Crystalline structures found in space ice: A paradigm shift
Turns out, space ice isn't as random as scientists thought.
A new study from UCL and Cambridge found that about a quarter of the ice on comets and interstellar dust is made up of super-small crystals, not just shapeless blobs.
Researchers cooled water to -120°C in simulations
Researchers cooled water to -120°C in simulations and spotted nanocrystals only three nanometers wide.
Lab tests backed it up, revealing these crystal zones hidden inside what looked like totally disordered ice.
Crystals could reshape our understanding of planet, galaxy formation
These crystals could change how we think planets and galaxies form.
Crystalline areas leave less room for trapping organic molecules—the stuff life needs—so they might affect how life's ingredients get delivered across space.
Still, some amorphous (messy) ice sticks around, keeping hope alive for prebiotic chemistry on comets and dust.