How do igloos work?

How does an igloo keep you warm? You’re surrounded by ICE but you’re warmer… and not just from like wind protection…

Here are the physics that make this possible.

[SendoPLUS]

When I spent time up north we stayed in igloos, was such a cool experience

[AlaskaHandyman]

The best snow is not exactly packed, but "Sintered" usually wind blown, but very hard. Packing the snow can actually decrease the insulation properties.

[BankruptMonkey]

Proper igloos not just survival shelters also have a dug out area for oil lamps or other heart sources, so hot air rises to where the people are.

[sirfinnscott]

Im currently living and working in a iglu-village. It is on top of a glacier next to the biggest mountain in germany. It is called Iglu-Dorf-Zugspitze and you can rent a room for a night. It is my most favorite job i have worked so far.

[Cerulean_Tiger]

My dad once made a igloo in my our backyard, and it was truly amazing, you actually felt warm inside

[MrBrew]

Ice is a great thermal mirror. Even an ice cave would help one survive because of the ability to reflect your body heat back at you. But igloo gets both effects. Once it warms up inside enough thin layers of snow on the walls melt and refreeze and so you get the magic of snow and ice.

[Inukinator]

fun fact: in a variety of Inuit languages, the word "igloo" just translates to home, as in it's our word for a home not ice done.

that said I still call those things igloo lol

[hannahmckellar]

When I was a kid, my dad built one in our backyard and we all spent the night in it. Last year, I built one with him for my sister so she could have the same experience.

[rosemaryandrews]

Excellent. I read a book called 'kabluna' which mentioned this too. So, ice house is cold but snow house is warm.

[trevorbrooks]

See nobody ever explained why convection happens to fluids but conduction happens to solids, but this video finally helped me realize it

[TheMistressMisery]

When I was a kid, growing up in Canada; I remember making tunnels into snowdrifts and mounds. Youd be surprised just how warm it would get once you've made a nice den.

[pigeon]

Also the exterior temperature matters a lot. In many kinds of properly built snow structure like an igloo, you could have a fire inside and not melt a hole in your roof

[Lil_Jonny]

So the best part of an igloo isn't that it blocks the wind. But your warmer, body heated air, can't be blown away

[liajustlia]

finally, the great corner of the internet where physics physicses

[mrbfros]

One of our favorite winter time outdoor activities as a kid was mounding up snow in our yard until it was big enough for us to hollow out the inside and make a little snow cave! We could have 4-5 of us in there at the same time and it was great!

[CuriousJet]

I always learn something new every time I watch your video, awesome 👍

[APBCTechnique]

My Aunt married an Inuit and he grew up in an igloo & he said it was pretty cold, smokey and stunk of fish and seals and the beds smelt of skins

[alexreid]

My brother and I made an “igloo” once. It wasn’t actually blocks though, just like a snowman shaped like an igloo. It was actually pretty good for a snow day! We could both fit in it when we were like 9 and 15ish. It took a long time though so we never did it again…

[TurnipForFun]

This makes sense, unlike your James Webb pics explanations.

[basbekjenl]

When the outside is -30 f or c it's the same, a small bunker of snow will actually help you stay warm by keeping the heat you generate by being alive close to you, the difference is noticeable.