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A development, like you may have seen in the "Fractal Mud" photo, is similar to a fractal. But is also resembles closely another phenomenon: A crystal lattice...
The atoms or molecules of a crystal are alligned into a dense formation, often like the rows and columns of a spreadsheet or in this case an unimaginative subdivision. One day, several years ago, on a cold, cold night, I got into my freezing car to head somewhere. A bit of dirty, icy stuff needed cleaning from my windshield. Spraying it with windsheild washer fluid, which largely evaporates after turning the ice to water, the wiper cleared but a thin layer of water and fluid from the glass. The fluid evaporated, leaving a thin film of water on a freezing surface. Naturally, little crystals appeared in several places simultaneously, like flattened fleurettes, then grew to cover the windshield. Then the wiper came again, destroying this "ice-life", leaving a re-wettened suface and a few stray, microscopic crystal "seeds". Sure enough, these would grow to fill in the wetness that remained on the windshield - they reproduced by fission. LIFE TOUR: US LAST 1 2 3 4 5 6 NEXT
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