basic design of the three reel slot machine continues to be used in mechanical gaming devices today."


Liberty Bell slot machine. Displayed at San Francisco International Airport, 2010.

Photos by I. Peterson

April 23, 2016

Bike Bridge


Sidewalk model of an arched bridge (inspired by Portland's Fremont Bridge) serves as a bike rack. Pearl District, Portland, Oregon, 2014.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 22, 2016

Sunset Lines


Port Hope, Ontario, 1979.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 20, 2016

Glass Tower


PPG Place. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 2010.


Photos by I. Peterson

April 19, 2016

Double Figure Eight


Double Figure Eight by Paul Sisko. Market Street, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2000.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 18, 2016

SeeMore Computation


SeeMore, a kinetic sculpture developed by artist Sam Blanchard and computer scientist Kirk Cameron (Virginia Tech). National Science Foundation exhibit, USA Science and Engineering Festival, Washington, D.C., 2016.


Photos by I. Peterson

April 17, 2016

Arch and Grid


Longwood Gardens, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, 1978.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 16, 2016

"Where's the Math?" Video

Presented at TEDxACU, February 27, 2016. Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas.


Text and images posted at "Where's the Math?"

April 15, 2016

April 14, 2016

Bird in Space


Bird in Space by Constantin Brancusi. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 13, 2016

Airport Antenna


Antenna. Rockcliffe Airport, Ottawa, Ontario, 1973.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 12, 2016

Sleeping Giant


Sleeping Giant rock formation. Sibley Peninsula, Lake Superior, Ontario, 1974.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 10, 2016

Triangle Wall Illusion


Painted triangles on a wall create an illusion of depth. West Third Street, New York City, 2014.


Photos by I. Peterson

April 9, 2016

Painting Peggys Cove


Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia, 1974.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 8, 2016

Hartland Covered Bridge


Covered bridge. Hartland, New Brunswick, 1974.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 7, 2016

Elliptic Function in Plaster


Plaster model of the real part of the Weierstrass p-function. Mathematics Department, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, 2012.

For more on mathematical plaster models, see "Plaster Models of Mathematical Surfaces."

Photo by I. Peterson

April 6, 2016

Sunrise Palms


Palms at sunrise. San Diego, California, 2013.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 5, 2016

Stone Wave Function


Time evolution of a quantum wave function, rendered in granite. Montreal, 2006.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 4, 2016

Montana Sunset


Montana sunset, 1977.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 3, 2016

River Sand


Stranded twigs. Missouri River, near Jefferson City, Missouri, 1981.

Photo by I. Peterson

April 2, 2016

Kalamazoo Prospect


Prospect by Marcia Wood. Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, Michigan, 2011.


Photos by I. Peterson

April 1, 2016

Icicles in View


Icicles in view. Mayor Lord's House, Meadville, Pennsylvania, 2010.

Photo by I. Peterson