Amalyah- Fractals are a geometrical constructs which repeat themselves on all levels, i.e., the pattern is the same when you focus in on it or pull away from it (well, they may not be "identical" but they are functionally the same). You can create a simple fractal as follows: 1) Draw a line in the middle of a sheet of paper of length L. 2) On each end of the line, draw a line of length L/2 at a random angle but centered on the orginal line (e.g., ------/, hmmm that isn't really centered. / ---------------------/ / that was a little better) 3) On the end of each of those lines, draw a line of length L/4 at a random angle (you should be drawing 4 lines for this). 4) Continue indefinetly. Note how the basic structure is the same at all levels (you could stick your initial line at the end of a line of length 2*L). It isn't identical but it is the same (in a mathematical, chaotical sense). Benoit Mandelbrot is a mathematician (presently at the IBM Watson Research Center). He has done a lot of work with fractals and developed a particular type of fractal (a particular mathematical definition for a fractal). In the late 1980s and early 1990s Mandelbrot fractals became a popular type of screen saver on computers (I remember several for Macs in particular). There is a web page about Mendelbrot fractals: http://www.comlab.ox.ac.uk/archive/other/museums/computing/mandelbrot.html It has links to other pages. Any search engine should find you several other pages as well. Fractals are used in both art and science. Angela Putney Physics Management Fellow American Institute of Physics One Physics Ellipse College Park, MD 20740 Phone: (301) 209-3135 FAX: (301) 209-3133 E-mail: [log in to unmask]