For astronomers, probing the mysteries of “space ice”—its molecular makeup and how it formed—could be the key to understanding not just extraterrestrial geology but also the potential for alien life.

Space is cold, and research has shown time and time again that space ice is prevalent throughout the universe. However, despite sharing a similar name to the ice we find in glaciers or even in our ...

Water frozen in the depths of space has long been considered a shapeless, frozen fog. For decades, scientists believed it formed without structure, too cold and still to grow orderly crystals. But a ...

"Ice in the rest of the universe has long been considered a snapshot of liquid water – that is, a disordered arrangement fixed in place. Our findings show this is not entirely true." When you purchase ...

Space travel has always pushed the boundaries of human exploration, but what about the food that sustains astronauts on these long journeys? As researchers turn to unconventional options, insects are ...

Visual representation of the structure of low-density amorphous ice. Many tiny crystallites (white) are concealed in the amorphous material (blue). “Space ice” contains tiny crystals and is not, as ...

Ice is a key component in the universe. There are frozen water molecules on comets, moons, exoplanets, and in your drink as you cool off from the summer heat. However, under the microscope, not all ...

Scientists think cosmic ice is where prebiotic molecules — the building blocks of life — form. Here on Earth, researchers replicated particles of space ice and bombarded them with electrons and ...