Fossil Ice Crystals: An Instance of the Practical Value of "Pure Science"

The author recounts repeated field observations of straight, branching, needle-like grooves on bedding planes of several Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, interprets them as casts of ice crystals formed when wet sediment froze, and compares these fossil patterns with recent frost markings found in loess and mud. He traces occurrences across different formations and regions, notes variation in crystal length, curvature, branching angle, and pattern density, documents methods of recording and photographing specimens, and argues that such purely scientific observations can reveal past climatic conditions and yield unexpected practical value.