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Space Ice Might Not Be Similar to Earth’s Liquid Water: New Study Reveals

A surprising new study shows space ice might not be similar to Earth’s liquid water after all. Scientists at University College London (UCL) and the University of Cambridge discovered that what we thought was “amorphous” space ice actually hides tiny nanocrystals inside. This changes our view of how water exists on comets, icy moons, and even in deep space clouds


đź§Š What Is Space Ice?

In space, water usually freezes in a form called low-density amorphous ice (LDA):

  • Formed in deep cold: Created at very low temperatures, like –200°C.
  • Structure: Long believed to be fully disordered, unlike the neat hexagonal crystals in snowflakes.
  • Found on: Comets, icy moons like Europa, and in interstellar dust.

🔍 What Did Scientists Discover?

  • Using supercomputer simulations and lab experiments, researchers found LDA isn’t purely random.
  • Inside, there are nanometer-sized crystalline grains (about 3 nm wide).
  • About 20–25% of space ice might actually be crystalline rather than fully amorphous

🌌 Why Does It Matter?

âś… Better understanding of comets & icy moons

  • Nanocrystals make ice denser and change how it traps gases.
  • Could explain why some comets release unexpected chemicals as they approach the Sun.

âś… Origin of life theories

  • Less void space in crystalline ice means it may store fewer organic molecules, slightly changing theories of how life’s building blocks arrived on Earth.

âś… Astrophysics & chemistry

  • Helps scientists model planet formation and ice evolution in star-forming clouds.

❄️ Other Strange Ice Forms in Space

Space doesn’t just have one kind of ice:

  • Superionic ice (Ice-X): Exists deep in planets like Neptune; it conducts electricity because hydrogen atoms move freely
  • MDA (Medium-Density Amorphous Ice): Created in labs by shaking ice; may behave like tectonic plates inside icy moons

🔬 What’s Next in Research?

  • Explore how nanocrystals form over millions of years in deep space.
  • Study different amorphous ices: low-density, medium-density, and high-density.
  • Find out if other space materials, like cosmic dust, also hide micro-structures.

đź§  What It Means for Earth Science

This discovery isn’t just about outer space:

  • Amorphous materials on Earth (like glass) might also hold hidden crystals.
  • Could lead to better fiber optics, stronger glasses, or new electronic materials.

âś… Conclusion

Space ice might not be similar to Earth’s liquid water after all. Instead of being fully disordered, cosmic ice is a mix: part crystal, part glass. This finding changes how we think about comets, distant planets, and even how life’s ingredients could travel through space. A big reminder: even ice millions of kilometers away is more complex than it looks.

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