Scientists create super ice that's 10 times stronger than regular ice and almost as tough as concrete
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What just happened? Anyone who's fallen face-first on thick ice will testify that it's pretty strong. But it's nothing compared to a new type of ice created by researchers. The aptly nicknamed super ice is an incredible 10 times stronger under compression than regular frozen water, making it close to the strength of concrete.
Called BioPykrete, the material was developed by a team led by researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. It combines ice, tiny plant-derived cellulose crystals, and a specially engineered protein. The resulting composite also absorbs around 70 times more energy before breaking than ordinary ice.
Regular ice can fail suddenly as cracks race through it. But BioPykrete deforms and gives way more gradually, potentially making it a more useful building material. So not only can it withstand pressure, it...
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