HowTo: Grow Your Own Snowflakes

Grow Your Own Snowflakes

CalTech's Kenneth Libbrecht reveals the sublime beauty of snow crystals when photographed with a specially designed snowflake photomicroscope. The physicist is author of the Field Guide to Snowflakes and The Secret Life of a Snowflake, and recently posted an instructional guide for growing your own snow crystals.

HowTo: Grow Your Own Snowflakes

You Will Need:

  • One used 20-oz plastic Coke bottle
  • Three large-diameter styrofoam cups (or something similar)
  • A small kitchen sponge (1/2 inch thick)
  • A short length of nylon fishing line (thinner is better; 1-pound test is good)
  • A strong sewing needle
  • Four straight pins
  • One paper clip
  • Some paper towels

Libbrecht's microscopic images, via New Scientist:

HowTo: Grow Your Own Snowflakes

HowTo: Grow Your Own Snowflakes

HowTo: Grow Your Own Snowflakes

HowTo: Grow Your Own Snowflakes

HowTo: Grow Your Own Snowflakes

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