# Medievel Mandelbrot Set

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 18, 2004, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538 "2004-12-18T17:17:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538/1 "2004-12-18T17:17:17Z")

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Looks like fractal mathematiciam Benoit Mandelbrot was anticipated by a 13th century monk:

[http://www.raygirvan.co.uk/apoth/udo.htm](http://www.raygirvan.co.uk/apoth/udo.htm)

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538/2 "2004-12-18T17:26:07Z")

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You might want to check the copyright date at the very bottom of the article. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538/3 "2004-12-18T17:43:29Z")

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Aw, shit…it was news to me. :rolleyes:

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**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538/4 "2004-12-18T18:07:12Z")

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I found the article interesting. Who cares if it was or wasn’t on CNN yesterday?

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**Author:** ![Absolute](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@Absolute](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Absolute)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538/5 "2004-12-18T18:11:36Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Udo noted that their differences brought all work to a halt, and finally the two were reprimanded by the abbot for coming to blows in the refectory.

My mental image of two monks throwing punches at each other 800 years ago over the philosophical ramifications of the Mandelbrot set is quite hilarious.

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**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538/6 "2004-12-18T18:24:45Z")

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> [@Dr\_Paprika](#):
>
> I found the article interesting. Who cares if it was or wasn’t on CNN yesterday?

Northern Piper didn’t point out the date to show how old it was. He pointed out to show that it was an April Fool’s joke.

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**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538/7 "2004-12-18T18:25:58Z")

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> [@Dr\_Paprika](#):
>
> I found the article interesting. Who cares if it was or wasn’t on CNN yesterday?

April 1st 1999

Whoosh?

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**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538/8 "2004-12-18T18:57:01Z")

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> [@racinchikki](#):
>
> April 1st 1999
> 
> Whoosh?

Damn.

I’m disappointed. That would have been incredibly cool if it were true.

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**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538/9 "2004-12-18T20:09:38Z")

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damn…_damn_ …DAMN… **DAMN!!!**

:smack: :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack:

☹

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2004, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medievel-mandelbrot-set/280538/10 "2004-12-18T20:41:40Z")

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> [@Enola Straight](#):
>
> damn…_damn_ …DAMN… **DAMN!!!**

That’s what Dr. Mandelbrot said when he realized he was cheated out of all the royalties for millions of cheesy blacklight posters and screensavers.

🆒