Many technical studies are enhanced by computer graphics. The study of fractals, or fractional dimensions is one of these. With the right frame of mind, these studies can aid in light travel. They show the hidden order in chaos, and the inherent structure in replication. Self-defining structures are recursive by definition, and can give us a glimpse into mathematical eternity.
Fractals are incredibly beautiful, and have an amazing range of application.
Fractals were born out of a crisis in mathematics over the importance of continuous non-differentiable functions. The scientific imagination has been slow to accept the importance of these functions because they are very difficult to visualize. Scientists generally reject what they can't imagine and comprehend. Now, high-speed computers have made the visualization much easier. Fractals are considered fashionable.