window frost 3

one of the "paths" seems to cross under here... or perhaps it's a chance merge and splice in 2D

one path terminates here

path overlap here seems to be stable... That is really cool, so to speak.

forking has a common pattern

"leaf nodes" earn their name

The periodicity (distance betweeen dots) and width of the paths seem universal...

The crystal seed source that spawned all of this iterative beauty....

intelligent design continues it's compelling argument

Agreed - really fractal beauty!!! So awesome!

What do transient ice crystal patterns have to do with evolution? ...although maybe some kind of evolved bacteria had something to do with the formation of the crystals themselves, as happens high in the atmosphere (when it snows).

gosh, I was really hoping the ID comment was a joke... Is the teleological delusion that pervasive?

She did use the wrong "it's," so I assumed her comment wasn't a joke. Oh--and look at her profile.

Don't get me started on the fractal nature of the universe.... :P

absolutely 100% pure frost on my windows this morning. i have no clue how they got that way, but the glass itself is smooth, and not etched or patterned in any way.

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Comments

Dominik Schwind says:

This is insanely beautiful. :)
Posted 60 months ago. ( permalink )

Alain Astruc says:

Amazing!
Posted 60 months ago. ( permalink )

meadows says:

oh mother nature!
Posted 60 months ago. ( permalink )

Paul Goode says:

yowza!
Posted 60 months ago. ( permalink )

helveticaneue says:

sensational shot!
Posted 59 months ago. ( permalink )

themexican says:

Dominik Schwind took the words out of my mouth....
Posted 59 months ago. ( permalink )

a m e l i a says:

beautiful!
Posted 57 months ago. ( permalink )

Erielle says:

When I went through your slideshow, the title/comments weren't there, so I thought it was embroidery....I have never seen frost like that! Goodwork.
Posted 56 months ago. ( permalink )

internetfuzzi says:

just another word to be added maybe : amazing =)
Posted 52 months ago. ( permalink )

roel says:

I second Eriel: I never knew frost could look like this!
Posted 52 months ago. ( permalink )

Eileen Delhi says:

Amazing.
Posted 52 months ago. ( permalink )

jurvetson says:

wow. some cloud chamber peek into the multiverse
Posted 52 months ago. ( permalink )

chattycathy7575 says:

This, the seaweed and the Civic Center Blvd. bus shot are my absolute favorites of yours, I think. They are definitely things I'd submit to the contest if you were going to do it.
Posted 48 months ago. ( permalink )

Miss Plum says:

thanks for the recommendations! i'm so glad we went out this morning, depite the wretched weather.
Posted 48 months ago. ( permalink )

chattycathy7575 says:

Me too.

I'm got my slides back today. However, I'm going to hurry up and order a slide of my latest self-portrait. I think the fact that it already has 18 favorites is a sign.
Posted 48 months ago. ( permalink )

Miss Plum says:

yeah, i think that's a safe bet. it IS a great shot...
Posted 48 months ago. ( permalink )

krashkraft says:

nature's beauty
Posted 48 months ago. ( permalink )

jurvetson says:

I am really liking the print of this shot (thanks for the Katrina Relief Auction donation!)

Beyond the nested fractal beauty, there is something very interesting that just caught my eye. The trails look like overlapping snail trails, especially on the bottom center of the shot. Somehow, the crystal growth vectors can overlap! The nucleation of the crystal paths don't seem to have destructive interference. Often in 2D phase transitions, you see distinct regions. This looks 3D. Do you recall if the frost was unusually thick or multi-layer? (I am assuming not, and these "particle trails" can fork and combine.... You can look at this picture as the product of a massive series of iterative computations...)

I added a bunch of Notes above (things that caught my eye looking at the large print). It reminds me of Wolfram's cellular automata work

and Vonnegut's Ice-9. =)
Posted 48 months ago. ( permalink )

Miss Plum says:

WOW! jurvetson...that is a lot of really cool observation. i'm glad the photo was so inspiring to you. as i recall, the ice was not thick at all. i think the 3D effect is more due to lighting than anything else. if you look at the other two pictures, taken from different angles, they don't look quite as dramatic. how do you know all of this stuff about ice crystals?
Posted 48 months ago. ( permalink )

Pink Frog says:

Gosh just looks like lace
Posted 48 months ago. ( permalink )

roddh says:

These are extraordinary frost patterns. the extended tree/branching structure is unusual, and very beautiful.
Posted 47 months ago. ( permalink )

Olly C says:

Thanks for adding this great pic to the group:

www.flickr.com/groups/a-cut-above/

Spread the word.
Posted 47 months ago. ( permalink )

MaureenShaughnessy (aka MontanaRaven) says:

i love the natural artistry of nature. this does look like very complex and intricate embroidery, threads, some sort of tapestry. it's totally gorgeous! wow!
Posted 46 months ago. ( permalink )

abrietta says:

I thought it was needlework too... so beautiful!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

begutierrez says:

well, that's some pretty artistic window frost! it's nature's art.
Posted 37 months ago. ( permalink )

dhania_ says:

wonderful
Posted 37 months ago. ( permalink )

Miss Martini (AnnaLynn M.) says:

that's really amazing and beautiful!
Posted 37 months ago. ( permalink )

izmamljivac_osmeha says:

The secret formula of life at my eyes :)
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

jacki-dee says:

This is beautiful! (found searching tag "frost".)
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

Mahulkar says:

Awesome. Could you post a larger sized image.
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

Photographic D says:

oh mother nature? How bout what an amazing creator!!
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

Miss Plum says:

how 'bout no theological debates on my photo comments? thanks.
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

wireful says:

when I was little our windows would do this, and I thought it was so magical and beautiful...now my parents have better windows, so I haven't seen this phenomenon in many years.
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

