Carbon onions
Our paper has shown that affine symmetry might occur more widely as an organising principle in the natural world. Icosahedral carbon cages exist in various sizes and each one follows icosahedral symmetry individually. However, they can also exist as nested Russian-doll-like arrangements, known as carbon onions. We have shown that the principle of affine symmetry can describe the whole carbon onion collectively, rather than merely the individual shells.
This therefore suggests that affine symmetry could occur widely in nature. Understanding the structure and assembly of these objects, such as carbon or nucleic acid cages, could open new doors in antiviral strategies, nanofabrication or drug delivery.
This therefore suggests that affine symmetry could occur widely in nature. Understanding the structure and assembly of these objects, such as carbon or nucleic acid cages, could open new doors in antiviral strategies, nanofabrication or drug delivery.