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Even if temporarily, the polar vortex has completely reshaped the face of the United States. But while some are having huge problems while dealing with the cold, others are having fun. And not just surfers. Farm manager Andrew Sietsema was pruning apple trees in an icy orchard in western Michigan when he stumbled upon a rare phenomenon dubbed ‘ghost apples.’
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“When I pruned the tree it would be shaken in the process, and the mush would slip out of the bottom of the ‘ghost apple,'” Andrew told Bored Panda. “Most apples just fell off, ice and all. But quite a few would leave a cool ‘ghost apple’ behind.”
“I guess it was just cold enough that the ice covering the apple hadn’t melted yet, but it was warm enough that the apple inside turned to complete mush (apples have a lower freezing point than water).”
“I’m sure you could find them at any orchard on the Ridge (near Sparta, MI), or at least any that still had a few unpicked apples hanging on the trees,” he added. ‘Jonagold’ is one of my favorite apple varieties, but we’ll call these “Jonaghosts.'”
According to Andrew, not a lot of fruits and veggies are capable of pulling off such a stunt. “You could only find them on other fruits and vegetables if they remained unharvested and persisted into the winter. Most crops do not.”
William Shoemaker, a retired fruit and vegetable horticulturist from the University of Illinois, toldForbes that those apples, leftover from harvest, just went through a week of “exceptionally cold weather” due to the polar vortex. “Besides being somewhat mummified, they could also be rotten,” he said. “[If so,] they maintain their form, but their substance gets closer to applesauce.”
When their temperature drops to around -18°C (0°F), their structure collapses, and a few could “spew their rotten contents successfully.” Although people might wonder why the apples didn’t freeze solid, Shoemaker reminded that the apple has a significant acid content, so it has to get extremely cold before it freezes as well.
People were really surprised to see this unusual phenomenon
What do you think ?
Maci Wilcox 6 years ago
I live in Michigan, and it's so cold that we haven't had a full week of school since December 16th because of snow days!
Amy Lynn 6 years ago
Hope you don't have to make it up in June. I'm in northern Wisconsin and we only had school close 2 days due to the cold. And 1 snow day.
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Reilly Beryll 6 years ago
Beautiful and “ghostly”. I’d love to see one up close! It’d be a bit like seeing a frozen bubble, though this would be more rare, I’d imagine.
Curious Cat 6 years ago
You realize that the "polar Vortex" isnt anything new.. it was originally called "a cold spell" before the internet came along.
Virginia Llorca 6 years ago
Except this would have to have been called "a doozy of a cold spell".
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Magdalina777 6 years ago
An ice rain I'd say, not cold per se. Or freezing rain or however to call it. Rain falls and instantly freezes upon contacting the surface. Seen it before on leaves(green leaves under ice is an op sight too) and berries, not on apples though. Does look cool :)
Serge Sigouin 6 years ago
This very strange and the explanation is clearly wrong. In Canada we pick apples in Winter between 15 and -30 Fahrenheit (to make ice cider) and I never saw such a phenomena.
Magdalina777 6 years ago
I'd guess it has more to do with ice rain than actual cold, that's the only thing I know that'd form solid ice cover on anything like that. Ice rain(when it's actual rain but it pretty much instantly turns to ice upon contacting the surface) happens at around 0 c.
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Maci Wilcox 6 years ago
I live in Michigan, and it's so cold that we haven't had a full week of school since December 16th because of snow days!
Amy Lynn 6 years ago
Hope you don't have to make it up in June. I'm in northern Wisconsin and we only had school close 2 days due to the cold. And 1 snow day.
Load More Replies... Reilly Beryll 6 years ago
Beautiful and “ghostly”. I’d love to see one up close! It’d be a bit like seeing a frozen bubble, though this would be more rare, I’d imagine.
Curious Cat 6 years ago
You realize that the "polar Vortex" isnt anything new.. it was originally called "a cold spell" before the internet came along.
Virginia Llorca 6 years ago
Except this would have to have been called "a doozy of a cold spell".
Load More Replies... Magdalina777 6 years ago
An ice rain I'd say, not cold per se. Or freezing rain or however to call it. Rain falls and instantly freezes upon contacting the surface. Seen it before on leaves(green leaves under ice is an op sight too) and berries, not on apples though. Does look cool :)
Serge Sigouin 6 years ago
This very strange and the explanation is clearly wrong. In Canada we pick apples in Winter between 15 and -30 Fahrenheit (to make ice cider) and I never saw such a phenomena.
Magdalina777 6 years ago
I'd guess it has more to do with ice rain than actual cold, that's the only thing I know that'd form solid ice cover on anything like that. Ice rain(when it's actual rain but it pretty much instantly turns to ice upon contacting the surface) happens at around 0 c.
Load More Replies...
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