A Lichtenburg figure is what occurs when an electrical charge passes through an insulating body leaving a tree-like pattern. These patterns get their name from the German physicist Georg Christoph Lichtenberg who originally discovered and studied them. Lightning bolts are probably the most commonly seen examples of Lichtenburg figures, but there are some really interesting ones to be found wherever large amounts of current are discharged.

This unique Tennessee duckling, Buttercup, was born with one foot in the grave. His backward foot meant he had trouble walking, swimming and he was constantly in pain. He was adopted by Feathered Angels in Arlington Tennesse who noted that he risked falling fowl of serious infection due to the constant cuts on his troubled foot.

This phenomenon occurs when sound waves of particular frequencies are played through a metal plate causing it to vibrate. If you place salt or a similar grains on the plate, it accumulates in the places of least displacement (nodes). Nodes and anti-nodes occur due to constructive and destructive interference – when coinciding waves either reinforce each other or cancel each other out.  The amazing thing is, as you adjust the frequency of the sound wave, the interference patterns change drastically – with some pretty cool results. These patterns take their name from Ernst Florens Friedrich Chladni who was was a German physicist and musician. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is nothing short of some  handsome science.