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Science

Scientists Create New Form of Ice, Known As Ice XXI (popularmechanics.com) 75

fahrbot-bot shares a report from Popular Mechanics: [I]n a new study published in the journal Nature Materials, scientists from the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) have now found yet another phase, appropriately named Ice XXI. At the heart of the experiment, scientists used diamond anvil cells (DACs) -- a common device used in materials science for squeezing samples under immense pressure -- to subject water to 2 gigapascals (20,000 times higher than normal atmosphere) of pressure in just 10 milliseconds.

The scientists call this kind of water "supercompressed," and it's metastable, meaning it persists for a time even when another form of ice would be more stable. And because of the immense pressure, ice forms at room temperature but the molecules are much more densely packed. "Rapid compression of water allows it to remain liquid up to higher pressures, where it should have already crystallized to ice VI," Geun Woo Lee, a co-author of the study from RISS, said in a press statement. "The structure in which liquid H2O crystallizes depends on the degree of supercompression of the liquid."

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Scientists Create New Form of Ice, Known As Ice XXI

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  • (From the Zero Escape series)

    • Call me Jonah.

    • Re:ICE-9 confirmed (Score:5, Informative)

      by PDXNerd ( 654900 ) on Friday October 17, 2025 @03:53AM (#65731494)

      I don't know those books...but it was probably borrowed (or stolen) entirely from Kurt Vonnegut, which is what I always think of when a new phase of water ice crystal is found - Ice-nine [wikipedia.org].. If you haven't read Cat's Cradle, or any Vonnegut, you should...

      • I don't know those books...but it was probably borrowed (or stolen) entirely from Kurt Vonnegut, which is what I always think of when a new phase of water ice crystal is found - Ice-nine [wikipedia.org].. If you haven't read Cat's Cradle, or any Vonnegut, you should...

        Absolutely. I especially like The Books of Bokonon from Cat's Cradle, and in a different short story, Harrison Bergeron.

        I found Harrison Bergeron to be eerily prescient in recent years, as recently, we seemed to be heading down a similar path, not identical of course, but allowing well meaning people to attempt to install a tyranny of the weak.

        • Seems to be missing the point on this thread....

          Let's think practical about this new "ice".....

          As in...will this keep my cocktail cold longer?

          Will this keep the beer in my ice chest colder for longer?

          ;)

          • No.

            This room-temperature ice is simply a plot device that demonstrates the sheer stupidity of human behavior.

            • No.

              This room-temperature ice is simply a plot device that demonstrates the sheer stupidity of human behavior.

              But the big question is what do you think about coconuts and their impact on Hydrangeas?

          • Seems to be missing the point on this thread....

            Let's think practical about this new "ice".....

            As in...will this keep my cocktail cold longer?

            Will this keep the beer in my ice chest colder for longer?

            ;)

            The point on the thread has pretty well been lost, so all avenues are open. Besides, a little literary input can't hurt much! I would think maybe it is time to respond to the endless political interjections with some free association topic drift.

            I should get bonus points for the comparisons between Ice-9, with Ice-21, and a tangential comparison between Harrison Bergeron and some well meaning but ignorant people though. All tied with a pretty, yet annoying bow.

            Anyhow, if Ice-21 is anything like Ice-9

          • Cocktail?

            My Ricard!

        • by Deef ( 162646 )

          Interestingly, Vonnegut made it clear in interviews that the story Harrison Bergeron was deliberately intended to be an over-the-top parody of the claims made by Ayn-Rand style "meritocracy" folks, by stretching their belief system to the point of ridicule so he could make fun of it. Vonnegut himself tended towards socialism, as is clear from most of his works. You might want to try reading the story again with that interpretation and perhaps you will see it in a new light.

          Some discussion here [quora.com], and elsewher

          • Interestingly, Vonnegut made it clear in interviews that the story Harrison Bergeron was deliberately intended to be an over-the-top parody of the claims made by Ayn-Rand style "meritocracy" folks, by stretching their belief system to the point of ridicule so he could make fun of it. Vonnegut himself tended towards socialism, as is clear from most of his works. You might want to try reading the story again with that interpretation and perhaps you will see it in a new light.

            Let's go. Since you claim to know about me, you simply must know that my use of the terms left and right wing are terms I us that people can understand, as in reality, the further "left" and further "right" people go, they eventually end up indistinguishable from each other in effect, if not rhetoric. I would say that 90 percent of people cannot grok that.

            Some discussion here [quora.com], and elsewhere.

            If you are attempting to skewer my insights, the first two posts are equally valid, they are also opposed. Which one is correct, mon ami?

            Both can be, i

  • One of the most fascinating aspects of H2O is the sheer number of forms it can take under different conditions.

  • Bad name (Score:5, Funny)

    by DamienMcKenna ( 181101 ) <damien@nOSpaM.mc-kenna.com> on Friday October 17, 2025 @05:12AM (#65731530)

    That's an unfortunately poor name, both from a word usage standpoint and branding perspective.

    Suggested alternatives:

    Icer
    Iceist
    Ice #2
    Ice-final-approved-v5-edits-by-becky-final-version3
    Water^3

  • by Gravis Zero ( 934156 ) on Friday October 17, 2025 @06:05AM (#65731570)

    I read the title as "Scientists Create New Flavor of Ice Cream, Known As Ice XXI" and was very upset to realize my mistake. I mean... yay science and all but.. damn, now I want some ice cream!

  • More importantly, how is this new form of ice going to affect my gin and tonic?
  • I just didn't think it would be scientists that conceived first.

  • How far away are we from creating Neutron Ice? I'm tired of my Friday night bourbon & rocks getting warm by Monday...
  • ...I still think ice-9 tastes better.

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