# Why avalanches are most deadly when they stop

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED-Ed
- Speaker: Simon Trautman
- Year: 2026
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Teaching and learning
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_trautman_why_avalanches_are_most_deadly_when_they_stop)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

Avalanches are the rapid descent of snow, ice, rock, or a combination of these down a slope. They can be destructive natural disasters and personal tragedies: killing an average of 27 people annually in the US. These alpine nightmares don’t just awaken out of nowhere; they need three specific conditions. So, what causes an avalanche? And is there any way to survive? Simon Trautman investigates. \[Directed by Denys Spolitak, narrated by Bethany Cutmore-Scott, music by Stephen LaRosa, Wonder Boy Audio\].

## Lectures

1. [Why avalanches are most deadly when they stop](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/simon_trautman_why_avalanches_are_most_deadly_when_they_stop/6d871c965700), 6 min (TED's player)