Benoit Mandelbrot, Father of the Fractal

Even Closer
The best way to approach Mandelbrot's observation is to ponder the answer to the very simple question that intrigued the mathematician as a young man: "How long is the coast of England?" The answer depends on how closely one looks. Lines that a mapmaker might render straight would, upon closer inspection, appear jagged. Zooming in further would reveal even more jaggedness, and on and on, infinitely.

• Dude, You Have Fractals on Your Wall!