No clue about whether it was patterned after insect nests (though I definitely see the resemblence), but the wiki article does mention the solar chimney effect, so you may be right!
Most yakhchāls operate like a traditional ice house. The tall, conical shape of the building is to optimize the solar chimney effect, creating a convection current to guide any remaining heat upward and outside through openings at the very top of the building.
As for me, this shit is basically witchcraft. I don’t understand temperature beyond ‘shade cool, underground cool’. Ancient civilizations doing wild black magic as far as I’m concerned.
No clue about whether it was patterned after insect nests (though I definitely see the resemblence), but the wiki article does mention the solar chimney effect, so you may be right!
As for me, this shit is basically witchcraft. I don’t understand temperature beyond ‘shade cool, underground cool’. Ancient civilizations doing wild black magic as far as I’m concerned.