Spiral

A spiral is a curve that winds around a central point, getting further away as it goes. It is a circle that could not decide where to stop, and has been going round about it ever since.^[1]

Direction

Whether a spiral is going in or coming out depends entirely on where you start looking. A spiral is therefore the only shape that is arriving and leaving at the same time, like a guest who has been “just going” for the past hour.^[2]

Spiral staircases

A spiral staircase has the same number of steps going up as coming down. Surveys of people at the top nevertheless report roughly twice as many, and surveys of people at the bottom report that they will take the lift.

Control

Things are often said to be “spiralling out of control”. No real spiral has ever been observed doing this. Spirals are among the most controlled shapes known, keeping the same curve for as long as they last, and have asked for the phrase to be withdrawn.^[3]

See also

• Circle – a spiral that made its mind up
• Staircase

References

1. Coil, C. (2003). Round and Further Round. Helix Press.
2. Whorl, W. (1958). “Coming or Going?”. Proceedings of Inward and Outward Geometry 1. Still deciding.
3. Curl, A. (2019). “We Are Not Out of Control: A Statement”. Shapes Review 8.