Science Behind - WHAT ARE SNOWFLAKES?

We are all fascinated by the beauty of snowflakes, but what are snowflakes?
Snowflakes are ice crystals that are formed by water molecules. It is unlikely that two snowflakes will look identical because their shape is determined by factors like local temperature, amount of moisture, and more. When water molecules form ice crystals, they form a six-fold (hexagonal) or a 12-fold symmetry resulting in elegant crystalline shapes.