A large ice disk that first appeared in Maine in 2019, spinning slowly and ominously on the Presumpscot River within the city of Westbrook, is back. Personally, I welcome the return of our icy disk overlord and urge all my fellow mortals to rejoice in its darkish return. The ice disk cometh as soon as extra!

Science says that the disk is a considerably uncommon however completely pure phenomenon that’s been noticed because the Nineties when the climate will get chilly. Floating, completely round disks of ice have appeared not simply in Westbrook, however on numerous rivers and streams (however by no means lakes or ponds) when the mercury dips.

There are a few theories about how these floating crop circles type. Some research recommend that temperature adjustments within the water across the ice may also help create a vortex within the water, which spins the ice above it. Other scientists posit that ice can get caught in a spin above eddies in river bends, catching nonetheless extra ice in its sludgy pirouette. The shore helps sand down the ice because it spins, serving to the disks type. Interesting “theories,” certainly. Science, nevertheless, has but to show that these disks are not portals to Hell. As such, I’m providing my physique within the service of science. I’ll journey the ice disk straight to no matter dimension it certainly results in.

While ice disks might be discovered roaming within the wild in a handful of locations, the Westbrook ice disk holds a particular place in the dead of night pages of ice disk historical past for its monumental dimension. The one which fashioned on the Presumpscot in 2019 was estimated to be about 300 toes (91 meters) throughout, a lot bigger than different disks which were noticed. “It might be a world-record size, if anybody were keeping track,” Kenneth Libbrecht, a professor of physics on the California Institute of Technology, told the New York Times. (Foolish mortals! We should be taught to heed all of the icy alerts from the underworld that come our method.)

As befits such an imposing and superbly terrifying omen of the depths, folks bought tremendous enthusiastic about it when it first fashioned. The 2019 platter of ice made headlines in shops around the globe. Tourists flocked to Westbrook to look at the disk spin, boosting the local economy through the usually sluggish winter season. The metropolis of Westbrook put collectively a sweeping, Oscar-worthy trailer for the disk. Ducks used it as a raft. A person tried (and failed) to carve an enormous peace signal into the disk. Local eating places made up specials for the disk (which included, per the Portland Press Herald, “Ice Disk pizza with Alfredo sauce,” a cupcake with a sugar cookie disk on high, “Ice Disk cosmos,” and margaritas with floating lime “disks”). The disk even bought its personal Twitter account.

When the disk bought caught and stopped spinning, a courageous paddleboarder took it upon himself to make use of an ice decide to set the disk free and resume its sluggish, menacing twirl. These acts of devotion to the disk weren’t sufficient, although; only a few days after it garnered worldwide fame, the disk was frozen in place by surrounding ice, ceasing its languorous spin. Clearly the disk calls for extra.

The disk fashioned partially in 2020, however didn’t seize the complete glory of 2019. Now, nevertheless, the disk is again, forming a brand new physique to churn slowly via our mortal coil. And it’s incumbent on us to deal with it with the respect it deserves. Considering every little thing the world has been via because the final time the disk appeared, that is certainly an omen. While scientists might attempt to clarify it away, I’ve an alternative choice: I’ll take one for the remainder of humanity and provide myself to the disk as tribute. If which means browsing it to the icy depths of Hell, so be it. Hail the disk!