So, picture this: I was casually browsing the latest TV series, and I stumbled upon The 3 Body Problem, released in March 2024. To my surprise, the aliens in the show sported a logo eerily similar to the one I’ve been using since 2016. At first, it felt like a punch to the gut—seeing something so familiar in a completely unexpected place. How could this happen?

Initially, I was upset. How could I prove my logo was my original concept? But then, I started thinking, with 8 billion people on this planet and countless more who have lived before us, surely, this can't be the first time something like this has happened. It’s almost inevitable that at some point, someone, somewhere, might come up with an idea of something strikingly similar without it copying from somewhere.

One of the most perplexing challenges in the world of design is the phenomenon of coinciding concepts. It's when two seemingly unrelated individuals or entities independently conceive remarkably similar ideas. This occurrence can leave us scratching our heads, wondering how such synchronicity is possible. Yet, time and again, we encounter instances where two minds, completely disconnected from each other, arrive at strikingly similar solutions.

It's a puzzling aspect of creativity that highlights the mysterious ways in which our brains work and the vast depths of our shared cultural reservoir. When faced with coinciding concepts, it prompts us to question the boundaries of originality and the interconnectedness of human ingenuity.

The concept of ubiquitous design is at the heart of this conundrum. It's about how certain designs become so ingrained in our collective consciousness that they seem almost universal.

I believe that ubiquitous design is something so simple and common that it can't be claimed as an original idea. Like the concept of the 4 legged table. Its so obvious that we needed 4 legs for a table to be stable. No one claims to ever think that someone has thought of it originally. Its just that a good design has come down to a point where it became so basic and conceptually atomic that a certain part of it cannot be modified and taken out which ultimately leads to ubiquity.

Ubiquitous design suggests that certain solutions are so obvious and effective that multiple individuals or cultures independently arrive at the same conclusion. It’s like a shared language of design that transcends borders and time periods.

So, when we encounter similar designs in unexpected places, like my logo popping up in The 3 Body Problem, it's not necessarily a case of one person copying another. Instead, it might be a testament to the power of ubiquitous design and the fascinating ways our creative minds intersect and overlap.

The aliens' logo in The 3 Body Problem is inspired by a mathematical representation of the three-body problem in physics, which is based on Newtonian equations of motion for the vector positions of three gravitationally interacting bodies with varying masses. This concept is depicted by three concentric circles in the aliens' logo. My logo, however, is quite different from this.

You can read my article about the conception of my personal logo here. It details my rationale, its purpose, the process of its creation, and how it represents me.

In the grand tapestry of creativity, ideas are constantly borrowed, modified, and reimagined. As a designer, I believe there is no original knowledge that can be conceived by an individual; we are merely explorers, discoverers of patterns that we ultimately use to our advantage. This perspective aligns with Pablo Picasso's famous assertion:

What Picasso meant wasn't about theft in the literal sense but rather the idea that borrowing and transforming existing ideas is a natural part of the creative process. When we copy, we learn and build our skills, which can then lead to creating more original and refined works.

This ongoing process of borrowing, modifying, and reimagining highlights the interconnectedness of creative thought. Every new idea is built upon the foundation of previous concepts, making it difficult to pinpoint a truly "original" idea. Instead, creativity becomes a continuous dialogue between past and present, where ideas evolve and adapt to new contexts and challenges.

Of course, there's the legal side to consider. Trademark law exists to protect unique brand identifiers, but the rules are specific. For a trademark claim to hold, the logos must be used in the same country and within similar classes of goods and services. This means two businesses in entirely different sectors or geographical regions might use similar logos without conflict.

Ultimately, the overlap between my logo and the one in The 3 Body Problem is likely a case of parallel thought rather than intentional copying. It’s a humbling reminder of how interconnected our creative minds can be and how ubiquitous design can become.

So, while it was jarring to see my logo's doppelgänger on screen, it also sparked a deeper reflection on creativity, originality, and the shared human experience. It’s a small world, after all, and sometimes, great minds really do think alike.