The Golden Mean, also called the Golden Section or Golden Ratio, is a visually pleasing set of proportions found in nature. Often this ratio is expressed in rectangles with sides having a 5:7 or 5:8 ratio of proportions. The Golden Mean is used extensively in architecture and design, and can be seen throughout nature. Think of the way tree branches grow, proportions of the human body, and even the growth spiral of a Nautilus shell. Practically everything in nature grows or expresses itself using this Golden Mean ratio.
