What do starfish and snowmen have in common you ask? Both words start with the letter ‘s’, yes you guessed right. But, what else?
Sea stars, or what is more commonly referred to as starfish, are echinoderms. “Echinoderms (scientific name Echinodermata) are a major group of only marine animals. The name comes from the Greek word for “spiny skin”. Echinoderms have radial symmetry, many [species] having five or multiples of five arms.”[1] “Sea stars have no difference between their “right” and “left” sides. They only have a top and [a] bottom.”[2] Sea stars start off their lives “as bilaterally symmetrical even though their adult forms are radially symmetrical.”[3] “Why are echinoderms radially symmetrical?
The organism was first motile (of cells, gametes, and single-celled organisms capable of motion. Oxford Languages) and bilateral in symmetry. Bilateral symmetry means [that] the organism can be cut right down the middle and be split into two equal halves. Echinoderm ancestry later developed radial symmetry as it was thought to be more advantageous to the species.”[4]
Bilateral or what is also known as mirror symmetry has been advantageous to multiples of species that lived on this earth for millennia. You don’t have to look far. Observe your own hands and feet, working, walking, and lifting in coordination with one another. Bilateral symmetry in biology, which is observed in several organisms also means that there are a finite number of ways to construct a body, as opposed to an asymmetrical body.[5] But, that doesn’t make us any less unique.
Though we may admire the uniqueness of a sea star’s form and symmetry - There are close to 2,000 species[6] of sea stars in the world’s oceans. Their radiality, which can be rotated from its axis in a three-dimensional model, is a curious delight. Nature is delightful in the ways the creatures which inhabit land and water, enamour us, and surprise us. Originality and uniqueness in nature represents the wonder of creation. Now whether you believe in scientific evolution and advantageous traits passing down generations as dominant genes, or God’s wonderful creation - We see the wonders of creation in everything. We see it in architecture, the human body, literature, the living world. There is creation in everything.
The golden ratio is unanimously present in the natural world. It’s referred to as the “divine proportion”,[7] and manifests itself in high frequency through living organisms that follow logarithmic, mathematical concepts. Like bilateral symmetry, the golden ratio is a common mathematical occurrence in nature. Think seashells, spiderwebs, fern fiddleheads, ocean waves, whirlpools, sunflower seed heads, and the Mona Lisa. The presence of the golden ratio spans from a houseplant, like an aloe plant, to an expansive spiral galaxy stirring in the depths of the universe. Moreover, in proximity to the golden ratio is the Fibonacci sequence. Similarly, the Fibonacci sequence is not difficult to find. Referred to as the natural numbering system of the cosmos,[8] the Fibonacci numbers are found in the numbers of flower petals. “Most have 3 (like lilies and irises), 5 (parnassia and rose hips) or 8 (cosmea), 13 (some daisies), 21 (chicory), 34, 55 or 89 (asteraceae).”[9] With radial and bilateral symmetry in mind, nature forms and grows in patterns and proportions. Several of which follow numerical patterns. In nature, there are structures and sequences that mirror the Fibonacci sequence. These are logarithmic spirals, known as golden spirals stemming from the golden ratio, which are applied as a growth factor.[10] Spiral patterns, like those of certain flowers, are commonly found. In addition, “snowflakes are six-sided [and] also have six-fold symmetry. The formation of ice crystals in clouds results in infinitely symmetrical snowflakes.”[11] The next time it snows, jump into the snow and build a snowman. There’s a whole lot of symmetry and wonder in snow.
It’s fascinating that it is highly improbable that any two snowflakes follow the same pattern. “The scientific consensus states that the likelihood of two large snow crystals being identical is zero. The probability that two snow crystals (a single ice crystal) or flakes (a snow crystal or multiple snow crystals stuck together) will be exactly alike in molecular structure and in appearance, is very minute.”[12] That’s a lot of order. Just as we search for order in what we do, order is a part of nature. Nature creates order. And what makes us special as humans is that we can create almost anything.
