ABSTRACT
Buckminster Fuller's development of Synergetic Geometry and its application to geodesic domes set in motion intense research and application of spherical grids to diverse fields. This chapter samples a wide cross section of industries to show how spherical geometry has been employed in practical applications. In some cases, the spherical influence is obvious, in others, the sphere was more a reference framework leaving little evidence in the final product. Examples are drawn from virology, astronomy, cartography, climate modeling and weather prediction, ride-share dispatching, aquaculture, supercomputer circuits, virtual reality, Computer Aided Design, structural engineering, Temari balls, and games and puzzles. Nowhere is spherical design more apparent and competitive than the design of sports balls, particularly golf balls. Popular geometries are reviewed as well.
