Cardano Logo: What Is ADA’s Hidden Meaning?

Unlike most crypto logos, the Cardano logo is an emblem of mystique and intrigue. Crypto logos are generally quite self-explanatory. Need convincing? Think of some iconic cryptocurrency logos. 

Bitcoin (BTC) is a white B on an orange background, while Dogecoin (DOGE) is a picture of Doge on a coin. These logos are efficient and instantly recognizable, but they’re hardly a masterpiece of creative design.

This guide will explore the Cardano logo’s enigmatic origins and why it was selected to represent Charles Hoskinson’s third-generation layer one blockchain. 

What Is the Cardano Logo?

In case you weren’t aware, the Cardano logo is a network of dissipating blue circles. When sliced, the logo is multi-symmetrical. Given that Cardano is one of the top ten cryptocurrencies in the blockchain industry, it has become instantly recognizable by the crypto community.

What were the inspirations behind ADA’s logo design?  

A Quick History Lesson: Gerolamo Cardano

Beginning what would become a trend of cultured naming choices within the ecosystem, Charles Hoskinson’s network was named after Gerolamo Cardano, an Italian polymath, philosopher, and physician.

Best known for being one of the first European mathematicians to use negative numbers, Cardano was one of the central figures of Italy’s mathematical progress during the Renaissance. 

Gerolamo Cardano had a penchant for gambling and was particularly interested in games of chance. His studies into probability are a big part of why the Cardano network, with its randomized Proof-of-Stake (PoS) consensus mechanism, is named Cardano in the first place.

Beyond his fascination with games of chance, Gerolamo Cardano is also known for his work on a key mathematical plane curve called hypocycloids, or ‘Cardano Circles.’

What Are Hypocycloids?

Simply put, a hypocycloid is a special mathematical pattern created by tracing the fixed point of a small circle within a larger circle. This unique formula can give us a variety of patterns, as shown below.

Hypocycloids are occasionally used in popular culture to inspire other geometric designs and logos, as we see in the case of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

While many of these hypocycloids are similar to the Cardano logo, you cannot deny that Cardano’s emblematic symbol is slightly more developed. To achieve this, Cardano designers calculated what would happen if a new pattern began at the terminus of the previous pattern.

This gives us the unique hypocycloid-within-a-hypocycloid structure that has become the symbol of Cardano’s thriving ecosystem. But why did the Cardano Foundation design its logo using repeated hypocycloids?

What’s the Link Between Cardano (ADA) and Hypocycloids?

The answer is rather simple. Cardano’s iconic logo is an homage to its namesake, Gerolamo Cardano. Centuries ago, the Italian philosopher’s work and passion for probability laid the foundations to inspire Cardano’s unique PoS consensus, Ouroboros.

According to Emurgo and the Cardano community, Gerolamo Cardano was the first to describe hypocycloids. The geometric design reinforces many of Cardano’s fundamental principles, like its research-driven, peer-reviewed approach to blockchain design.

The ADA Symbol

Unless you’re involved in the Cardano ecosystem, you might have assumed that the Cardano and the ADA logos were the same. However, it’s worth mentioning that the ADA currency symbol is represented by a stylized A with two dashes through it.

The native token of the Cardano network, ADA, is named after Ada Lovelace, the world’s first programmer.

On the Flipside

• While Emurgo and the Cardano community have mentioned that Gerolame Cardano was the first mathematician to describe hypocycloids in the 1500s, some historians would argue that Nasir al-Din al-Tusi beat him to it in the 1200s.

Why This Matters

While learning more about the Cardano logo and its origins won’t give you a profound understanding of the network’s unique capabilities, the inspirations behind the cryptocurrency’s logo design are still fun facts.

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