We often marvel at the things nature can do and the patterns it can create. Pictured here is ‘pancake ice’. When large areas of ice become loose, wind and wave action can cause smooth pieces of ice to collide with one another, rounding their edges. As the resulting pancakes collide with the waves, they develop raised edges, making them look even more like lily pads. Typically, the ice pancakes collide often enough that they eventually meld together to form one continuous sheet of ice. Areas of continuous sea ice cover are diminishing due to the impacts of climate change though. Antarctica has lost 2.71 trillion tons of ice and is melting faster than ever. The rate of melt has accelerated threefold in last five years. A world without ice is a world we don’t want to imagine!
Photo: Zach Lockhard