Fractal questions

1) In what ways do fractals remind you of weather phenomena ?

2) Do you think the way a tree branches is determined by a gene that says,"Put a branch here," or by a rule that says,"If there's a branch over there, and one over there, then put one here."

3) From above, which sets of instructions is ultimately more simple ?

4) Is there any "fundamental" layer in a fractal drawing ?

5) Does nature imitate mathematics, or the other way around, or what ?