Wilson Alwyn “Snowflake” Bentley died on December 23, 1931, after falling ill with pneumonia, just days after walking six miles through a snowstorm to capture the beauty of snowflakes under his microscope. While tragic, it was a poetic end for a scientist who had dedicated his life to exploring the wonder of winter’s frozen masterpieces.
Born in 1865 to a dairy farming family in Jericho, Vermont, Wilson Bentley’s path seemed set, until his mother, a former teacher, gave him a microscope at age 15. That single gift changed everything.
From that moment on, he was hooked. He placed anything and everything under the microscope, amazed by the hidden worlds he could now explore, with his curiosity only deepening over time.
Table of Contents
- Snowflakes – Melting miracles of beauty
- Eureka – The greatest moment of Bentley’s life
- Just imagine …
Snowflakes – Melting miracles of beauty
In his early twenties, Bentley observed a snowflake under the microscope for the first time. Later, he described that moment:
“Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others… Every crystal was a masterpiece of design, and no one design was ever repeated… I became possessed with a great desire to show people something of this wonderful loveliness, an ambition to become, in some measure, its preserver.”
Developing a method to photograph snowflakes under a microscope took two years of trial, error, and careful documentation. Bentley’s work was methodical, inventive, and fueled by a deep appreciation for natural beauty.
Eureka – The greatest moment of Bentley’s life
“The day that I developed the first negative made by this method and found it good, I felt almost like falling to my knees beside that apparatus,” Bentley told American Magazine in 1925. “It was the greatest moment of my life.”
Together with George Henry Perkins, a professor of natural history at the University of Vermont, Bentley published A Study of Snow Crystals in Popular Science Monthly. His photographs gained global recognition, and nearly a century later, his work continues to inspire.
The phrase “no two snowflakes are alike” can be traced back to his work and remains a reminder of the endless variety and elegance of nature’s smallest details.
Watch this short video on Bentley’s work and the science of snowflake formation:
Just imagine…
Imagine being destined for farm life, only to become the world’s most celebrated snowflake photographer. All of this happened because a single gift unlocked a lifelong passion that led to his discovery of microscopic worlds and the intricate beauty of frozen water, ultimately changing how the world sees snow. These kinds of turning points can alter a person’s path forever.
What was your Wilson Bentley-esque moment?
The science of discovery, then and now
Wilson Bentley’s passion for science was ignited by having the right tool, starting with a simple microscope that changed the course of his life. At ZAGENO, we believe that having the right lab tools and equipment can make all the difference in scientific discovery. That’s why our one-stop lab supply marketplace offers over 40 million products from 5,300 trusted brands. Whether you're capturing the beauty of nature or pushing the boundaries of biotech, our platform simplifies lab supply procurement so you can focus on what truly matters—your research.
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Editor’s Note:
This article includes portions of an earlier piece originally written by Peter Grayson. We’ve updated and expanded the content with new insights and additional context from the ZAGENO team.
