Great timing
 

Thank you for the snowflake- it is about 105 degrees here in the California desert, so even the thought of snow is comforting:cool:

How do all six arms of the snowflake know to grow into the same shape? That's what I want to know.

I'm pretty sure it's in the genes.

The shape of the center determines the shape of the arms.

Starfish syndrome.

I usually try and do this at least once each winter, personally I'm going for catching a falling flake, and imaging it without any prep. All that freezing with liquid nitrogen and bombarding with ions might change the structure.
Then again I haven't been successful yet.


Modern (for at least the last ten years) electron microscopes can image non conducting objects by using a low gas pressure in the chamber, incoming beam ionizes the gas around the beam providing a conducting path to dispel charge.

Low beam currents, and accelerating voltages, also help reduce sample charging in the Field emission type SEMs.

I bet you're sorry you asked now :3_eyes:

But you have done some nice pics of a chrysalis. And stuff.

Not at all - thanks B. :idea:

Crystallization