What is it about?
Symmetry is prevalent in our world and was superbly highlighted in the 'rose windows' of the Gothic cathedrals. Using data from the symmetry existing in extensive studies of 'rose windows' by Painton Cowen and others, it is clear that some symmetries and more prevalent and frequent than others. Reasons for this are discussed, and the argument is made that symmetry is used to convey certain messages to the viewer. Rose windows were 'cultural icons' of the age, providing a comprehensive view of the cosmos to the believer and the human population at large. A paradigmatic example of the new 'cultural icons' is presented in a computer image of the structure DNA , simulating an 'electronic rose window'.
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Why is it important?
Rose windows on Gothic cathedrals are highly symmetrical decorations that can be used to illustrate the planar 'point groups' of symmetry. The underlying rigorous symmetry present in this 'artistic' decorations is frequently overlooked, ignored and typically not even mentioned.
Perspectives
People should be made aware of the fact that 'symmetry' is prevalent in our world and is used in advertising, 'branding' and logo creation to convey subliminal messages to the viewer and the population at large. . For example, the 'logo' (symbol) of the Mercedes brand of cars is a highly symmetrical 3 m image, to convey 'precision', exactness and possibly reliability.
Celerino Abad-Zapatero
University of Illinois at Chicago
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This page is a summary of: Notes of a protein crystallographer: the beauty of rose windows and the different meanings of symmetry, Acta Crystallographica Section D Biological Crystallography, February 2014, International Union of Crystallography,
DOI: 10.1107/s1399004713032859.
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