When Nature’s Beauty Masks a Warning: The Frost Flowers of America’s First Freeze

America's first major cold spell of the season has unveiled one of nature's most delicate spectacles: frost flowers. These intricate, ephemeral ice formations bloom briefly on select plants across the Eastern United States, enchanting early risers with their fragile beauty before vanishing in sunlight. But beneath this natural marvel lies a reminder that our environment is fragile and demands vigilant stewardship.What Do Frost Flowers Reveal About Our Nation's Readiness?Frost flowers form only when conditions align perfectly—a warm, wet ground feeding water through plant roots and stems, combined with freezing air temperatures that force thin ribbons of ice outward, breaking through...