Posthuman Blues

Math Unites the Celestial and the Atomic

In [. . .] a celestial system, the tangle of gravitational forces creates tubular "highways" in the space between the bodies. If the spacecraft enters one of the highways, it will be whisked along without the need to use very much energy. With help from mathematicians, engineers, and physicists, the designers of the Genesis spacecraft mission used such highways to propel the craft to its destinations with minimal use of fuel.

In a surprising twist, it turns out that some of the same phenomena occur on the smaller atomic scale. This can be quantified in the study of what are known as "transition states", which were first employed in the field of chemical dynamics. [. . .] Understanding the geometry of these barries provides insights not only into the nature of chemical reactions but also into the shape of the "highways" in celestial systems.

In summary: We're inhabiting nothing less than a cosmic fractal.