ᐃᒡᓗᕕᔭᖅ) The Igloo
Nobody knows who built the first igloo or when it was built but the indigenous people
of the far north have probably been building them for literally tens of thousands of
years. Igloos are constructed with snow, one of the weakest materials known, yet have
incredible strength due to their self-supporting domed shape.
An Igloo is strong enough
to withstand Arctic blizzards, lose half of its structure and remain standing, and even
strong enough to support the weight of a man standing on the roof. Igloos protect their
inhabitants from the elements and are easy to build with a material abundantly provided
by nature in the sparse northern regions.
The air pockets trapped in the snow blocks provide insulation while, inside the igloo,
continuous melting and refreezing of the interior causes layers of ice to build on the
inner walls, adding to the overall strength of the structure. The entrance is a tunnel
that traps cold air in order to keep the living area warm. Igloos are a prime example of
man's ingenuity to adapt to and use nature to his advantage.