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The Fingers of Death

Short answer: A brinicle is a hollow tube of ice that grows downward from sea ice in polar waters. As seawater freezes, salt is expelled as very cold, dense brine, which sinks and freezes the less salty seawater around it, forming a tube.

If it reaches the seabed, ice can spread across the bottom and trap slow-moving animals such as sea stars and sea urchins. A BBC crew filmed one forming in Antarctica in 2011 for the series Frozen Planet. The footage shows a brinicle growing and spreading, with the presenter.

VideoWrite-up1 sources

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What should you know about The Fingers of Death?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. A brinicle is a hollow ice tube.

    DD-264-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (Ice tube)

  2. Cold dense brine sinks from sea ice.

    DD-264-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit B (Brine)

Video transcript: The Fingers of Death: Brinicles Are Tubes of Ice That Grow Down From Sea Ice

DID YOU KNOW? Brinicles are often called ice stalactites, and they're a fascinating underwater phenomenon that forms in polar regions, with extremely cold, dense brine created by the freezing of sea ice, sinks to the ocean floor, and freezes the surrounding seawater. This creates a tube-like structure of ice that extends downward, known as a brinicle. As it grows, it traps and freezes everything in its path, creating a surreal and deadly underwater landscape. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 22.8s Reel ·

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The Fingers of Death: Brinicles Are Tubes of Ice That Grow Down From Sea Ice Instagram Reel · · 22.8s

The write-up

Brinicles are tubes of ice that grow down from sea ice. When they reach the seabed, they can trap slow animals.

  1. Exhibit A

    Ice tube

    A brinicle is a hollow ice tube.

  2. Exhibit B

    Brine

    Cold dense brine sinks from sea ice.

  3. Exhibit C

    Freezing

    It freezes surrounding seawater.

  4. Exhibit D

    Seabed

    It can trap animals on the seabed.

  5. Exhibit E

    Filmed 2011

    The BBC filmed one in 2011.

Questions people ask about The Fingers of Death

What is a brinicle?

Under sea ice.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Ice tube) · Wikipedia: Brinicle

What sinks to form it?

Expelled salt.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Brine) · Wikipedia: Brinicle

Where do they form?

Under sea ice.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Freezing) · Wikipedia: Brinicle

What can they trap?

Sea stars.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Seabed) · Wikipedia: Brinicle

Who filmed one in 2011?

Frozen Planet.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Filmed 2011) · Wikipedia: Brinicle

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. What is a brinicle?

    1. A hollow ice tube
    2. A fish
    3. An iceberg
    4. A volcano
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. A hollow ice tube Under sea ice. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Ice tube) · Wikipedia: Brinicle

  2. What sinks to form it?

    1. Cold dense brine
    2. Fresh water
    3. Warm water
    4. Sand
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Cold dense brine Expelled salt. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Brine) · Wikipedia: Brinicle

  3. Where do they form?

    1. Polar seas
    2. Tropical reefs
    3. Rivers
    4. Lakes
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Polar seas Under sea ice. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Freezing) · Wikipedia: Brinicle

  4. What can they trap?

    1. Slow seabed animals
    2. Whales
    3. Birds
    4. Boats
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Slow seabed animals Sea stars. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Seabed) · Wikipedia: Brinicle

  5. Who filmed one in 2011?

    1. A BBC crew
    2. NASA
    3. A tourist
    4. Nobody
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. A BBC crew Frozen Planet. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Filmed 2011) · Wikipedia: Brinicle

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "The Fingers of Death." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-264, last updated Jul 5, 2024. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-fingers-of-death/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/the-fingers-of-death/ · Last updated

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