Ice cave never melts

 

Ningwu Ice Cave never melts
Ningwu is the largest ice cave discovered in China, located at Luyashan Mountain, Shanxi Province. Inside the cave is an impressive scene, made up of thick ice, columns and white stalactites stretching from ceiling to floor. This scene makes many people think of the ice cave of Princess Elsa, in the famous Disney cartoon Frozen. The cave is believed to have formed during the Ice Age, about 3 million years ago. Photo: Youtube.

Ningwu Ice Cave is located at an altitude of nearly 2,300 m above sea level and about 100 m deep, famous for its ability to never melt. Even in summer, when the outside reaches 20 degrees Celsius, the inside of the cave still does not exceed 0 degrees Celsius. Photo: Zhou Junxiang/Image China.


Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Geosciences said that the cave always keeps the cold air thanks to its ki-like structure in a bowling game. Like a trap, in winter, cold air enters, thickens and settles down, hot air rises to the top and escapes through convection. The ice inside the cave as well as a lining helps to stabilize the temperature. When warm summer air enters, it is immediately cooled down, so it does not cause significant fluctuations. Photo: Zhou Junxiang/Image China.
Huge icicles when viewed from above. Photo: Zhou Junxiang/Image China.

In 2005, the cave was recognized as a national park and opened to visitors in the summer, from May to October. Every day, about 1,000 visitors come to visit and enjoy the cool air of the cave. Photo: Xinhua/Cao Jianguo.


The sightseeing area is divided into 5 floors, connected by spiral staircases and see through holes formed in the ice. The longest track is 16 m and the shortest is about 8 m. So each floor can hold about 10 people at a time. Photo: Zhou Junxiang/Image China.
The dynamic Ningwu Ice Cave is currently illuminated by 200 lights with different colors, making the space even more fanciful. Photo: Xuehua.
Visitors usually spend about an hour looking at the ice stalactites and taking pictures. Photo: Trip.

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