14 fascinating physics facts about flakes (of snow)
‘Tis the season for snow, at least for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Here in Canada, many places are bound to be buried in a blanket of the fluffy stuff any day now (and some already are!). So we figured we’d take a look at the fascinating physics behind the crystalline wonders of winter, snowflakes.
Grab a cup of hot cocoa and learn some frosty factoids you can use to impress coworkers at office parties or family members while you’re home for the holidays.
Watch Kenneth Libbrecht's 2012 Perimeter Public Lecture, The Secret Life of Snow:
Further exploration
About PI
Perimeter Institute is the world’s largest research hub devoted to theoretical physics. The independent Institute was founded in 1999 to foster breakthroughs in the fundamental understanding of our universe, from the smallest particles to the entire cosmos. Research at Perimeter is motivated by the understanding that fundamental science advances human knowledge and catalyzes innovation, and that today’s theoretical physics is tomorrow’s technology. Located in the Region of Waterloo, the not-for-profit Institute is a unique public-private endeavour, including the Governments of Ontario and Canada, that enables cutting-edge research, trains the next generation of scientific pioneers, and shares the power of physics through award-winning educational outreach and public engagement.
