h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: The Helix - A20450666
Author: Gnomon - [ 2 stars; 128 solo EGEs ] - U151503

Is this interesting or is it too disjointed?

Great entry, Gnomon - so well-written and informative.

I'll be scrutinising the maths later, but in the meantime, you might be interested to know a few other uses for this term:

I think Americans use the term for the coiled curve, like a watch spring. I think in the UK & ROI we'd say 'spiral' for this, wouldn't we?

In anatomy, the helix is the term for the rim of the external ear.

In zoology, it's a genus of gastropod containing common garden snails. Species from this genus are favorite experimental animals for the experimental analysis of molluscan development. (it says here)

In Australian literature (!) Helix was a literary journal founded in Canberra by Les Harrop in 1978, later transferred with him to Victoria. Dedicated to publishing Australian and overseas writing in the same journal, Helix produced an Ezra Pound special issue in 1982. A book review supplement to Helix (9, 10) was published as a separate issue, Fresh Flounder (1981). Helix ceased regular publication in 1986; its editor, David Brooks, then began to work with The Phoenix Review, which took over something of the role of Helix, although its future in 1993 also appears uncertain. The Phoenix Review is published twice a year.

In architecture there are 3 meanings for Helix:

1. Small volute or urilla under the abacus of the Corinthian capital, of which there are 16 (2 at each angle, and 2 on each face) connected to the stalks. According to some authorities the 8 inner spiral forms are the helices, while those at the angles are volutes.
2. Any volute, as on an Ionic or Composite capital, a console, or a modillion.
3. Handrail of a stair balustrade forming a helix over the newel.

In astronomy, the Helix Nebula is a planetary nebula in Aquarius, also known as NGC 7293 or sometimes the Sunflower Nebula. It is the nearest planetary nebula, 450 l.y. away, and the largest in apparent size, nearly 1/4 °. It is ionized by a very hot 13th-magnitude central star of temperature 50 000 K.

Finally, you mentioned the double helix, but did you also want to mention the alpha helix?

Icy

This sounds as if I've going to have to do some more research.

Well, I just raided an online reference service for the above. Some of them are probably too obscure for your accessible article.

One more thing to research - the alpha helix in proteins, which out of interest is right-handed, can go wrong if one of the three protein strands comes from a mutated gene, thus causing all sorts of interesting problems. For instance, fibrillin going wrong in this way leads to Marfan Syndrome (A3065140).

Alex

Ah - I see Icy already pointed you that way. Hope my rambling helps, anyway.

Stick to squirrels, mate.

Stick to your PS, mate.

Reminder to self - I need to add one or two of the things mentioned by Icy in Posting 2 to this Entry.

I've added a note about the Alpha Helix, and a section at the end with other meanings of the word helix, incorporating almost all of Icy's suggestions (I was somewhat brief on the capitals of Greek columns, as I considered Icy's information somewhat obscure).

separate with a comma: x = r.cos(f.z), y = r.sin(f.z)

You have one superfluous bullet point at the end.

Yes it was, wasn't it. I think you've summarised it well.

Icy

You might want to point out that there are not just double but triple helices in nature, such as that formed by keratin in hair strands.

I've added a small paragraph about triple helixes in nature.

Any more suggestions or is this finished now?

If Icy has actually exhausted his vast knowledge or at least got close , then I think this is ready.

Well he didn't pick the gastropods, but I won't press it.

How could I forget the gastropods?!

The snails are in.

Finally, some good news at last.

Hi, Gnomon

Is this ready?