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What is the essence of a snowflake? If you take a look at this amazing photo gallery of snowflakes from National Geographic, you might be able to tell. The photo gallery is part of a Feb. 2004 story about how snowflakes form their unique shapes. One of the major questions scientists are studying is what factors, such as temperature and wind, play in how the snow crystals form. The main scientist mentioned in this story has a book out on the subject, which has plenty more pretty snowflake photos taken by photographer Patricia Rasmussen to stare at. 

The Wired article Science Braces for Second Term features the most ironic sentence I’ve seen in months: “For the past four years, scientists have accused the Bush White House of ignoring widely accepted scientific studies in favor of fringe theories that support the administration's political agenda. Meanwhile, government officials say scientists are exploiting research for political purposes.” (emphasis mine) [TechReview blog]

An interceptor rocket that failed to launch last week during a test of a proposed missile defense system confounded its critics today by receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom in a ceremony at the White House.