The flakiest snow
How do snowflakes know how to be symmetrical? Are there any circumstances in
which they can be persuaded to be asymmetrical?
Answer: The snowflakes that you can see falling slowly from the sky are loose
collections of tiny snow crystals. These snow crystals are indeed hexagonally
symmetrical and can develop the elegant, feathery star shapes that are so
beloved of Christmas card designers. However, snowflakes are not themselves
symmetrical. Unfortunately, confusion often arises because snow crystals are
also commonly referred to as snowflakes.
Snow crystals are hexagonally symmetrical because their constituent water
molecules initially join up in…
