How warm is an ice house?

  The surprise answer is that blocks of ice are great insulators because they trap tiny pockets of air between the crystals of ice.  These pockets act as insulation.  The result is that just a single flame, fed by seal fat, generated enough heat for the Inuit to live comfortably.  You might not think that an indoor temperature of 33º- 55ºF is warm but Inuit children were allowed to play in the nude on a platform covered with skins for short periods of time with no apparent discomfort.