What you probably didn't know about snow
Snow is one of the most fascinating natural phenomena on earth. Whether we enjoy snowball fights, admire winter landscapes or we get annoyed about slippery roads - snow has many faces. But behind the white flakes there are amazing facts that even die-hard winter fans often don't know. Here are five things you probably didn't know about snow:
Snow is not white, but transparent
Even though snow appears white, it is made up of countless tiny ice crystals, which are themselves colorless and transparent. The secret behind this lies in the scattering of light: when sunlight hits the snow crystals, the light is reflected and refracted in all directions. Since all colors of the visible light spectrum are scattered evenly, the snow appears white to our eyes. However, under certain conditions, such as high snow density or the presence of impurities, snow can also take on slightly blue or reddish tones. These color changes are caused by different light refractions or the capture of particles that affect the light. In addition, atmospheric phenomena such as sunsets can further change the perception of the color of the snow.
There are more than 120 different types of snow
Did you know that not all snow is the same? Researchers distinguish 121 different snow crystals and other solid precipitation particles, depending on factors such as temperature, humidity and crystal structure. While we can only distinguish between powder snow, sleet, firn and a few others with the naked eye, science classifies snow much more precisely and knows, for example, things like skeletal or spearhead-like crystal shapes. The variety of snow types is also reflected in the languages that are particularly closely associated with snow. Inuit and Yupik languages, for example, have dozens of terms to describe different concepts of snow. For example, there are words for freshly fallen snow, snow that is easy to mold on the hands, or even snow that crunches heavily underfoot. Other cultures with long winters have also developed many terms: In Swedish, for example, there is the word "skare", which describes a hard layer of snow that often forms overnight.
Snow absorbs sounds
Do you know the feeling when you walk through a snowy landscape in winter and everything suddenly seems incredibly quiet? This phenomenon has a simple but fascinating scientific explanation: snow acts like a natural silencer. The air trapped in the tiny spaces between the snow crystals absorbs sound waves instead of reflecting them back. As soon as sounds hit the snow, the sound waves penetrate the cavities and get lost in the complex network of crystal structures. This makes sounds much quieter and more muffled. Freshly fallen, loose snow is particularly effective in this respect, as its porosity "swallows" a lot of sound. However, as soon as snow melts or compacts, as in the case of a hardened snow cover, this sound-dampening effect decreases again.
Snow can also insulate
This sounds paradoxical, but it is true: in certain cases, snow can have an insulating effect and store heat. For example, animals such as arctic foxes or penguins use snow caves to protect themselves from extreme temperatures. People in the Arctic also build igloos, which can stay surprisingly warm thanks to the air trapped in the snow blocks. Temperatures of up to 16 degrees Celsius can be created inside using body heat or lamps, while outside temperatures are still freezing.
If you want to try it out: Here you can stay overnight in igloos.
Snow has a smell
The smell of winter is different for all of us: while some think of the Christmas smell of cinnamon and cloves, others associate it with the aroma of firewood or fresh fir branches. For some, however, the true smell of winter lies in the snow. But what does snow actually smell like? Snow is made of water and is therefore odorless. One possible explanation for the perceived smell of snow could be that the snowflakes trap tiny aerosols or algae that bring their own smell with them. Another theory is that snow blocks the rise of smells from the ground, making the air seem particularly clear and pure - a smell that we perceive as "snow".
Places for beautiful moments in the snow
Photos: Pexels / pixabay, Aaron Burden, Kelly Sikkema, Pexels / David Dibert, unsplash / Yuri Antonenko, Judith Hehl, Arctic Snowhotel & Glass Igloos, Pexels / Ovais Ibn Farooq
Nadine Pinezits
Nadine is a freelance editor and copywriter. She lives in Austria and commutes between Salzburg and Vienna. This means she is either in the mountains or in the urban jungle, but at the same time tries to spend as much time as possible in her beloved country, Portugal.
Carina
Thank you for this inspiration! The fact that there are so many types of snow was new information for me.