Pink snow is something you might never have heard of before. However, the Italian Alps mountain tops are all covered in “strawberry pink” snow. Imagine, all around you, a layer of pink on the highest mountains. Sounds like a scene from an Alien-esque movie or a dystopian, futuristic scene from life on another planet. But it’s all happening on Earth and happening right now.
How Does Snow Turn Pink
Pink snow, according to scientists, is an acute sign of environmental catastrophe. It is a wrong signal to us despite being visually appealing. Pink snow, although it is relatively common, is not that frequent. This year, however, it is emerging in various other places untimely.
The pink hue comes from the blooming algae in the snow, which absorbs more heat from the sun. As a result, the snow melts faster than regular white snow, and so do the glaciers.
Why Is That Concerning?
A faster rate of melting and glaciers can mean two things: more floods and fewer glaciers in the future. If the snow melts more rapidly than usual, the water is bound to reach the lower-lying areas. Moreover, a study published last year predicted that half of the Italian Alps’ glaciers could disappear in this century. All that is a manifestation of climate change.
While it is not clear whether algae blooms are due to warmer temperatures, the faster melting is. Scientists are currently trying to add this model to environmental plans. This can help them understand whether pink snow can cause further global warming in the future.
Where Else Are The Mountains Turning Pink?
A few weeks ago, Alaska’s snow was dyed pink due to the blooming algae. In March, the same sights were witnessed at Galindez Island off northern Antarctica. Last year snow in New Zealand turned pink due to the smoke from the bush fires in Australia.
There have also been reports about weird green algae blooming in another part of the continent. These unusual sights are becoming more prevalent and appearing at random times. This has got to be a massive cause of concern when it comes to the environment— what’s triggering such bizarre changes?
Have You Heard Of Green Snow?
Antarctica is supposedly turning into a huge margarita. Snow there is turning into a bizarre shade of green in some areas. It’s not because someone accidentally dyed it, it’s because of microscopic snow algae. These algae bloom in warmer temperatures, and in the last ten years, Antarctica’s average temperature has risen.
The area covered by the green snow is so vast it can be viewed from satellites. This is another way in which warming temperatures are impact ice.
What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments below!
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