Latest news with #VitruvianMan
Time Magazine
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
The Complex Ending of Indian Thriller 'Mandala Murders'
Mandala Murders, a gripping Indian crime thriller series on Netflix, follows detective Rea Thomas as she investigates a series of ritualistic murders in the fictional remote town of Charandaspur. Over eight episodes, the show unravels a chilling mystery involving a secret cult called the Aayastis, who are attempting to create a god-like being named Yast by assembling human body parts according to an ancient ritual. The series blends crime investigation, supernatural lore, and political intrigue, revealing how deep-rooted beliefs and family legacies can drive people to horrific acts. Throughout the season, viewers are drawn into a complex web of betrayal, faith, and moral ambiguity. The story contrasts the personal journeys of Rea and Ananya Bhardwaj, two women connected by their grandmothers' opposing roles in the cult's dark history. The finale ties together these threads, offering answers but leaving enough open to hint that the saga is far from over. What is Yast and why does the cult want to create it? At the heart of Mandala Murders is the myth of Yast, a man-made god envisioned by the Aayastis cult. Yast is a being constructed by piecing together what they see as the ideal human body parts from various victims, inspired by the concept of the Vitruvian Man and ancient Indian spirituality. The cult believes that through this unnatural creation, they can usher in a new divine era—one in which Yast will reign supreme, transforming the world and cleansing it of those deemed unworthy. This god is not just a spiritual ideal but a symbol of ultimate power and control. The cult's ambition to resurrect Yast reflects a dangerous blend of fanaticism and pseudo-science, where ancient rituals meet modern technology. However, the price of this resurrection is horrifying: the ritual requires numerous human sacrifices, with each victim selected for specific body parts that will complete the divine vessel. This blend of science, mysticism, and brutality drives the narrative and raises questions about the cost of blind devotion. The ritualistic murders and the mandala pattern The murders committed by the Aayastis are not random but carefully orchestrated rituals. Each victim is chosen for a particular body part—such as a limb, face, or other distinctive attribute—that fits into the cult's grand design of Yast's body. The killings follow the geometry of a mandala, an intricate spiritual symbol representing cosmic order and balance. This pattern connects the crime scenes and serves as a symbolic map for the cult's progress toward creating Yast. This methodical approach to murder highlights the cult's cold precision and the extent of their fanaticism. The mandala pattern is a dark twist on spiritual symbolism. While mandalas are typically associated with harmony and enlightenment, here they become the blueprint for ritual slaughter. The series uses this contrast to underscore the warped ideology behind the Ayastis' mission, showing how religious symbolism can be twisted to justify horror. Ananya and the legacy of Rukmini Devi Ananya Bhardwaj, a prominent political figure in Charandaspur, is revealed as a key antagonist who is determined to continue the cult's work. She is the granddaughter of Rukmini Devi, the original founder of the Ayasthis' project in the 1950s. Rukmini's vision combined radical science and ancient spiritual beliefs to begin the dangerous experiment of bringing Yast to life. Ananya, driven by loyalty to her grandmother's legacy and her own political ambitions, reboots this project with ruthless determination. Ananya's actions show a chilling disregard for human life. She orchestrates murders, manipulates people around her, and shows no remorse for the carnage left in her wake. Her personal flaws and toxic relationships further complicate her character—she is politically powerful but deeply flawed, willing to betray family and friends to complete the Yast project. Rea Thomas and the legacy of Nandini Opposing Ananya is Rea Thomas, a dedicated and morally grounded detective from the Crime Investigation Bureau. Unbeknownst to her at first, Rea is linked to the cult's past through her grandmother Nandini, who was once part of the original Aayastis but ultimately rejected their cause. Nandini's turning point came when she realized the catastrophic consequences of bringing Yast into the world and sabotaged the original plan by destroying a critical part of the ritual. Rea's journey is one of discovery and redemption. As she uncovers her grandmother's story and the cult's history, she becomes determined to stop Ananya and the Aayastis from completing their apocalyptic mission. Her struggle represents the theme of legacy as a choice—while Ananya embraces the cult's darkness, Rea fights to bring justice and protect her community, even at great personal cost. Vikram's role as the final sacrifice Vikram Singh, a local police officer and Rea's close ally, becomes the cult's ultimate target. His body is believed to be the last piece necessary to complete Yast's perfect human form. The cult's plan culminates in harvesting Vikram's blood and body parts, tying him directly to the mythological ritual and making his survival crucial to stopping the catastrophe. Vikram's involvement raises the stakes emotionally and narratively, especially when it's revealed that he also has a mysterious connection to the cult, through his mother Vasudha's role in past events. The threat to Vikram personalizes the fight between Rea and Ananya, turning it into a race to save not only a life but the future of Charandaspur and possibly the world. The failed resurrection and the fall of Ananya The final episode builds to a tense confrontation deep within the underground chambers where the cult prepares to complete Yast's resurrection. Ananya and her followers are ready to perform the final ritual, with Yast's grotesque, incomplete form suspended in a tank. As the blood sacrifice of Vikram is about to be carried out, Rea arrives to stop the ceremony. Rea's intervention is violent and decisive. She stabs Ananya just as the latter attempts to kill Vikram. This moment disrupts the ritual, preventing Yast's full resurrection. The scene is both a climax and a turning point, symbolizing the struggle between the destructive legacy of the past and the hope for justice. However, despite the victory, the lingering presence of the cult members suggests that the threat is far from over. What the ending implies for the future Though the immediate danger is halted, the series ends on a note of uncertainty. The final scenes hint that some cult members remain free, and the ideology behind Yast has not been fully eradicated. The shadow of the Ayastis still looms over Charandaspur, leaving the door open for future conflicts. This ambiguous ending invites viewers to reflect on the cyclical nature of fanaticism and the challenges of uprooting deeply entrenched beliefs. The unresolved threads suggest that the story could continue in a second season, exploring how the battle between darkness and justice evolves in a world where faith and power collide.
