By Vurdlak on November 10, 2009, with 69 Comments
A dramatic picture taken by Michael Nolan has been dubbed the face of Mother Nature crying on a canvas of melting ice and cascading water on a Norwegian Glacier. Randy Schutt discovered this amazing photo which shows a crying face in an ice cap located on Nordaustlandet, in the Svalbard archipelago of Norway. The tears of this natural sculpture were created by a waterfall of glacial water cascading from one of the face’s eyes, thus painting an alarming picture warning the world about the effects of global warming. Michael Nolan is a marine photographer and environmental lecturer. He has captured this picture while on an annual voyage to observe the glacier and surrounding wildlife. It’s best to quote Nolan’s words on this:
This is how one would imagine mother nature would express her sentiments about our inability to reduce global warming. It seemed an obvious place for her to appear, on a retreating ice shelf, crying.”
(52 votes)
I’m not sure about lips :)
Interesting picture, but come on, it was taken in the springtime. It’s SUPPOSED to warm up!
Sorry, but I’m one of those HUMBUG guys when it comes to the whole global warming thing.
There are way too many contrasting arguments by people who are a lot smarter than those of us who have the time to watch this website.
Nice pic, but please don’t start using your site as some kind of socio-political springboard.
Stay pure Vurdlak, and keep up the good work.
wow.
Well, it’s his website, and I really think that means he should post what he pleases here. If you’re offended by comments about global warming, then just move on- don’t use someone else’s comment section for a sociopolitical springboard.
Very interesting pic…I agree about the lips, though- she needs some chap stick really bad.
It looks more like it’s getting colder!
The immage isn’t crying…
looks more like a bad case of a runny nose!
By the way the immage looks more like a totally beaten up face to me…
So if they had poured some red paint to the waterfall first they could have titled it:
“We are beating up mother earth” LOL!
It makes “Mother Earth” cry when people try to push politics and say that science supports them. I’m not blaming this site, but whoever photoshopped that picture. C’mon, there has been localized warming around monitoring stations, but globally, there hasn’t been any change over the last few decades.
Jim, don’t be so narrow-minded. It’s a glacier, it doesn’t melt just because it’s spring. And seriously, “too many contrasting arguments”? I’ve yet to see a convincing argument that says global warming isn’t real. Doesn’t matter if you’re not smart, you just have to face the honest facts, not that made-up crap that some people try to shove down your throat.
In any case, the “illusion” looks good. I’d really rather call it an intriguing coincidence, though, lol.
lol, are Tim and Jim one and the same? (names sound too familiar, lolz)
Dude, in case you don’t know your science, it doesn’t take much of a temperature difference to mess up the whole planet. A couple of degrees would do it, especially in the right places. Saying that is about as stupid as saying that a degree’s difference in body temperature isn’t a fever, lolz.
Oh, yeah, just realized how narrow-mindedly stupid Tim’s “localized warming around monitoring stations” comment really is, haha.
Dude, monitoring stations are made to monitor the temperature, so if they show an increase, then there’s definitely an increase. How do you expect to know about changes in temperatures in areas not being monitored? Of course only the monitored places will show increases, because they’re being monitored.
Man, people and their stupid arguments fueled by blind so-called “facts”. Try some real thinking using real facts, how about it? Not that crap some people (thankfully, a minority of people) try to sell you.
Vince, you speak as if you know science … why don’t you share then when the last time the earth was this hot, and who/what might have caused it. Stick comments to the illusion, or lack there of.
Vince,
Ordinarily I avoid GW discussions because so much of the science is hidden behind the hysteria. In this case, I’ve got to ask: Did you even think about what you wrote? Springtime warming is of course a good reason for glaciers to melt — the Spring thaw is a much faster rate of warming than global warming (10s of degrees in a few months vs maybe 1 degree in a century.)
Also, you should make yourself aware of the fact that global temperatures peaked in 1997 and have dropped since then.
As to the comment in your second post: really? A 1 degree temperature difference means a fever? Normal hour-to-hour differences in a day can yield a 1 degree swing. Being outside on a hot day, exertion, eating spicy food, can easily raise body temps by a degree or more.
