Antarctic Icebergs Make Their Own Art
by Moe Beitiks, 10/10/09
Stunning, no? Apparently some icebergs have stripes, and it’s not the result of Photoshop or internet pranks or penguin sledding or any outside manipulation. You might have seen these shots in an email that’s made the rounds– it’s even been examined by snopes.com and hoax-slayer.com. The email includes a series of beautiful photos of candy-striped ice-scapes. The stripes are real, the result of natural pressures and formations. Nature’s got this one covered — thanks — no prestigious exhibition needed.
Norwegian sailor Oyvind Tangen took the photos from a research ship 660 miles north of the Antarctic. The brown and black stripes you see on the icebergs are created by sediment underneath the ice shelf. Blue ice is the result of compressed snow and a lack of air bubbles.
The original email also includes a series of gorgeous images of frozen glaciers described as “frozen waves.” You can see more photos of this phenomenon on the website for the Australian Antarctic Division. While many of the shapes are suggestive of movement, the formations are actually created slowly over time with compressed ice — not in an instant as waves hit the air. Blue ice is known for being older, more solid and dependable by explorers. Also very pretty. Thanks, icebergs.
Beautiful, the second one looks like a slice of salmon dyed blue. lol.