Scientists Explain Viral ‘Fake Snow’ Videos as Natural Phenomenon

Several viral videos circulating on social media have sparked curiosity and concern as individuals burn snow with lighters, observing that the snow turns black and does not appear to melt. Many viewers speculate that the snow is “fake” or “geo-engineered,” prompting a scientific investigation into the phenomenon.

As winter weather blankets parts of North America, particularly the East Coast, users on platforms like X, formerly Twitter, and TikTok have been conducting experiments with fallen snow. In a widely viewed video, a woman ignites a snowball, which exhibits black burn marks but seemingly resists melting. One user remarked, “FYI — Snow should melt & it certainly shouldn’t turn black,” while another questioned, “Where’s the water?”

To clarify the situation, Tara Kahan, a chemistry professor at the University of Saskatchewan, explained that the snow is indeed real. The black marks observed are due to soot from the lighter, while the snow’s apparent lack of melting can be attributed to a process known as sublimation. In sublimation, a solid transitions directly into a gas without becoming a liquid, resulting in the snow disappearing without a visible water stage.

Kahan elaborated on the science behind the reactions seen in the videos. “As temperature increases, air in the spaces between snow crystals is replaced by melted water. This can make it seem like the snow is not melting,” she stated. Snow metamorphism, the process where snow changes structure due to temperature fluctuations, also contributes to this illusion.

In her experiments, Kahan and her team found that tightly packed snowballs did not appear to melt significantly when subjected to a lighter’s flame. “If you observe closely, less compact areas of the snowball may shrink immediately,” she noted.

The soot that creates the black marks is a result of the butane flame from the lighter. Kahan explained, “It’s the soot in the flame that gets hot and emits light. When you hold a lighter to anything, including snow, it turns black due to soot deposition.”

Claims about snow that resists melting are not new and typically emerge during winter months on social media. Science communicators, including Neil deGrasse Tyson and Hank Green, have previously debunked these myths, emphasizing that the snow observed is natural and that there is a scientific explanation for its behavior.

Despite some concerns over potential pollution in snow, Kahan reassured the public that what they are witnessing is a natural occurrence. “Snow can be polluted, just like water can be polluted,” she acknowledged, but reiterated that the snow in these videos is authentic, with its reactions grounded in scientific principles.

This report initially appeared on December 9, 2025, and highlights the importance of scientific literacy in understanding phenomena that can often be misinterpreted in the age of social media.