Water Drops, Daisies and Bumblebees

"The photo above provides a wonderful demonstration of the physics of light in water drops as well as the attraction of water molecules to plant molecules and to one another. In this case, the liquid drops result from rain and fog. A drop of liquid behaves like a simple lens – just like a camera. Therefore, the refracted image is upside-down when viewed through the drop. Somehow, bees, such as this bumblebee, figure out this hall of mirrors and are able to get to the daisies’ nectar. "
via epod.usra.edu

 

Pillars of Light

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Ice crystals form in a wide variety of shapes and sizes: stars, needles, columns and plates. When bright light passes from the sun, moon or an artificial light source through a portion of the sky containing a concentration of ice crystals, magical apparitions often appear. The crystals focus, scatter, bend, split and reflect the light rays into a kaleidoscope of optical phenomena: arcs, glories, halos, pillars and sun dogs."   The Weather Doctor

 Read more at Atmopheric Optics