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Article: Avalanche! Can anything stop this deadly force of nature? Scientists search for answers.(physical science)
- Article from:
- SuperScience
- Article date:
- February 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Scholastic, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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It starts as a slight rumble. Then a cloud of white appears. Within seconds, over 100 tons of snow come crashing down the mountain. For anyone caught in this deadly path, there's no escape. Each year more than 200 people are killed and hundreds more are injured by a destructive force of nature known as the avalanche.
Avalanches can occur quickly, and on any given day. So is there anything that can be done to predict these killer snow slides? For avalanche scientists, studying the snow is key.
Stacking Up
Avalanches usually occur in mountain regions, where snow may fall daily--and with dramatic results. In 1999, a mountain in Austria was dumped ...