Bling Bling.

From New Scientist,

These snowflake photos were taken by Kenneth Libbrecht of CalTech, using a specially-designed snowflake photomicroscope. They show real snow crystals that fell to earth in northern Ontario, Alaska, Vermont, the Michigan Upper Peninsula, and the Sierra Nevada mountains of California.

The example above is called a stellar plate snowflake.

These are thin, plate-like crystals with six broad arms that form a star-like shape. Their faces are often decorated with amazingly elaborate and symmetrical markings.

Plate-like snowflakes form when the temperature is near -2 °C or near -15 °C. Such snowflakes are common.

Isn’t nature beautiful?

Guys, some advice: On Christmas, don’t waste your money on expensive diamonds. That’s just compressed carbon, dug out of old, dirty rocks in conflict-stricken lands.

Instead, when you’re walking through a snow-kissed lane, give that special girl of yours one of these immaculate jewels, a photomicroscope, and say, “I love you.”

You’ll be able to tell how she feels when she returns the favor…by dumping a couple billion more of them down your shirt as she walks away.

Oh: That’s not anger on her face. That’s passion.

Aaaahh…love.

Ah…Christmas.

[via Panopticist]