Looking for a way to cool off during this summer? Not only is this 3-D recreation of an avalanche sure to cool you down, it also might send chills down your spine. Swiss and U.S. researchers successfully created a replication of what happens in deadly avalanche and decided to post their findings in the journal Nature Communications.
The benefits of having a model avalanche to scientifically study is that it will allow mountain rangers to swiftly rescue stranded skiers or hikers in the event this environmental catastrophe does strike. Additionally, predictive forecasting will be improved immensely, so slope-goers will know when an avalanche is more likely to fall.
So what exactly is the science behind an avalanche? It’s a lot more complex than a bunch of snow falling, that’s for sure. It all starts with a small crack at the bottom of the snowpack, causing destabilization. As that crack spreads, the porous upper levels begin to loosen and collapse on the weight of the now unstable surface slab. Watch the video above to get a more accurate description.
In addition, UnCached has included some historic avalanches captured on film to remind you of the snowy dangers that lurk in the mountains. And no, it’s not Bigfoot.
