
All break-ups of water drops are alike; each break-up of a submerged air bubble proceeds in its own way. Many dynamical processes, from the beginning of the universe to the aggregation of bacteria into patterns, are succinctly described by the formation of a singularity in the mathematical models. Often, the observed evolution is universal. Different initial states evolve to the same final singular dynamics. The break-up of a water drop in air is a familiar process that displays this universal behavior. The break-up of an air bubble in water reveals an entirely different and unexpected singularity dynamics. Initial asymmetries in the bubble neck shape excite vibrations. As the break-up singularity approaches, these vibrations are not erased but instead persist and eventually dictate the final break-up mode. The image illustrates a few of the variety of break-up modes possible."