Let it Snow - The Secrets of Nature

when the world wears white again and everything disappears under a thick blanket of snow that's when the magic of winter unfolds as in every year nature shows us a world of wonders as mother nature decides to let it snow snow crystals are natural works of art as fragile as they are ephemeral each crystal is unique and yet all developed in accordance with the same six-fold symmetry however small the individual crystals are there United force is a natural phenomenon that determines the course of life during the cold season this is particularly true for the Alpine mountain ranges Oh it's December and about time to look for a proper Christmas tree snowflakes descend softly from the tree and we've never before seen nature's white splendor quite like this this tree is exactly right it's the perfect choice covered bats gonna cut these Suns are good ice rescue know the landscape is deeply covered in snow and here in the Austrian mountains it looks as though it's going to be a white Christmas again but there's still a little time to go before then the wild animals sense that the weather is about to change dense clouds appear the weather front carries moist air that collides with cold air masses in the alpine region ideal conditions for productive snowfalls when it is barely below freezing the first snow crystals begin to form inside the clouds over time they join up the form bigger flakes and once they're heavy enough they fall from the clouds and it snows each of mother holders works of art is unique no two snowflakes are exactly alike unlike raindrops or hailstones snowflakes fall gently from the sky once a snowflake touches water it immediately melts releasing the air inside this creates a high-pitched sound that is unique to each flake and inaudible to the human ear without the assistance of Technology on their descent to the ground some of these fragile structures run into warmer pockets of air and melt but most of them make it all the way to the ground where they form a blanket that keeps growing thicker sand Nicolay in the Austrian circuit are here as in many valleys of the Alps time-honored Christmas traditions are kept alive all throughout the Advent season the whole family takes part in preparations for the grand celebration stars are made from straw both for the christmas tree and to decorate the windows and once the snow starts to fall visions of a white Christmas begin to stir in everyone's dreams while the family is busy with Christmas preparations in the warm room the snowfall grows heavier outside not many dare to venture out the next morning for some animals in the wild winter is the hardest time of the year now they have to live off fat reserves they built up in the summer they're protected by their winter fur which is such an effective insulator but snow doesn't melt for hours the new snow is deep and soft and each step takes a lot of energy during snowstorms Shinhwa and dear sometimes show surprising behavior they allow themselves to get snowed in as the blanket of snow protects them from wind and frost other animals successfully use this trick to Huskies spend the night outside they don't mind even the sharpest frost and the heaviest snowfall and in the morning the Hardy dogs are busy getting rid of the snow again Oh the animals are restless they can hardly wait to get going Huskies are originally from Siberia where they've been used as sleigh dogs for centuries Huskies are perfectly adjusted to snow their paws are padded and hair between their toes ensures a safe tread dog slay races are becoming increasingly popular everywhere and only the strongest and most experienced animals get to run at the head of the pack Huskies are totally in their element in the snow which can't be said about cheap if a herd is surprised by a snowstorm it usually means heavy shoveling for the shepherds the natural response of sheep is to flee any imminent threat but where to escape when danger threatens from all sides the sheep are noticeably confused I hate that wolf and even once their way is shoveled free they still require some persuasion without help they would freeze to death as in September 2007 when hundreds of sheep perished in the Austrian Alps it takes quite some time until the strange Caravan reaches the stable not only is it warm and dry here but there's plenty also for the sheep to eat in sharp contrast to the conditions faced by wild animals outside for Shinhwa for example foraging in the winter is a challenge when deep snow covers the plants on the ground the animals must stretch for the young conifer shoots in times of dearth they even nibble the meager lichens of the tree bark the splendid white snow is already several feet high as the next cold front approaches the outs bringing even more the downside of a picturesque winter's tale is its icy cold and heavy snowstorms and once a dense snowfall and strong winds combined things get really uncomfortable the snowflakes whip horizontally through the air the wind amplifies the bitter cold and frost animals in the wild suffer the most under such extreme weather conditions many of them must look for cover now some of them have developed their own survival tricks the snow vole for example lives in caves underneath the snow where the temperature never drops below freezing if the snow failed to appear