Oct 21 2012: I agree with your thoughts, but I'm afraid it simply begs the question. Yes, things in the universe are not really symmetrical. However, they very often are approximately symmetrical. A circle exhibits perfect symmetry, but a sinkhole does not. However, a great many sinkholes are approximately circular, so though not symmetrical, they approach symmetry fairly closely. This brings back the original author's question, why? Why should so many sinkholes be nearly circular? Why are so many animals more or less symmetrical? Why doesn't a dolphin have a wide, flat left side and a narrow, rounded right side? I don't know the answer, but I think it's a great question!
Here's another question that may be closely related: why do so many natural objects display Fibonacci sequences? Though not symmetrical, they represent highly structured and often repeated patterns that occur for no reason that is obvious to a casual observer. Why does nature like them so much?
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A reply on Conversation: Why are man-made creations so symmetrical?
Here's another question that may be closely related: why do so many natural objects display Fibonacci sequences? Though not symmetrical, they represent highly structured and often repeated patterns that occur for no reason that is obvious to a casual observer. Why does nature like them so much?