The Pickover Attractor is a fascinating mathematical object discovered by Clifford Pickover in 1986. It's created by iterating a simple set of equations that generate complex, beautiful patterns.

Pickover, a prolific author and researcher, has written extensively about the connections between mathematics, art, and the cosmos.

The attractor is defined by just four numbers a,b,c,d and these two equations:

x_n+1 = sin(b·y_n) - c·sin(b·x_n)
y_n+1 = sin(a·x_n) + d·cos(a·y_n)

Each point in the visualization represents a single iteration of these equations. The colors indicate how many times each pixel has been visited - brighter areas show where the attractor spends more time.

Try different modes:
• Monochrome: Classic grayscale visualization
• RGB: Independent red, green, and blue channels
• Correlated: Related parameters create harmonious patterns

The patterns you see emerge from the chaotic dynamics of these simple equations, demonstrating how complex beauty can arise from simple mathematical rules.

I built this application largely vibe coding with Cursor an AI Code Editor , the Rust language and the Macroquad Game Engine

Created by David Maynard
View open source code on GitHub