A rare natural phenomenon, ice circles are observed mainly in Scandinavia and North America.
Ice circles are thin, perfectly round discs of ice which float on slow flowing water. It is a rare natural phenomenon that is observed mainly in Scandinavia and North America. Ice circles were first mentioned in 1895 in Scientific American, a popular magazine.
Scientists are not yet clear as to how ice circles are formed. It is thought that they are formed on the outer bends in a river. The slow moving river currents create rotating eddies which grind a free piece of ice against the ice that is connected to shore. Due to the water’s swirling motion, the chunk of ice becomes perfectly circular in shape.
In May 2009, astronauts aboard the International Space Station noticed the formation of two ice circles in Lake Baikal, Russia.
UFO enthusiasts, however, like to think that like crop circles, they are the creations of visiting aliens!
Picture Credit : Google
