Ideas worth spreading

Fractals and the art of roughness

1,654,609 views | Benoit Mandelbrot • TED2010

At TED2010, mathematics legend Benoit Mandelbrot develops a theme he first discussed at TED in 1984 -- the extreme complexity of roughness, and the way that fractal math can find order within patterns that seem unknowably complicated.

At TED2010, mathematics legend Benoit Mandelbrot develops a theme he first discussed at TED in 1984 -- the extreme complexity of roughness, and the way that fractal math can find order within patterns that seem unknowably complicated.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Benoit Mandelbrot

Benoit Mandelbrot

See speaker profile

Benoit Mandelbrot's work led the world to a deeper understanding of fractals, a broad and powerful tool in the study of roughness, both in nature and in humanity's works.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.