(綜合報道)(星島日報報道)美國男子帕吉特（Jason Padgett）只是一名大學退學生，在一次遇襲中，遭強盜毒打，腦部受創，但卻因此啟動他的大腦深層區，令他得以發揮他本人從不知道的數學潛能，親手繪畫出完全符合數學原理的錯綜複雜圖案「不規則碎片形」（fractals）。
帕吉特是在十年前一個晚上遇到強盜伏擊，當年他在家具店工作，日常生活不是上班便是派對。現年四十一歲的帕吉特稱，當年他在華盛頓州塔科馬一家卡拉OK店外遇襲，匪徒多番拳打腳踢他的頭部，再搶走他那件九十九美元（約七百七十港元）皮外套。
帕吉特說，他遇襲當晚以為「死定」，後經醫生確診為「腦震盪」，但過了大約一、兩天後，他發覺有明顯變化，腦海中不斷出現符合畢氏定理的圖案碎塊，每一個小弧形、個別的螺旋形和每個樹形，都是畢氏定理的一部分。
手繪「不規則碎片形」
帕吉特之前不懂繪圖，但遇襲後，竟開始對繪圖着迷，所繪圖案更是錯綜複雜的「不規則碎片形」，亦能繪出圓周率公式演變成的圖案。圓周率是無限數，以3.14為始。
專家表示，帕吉特出現的現象叫做「後天專家徵狀」，從腦部掃描結果顯示，他的腦部受創後，逼使其大腦深層區出現過分補償反應，引發他發揮未知的潛能。
迄今，帕吉特是已知世上唯一一位能手繪「不規則碎片形」的人，他的存在令人想起沉溺於數學世界的諾貝爾經濟學獎得主、美國數學家納什（John Nash），納什的事迹曾被拍成荷里活電影《有你終身美麗》（A Beautiful Mind），由影星羅素高爾飾演納什。
Jason Padgett: The Fractal Maker
A number of years ago Jason received a brain injury from a severe blow to the back of the head in a mugging. As a direct result of this Jason acquired a form of synaesthesia in which fractals can be seen in every part of the world. What is astounding about Jason is that he claims to be able to apply this insight to his number sense and draw mathematical phenomena in a completely unique way.
Jason has very kindly given permission for me to reproduce some of his works below. The drawings are without doubt strangely compelling. I should note here that I’m not a mathematician and seeing as there is absurdly little debate of Jason’s work on-line I’d advise you to take this with a “pinch of salt”. I’d be fascinated to see some academic debate on the theory behind the concepts presented here.
All images remain copyrighted (©JasonPadgett, 2011). Copies of his work are available from fineartamerica.com/profiles/jason-padgett.html.
Refraction of light: A depiction of how light would refract if it were to pass through two small slots in a board, continuously interfering with itself
Quantum Snow Flake: A naturally occurring ripple of water, drawn at a quantum level as if frozen in time, if you were to record water in extremely slow motion, this is the basis for the shape you would see and this is why it looks like a snow flake.
Quantum sea shell / nautilus: My personal favourite, one of the most commomly occuring fractals in the universe, the illustration is described as a perfect depiction of how every item in the universe is simultaneously vibrating and spiralling around something else. Maybe the answer to life, the universe and everything isn’t “42″ but “nautilus”, if so, could this be the definitive map of space and time?
Compare Jason’s protractor-and-compass version of Nautilus with the famous CGI nautilus illustrated below. Stick that down your pipe and smoke it (as my father would say).
Now compare these with a real life sea dwelling Nautilus…
…and now, just for fun, with the interpretation of another inspired artist, Josephine wall(©JosephineWall, 2011):
Once again, All images by Jason remain copyrighted (©JasonPadgett, 2011).
