Golden Section & Stradivarius Violins

Photo courtesy FreeImageFinder.com

The golden section (also known as the golden mean, the golden ratio, and divine proportion), is a mathematical calculation that produces what is considered to be the most aesthetically pleasing proportion.  What I didn't know is that Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737), the greatest violin maker in history, was aware of the golden section and used it to place the f-holes (pictured above) in his famous violins. 

I also didn't know that there has been quite a bit of research to find the golden section intentionally and unintentionally used in classical music compositions.

For more information, see the links above and the website on Fibonacci Numbers and the Golden Section in Art, Architecture, and Music.

The bel and Mr. Bell

Photo of Decible Meter courtesy of  FreeImagesLive.co.uk

The decibel (symbol dB, one-tenth of a bel) is a unit used in electrical engineering and acoustics to express relative loudness.  What I didn't know is that the bel was named after Alexander Graham Bell(1847-1922).

For more information, in addition to the links above see the website of The Alexander Graham Bell Family Papers at the Library of Congress.

Rattlesnakes & Ambulance Sirens

Photo courtesy FreeImages.com

The frequency of the rattle-sound produced by the rattlesnake can reach 5000 hertz to 8000 hertz, which is the same as that of the ambulance siren.

For more information on rattlesnakes, see the websites of the American International Rattlesnake Museum, Kidzone, and Reptile Knowledge.