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Hidden Detail in Crotch Solves 500-Year-Old Leonardo Da Vinci Mystery
Leonardo da Vinci, the famous Italian polymath who painted the Mona Lisa, had a sophisticated geometric understanding way ahead of his time. To draw the Vitruvian Man in 1490 – an illustration of the 'ideal' human body – the Renaissance man may have relied on a mathematical ratio not formally established until the 19th century. It's one of the most iconic images of all time, and yet for more than 500 years, no one could figure out why da Vinci chose such specific proportions for the arms and legs. A London dentist thinks he's solved the mystery at last. Related: Rory Mac Sweeney has found a crucial hidden detail, tucked in the Vitruvian Man's crotch: an equilateral triangle that he thinks may explain "one of the most analyzed yet cryptic works in art history." The Vitruvian Man is partly inspired by the writings of Roman architect Vitruvius, who argued that the perfect human body should fit inside a circle and square. Da Vinci's drawing uses a square to precisely contain a 'cruciform pose', with arms outstretched and legs in. The circle, meanwhile, encompasses a posture where the arms are raised and the legs are spread. A popular explanation is that da Vinci chose the Vitruvian Man's proportions based on the Golden Ratio Theory, but the measurements don't quite match up. According to Mac Sweeney, "the solution to this geometric mystery has been hiding in plain sight". "If you open your legs… and raise your hands enough that your extended fingers touch the line of the top of your head… the space between the legs will be an equilateral triangle," da Vinci wrote in his notes for the Vitruvian Man. When Mac Sweeney did the math on this triangle, he found that the spread of the man's feet and the height of his navel created a ratio of around 1.64 to 1.65. That's very close to the tetrahedral ratio of 1.633 – a uniquely balanced geometric form, officially established in 1917. The ratio is used to establish the optimum way to pack spheres. If four spheres are connected as closely as possible into a pyramid shape, for instance, then the height to base ratio from their centers will be 1.633. Perhaps Mac Sweeney recognized the significance of that number because of a similar triangular principle used in dentistry. Imagined on the human jaw, Bonwill's triangle dictates the optimal positioning for jaw function, used since 1864. Its ratio is also 1.633. Mac Sweeney doesn't think that's a coincidence. Similar to minerals, crystals, and other biological packing systems found in nature, Mac Sweeney thinks the human jaw naturally organizes around tetrahedral geometries, which maximize mechanical efficiency. If the tetrahedral ratio is repeated around our bodies, Mac Sweeney thinks that is because "human anatomy has evolved according to geometric principles that govern optimal spatial organization throughout the universe." If Mac Sweeney is right, Da Vinci may have stumbled across a universal principle while drawing the Vitruvian Man. "The same geometric relationships that appear in optimal crystal structures, biological architectures, and Fuller's coordinate systems seem to be encoded in human proportions," writes Mac Sweeney, "suggesting that Leonardo intuited fundamental truths about the mathematical nature of reality itself." Whether other scientists agree with Mac Sweeney remains to be seen, but the fact that da Vinci mentioned the equilateral triangle in his notes suggests that what lies between the Vitruvian man's legs is important. The study was published in the Journal of Mathematics and the Arts. Related News Neanderthal 'Swiss Army Knife' Discovered in Belgian Cave 'Classic' Hymn Deciphered From Ancient Babylonian Library Ancient Neanderthal 'Fat Factory' Reveals How Advanced They Really Were Solve the daily Crossword
Business Upturn
15-07-2025
- Health
- Business Upturn
Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man Encodes the Blueprint of Human Evolution, Says London Dentist
Photo Courtesy of Rory Mac Sweeney LONDON, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A London-based dental surgeon and researcher, Dr. Rory Mac Sweeney of Precision Endodontics, has ignited international interest with a provocative reinterpretation of Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. His newly published research suggests the Renaissance masterpiece encodes a precise geometric ratio that reflects the biomechanical endpoint of human evolution. Dr. Mac Sweeney's theory, published in the Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, identifies a hidden equilateral triangle embedded in Vitruvian Man. He connects this geometry to Bonwill's Triangle—a fundamental dental structure first described in the 19th century, which governs optimal jaw alignment and function. According to Mac Sweeney, this triangular structure appears throughout the body and is mathematically anchored by the ratio √8/3, or approximately 1.633. 