The Lorenz attractor is a complex mathematical concept that arises from a system of ordinary differential equations. It was discovered by Edward Lorenz in the 1960s while studying weather patterns. The attractor demonstrates how small changes in initial conditions can lead to vastly different outcomes, illustrating the principle of chaos theory. Visually, the Lorenz attractor resembles a butterfly or figure-eight shape, representing the unpredictable behavior of dynamic systems. It is significant in various fields, including meteorology, engineering, and physics, as it helps to understand chaotic systems and their long-term behavior despite their sensitivity to initial conditions.