Way I see it, my memory is proof on the state of the environment.
I remember as a kid going out for halloween, and trick or treating when there was snow on the ground. Now, sometimes we don’t get snow until mid december. That’s significant.
anyhow I love the pic, who knew mother nature was a fan of Picasso?
Picture while interesting is as real as global warming. Adjusted to fit what someone wants us to believe. Besides it is now “climate change” which is a no lose argument it is right no matter which way temps go! We must find a way to control the sun after all it’s daily rising and setting effect “climate change” :>)
here is a pretty good argument against global warming: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1720024.ece
Also a theory should actually predict occurrences and encompass all evidence, not just some. Global warming theory does not do either of these. Crichton makes a good argument to those with an open mind. It’s a good read either way: http://www.crichton-official.com/speech-ourenvironmentalfuture.html
I noticed the similarities between names too! Hmm…
Anyways, yeah, global warming is inevitable.
Any one remember back in the 70′s? Exact same things happening.. to much auto exhaust.. to much “mankinds” effects on “mother earth” is leading the world to a…. SECOND ICE AGE!!!
Same old crap, new story.. Ask Al (fiction writer) Gore when is HE gonna start making changes if HE is so dang worried about “global warming”
It is all just cycles, happened before, will happen again, and man can NOT make a single change to it by our daily living.
As for the ice image.. there is too seasonal changes for glaciers
Mother Earth is one tough lady — has been for eons. She laughs. She cries (though not from the side of her head). Most of all, she is rarely gentile.
In addition to learning some hard science, Vince should learn some geological history. Mother Nature has been warming and cooling this little rock we call Earth all without the help of the human experiment for hundreds of millions of years. Human caused global warming is the biggest scam in recorded history.
Where I disagree with Jim and Tim is that such rhetoric certainly does belong on a site like this as human caused global warming is an illusion! There is no science that supports the argument.
Before anyone starts spouting the “consensus” of experts, science doesn’t advance understanding based on consensus. Understanding in science only advances with verifiable and replicable study. I would have thought that the ‘illusion’ of human caused global warming would be transparent on a site dedicated to illusions.
JIM – What? Are you denying global warming?
Incredible illusion. Didn’t think it was real at first glance :P
it looks like Michael Jackson :) fits with his philosophy of saving the world :)
cool pic!
Oh come on! It’s a picture with a caption, and it’s the picture we’re looking at. So cool the political comments.
The picture is great by the way.
Thats just it. I have herd very compelling arguments on both sides and each make is seem like they are right. No one cannot admit that global warming is a billion dollar industry. Money is a huge driving force. I believe in the 70′s it was global warming and the 80′s was the scare of global cooling. Now its global warming, or “climate change”. There are so many factors out there not only in the earth, but forces beyond the earth that cannot be accurately tested, no matter what super computer you use. I do say we need to take care of the earth, and sure it could be warming up, but to be so pampas as to say we humans are the cause of it is a little much.
That’s not Mother Earth – it’s Sally Kellerman from her M*A*S*H days:
http://redriverautographs.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/sally-kellerman/
heh, nice and interesting pic!:)
I was gonna keep my mouth shut but to Jim and Tim, do your history this if it is a warming will be our 4th one ans as far a s a small temp drop ya i will affect something oh say in 2 or 3 decades and to the CO2 yakers no i will not stop using my pain ball gun. ya global warming and like a movie it is nothing but a greedy remake. my god all the people that would be out of work so do me me a favro and shut up and enjoy the web site and let your grandkids deal with it as in our life time we are not gonna see a major shift.
This has nothing to do with global warming. Ice Caps are supposed to melt at certain times of the year.
Here’s a great page for some of you to read:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8299079.stm
Not applicable.
Mother Earth. Father Time. Who cares? They’re all out to get us.
I LOVE it! Its pretty creepy tho. Almost reminds me of the Exorcist!
I would like to point out that even if global warming is false, reducing our relience on fossil fuels is a good thing. Just saying.
I believe in this hole global warming thing but not to the extent that the scientist are trying to make out it is, cause palaeontology has proven that Earth has alway had periods of global warming and ice ages, and the world bounces from one to the other.
