  We discuss the similarities between BPS monopoles and Skyrmions, and point to
an underlying connection in terms of rational maps between Riemann spheres.
This involves the introduction of a new ansatz for Skyrme fields. We use this
to construct good approximations to several known Skyrmions, including all the
minimal energy configurations up to baryon number nine, and some new solutions
such as a baryon number seventeen Skyrme field with the truncated icosahedron
structure of a buckyball.
  The new approach is also used to understand the low-lying vibrational modes
of Skyrmions, which are required for quantization. Along the way we discover an
interesting Morse function on the space of rational maps which may be of use in
understanding the Sen forms on the monopole moduli spaces.

High Energy Physics - Theory;High Energy Physics - Phenomenology;Nuclear Theory