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How is squeezed paint like your brain?

Make a tree by squeezing a drop of paint between two pieces of plastic

  • Clear plastic from toy packaging works well.
  • Press down hard so the paint spreads out very thinly.
  • Carefully prise the plastic apart.

Branching patterns are very common in nature because they can reach a large area very efficiently. Examples of branching patterns include tree branches, blood vessels, roots, lightning, river networks and even brain neurons.

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