I believe the Earth is at fault not man, for earth is on a roughly 25 degree angle, and takes about 25.000 years to revolve in its axis (so say the astrologist). so my theory is when the north pole looks directly away from the sun in summer (the wormer time of the year)the north suffers an ice age and when it faces towards the sun, we suffer form a global worming, cause if you think of it the last ice age was roughly 12.000 years now, so that means to me that during the last ice age the north pole faced away from the sun but now its facing towards it, eventually the north pole will look away again causing a new ice age.
but that is just my opinion.
oh and its a nice illusion you can really see the face in the ice shelf crying.
Luca, Your comments don’t add up, you wrote ‘nothing to do with global warming’,
However if you bothered to read the whole BBBC link you pasted onto your comment, you will find its PRO global warming.
Maybe a life lesson you should heed? Read and understand any links your including.
Anyhow the Picture is designed to get people thinking about global warming. Very successful judging from all the above comments.
Tibbs.
I’m more curious if this was photoshopped, or this is how the face of the glacier crumbled. If it was natural, no matter what it “means” the visual effect is bloody sweet, and i would have loved to be there in preson to see this glacial face as it weeps/melts into the ocean. If it’s photoshopped… well, erm… good job in the photoshopping, as it’s really hard to tell if it is or isn’t. Can anyone here prove either way if it’s photoshopped or not (and… <_< can we leave the weather debates somewhere else…?)
@Craig – You just “comment” but you don’t have anything to say either. Obviously the biggest recorded climate changes have been lowering temperatures (hundreds of years ago), so global warming is fairly new, which means something is causing it.
@Astro – you obviously do not know what you are talking about. The average human temperature is around 37-37.5 degrees, if it hits 38.5, then that is a fever. And i said change, not fluctuation. Duh! And “spring thaw” happens in the mainlands, not on glaciers. Since spring is seasonal, of course it heats up faster. It’s after winter, and winter, in case you don’t know, is freaking cold.
In any case, glaciers never melt that fast. Not in spring, not in summer.
And for those who want to bring politics into the discussion, shows what kind of brains you keep.
And oh yeah, since were at “quoting” other people’s say on the issue, here’s a little article about one of the best scientist’s alive, and his take on global warming. Incidentally, it mentions the melting of glaciers. http://www.merliannews.com/Environmental_Awareness_46/Stephen_Hawking_Worried_That_Global_Warming_Will_Turn_Earth_Into_Venus.shtml
How incredibly audacious of mankind to think that we:
a. know the ideal temperature of the earth and
b. have the slightest ability to keep the earth at that temperature.
The earth may be getting warmer – or colder – but man has had and will have little to do with these fluctuations. They’ve been going on for tens of thousands of years, and will continue to do so.
Amazing how an optical illusion site turns into a global warming forum, nonthelessssss; that’s a pretty cool picture :D
MIT students debunking global warming.
http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/images/stories/papers/originals/co2_report_july_09.pdf
“So if we want to green the earth,” Steward said, “we need to put more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It’s the earth’s greatest airborne fertilizer.”
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/55278
So yea, there are a lot of evidence disproving the idea of global warming. What if it was a human-made problem, but not by CO2 emissions.I say we should investigate chem trails that a multiple of planes spray weekly over our skies in which we inhale. Could it possibly be the government’s attempt to control weather by using chemicals?
incredible shot
Oh, all of you just shut your silly yaps! If you can’t even spell or punctuate a simple sentence, how can you expect anyone to accept your pompous pronouncements about whether or not there exists “any science” supporting one view or another? You may or may not accept that humans have had any effect on their environment, but too many people use that as an excuse to waste resources such as water, trees or fuels. Look at the picture. If you think it’s an interesting one, just say to yourself, “Hm. That’s an interesting picture caught at an opportune moment.” If not, then just move on!
I see Bison’s buttin head…..
If you watch Planet Earth, as made famous by Discovery Channel and BBC, They show you how these are formed and, no this is not a sign of global warming, it been happening for decades
If I could I would stop global warming right now. Mother earth diservs to cry. The envirement is becoming more and more thretened by global warming. I want me, my children and their grandchildren to have a future. Some people just don’e realise that kids aren’t going to have a future if they don’t stop global warming. I really would love to post this allover the enternet and see how much people would listen to me. I would love to post this in every website in the world. If you are reading this I would like you to know that our days are numberd and so are the world’s. Please go green and remenber it is for the good of the future!
