Crystal Magic at the Microscopic Level

This mesmerizing time-lapse video shows a variety of ice crystals melting! The video was captured using cross polarized light which is light that vibrates only in one direction.

Sunlight and almost every other form of illumination produces light waves whose electric field vibrates in all directions.

If the electric field is restricted to a single plane by filtering the beam with specialized materials, then the light becomes polarized. You end up with magic: