Gallery: Close-Up Shots of Flames That Look Just Like Brains

  • Fabian Oefner's Aurora series captures flames in midburst.
    Image: Fabian Oefner
    01

    Aurora01

    Fabian Oefner's *Aurora* series captures flames in mid-burst.
  • Image may contain Glass and Goblet
    Image: Fabian Oefner
    02

    Aurora02

    It may look like a mushroom cloud, brain or even coral, but it's not.
  • Image may contain Nature Face Animal Bird and Outdoors
    Image: Fabian Oefner
    03

    Aurora06

    It's actually the result of setting a few drops of alcohol on fire in a closed container.
  • Image may contain Fungus
    Image: Fabian Oefner
    04

    Aurora05

    Those little cells you see are alcohol molecules being burnt up.
  • The patterns are determined by the ratio of alcohol to oxygen.
    Image: Fabian Oefner
    05

    Aurora03

    The patterns are determined by the ratio of alcohol to oxygen.
  • Image may contain Plant Flower Dahlia and Blossom
    Image: Fabian Oefner
    06

    Aurora04

    The perfect ratio will result in a brain-like structure.
  • Image may contain Fungus Plant and Mushroom
    Image: Fabian Oefner
    07

    Aurora07

    Oefner captures his shots in about half a second—the amount of time it takes for the burst to light up and disappear.
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