'Leonardo's drawing isn't just a study in proportion—it's a map of tension,' said Dr. Mac Sweeney. 'The 1.633 ratio appears in the jaw, the spine, and the skull. It reflects a state known as vector equilibrium, where structural tension and compression are perfectly balanced. I believe this marks the final step in the human journey toward full upright posture.' This ratio, derived from the geometry of the cuboctahedron, is widely recognized in biomechanics and architecture as a hallmark of tensegrity—the balance of forces within a stable form. Dr. Mac Sweeney contends that this geometry defines the Vitruvian Morphotype: a form that nature has converged on through evolutionary pressures—not because it is aesthetically pleasing, but because it is structurally optimal. 'Human evolution has been a long progression toward uprightness,' he explained. 'The 1.633 ratio may represent our evolutionary omega point—a structural threshold beyond which no further anatomical adaptation is needed to stand, move, and balance efficiently in gravity.' Mac Sweeney suggests that fossil evidence should reveal a slow convergence toward this geometric configuration, particularly in the jaw. He highlights the emergence of Class I occlusion in the fossil record—also known as the overbite/overjet 'step'—around 8,000 years ago as a key moment. While small variations remain, he argues that modern Homo sapiens are the first species to fully express this morphotype. 'It's like the hydrodynamic form of a dolphin,' he said. 'Nature solves gravity the way it solves water. Vitruvian Man is the first full sketch of what that solution looks like.' Dr. Mac Sweeney's theory is now attracting attention from experts in evolutionary biology, bioengineering, and anatomical design. He is currently conducting interviews, public talks, and media appearances to discuss what he calls the Vitruvian Ratio—and its broader implications for anthropology, architecture, and even consciousness. 'Leonardo, somehow, saw it coming,' Mac Sweeney added. 'Vitruvian Man may be the only anatomical diagram ever created that captures not just what a human is—but what a human is becoming.' About Dr. Rory Mac Sweeney: Dr. Mac Sweeney is a London-based endodontist and researcher known for his interdisciplinary work in dental anatomy, geometry, and human evolution. His work explores the convergence of structural biology and classical design, and he is the author of the book The Paradox of Lucid Dreaming. @luciddreamyoga Contact Information: Contact person: Dr. Rory Mac SweeneyCompany name: Precision EndodonticsWebsite: [ Press Contact: [email protected]
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man Encodes the Blueprint of Human Evolution, Says London Dentist
New research reveals a hidden geometric ratio in Leonardo's drawing that may define the endpoint of human evolution toward upright posturePhoto Courtesy of Rory Mac Sweeney LONDON, July 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A London-based dental surgeon and researcher, Dr. Rory Mac Sweeney of Precision Endodontics, has ignited international interest with a provocative reinterpretation of Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man. His newly published research suggests the Renaissance masterpiece encodes a precise geometric ratio that reflects the biomechanical endpoint of human evolution. Dr. Mac Sweeney's theory, published in the Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, identifies a hidden equilateral triangle embedded in Vitruvian Man. He connects this geometry to Bonwill's Triangle—a fundamental dental structure first described in the 19th century, which governs optimal jaw alignment and function. According to Mac Sweeney, this triangular structure appears throughout the body and is mathematically anchored by the ratio √8/3, or approximately 1.633. 'Leonardo's drawing isn't just a study in proportion—it's a map of tension,' said Dr. Mac Sweeney. 'The 1.633 ratio appears in the jaw, the spine, and the skull. It reflects a state known as vector equilibrium, where structural tension and compression are perfectly balanced. I believe this marks the final step in the human journey toward full upright posture.' This ratio, derived from the geometry of the cuboctahedron, is widely recognized in biomechanics and architecture as a hallmark of tensegrity—the balance of forces within a stable form. Dr. Mac Sweeney contends that this geometry defines the Vitruvian Morphotype: a form that nature has converged on through evolutionary pressures—not because it is aesthetically pleasing, but because it is structurally optimal. 'Human evolution has been a long progression toward uprightness,' he explained. 