The Structure of Ice in Space Is Neither Order nor Chaos—It’s Both
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Summary
On Earth, water molecules arrange themselves into crystals as they freeze, forming a regular and organised structure; this is known as ice.
In contrast, scientists believe that ice formed in space, which is subject to extremely cold temperatures and lacks the pressure of gravity, takes the form of an amorphous solid, with no organisational structure.
Researchers are studying space ice to understand how frozen water behaves away from Earth, as this is key to understanding the formation of planets and the potential for the generation of life.
A recent study suggests that amorphous ice - which is the most common form of ice in the universe - is made up of small regions of order, in the form of crystals, surrounded by chaos.
The finding could shed light on the panspermia theory, which suggests that life on Earth originated from space.