and provide its protective layer many animals and plants would not survive the winter while the snow vole is secure in its warm cave the Shinhwa climbing up the mountains in search of food above the Timberline the wind continues to blow the snow away and expose his withered grass but these frozen Tufts are merely signs for the Shinhwa they scratch right next to them for grass that didn't freeze under the snow that's remaining edible during Advent days are short and nights a long and cold inside the houses though it's warm and the smell of biscuits the long-awaited harbinger of the upcoming Christmas celebration lingers everywhere many old customs and traditions brighten up this time of eager anticipation to the sounds of Advent horns another window of a special house is opened it's an oversized advent calendar and next to it hot sweet chestnuts and open hearts provide warmth and a sense of belonging and well-being during particularly frosty nights a fascinating phenomenon occurs the moisture in the air freezes and turns into hoarfrost overnight the landscape is covered with ice crystals the result is a winter picture book panorama son and hoarfrost frequently go hand in hand as cloudless winter weather is especially cold however hoarfrost doesn't only accumulate on boughs and branches but also on the blanket of snow it's crystals differ considerably from the snow below hoarfrost is created at about minus 8 degrees Celsius or lower and the moisture in the air freezes directly on surfaces freezing cold winter nights provide ice and the inhabitants of some alpine valleys take advantage of this they still master the high art of ice cultivation instead of chopping ice likely to be contaminated with suspended sediment from frozen brooks or lakes ice farmers repeatedly douse specially designed wood racks with water taps several feet long of particularly clean ice are grown here in the cold while any sediment is washed away by the surplus water finally the ice is sawn into pieces these massive structures grew in just two days in order not to break up the highly sought-after ice craps any further they have to be carefully harvested and stowed this frosty speciality is a pure pleasure and safe to enjoy in food and drinks in former times people were dependent on the cold of winter if they wanted to freeze water today researchers like your honish beagle create snow crystals artificially in the cold laboratories of the Swiss Federal Institute for snow and Avalanche research in divorce temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius are common here researchers create nature identical snow scientists examine the structure of this snow under the microscope an atlas of snow crystals records about 6,000 different crystal forms humidity temperature and the water's molecular structure are crucial data points electrostatic fields align the water molecules hexagonal II and this basic structure holds steady as the water slowly freezes and the snow crystal gradually grows until it's finished between minus 12 and minus 18 degrees Celsius the classic six arm thus no stars or dendrites appear it's the temperature that determines how finely branched they become freezing water gives off heat which decreases at higher temperatures and this in turn causes additional variations in structure because a bigger surface facilitates the discharge of heat consequently dendrites turn out to be distinctly less branched when they're created at lower temperatures so not all snow is alike and at very low temperatures snow crystals take on the form of little tiles columns and cylinders of ice you but what is somewhat inconspicuous under the microscope is actually every winter athletes dream and the height of winter fun fine how does snow children are particularly fond of this delightful variety of winters produce fresh powder snow is an attraction for skiers and snowboarders too but sparkling white winter landscapes also serve another purpose new snow reflects about 90 percent of sunlight thus snow plays an important part in the global climate but why is snow actually white the ice of the snow crystals is colorless and transparent at the border surfaces between ice crystals and air the white sunlight is reflected and scattered and with enough randomly distributed ice crystals scattering light in all directions the overall color that results is white when snow covers the landscape some animals prove to be particularly adaptable to the changed conditions during the winter the ptarmigan with it's bright white plumage is superbly camouflaged it changes the colors of its feathers according to the season to deceive its enemies the same is true for the mountain hair however it's winter fur is more than camouflage thanks to its insulating properties the hair survives temperatures of minus 30 Celsius not only in the Alps of the animals adapted themselves to winter red-crowned cranes are migratory birds but on the Japanese island of Hokkaido they remain at home throughout the earth during the winter months these elegant birds perform their courtship ritual Aikido is also an Eldorado for winter athletes and snow researchers in his research Masaru Emoto investigates the factors that determine the growth of ice crystals emoto's findings are as interesting as they are controversial according to his hypothesis the process of crystallization