'The 1.633 ratio may represent our evolutionary omega point—a structural threshold beyond which no further anatomical adaptation is needed to stand, move, and balance efficiently in gravity.' Mac Sweeney suggests that fossil evidence should reveal a slow convergence toward this geometric configuration, particularly in the jaw. He highlights the emergence of Class I occlusion in the fossil record—also known as the overbite/overjet 'step'—around 8,000 years ago as a key moment. While small variations remain, he argues that modern Homo sapiens are the first species to fully express this morphotype. 'It's like the hydrodynamic form of a dolphin,' he said. 'Nature solves gravity the way it solves water. Vitruvian Man is the first full sketch of what that solution looks like.' Dr. Mac Sweeney's theory is now attracting attention from experts in evolutionary biology, bioengineering, and anatomical design. He is currently conducting interviews, public talks, and media appearances to discuss what he calls the Vitruvian Ratio—and its broader implications for anthropology, architecture, and even consciousness. 'Leonardo, somehow, saw it coming,' Mac Sweeney added. 'Vitruvian Man may be the only anatomical diagram ever created that captures not just what a human is—but what a human is becoming.' About Dr. Rory Mac Sweeney: Dr. Mac Sweeney is a London-based endodontist and researcher known for his interdisciplinary work in dental anatomy, geometry, and human evolution. His work explores the convergence of structural biology and classical design, and he is the author of the book The Paradox of Lucid Dreaming. @luciddreamyoga Contact Information: Contact person: Dr. Rory Mac SweeneyCompany name: Precision EndodonticsWebsite: [ Contact: rorymacsweeney@ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
New York Times
11-07-2025
- General
- New York Times
Test Your Math Knowledge
'Math, Revealed,' our four-part series exploring the mathematics behind everyday objects and experiences, recently came to a smashing conclusion. One installment took a spin through 'taxicab geometry,' a wacky but vital corner of mathematics in which circles aren't round and pi equals 4. Another journey began with apples and pentagrams and led to Leonardo da Vinci, the golden ratio and ideal positioning of belly buttons. We had great fun on this adventure and hope to resume it before too long. In the meantime, here's a quiz to test what you learned and your general math knowledge. Enjoy! 1. In taxicab geometry, circles don't look round — they form sharp, angular shapes. What shape do they resemble? A triangle A diamond A hexagon A star An octagon 2. In taxicab geometry, even the value of pi is a surprise. What is it? About 3.14 About 1.41 Exactly 2 Exactly 3 Exactly 4 3. Mathematicians have long been fascinated by a special number that describes self-similar proportions. What is the approximate value of this 'golden ratio'? 1.41 1.50 1.62 1.75 2.00 4. Leonardo da Vinci's 'Vitruvian Man' has been analyzed endlessly for hidden patterns. According to a 2015 study, does the navel divide the figure according to the golden ratio? Yes, almost exactly. Yes, but only approximately. No, it follows a 2:1 ratio. No, it follows a 3:2 ratio. No, but the golden ratio is mentioned in Leonardo's notes. 5. In the densest possible arrangement of soda cans standing on a flat surface, each can in the middle touches the same number of neighbors. How many is it? Three Four Five Six Eight 6. In 2022, a mathematician won a Fields Medal for solving a problem about how to pack spheres tightly in eight dimensions. Who did it? Terence Tao Maryna Viazovska Thomas Hales Maryam Mirzakhani Ingrid Daubechies 7. The first four triangular numbers are 1, 3, 6 and 10. Why is 10 considered a triangular number? It's divisible by 3. It's the sum of three primes. It appears in the Pythagorean theorem. You can arrange 10 dots in an equilateral triangle. It's shaped like a triangle on the number line. 8. In 1672, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz found a clever way to add the reciprocals of all the triangular numbers. What sum did he get? 1 + 1/3 + 1/6 + 1/10 + ... 2 3 e Pi Infinity 9. At a wedding reception, the bride seats eight of her ex-boyfriends together at a table. (This actually happened to me once.) If each ex-boyfriend shakes hands with each of the others, how many handshakes occur in total? 28 32 36 40 56 10. Four bugs start in the corners of a square that measures 1 foot by 1 foot. Each bug chases its clockwise neighbor, always crawling directly toward the neighbor's current position. If they all crawl at the same speed, how far does each bug travel before they all meet at the center? Not enough information is given. I never took calculus. Help! 1 foot 2 feet 1.41 feet Questions and answers 1 through 8: photo illustrations by Jens Mortensen for The New York Times; answer 6: photo by Brendan Hoffman for The New York Times; question 9: photo illustration by The New York Times, source photo via Alamy; question 10: photo illustration by The New York Times, source photos by Balarama Heller for The New York Times. Produced by Alan Burdick, Alice Fang, Marcelle Hopkins and Matt McCann.
