Scientists discover new type of ice, ice XXI
Researchers in South Korea have discovered Ice XXI, a totally new type of ice made by squeezing water super hard (over 2 gigapascals) at room temperature.
This breakthrough, published in Nature Materials, reveals an entirely new crystallization pathway, showing water can form surprising crystal shapes when put under extreme pressure.
How researchers discovered ice XXI
The team used a high-tech device called a dynamic diamond anvil cell to compress water really fast—so quick that freezing didn't happen too soon.
With the help of an ultra-fast X-ray laser, they spotted Ice XXI's unique structure: it has a distinct lattice structure completely different from any previously known ice phase.
Understanding water under extreme conditions
Ice XXI is about as dense as the ice deep inside moons like Jupiter's Europa or Saturn's Enceladus.
Figuring out how it forms could help scientists understand what goes on beneath the surface of these icy worlds—and even teach us more about how water behaves in extreme places.