Sources of Curiosity
Questions from March 24 walk
How long does it take for a foot of snow to melt?
A foot of snow can melt in anywhere from a few days to more than a month, depending on temperature, sun, snow density, and wind. On typical early‑spring days in Maine (highs in the 40s), expect roughly 3–7 days if the snow is fluffy and in full sun, but 1–3+ weeks if it’s dense, shaded, or repeatedly refreezing.
Snowmelt follows a “degree‑day” pattern: the warmer the day’s average temperature above freezing, the faster the melt.
0.2–0.5 inches of snowmelt per °F above 32°F per day is typical.
Example: Average temp of 40°F → ~8°F above freezing → 1.6–4 inches of melt/day.
That means a foot of snow could disappear in 3–7 days under ideal sunny conditions.
At 50°F+, melt accelerates dramatically—sometimes several inches per day.
At 34–36°F, melt is slow and may take weeks if the snow is dense or shaded.
Wind speeds melt by moving warm air over the surface and by sublimation (snow turning directly to vapor). Up to ~2 inches of snow can vanish by sublimation on a dry, windy day.
Rain rapidly accelerates melt—warm rain can strip away inches in hours.
For more information about snowmelt, see this article from ScienceInsights.
What was the first lollypop in the United States?
The first commercially produced lollipop in the United States is widely credited to George Smith of New Haven, Connecticut, who began selling hard candies on sticks in 1908 and named them after a racehorse called Lolly Pop. This product—marketed by the Bradley Smith Company—became the first trademarked American lollipop in 1931.
For more information, see this article from Wikipedia.
What was the first soda in the United States?
The first widely recognized soft drink product in the United States was Moxie, introduced in 1876 as “Moxie Nerve Food.” It predates Coca‑Cola (1886), Dr Pepper (1885), Pepsi (1893), and other major brands, making it the earliest mass‑produced American soft drink with continuous commercial history.
For more information on Moxie see this article from Wikipedia.
