Capturing Snowflakes

Book excerpt: High above the Earth, a snowflake is born. Crystalline branches form around a nucleus of microscopic dust, creating a one-of-a-kind natural design. Because it weighs next to nothing, a snow crystal may take hours to fall-finally landing where Kenneth Libbrecht's remarkable microphotography can capture the fleeting beauty and complexity of winter's frozen artistry. The wonder of snowflakes lies partly in how they are fashioned into such complex and symmetrical shapes with no blueprints or genetic codes to guide their formation. The snowflake is a fleeting, mysterious work of nature's art that has long fascinated humans. The first medieval scientist was so astounded by their remarkable symmetry that he wondered if these ice crystals might have souls. Indeed, how do they develop into such a never-ending and endlessly fascinating variety of intricate, lacy patterns? Join the world's leading snowflake expert, Caltech physicist Kenneth Libbrecht, as he delightfully chronicles the creation of the snow crystal, both in nature and in the laboratory. With this captivating book and keepsake ornament, we can better appreciate the snowflake's frozen artistry. Book jacket.