PS. LOVE THE ILLUSION ;D
If u don’t belive in global warming then just shut up about it!!! It does exist and when you are dead because of then u’ll belive me!!!!!!!!! :S
i can see it.
The comments on this are like a political debate.. O_o
I will stay out of it.
Anyway, this is amazing! I love the things nature creates sometimes. Altough to me it looks more like she is crying because of the big crack in her forehead. :P
Good grief!!
When I posted my original comment, I wanted to downplay the whole global warming debate. I did not want to create a forum for us (who incidentally come to this page for it’s OPTICAL ILLUSIONS) to beat each other up. If I wanted to do that, I would have pointed out that I believe this is GODS planet, and I believe he will take care of us as is His plan. I do not believe in Mother Earth, Father Time, Santa Claus, or the Easter bunny. I let go and let God.
That being said, I say we leave the debates out, and let Vurdlak continue his OPTICAL ILLUSION theme please?
sorry to pop your buuble but that was deffinely photoshoped. it even made its appearance on dailyplant on discovery channel
some of you people need to settle down and just enjoy the illusion, i disagree with global warming, but i’m just a big fan of illusions
I love the Website, but this looks photoshopped.
Loved the pic! I think i will add my 2 cents now. I guess in my opinion you can not leave a running car in a greenhouse and have your plants servive for very long. We may not control everything that Mother Nature does to the Earth but we can control what we do to it. We can decide to take less and give back more. Whether or not it changes the weather, does it really matter? When we have all taken steps to ensure we all leave Her a little better than we found her. And if we do it thinking that maybe there is a hope of one more generation serviving on this beautiful planet, then what is wrong with that?
we the human race are pretty arrogant to think we can harm this PLANET that has been around for 60billions years. Sure we can change that atmostphere, pollute the soil, whatever, but guess what, the planet doesnt care, WE’RE just screwed. When all is said and done, the planet will still be here…the question is just, will we?
Mother nature is crying for us, because she TRIED to help us, but we’re the rebellious teen who thinks “she just doesnt understand me” when all she is doing is looking out for us.
Vince,
Wow, what an amazing new theory of seasonal weather patterns — Spring only happens in the mainlands! LOL! Alert The Weather Channel.
So how does the warm air know to stay just over the non-glacier-covered parts of the continents without drifting over the glacier-covered parts of the continents? And how do the warm Spring rains know not to fall on the glaciers? Or on icebergs in the middle of the ocean?
Oh wait — maybe rain only happens on the mainlands, too.
Where did you get your training as a meteorologist, from watching “My Fair Lady”? (‘The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plains.’)
looks more and more like a donkey everytime I look at it.
Whether it’s an image of Jesus in a cheese sandwich, the Virgin Mary in a reflective window, or whatever, it seems to me the perceived image says a lot more about the person who ‘names’ the image than it does about the object being named.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptions_of_religious_imagery_in_natural_phenomena
So this is what Picasso’s work was all about. On that note, I think I will take the long way home.
Wow, awesome!
Tears for Earth Fears for Us ?
this is very touchy…………..great
George Carlin stated it best,
“… the planet isn’t going anywhere ,we are”
the lips look tooo conicidental but if this is real it’s a fascinating picture that has a very deep meaning. It can be an add to fight global warming….
Great Photoshopped image for CCR = Climate Change Religion. I will do some more. Its great to see how religionists copy these images for proof their belive.
fascinating.
hello.
we r very mad. u deleted r past coment on this site! bw\ut we satd something like, wow this is so beautiful/meaningful and cool. anyways… cool pic.
it looks like a face and a wine bottle
THAT IS MESSED UP HAHA
you hippys it’s a picture that has been modified with a computer that can…its just photo shoped
P.S-Im a very smart ferret :)
THATS SO COOL!!
Wow! That’s AWESOME!!!
its amazing i am real big on stuff like that