Polar bear, Svalbard, Norway

© Dennis Stogsdill/Getty Image

Polar bear, Svalbard, Norway

If your first scheduled activity of the day has ever involved intentionally jumping into an icy lake or a frigid bay, then you understand the relevance of today's image from the Svalbard islands of Norway. Polar bear plunges, as these swims are known, take place all over the world. Whether people take the plunge for charity, penance or shock value, it’s certainly a challenge in the Northern Hemisphere’s winter months. Of course, for actual polar bears, ice cold plunges are an everyday occurrence and won’t elicit much more than a yawn.