After 500 years, a mathematical principle has unlocked Leonardo da Vinci’s human heart mystery
RESEARCHERS FINALLY UNDERSTAND THE function of a heart feature first described by Leonardo da Vinci 500 years ago. To find the answer, scientists used fractal theory, MRIs, and a lot of computational elbow grease to shed light on muscular structures called trabeculae. Their study, published in Nature, found that this branching, lacy muscle layer plays a part in identifying a patient’s risk of heart disease.
The trabeculae cover the inner surfaces of the heart and were thought to be a
