Abstract

Symmetry: Culture and Science
Volume 37, Number 1, pages 005-006 (2026)
https://doi.org/10.26830/symmetry_2026_1_005

TOWARDS OPEN ACCESS: STRENGTHENING SYMMETRY BETWEEN CULTURE AND SCIENCE

Simone Brasili, Johan Gielis

Dear All,

First, an important announcement: From this volume onward, Symmetry, Culture and Science will become a fully open-access publication. For us, this transition is essential to enhance the visibility of our journal and its authors by removing the paywall. To achieve this goal, the journal will introduce a mandatory Article Processing Charge (APC) of €100. This APC offer will apply to all articles submitted before the end of 2026.

Another significant development for 2026 is the expansion of our editorial board. These changes are intended to strengthen the journal’s future and honour the legacy of Dr. György Darvas.

In this issue, we feature three articles that explore the diverse applications of symmetry across disciplines. First, Gergely Lülökı and Zoltán Sebestyén examine the intersection of technology and creativity in “Trends in Artificial Intelligence in Art, Science, and the Study of Symmetry”. Through a systematic review of 100 peer-reviewed articles, the authors found that machine learning (46%) and expert systems (39%) dominate AI applications. Their research highlights that symmetry-based AI research focuses primarily on structural optimization and image classification, fundamentally reshaping both artistic and scientific methodologies.

Valeriy G. Narushin, Michael N. Romanov, and Darren K. Griffin offer a mathematical exposition of avian egg shapes and their relationship to human notions of harmonic structures. The authors propose a “principle of balance,” suggesting that the most aesthetic shapes exhibit equal volumes or projection areas between the pointed and blunt ends.

Using artificial intelligence, they generated an egg shape representing the most aesthetic form to the human eye, finding that it fully complied with these mathematical balance principles. This work offers practical applications for fields as varied as agriculture, architecture, and engineering.

Hanoch Livneh provides a comprehensive review of the concept of symmetry within the human experience in “Symmetry and Psychosocial Adaptation to Trauma, Illness and Disability Part I”. This paper considers symmetry, symmetry breaking, and asymmetry as conceptual tools for elucidating the processes underlying psychosocial adaptation to traumatic experiences.

Drawing on perspectives from physics, biology, and medicine, the author explores symmetry’s role in psychological domains and personality theories, including Freudian and Jungian frameworks, and its connections to mental health and personality traits.

We thank all authors, reviewers, and readers for their continued support.

With this transition, we are confident that the community will support us and that our cooperation will continue to grow in a constructive and shared way.