On the 26th of November, the Institute for Advanced Studies organized a seminar titled “When Mathematics Meets Nature: A Guided Journey Through the Shapes and Patterns of Living Systems,” led by Professor Lhaj Laamri, IAS Resident, at the University’s Campus in Benguerir.
The session introduced participants to questions at the intersection of mathematics and natural phenomena, drawing on Alan Turing’s 1952 hypothesis that many patterns in nature, such as stripes, spots, or spirals, emerge from simple biological and chemical interactions.
The seminar offered an overview of how this perspective continues to influence contemporary mathematical research. It highlighted recent advances in the study of natural patterns and outlined ongoing scientific questions related to form, growth, and complexity in living systems.