No two snowflakes are alike. Just look at these crystalline works of art.
Ken Libbrecht, a physics professor at the California Institute of Technology, captures these beauties using a photomicroscope. He snaps the crystals as they fall and then examines their wondrous patterns in his lab.
Libbrecht became interested in the study of snow crystals in the 1990s when he was conducting research on the molecular dynamics that affect crystal growth.
The result of his studies is a new book, “Field Guide to Snowflakes,” in which Libbrecht classifies each crystal based on formation, symmetry and growth, and uses science to show how each one is unique.
For more images, visit Libbrecht’s website.
– Elizabeth Semrai