The intrigue that compels us 

When we witness unexpected phenomena, a mathematician finds themselves asking: why?  We are compelled to understand further; what is the cause, the basic underlying principles?   Mathematics is full of symmetries, patterns and visuals that we can appreciate in their own right or use to explain and illustrate concepts.  And, they can also drive us to discovery.  I will tell a story of chip-firing, a mathematical idea that leads to fascinatingly intricate structures.  The imagery of these structures has spurred many questions to which we know surprisingly few answers.