M_also_lonely
Well-known member
I didn't know where exactly to put this, but yesterday I came across this interesting thing about honey bees while reading a book about symmetry.
So there was a question about why are the honey comb cells hexagonal? And the answer was very interesting.
Here it is:
The honey bees do not want to leave any gaps between the honeycomb cells, because that would mean wasteage of wax. So now, there are only two approaches possible, such that they don't leave gaps between the cells:
1. To arrange the cells in random shapes such that the walls of cells align with each other and thus won't leave gaps.
2. To arrange the cells in certain geometrical shapes.
The problem with (1.) is that the bees do not know what shape is the preceding bee is going to make. So they have to work one by one, since the shapes are not predetermined. This will drastically increase the amount of time taken to complete the structure since they would have to wait for one another.
If the shapes are fixed, all of them would know what they are going to make. So (2.) is the right choice.
In 2nd approach, using geometrical shapes, there are only 3 shapes that do not leave gaps if placed around each other, and while also having equal lengths of each side. They are: Squares, equilateral triangles and hexagons.
But, why only hexagons?
Well, a hexagon grid is the unique geometrical shape that divides a surface into equal cells with the smallest total perimeter.
And the smallest total perimeter or the smallest total length of sides would mean he smallest amount of wax needed by the bees to construct their honeycomb.
Because for every ounce of wax, a bee has to consume roughly 8 ounces of honey. That requires visiting thousands of flowers. So, they have to keep it to the minimum.
So, the hexagon minimizes the effort and expense of energy. This is the reason why honey bees would make the cells hexagonal.
This conjecture was proposed 2 thousand years ago by a Roman scholar, Marcus Terentius Varro. Its called the "Honeycomb conjecture" and was proven only recently.
But the bees knew it was true all along.
So there was a question about why are the honey comb cells hexagonal? And the answer was very interesting.
Here it is:
The honey bees do not want to leave any gaps between the honeycomb cells, because that would mean wasteage of wax. So now, there are only two approaches possible, such that they don't leave gaps between the cells:
1. To arrange the cells in random shapes such that the walls of cells align with each other and thus won't leave gaps.
2. To arrange the cells in certain geometrical shapes.
The problem with (1.) is that the bees do not know what shape is the preceding bee is going to make. So they have to work one by one, since the shapes are not predetermined. This will drastically increase the amount of time taken to complete the structure since they would have to wait for one another.
If the shapes are fixed, all of them would know what they are going to make. So (2.) is the right choice.
In 2nd approach, using geometrical shapes, there are only 3 shapes that do not leave gaps if placed around each other, and while also having equal lengths of each side. They are: Squares, equilateral triangles and hexagons.
But, why only hexagons?
Well, a hexagon grid is the unique geometrical shape that divides a surface into equal cells with the smallest total perimeter.
And the smallest total perimeter or the smallest total length of sides would mean he smallest amount of wax needed by the bees to construct their honeycomb.
Because for every ounce of wax, a bee has to consume roughly 8 ounces of honey. That requires visiting thousands of flowers. So, they have to keep it to the minimum.
So, the hexagon minimizes the effort and expense of energy. This is the reason why honey bees would make the cells hexagonal.
This conjecture was proposed 2 thousand years ago by a Roman scholar, Marcus Terentius Varro. Its called the "Honeycomb conjecture" and was proven only recently.
But the bees knew it was true all along.
