Tribute Series
Animated simulations of complex physical and mathematical phenomena.
The Tribute Series brings the fundamental forces of the universe to life by modeling foundational physical formulae. Nomenclature and Rithm created an NFT collection that pays tribute to the unseen complexity of mathematics in the most beautiful way we're able to, with the help of researchers from universities around the US. This series is comprised of three distinct simulations:
Chaotic systems approximations
Solving Maxwell’s equations in a vacuum with a Fourier propagator
An evolution of the finite-difference time-domain numerical methods used in the time&_ series.
162 Tributes were minted. The collection is listed on OpenSea.
Have you ever considered how amazing it is that the physical world is so neat and orderly? The concept of one, two, three is so ingrained in it and in us. Math is as much discovery of the algorithms and rules running the universe, as it is invention on the part of people. If all humans disappeared today, all knowledge was erased and we started again, we would discover the same numbers, the same patterns, the same math.
Some of the earliest records of human activity are geometric patterns scratched into rocks. From there, our understanding blossomed. The Sumerians invented the first numeric system circa 3400 BC. Egypt introduced decimals around 3100 BC, and by 2400 BC had developed an astronomical calendar so precise it was used into the Middle Ages. Now, we model the most complex systems imaginable. From the fusion of atoms in stars and the evolution of galaxies, to the growth of populations and mold, to the interaction of particles on a quantum scale - we work to understand all these systems with mathematics.
However, these incredible systems are often entirely hidden behind the symbols we use to work with them. We can see the stars, but not the dance of particles and the interplay of electromagnetic fields that define them. And we are very visual creatures.
Maxwell's equations describe the motion of electomagnetic fields in classical (non-quantum) physics - how electric fields, magnetic fields, charge, and light interact. We are dependent on them to model all forms of electrical technology, including power generation and transmission, lenses and optical devices, radio and all wireless communication, electrical circuits, and of course much more. We can model these equations with different algorithmic approaches, such as the FDTD method or Fourier propagators.
The butterfly effect is a well-understood analogy, but it barely scratches the surface of the implications of Chaos. The theory describes how although complex chaotic systems appear completely random, they are driven by patterns, repetition, fractals, feedback loops, and organization. One tiny adjustment to the initial conditions of such a system results in a vastly different outcome, whether that system plays out over the course of ten seconds like a Physarum, ten months like a weather system, or centuries of ecology. Even irregularities in our own heartbeats demonstrate Chaos theory.
These deserve a tribute, and so this series was formed.