9 February 2016 The Importance of Color in Alaska

A Blanket of White

As you may know, winter in Alaska means snow. Here in Fairbanks, the snow is not piled high, just inches really, but the streets are permanently icy, because the cold prevents any of the snow from melting. Not even the application of salt lowers the temperature enough to melt the ice on the road. As a result, the roads are mighty treacherous, cars seem to slide easily and even just walking around takes concentration if you are not to slip and fall.

Shadows in Fairbanks, Alaska at noon on February 14th, during the PolarTREC orientation. Fairbanks, Alaska.

Bright is Better

The white of snow presents other dangers besides slipping. At dinner tonight, I learned from the woman serving our delicious Thai dinner, that parents in Alaska dress their children in colorful, winter snowsuits - bright blues, yellows and reds. This is so that when the children are outside at play, or walking along the streets, they are highly visible to cars and snowplows. Of course, once the children become adolescents, she said, they trade in their colors for black!

But Bears Need Black

Did you know that underneath the white fur of a Polar bear, it's skin is black?

Can You Guess Why?

Answer

"The bear's stark white coat provides camouflage in surrounding snow and ice. But under their fur, polar bears have black skin—the better to soak in the sun's warming rays." Source: www.animals.nationalgeographic.com

"The female polar bear cub is very healthy looking."