Geometry and Elasticity of Leaves and Flowers

Mike Marder
Center for Nonlinear Dynamics and Department of Physics
University of Texas at Austin

Many lovely buckling patterns can be induced in thin sheets by modifications of the metric. I will discuss experiments of Eran Sharon that explored this phenomenon first in plastic sheets and then in leaves. From a theoretical point of view, modifying the metrics of thin sheets creates a situation where it is no longer clear how much can be deduced from differential geometry, and how much must be added from elasticity. Finally I will mention an application to graphene.