Scientists have created a new type of ice

Scientists have created an entirely new type of ice that doesn’t float or sink – and more like a liquid than frozen water. It may even provide clues to many of the mysteries of the universe: understanding the processes that shape the oceans of the moons of Saturn and Jupiter, where some scientists believe extraterrestrial organisms may exist.

The new form of ice is amorphous, which means that unlike regular crystalline ice, which has its molecules arranged in the correct order, its molecules are in an unorganized form and more like a liquid.

The researchers believe ordinary ice could be subject to shear forces on the icy moons of the outer solar system due to tidal forces generated by gas giants like Jupiter, providing conditions close to those used by scientists at University College London and Cambridge in their new experiment. .

The theory is that if this ice really exists there, then the existence of alien life is potentially possible.

One of the properties of the new type of ice is that it stores a lot of energy when it is created – and releases more when it breaks. Such a surge has an impact on how tectonics can work on these planets, as well as potentially on extraterrestrial organisms.

Senior author, Professor Christoph Salzmann of University College London: “Water is the foundation of all life. Our existence depends on it, we launch space missions in search of it, but from a scientific point of view, water is very poorly understood. We are aware of 20 crystalline forms of ice, but only two main types have previously been discovered, known as high and low density amorphous ices. There is a huge gap in density between these species, no matter how strange it may sound, because ice should be dense.”

The density of liquid water is in the middle, and therefore scientists considered it impossible for ice to form at this density. But a new study has proven that the ice produced in the experiment had a density right between two other known forms of amorphous ice — almost exactly the same density as liquid water. They called this new type of ice “goldilocks” amorphous ice of medium density.

In their experiments, researchers at the University of California and Cambridge used a process called ball milling — vigorously shaking regular ice along with steel balls in a jar chilled to -200 degrees Celsius. Rather than end up with small pieces of regular ice, this process resulted in a new amorphous form of ice.

Study co-author Professor Andrea Sella of the University of California, Los Angeles: “We have shown that it is possible to create what looks like water in stop motion mode. It’s unexpected and completely amazing.”

This discovery could have far-reaching implications for understanding liquid water and its many anomalies.

The study was published in the journal Science.

Christina DENYSYUK