Over the course of history, artists, scientists, and even mathematicians have noticed that the same number keeps popping up in nature, art, architecture, and science, among other places. It is called “phi,” but it is also called “the golden ratio” and “the golden sequence.” Let find out what exactly is the golden ratio is.
What is the golden ratio of the human body?
The golden ratio is a mathematical constant denoted φ (~1.618), defined by dividing a line so that the ratio of the whole to the longer part equals the ratio of the longer part to the shorter (“extreme and mean ratio”).
There are many claims that the golden ratio shows up all over the human body, for example the length of the arms and legs divided by the length of the torso. It seems to describe what proportions look best, or most appealing.
In fact, painters and sculptors claim to know about the golden ratio for a long time and have used it to make sculptures and artwork that look like the perfect human form. While these ratios may come close to 1.6, they rarely match the golden ratio (1.618) exactly and vary significantly across individuals.
The Vitruvian Man, which Leonardo da Vinci drew around 1490 and which became his most famous work, showed how the human body was the main source of proportion in the Classical orders of architecture. Vitruvius said that the upper body should be about 3.75 times the size of the lower body. While this is close, the ratio is not exactly 1:1.6.
Golden ratio in the human face
When the distance between certain regions of the face is in close proximity to the ratio of 1.618, it is considered the epitome of beauty. It is observed that the distance between the top of the nose and the center of the lips is 1.618 times greater than the distance between the center of the lips and the chin.
Even though the average of a whole population tends to get closer to the golden ratio, it is important to remember that each person has a unique body shape.
Researchers have tested many of these claims and found that, while some proportions might hover around 1.6, they don’t consistently align with the golden ratio. Human anatomy is far more variable
Examples of golden ratio in the human body
The ratio of the length of forearm to the length of the hand is close to 1.618
The ratio of the length from the eyebrows to the end of the nose and the length from the end of the nose to the chin is close to the golden ratio
- The ratio of the height of an adult to the height of their navel is close to 1.618
Since the beginning of time, people have thought that the heartbeat’s rhythm follows a special pattern. According to research published in the British Medical Journal, people that have a ratio between their diastolic and systolic blood pressure that is close to the golden ratio have a lower risk of dying from a cardiac arrest than those with a higher ratio
Golden Ratio: Myth vs Reality
| Claim | Truth |
|---|---|
| The golden ratio is hard-coded into the human body | ❌ No consistent scientific evidence |
| All “beautiful” faces have φ proportions | ❌ Beauty is subjective and culturally influenced |
| Some body ratios approximate φ | ✅ Yes, but approximation isn’t the same as rule |
Where we really see the golden ratio
- Spiral patterns in sunflowers and pinecones
- Shell spirals in nautilus (though even this is debated)
- Fibonacci-based bee family trees
- Leaf arrangements (phyllotaxis)
Glossary
Diastolic blood pressure:
The pressure in the arteries while the heart is at rest between beats. This is the period when the heart receives blood and oxygen.
Systolic blood pressure:
The pressure in the blood vessels exerted by the blood which is being pumped by the heart.
Flesch Kincaid Grade Level: 64.8
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