Want ripples on your icicles? Scientists suggest adding salt
Wednesday, October 9, 2013 - 21:30
in Earth & Climate
Though it's barely the beginning of autumn, scientists are one step closer to explaining why winter's icicles form with Michelin Man-like ripples on their elongated shapes. It has been theorized that the ripples are the result of surface tension effects in the thin water film that flows over the ice as it forms. Their investigation revealed that the actual culprit is salt.