News Physics

Water is weird. A new type of ice could help us understand why

The unusual amorphous ice has a density close to that of liquid water

A metal vessel filled with ice and stainless steel balls

Scientists created a new form of ice by shaking 1-centimeter-wide stainless steel balls together with standard ice (shown) at low temperature. The new ice has a density close to commonplace liquid water.

Christoph Salzmann

By Emily Conover

Ice cubes float in water because they’re less dense than the liquid. But a newfound type of ice has a density nearly equal to what’s in your water glass, researchers report in the Feb.