Deliberately setting off avalanches seems as advisable as skydiving without a parachute or ascending Everest in flip-flops – just don't tell this to scientists from the Norwegian Geotechnical Institute (NGI) who waited 10 years to trigger one.
Obsession comes at a cost and the intrepid NGI avalanche researchers know full well the dangers of getting too close to their icy passion. From a precautionary distance, however, they are devoted to understanding better the conditions that lead to avalanches, as well as developing infrastructure to reduce risks.
The scientists showed remarkable forbearance, waiting for a decade for the perfect conditions to set off the snowslide.
Good things – or avalanches – come to those who wait, and on April 11 the small explosive devices installed atop the Ryggfonn mountain in Norway were finally detonated.
Watch the video above for more details on the experiment and what the scientists discovered.
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