Curiosities of Science, Past and Present: A Book for Old and YoungTimbs, John
Science
Curiosities of Science, Past and Present: A Book for Old and Young
Timbs, John
Science
History informs us that many of the countries of Europe which now
possess very mild winters, at one time experienced severe cold during
this season of the year. The Tiber, at Rome, was often frozen over, and
snow at one time lay for forty days in that city. The Euxine Sea was
frozen over every winter during the time of Ovid, and the rivers Rhine
and Rhone used to be frozen over so deep that the ice sustained loaded
wagons. The waters of the Tiber, Rhine, and Rhone, now flow freely
every winter; ice is unknown in Rome, and the waves of the Euxine dash
their wintry foam uncrystallised upon the rocks. Some have ascribed
these climate changes to agriculture--the cutting down of dense
forests, the exposing of the unturned soil to the summer’s sun, and the
draining of great marshes. We do not believe that such great changes
could be produced on the climate of any country by agriculture; and we
are certain that no such theory can account for the contrary change of
climate--from warm to cold winters--which history tells us has taken
place in other countries than those named. Greenland received its name
from the emerald herbage which once clothed its valleys and mountains;
and its east coast, which is now inaccessible on account of perpetual
ice heaped upon its shores, was in the eleventh century the seat of
flourishing Scandinavian colonies, all trace of which is now lost. Cold
Labrador was named Vinland by the Northmen, who visited it A.D. 1000,
and were charmed with its then mild climate. The cause of these changes
is an important inquiry.--_Scientific American._
AVERAGE CLIMATES.
When we consider the numerous and rapid changes which take place in
our climate, it is a remarkable fact, that _the mean temperature of
a place remains nearly the same_. The winter may be unusually cold,
or the summer unusually hot, while the mean temperature has varied
even less than a degree. A very warm summer is therefore likely to
be accompanied with a cold winter; and in general, if we have any
long period of cold weather, we may expect a similar period at a
higher temperature. In general, however, in the same locality the
relative distribution over summer and winter undergoes comparatively
small variations; therefore every point of the globe has an average
climate, though it is occasionally disturbed by different atmospheric
changes.--_North-British Review_, No. 49.
THE FINEST CLIMATE IN THE WORLD.
Humboldt regards the climate of the Caspian Sea as the most salubrious
in the world: here he found the most delicious fruits that he saw
during his travels; and such was the purity of the air, that polished
steel would not tarnish even by night exposure.
THE PUREST ATMOSPHERES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account