Snowflakes have been placed into a number of categories, and over the years have steadily increased. “In the 1930s, they were classified into 21 different shape-based categories; in the 1950s, to 42 categories, in the 1960s to 80 categories, and most recently in 2013 to a staggering 121 categories.” Due to the number of categories and designs that snowflakes can make, scientists have been able to find that with the number of possible arrangements of just 100 different categories is approximately 10 to the 158^th power; That number is about 10⁷⁰ times larger than the total number of atoms in the entire universe (Libbrecht).

I am fascinated with design. How or who made the snowflakes? If who, then who keeps making these beautiful pieces of art? Jack Frost? Frosty the Snowman?? If these are the artists then I don’t think we have been giving them enough credit. Is the complexity of snowflakes naturally formed with no real reason other than that’s how nature’s formula made it? I don’t think it’s this simple.

Artists create. We were meant to create. Nature is an amazing thing. I love nature, and I love how amazingly specific and detailed nature is. I don’t think we as humans will ever be able to fully understand the amazing complexity of the world we live in. Even so, it is such an amazing thing to be able to learn more and more about it.

Now some may say, "Wow, you sure are making the world out to be a pretty great place. Do you realize that millions of people are suffering from sickness, pain, and disease? There are people who are in the world, probably in your neighborhood, who are in deep pain because they have no hope and see no reason for life and you are sitting there talking about how pretty snowflakes are?? What is wrong with you?!"

Well to these people I would say: Yes, you are right, there are people who are hurting right now. In fact every single person in their lifetime experiences hurt on many different levels. This is not news. Despite this reality, I choose to think beyond the pain, suffering, and disease. My point is that just like the details in a snowflake, all people are made completely special and unique. I am only focusing specifically on snowflakes because they, like all of nature, are an example of something created with more than just a cycle or coincidence attached.