Читать книгу Shaped by Snow. Defending the Future of Winter онлайн

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—Johannes Kepler, The Six-Cornered Snowflake, 1611

In the winter of 1511, Brussels experienced such an intense series of snowstorms that the entire city shut down for almost six weeks. Instead of staying indoors, the residents took to the streets. They began to pick up the white stars that fell from the sky. They compressed the crystals, molding the snow into small, spherical shapes that fit comfortably in their palms. They made the snowballs larger and larger, stacking them on top of each other, decorating them with stones and twigs, buttons and cloth.

The result? Hundreds of snowmen lining the streets of Brussels.

If water is the key ingredient in the recipe for life, then snow is the zest that enhances the flavor. Snow forces life to be creative. Plants adapt to its seasonal pressures, figuring out ways to survive under what could be a few inches for a short amount of time, to a few feet for half a year. Some birds flee an area entirely when they sense snow in the air, while others drop their internal body temperature, shivering to stay warm. Reptiles and amphibians have yet to evolve the skills required to live actively in snow, sleeping the winter away instead. Many mammals hibernate as well, retreating into their dens to curl up in rich fur coats. Most, however, have figured out ways of continuing life during the winter.