A group of advanced photography students at Northern Iowa University have accomplished what they believe will be a world record. According to the March 30 story carried by United Press International, they produced a paper snowflake that measured 44 feet and 6 inches. The project, which took them about ten hours to complete, has been submitted to Guinness World Records to make it officially the largest paper snowflake ever. (The current official record is 20 feet and ½ inch.)
Many of us made paper snowflakes as children. It’s a simple thing once we’re instructed in how to go about it. Those snowflakes are usually small, measuring no more than four or five inches. The photo of the group standing behind the mammoth snowflake helps us appreciate the work they put into this project.
What truly amazes me is what has been termed “snowflake science.” Just do a search of that term on your Internet browser and brace yourself for a large number of sites that delve into the science of snow. We may see a “blanket” of snow on the ground, but that blanket is made up of hundreds of thousands of flakes. Each snowflake is a stunning example of artistic science when viewed under a microscope, and – are you ready for this? – each snowflake is unique.
Since no one has been able to study and catalogue every snowflake that has fallen to the ground, that latter claim is open to dispute. What is clear, however, is that there are a multitude of designs. Like people, every flake has its own unique characteristics.
It shouldn’t surprise us to learn that these amazing geometric specimens are the creation of God. This fact is inferred in Genesis 1:31: “And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” Snowflakes are not specifically mentioned in that verse, but “everything” includes every aspect of the universe.
God mentioned snow when He responded to Job’s challenge to explain why he was suffering so: “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow, or have you seen the storehouses of the hail, which I have reserved for the time of trouble, for the day of battle and war?” (Job 38:22,23). The point of that question is that God is in control of the elements, even down to the tiniest snowflakes.
Bob Eckstein in his book, “The Illustrated History Of The Snowman”, claims that it takes 10,000 snowflakes to make one snowman. Imagine, then, how many snowflakes have covered your yard with two inches of snow! And they keep coming! God’s creation is truly amazing, even in its smallest forms!
It took several students ten hours to make one 44-foot snowflake: that’s impressive. But God churns out billions of snowflakes continually, each of them unique. As the Lord Himself asked Sarah, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14). Apparently not. Our God is truly amazing!
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2022, Timothy D. Hall