"Snow on Demand" at the Lake Placid Olympic Museum reveals the science of snowmaking and the future of winter sports in a changing climate.

What does snow look like up close? An image shared on Facebook claims to show just that. "Snow under the microscope," reads a July 29 post.

For about one day at a time, those of us living in major cities can overlook our cold and grey misery to bask in the voluptuous coating of freshly laid snow. That momentary respite is short-lived, for ...