“Humans are unusual animals by any stretch of the imagination. Our special abilities, from big brains to opposable thumbs, have allowed us [to] change our world dramatically and even leave the planet.”[13] We Homo sapiens are unique for many reasons; the development of speech, a long childhood, along with the strong bonds we create as families. Human uniqueness is ours to keep. I don’t think any two snowmen or scarecrows, made by your children or neighbours, could ever be exact copies of one another, unless intended.
Spectacular qualities of the natural world are found within the various shades of colours and shapes we see, to the myriad of animal calls in existence on Earth. And our human uniqueness is a jewel sitting on creation’s crown; the diversity of difference. Starfish and snowmen are the products of much more than what the naked eye can see. That is the wonder of creation.
Reference
[1] Marine Education Society of Australia. n.d. “Echinoderms.” Marine Education Society of Australia. http://www.mesa.edu.au/echinoderms/#:~:text=Echinoderms%20(scientific%20name%20Echinodermata)%20are,word%20for%20%22spiny%20skin%22.&text=Echinoderms%20have%20radial%20symmetry%2C%20many,which%20is%20covered%20by%20skin.
[2] Caryl-Sue. 2012. “Sea Star.” National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/sea-star-pentamer/#:~:text=Organisms%20with%20radial%20symmetry%20have,with%20white%20spines%20called%20ossicles.&text=The%20five%20rays%20of%20pentamerous,a%20central%20point%2C%20or%20axis.
[3] Lumen. n.d. “Features Used to Classify Animals.” Lumen. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-biology/chapter/features-used-to-classify-animals/.
[4] Martin, Brianna. 2015. “Echinoderms.” Organismal Diversity. https://u.osu.edu/eeob3320/2015/03/06/echinoderms/.
[5] Than, Ker. 2005. “Live Science.” Symmetry in Nature: Fundamental Fact or Human Bias? https://www.livescience.com/4002-symmetry-nature-fundamental-fact-human-bias.html.
[6] National Aquarium. n.d. “Sea Stars.” National Aquarium. https://aqua.org/explore/animals/sea-stars#:~:text=There%20are%20close%20to%202%2C000,sea%20stars%20throughout%20the%20exhibits.
[7] Caryl-Sue. 2012. “The Golden Ratio.” National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/media/golden-ratio/#:~:text=a%2Fb).-,The%20golden%20ratio%20is%20about%201.618%2C%20and%20represented,the%20Greek%20letter%20phi%2C%20%CE%A6.&text=The%20golden%20ratio%20is%20sometimes,often%20be%20a%20Fibonacci%20number.
[8] Leary, Catie. 2016. “The golden ratio manifesting in nature.” Quantumbits. https://qubitsnews.com/2016/06/25/the-golden-ratio-manifesting-in-nature/.
[9] Palazzo, Benedetta. 2016. “The numbers of nature: the Fibonacci sequence.” Eniscuola. http://www.eniscuola.net/en/2016/06/27/the-numbers-of-nature-the-fibonacci-sequence/.
[10] "Ibid." [8]
[11] Stewart, Ian. 2010. “Symmetry Of Snowflakes.” University of Warwick. https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/knowledge-archive/science/snowflakes/#:~:text=Snowflakes%2C%20famously%2C%20are%20six%2D,results%20in%20infinitely%20symmetrical%20snowflakes.
[12] Science Reference Section, Library of Congress. 2019. “Is it true that no two snow crystals are alike?” Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/meteorology-climatology/item/is-it-true-that-no-two-snow-crystals-are-alike/#:~:text=The%20scientific%20consensus%20states%20that,crystals%20being%20identical%20is%20zero.&text=The%20probability%20that%20two%20snow,in.
[13] Choi, Charles Q. 2016. “Top 10 Things That Make Humans Special.” Live Science. https://www.livescience.com/15689-evolution-human-special-species.html.
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