About the Coral Timer
A coral structure grows from a single seed cell at the centre and branches outward in a fractal pattern as time passes. Built using diffusion-limited aggregation — particles random-walk through space and stick whenever they touch the existing cluster — so every reset gives you a different organic shape.
How It Works
The simulation starts with one cell at the centre. Each "particle" spawns on the bounding-box perimeter of the existing cluster and random-walks until it bumps into a cell that's already part of the coral. Once it sticks, it becomes part of the structure. The result: lacy, branching shapes — exactly how coral actually grows.
Perfect For
- Focus sessions — slow, beautiful, organic motion
- Meditation — non-repeating shapes calm without distracting
- Classrooms — a memorable visualisation of fractal growth
- Sensory rooms — hypnotic without being busy
FAQ
Why does it look different every time?
The particle random walks are stochastic. Every reset generates a fresh DLA pattern from scratch.
What is diffusion-limited aggregation?
A growth process where particles move randomly until they collide with a fixed cluster, then stick. It's the same physical mechanism behind real coral, mineral dendrites, and electrical discharge patterns.
Is the coral timer free?
Yes — free, no signup. Runs in any modern browser.
Can I run it in fullscreen?
Yes. Tap the Fullscreen button; press Esc to exit.