The human mind is very good at discerning patterns in nature: shapes, symmetries, repetitions. But why do we see hexagons in beehives, mud puddles, ice crystals, and lava flows, but not sand dunes,  rose bushes, or comets? Geologist Callan Bentley explores formations from branches and braids to waves and wiggles and explains the science behind each. By decoding some of nature’s formations—from prosaic to sublime—we can better understand our ability for pattern recognition.