Hyperbolic crochet coral reef comes to London's South Bank

Cornell mathematician Daina Taimina took her craft where no crochet hook had been before when she used it to successfully model a phenomenon that scientists have been boggling over for years known as 'hyperbolic space'.

Put simply, hyperbolic space is the effect of parallel lines curving away from each other. It's found in some parts of nature, and some have speculated that the fabric of the universe itself could take this form. While it's proven a nightmare to render as a formula or even on a computer, good old crochet gets around the problem just fine.

Daina's attempts to render hyperbolic space in yarn may have come from mind-bending mathematical ideas, but the results are surprisingly pretty. They resemble natural forms, like lettuce leeves and coral, and their beauty has led the South Bank Centre in London to grant the 'crochet coral reefs' their own (free) exhibition, which is taking place now.

The creations you'll find here were made by crafters from around the world who took inspiration from Daina's original experiments. It's fascinating to see how the art world has interacted with science here, working with the mathematical 'patterns' to render amazingly realistic coral forms. The practice now has its own worldwide project, the Hyperbolic Coral Reef Project, which aims to draw attention to the plight of the disappearing wonders of the marine world through hyperbolic crochet.

So, next time someone tells you your crochet habit is a frivolous waste of time, you can point out to them that the craft is being used to solve some of the universe's most complex secrets, and to save the planet, too. Even if all you do is make granny squares...

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