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December 21st, 2020, 6:00AM / BY Abigail Eisenstadt
The original photos from late 1800s by famous snowflake photographer Wilson “Snowflake” Bentley, are stored in the Smithsonian Archives. His pictures were instrumental in helping scientists examine snow’s crystalline properties. (Erin Malsbury, Smithsonian Open Access, Wilson A. Bentley)
Winter officially begins today, and cold weather fanatics are hoping for snow. But snowfall brings more than wintry fun. This beautiful weather event gives scientists the chance to examine a fascinating substance with unique properties.
“Snowflakes are single crystals of ice and ice is basically a mineral that melts at a lower temperature than other minerals do,” said Dr. Jeffrey Post, Curator-in-Charge of Gems and Minerals at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History.