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

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In regions defined by snow, animal appendages become smaller while bodies become larger. Special kinds of fat develop during the food-rich summer months for energy storage during the winter. Pelts go from brown to gray to white, allowing camouflage. Some animals harvest the pelts of others, creating new fabrics to keep their bare skin warm. They build structures to protect themselves from the storms, and ignite fires for light and heat. They strap long, thin sticks to their feet and push themselves through the snow, the redistribution of weight preventing them from sinking too deep. This mode of transportation allows them to move as fast as the animals they hunt, helping them become more successful in the winter.

Snow sparks creativity. From forcing us to develop survival skills to inspiring us to create art, the six-pointed crystals have influenced humans for millennia. Snowfall requires us to work harder to stay warm and survive, but at times it releases us from our obligations and allows for leisure, as was the case in Brussels almost six hundred years ago.