The article discusses materials science research by W. L. Noorduin, A. Grinthal, L. Mahadevan, and J. Aizenberg within the issue. Topics include Noorduin and colleagues' process for growing flower-like arrangements at a micrometer scale using an aqueous solution containing barium chloride, sodium metasilicate, and a glass plate, the combination of feedback and control parameters acting together to generate the structures, and the manipulation of growth conditions, such as hydrogen ion concentration (pH), to generate complex shapes. A diagram illustrating the formation of the crystals is presented.