Miss Plum says:

yes, the windows in this house are quite old as well. never considered that might have something to do with it!
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

I, Puzzled says:

Congratulations! This image is currently one of Flickr's most interesting photos for 19 January 2005 (Two years ago today!). (It is on page one of the calendar view.) Would you please add it to the Interestingness pool? It would be a great addition!
Posted 36 months ago. ( permalink )

Kiss My Bliss says:

That is the awesome beauty of nautre at its finest..your either there to witness it or..sadly..we are not! Glad you got a picture of that..just wicked!
Posted 35 months ago. ( permalink )

Flesh Eating Beagle says:

Vary Cool!
Posted 35 months ago. ( permalink )

senzapareti says:

Weird : never seen such a crystal growth path
And nice photo
Posted 35 months ago. ( permalink )

Maia C says:

Awesome!
Posted 35 months ago. ( permalink )

RevJen says:

Stunning. Simply stunning.
Posted 35 months ago. ( permalink )

I, Puzzled says:

I'm going to post another comment because this photograph and phenomenon is just so amazing.
Posted 35 months ago. ( permalink )

Miss Plum says:

thanks, everyone!
Posted 35 months ago. ( permalink )

adraskoy says:

This is truely amazing!
--
Seen on the Web. (?)
Posted 35 months ago. ( permalink )

Marie C. Cudraz says:

Really fantastic !
Posted 35 months ago. ( permalink )

peno4 says:

Amazing!
Posted 34 months ago. ( permalink )

randeeryan says:

Wow. Extraordinary.
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Dhaani2008 says:

no words........nature so amazing
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

daewoo_4 says:

wow this is awesome ...
Posted 29 months ago. ( permalink )

SerialCoder says:

This image has been added to the Flickr Museum for making explore's top 25. Kudos!You can check it out here...
Posted 29 months ago. ( permalink )

katydaly says:

PLEASE add your very cool photo to the heat waves.frost bites pool.

www.flickr.com/groups/heatandfrost/

We alternate extreme hot and cold photos, so please add it after a hot one (yours or someone else's).
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

scleroplex says:

fractal branching is always enchanting! do post a large size!
Posted 27 months ago. ( permalink )

Comica says:

That is THE coolist frost in the world!
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

yana lenski says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called ESSENTIAL BEAUTY(by invitation only), and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.

--
Found in a search. (?)
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

S.Fauth says:

Great. Mother nature is the best artist...
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

Cricce says:

Amazing! This is really nice; frost is so unpredictable and can produce incredible patterns. Well spotted.
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

drtrisasi says:

wow this is very beautiful.... like work of art
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

diamondboa says:

i guess many of us are so focused on the photos that we don't read the titles until later! The thoughts of embroidery, lace and Steuben carved crystal came to mind.....but the Steuben did come to mind after i knew it was frost. a Frost Garden....that "leaf node" looks like a dragon...and all the undulations....i Love it!!
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

limando says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Beauty Selection, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

Rebecca Latson says:

An Awesome Shot Award
You are invited to add this image to An Awesome Shot!
~CONTESTS~ Enter/Vote now
Please tag the photo with "AnAwesomeShot"
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

Mini's mom says:

Really beautiful - nice shot!
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

bobj03054 says:

Totally Awesome.
Posted 22 months ago. ( permalink )

Églantine says:

Love it! Even nicer than the frost on my windows!:~)
Posted 22 months ago. ( permalink )

011art says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called ART & CRAFT non-stop, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

unmirasol says:

Wow, this looks like an embroidered rich tapestry.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

~Bri@n~ says:

amazing.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

c0onnie says:

i immediately went, what the heck?! when the photo loaded on the page.
this is so insane and just plain awesome and beautiful.
you're very lucky.
i love it.
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Miss Plum says:

thank you. yes, luck is definitely the word for it!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

chandrika221 says:

Very nice!
Posted 18 months ago. ( permalink )

Lilgirlreborn Thor says:

wow
Posted 17 months ago. ( permalink )

marilyn2d says:

exquisite!
Posted 16 months ago. ( permalink )

kasi metcalfe says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called The Art of Science, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 15 months ago. ( permalink )

pwiwε says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Iceflowers, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 14 months ago. ( permalink )

vorte569 says:

Great picture. Glad to see i'm not alone with these strange pattern. I capture similar pcitures today, sadly only on mobile phone thought.
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

janepell says:

In a world gone crazy, it's things like this that remind us to keep the ability to be awed.
Posted 13 months ago. ( permalink )

nomia29 says:

IN-credible!
Posted 12 months ago. ( permalink )

nighthawk327 says:

what an amazing work of nature and art. :)
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

A.J. French says:

amazing
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

j_silla says:

This deserves to be manufactured, great!
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

ebergcanada says:

wonderful natural art !!
Posted 11 months ago. ( permalink )

elainamarie says:

Incredible!
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

poetrosakranse says:

wow
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

FelineDelinquent says:

the secret ministry of frost? (Coleridge)
Posted 10 months ago. ( permalink )

Patrick Johanneson says:

That's astonishing and beautiful in equal measures.
Posted 9 months ago. ( permalink )

Peter S. Quinn says:

Congratulations!!! You have been awarded a “Flickr United” Medal!
If you haven't done so, please add your photo to:
Flickr United
Please tag your photo: FlickrUnitedAward
Posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

lovedart. says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called True Magic , and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 5 months ago. ( permalink )

Nuragic Man says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called *All beautiful shots and many more. (Invited photos only).*, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
Posted 3 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken on January 19, 2005
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