Have you ever wondered why no two snowflakes are the same? Most of us take it for granted that this is true. It’s incredible to think that with all of the billions upon billions of snowflakes that fall, that no two are the same. But why is that?
University at Buffalo’s media contact for UB’s science and math departments, Charlotte Hsu, set out to discover the “whys” behind the seemingly impossible phenomenon, by interviewing UB associate professor of chemistry, Jason Benedict, who finally let the cat out of the bag. Not only did Benedict, who studies crystals, discuss the various weather conditions that help to form the distinct flakes, he also dispelled the notion that there is such a thing as an eight-sided snowflake – the magic number of branches is six. Benedict also tells us why some snowflakes are more complex in design than others.
If you want to be considered an expert in snowflakes (no, not the generation), you’ll want to read this fun and fascinating account that is a real eye opener when it comes to training our brains to rethink the ins and outs of the nature of this fleeting seasonal element.
Lead image: Douglas Levere/snowcrystals.us