Thursday, September 28, 2006

Trivia Thursday - White Snow

Once upon a time, when my deriously beloved Toño came to Switzerland, he could not sleep when he saw snow for first time in real life. He stood absolutely enchanted at the window for the entire night and just could not stop watching how the snow-flakes kept slowly falling from the sky and covered this lovely country with a white carpet. Was it the milk of the famous Swiss cows that made the snow white?

No Toño, the Swiss milk may give you strong bones. However, it has nothing to do with snow, as Swiss snow expert Martin Schneebeli* of the Swiss Federal Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research Davos explains: Each snow-flake has millions of tiny crystal surfaces higgledy-piggledy all over it. They reflect the sunlight like small mirrors in all directions. Because there are so many reflections, snow appears white and not transparent.

This question is answered. Nevertheless, we still have no clue whether the Seven Dwarfs preferred their Snow White white or transparent. But mirrors have a bad reputation it that story anyway.

* Schnee is German for snow - just to let you know that there is a pun.

1 comment:

Toño said...

Using to play as a kid under mango and coconut palm trees in a climate around the 40° degree Celsius, the first time I saw snow falling down, I really felt like in a fairy tale, which continue to be only then in the very first second, when I've seen you and deeply fell in love with you...