can be directly influenced the water is exposed to the sound of music or spoken words in the case of negative sounds or concepts the crystal structure is supposedly strongly distorted positive musical words are reported to result in beautiful crystals classical opera seems to promote crystals of superb form you however other factors may also influence these experiments ice crystals grow following a chaotic principle even the smallest influences change their shapes maybe it's simply the rhythmic sound waves or the angry music that disturbed the development of their fragile structures back from the laboratory into nature to understand how snow crystals are created in natural surroundings researchers have to get themselves to the center of the action on board a hale defense aeroplane the austrian meteorologist Alexander Podesta flies straight into the heart of a snow cloud gauges measure temperature humidity and wind speed so called condensation kernels server seeds around which droplets form at the clouds mist moisture accumulates around minut particles of dust and soot such particles also serve as freezing kernels for snow crystals it's already cold enough in the clouds the first crystals start to form they grow linked together and descend as snowflakes to the earth here this white splendor arrives just in time for Christmas snow has a magical attraction especially for children now snowmen are in high season this tradition isn't all that old the snowman became popular only in the 18th century as a symbol of the hard winter but this image has changed due to improved living conditions and people increasingly enjoyed the cold season in the mountains however the snow can prove to be a danger for humans and animals alike a young Shinhwa is stuck in the deep snow inexperienced as it is it mustn't lose connection with the herd at all costs but the young animal sinks deep into the snow and falls further and further behind with the last of its strength the young Shinhwa escapes its plight and rejoins its mother in the nick of time the devastating Abhilash thunders down into the valley this natural phenomenon can turn entire forests into firewood avalanches are winters greatest danger in the Alps the Shinhwa are accustomed to this threat if a herd has to cross a dangerous mountainside the most experienced animal leads alone carefully Shinhwa explores the situation and looks for a safe passage at the same time it creates a path in the deep snow for the rest of the herd to follow Oh but the remaining animals proceed only after the leader has safely reached the other side the Shinhwa show even more remarkable behavior on this occasion the herd doesn't cross the hillside as one instead the animals risk the dangerous passage one at a time by doing so the Shamu I instinctively reduced the strain on the snow cover and thus the risk of the entire herd being swept away by an avalanche this danger is very real not only for the Shinhwa skee tours are a fascinating way to enjoy the white splendour off the beaten track experienced skiers however always keep a careful eye on the snow underneath them all too easily as snow shelf can break off and drag a careless skier deep beneath the snow move Annan grotmann ting neared a force here researchers from a Swiss Federal Institute for snow and Avalanche research study the causes of avalanches in this testing ground profiles of the snow cover are created for walkin yuk Schweitzer examines everything from the lowest layer of granulated old snow to the fine flakes of the most recent snowfall complicate abundant Gromov and I provide the quality of snow changes constantly and this results in the formation of distinct layers that can in extreme cases turn into dangerous slides the snow masses above these slippery layers can easily start moving the researchers cut out a block of snow to test its stability with this kind of testing a little jump usually suffices where the snow shears the border layer is analyzed in meticulous detail the data is sent to avalanche warning services but today nothing gets in the way of enjoying the deep powder snow what attracts droves of tourists into the Alps today used to be a vital means of transportation in the not so distant past for snow offers some advantages of a regular ground travel last summer's hay is stored in small barns high up on the our pine pastures in order to bring this dried grass to the valley to feed their livestock in the winter farmers depended on an obvious method of transportation they loaded the hay onto big sleighs occasionally going down the mountains is risky even for the Alps master climbers you but a trip with the hey slay is far from perfectly safe island after all a fully laden slay in way as much as two hundred and fifty kilos across level stretches they have to be towed to keep them from losing momentum once the path gets steeper skillful steering is required to make sure the sleigh doesn't a few masters of this art today and if the driver loses control of his precious cargo he invariably ends up in the ditch this method of ringing in the hay requires careful attention and great skill and in former times serious accidents were common occurrences much more peaceful then as well as now was a ride in the horse-drawn sleigh in the evening Twilight when the snowy landscape gradually sinks into darkness it is time for the coachman to light his lanterns and if then it softly starts to snow the winter fairy tale is perfect fluffy snowflakes are dancing in the sky just like in a movie scene and indeed this snow didn't originate in the clouds but in a studio here it is actually lava that is blown into the air but creating snow with the push of a button is far from the real thing certainly nothing to compare to a genuine white Christmas and luckily sometimes nature plays along on Christmas Eve a festive mood prevails in the tranquil village of Santa Nikolai after church many people come to see the Christmas nativity before returning home candlelight and the center fir trees fill the room the anticipation grows and with it impatience but finally the big moment arrives back to the the glow in the children's eyes stirs many and adults fond memories of merry Christmas's past a Christmas Eve that could hardly be more perfect inside everyone celebrates while outside it snows after Christmas the high season of winter sports begins and if the snow doesn't make an appearance on its own it's given a hand more and more Ski Areas rely on snow cannons these days thus this critical basis for winter tourism is maintained even if nature doesn't comply the average temperature of many alpine regions has risen noticeably over the last few decades according to the predictions of climate researchers this trend will only escalate when there's too little snow many ski resorts are already dependent on generating their white splendor artificially repeller canons are spraying finally atomized deep frozen water but this method of producing snow is also controversial as it requires a lot of energy and water what's more snow from these cannons is harder to ski on nature's original remains unequaled the week's come and go in the mountains the magic of snow presents its majestic beauty deep into spring occasionally however the silence of nature is disturbed by strange sounds Restless wood grouse are already beginning their courtship rituals in March their distinctive cries and splendid plumage are to attract females for the mating season soon at hand the day's grow longer and the power of the Sun increases during the winter snow and ice bound up large quantities of water that are now released in the warm spring air snow and ice crystals wane if the snow melts too quickly a sudden deluge of water rushes down the mountains potentially causing severe floods in the valleys on the other hand in the case of a more gradual form the ground can absorb enough water for earlier plants the snow vole is ready to venture outside again and the common frogs feel spring fever to their spawning migration takes them back to the place where they hatched themselves the shallow water fills with frogs and their spawn next year the frogs will return here again often the snow on the summit's of the Alps remains throughout the whole year the glacial ice is essentially nothing but condensed snow the weight of new snow masses eventually compresses the lower layers into ice in the context of a broader climate change this eternal ice may soon be a thing of the past due to global warming the alpine glaciers are declining like at the Reiser Fowler in the region of sooty roll mountain guide and Hut keeper Godfrey delight Gabe explores the inner life of the ice masses lightgrip has a wealth of experience to draw upon ever since childhood he studied the glaciers in this region and followed their development however this is a risky undertaking as no one knows how stable the ice cover really is on the other hand only a local inspection can deliver first-hand information about the glaciers condition and the possible effects of the current global warming Godfried light gapes findings are alarming the glacier has been shrinking for years in the summer the ice is already so thin that the sunlight illuminates the cave the meltwater forms a little stream below the glacier and surfaces at its tongue as fascinating as the site of this nearly transparent ceiling may be the danger of one of its thinned pieces of ice breaking off at any time is very real deeper in the mountains conditions are quite different constant low temperatures and the proper humidity provide for splendid snow crystals throughout the earth this cave is the natural counterpart to the cold laboratories of the snow researchers in Davos despite their enormous size these crystals form in the same way as the snow crystals from the clouds with time the body temperature of one human being is enough to cause these works of art to melt that's why God food light kit rarely comes here and we are also leaving this natural wonder outside Jack Frost rises up once more by the middle of May the Green Mountain Meadows set the stage for a final appearance of nature's white splendour and one last time the snow falls quietly until its return next winter you

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Rating: 4.7817235 out of 5

Keywords: orf universum, documentary, blue chip, natural history, secrets of nature, planet earth, snow, let it snow, arctic, snowfall, blizzards, snowflake, weather, music of snowfall, shapes of snowflakes, crystals, alpine mountain region, christmas, austria, white christmas, chamois, avalanche, british accent

Id: 3Mbc_Sc454E

Length: 52min 11sec (3131 seconds)

Published: Invalid Date