Nice Ice

Look: Researchers uncover a link between icicle shape and global warming

by Jennifer Walter

Sepia Times/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

Snowflakes — wondrous wintry marvels — can take on a variety of unique shapes.

But icicles can also form a range of stunning patterns as well.

Melting ice can create long and impressive — sometimes terrifying — structures.

The size and shape of icicles vary depending on their surroundings. In the Arctic, entire icebergs can be altered by shifts in water temperature and currents.

Grant Faint/Photodisc/Getty Images
Tap
Space, Time, Dinosaurs, and Other Essential Topics
Get the best of science—space missions, black holes, futuristic biology—delivered daily, minus the jargon.
By subscribing to this BDG newsletter, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy