It’s water … but not as we know it

Think glaciers. Think ice skaters. Think movement. Think water.

A thin layer of water allows the glacier to slide or the ice skater to skate. But it may not be water a we know it …..

….. It is thought that this lubricating water is in fact super dense – up to 17% more dense an ‘unbelievable’ amount according to the head of the research team making this claim.

Experiments have shown that this liquid is present at temperatures up to -17 ^oC. Little lese is known about this phenomena – for example, how viscous is thew water or will substances dissolve in it?

Watch this space …..

Article adapted from an article in ‘New Scientist’ magazine that appeared on 17th April 2004 on page 14. The article was titled ‘Glaciers skate on thick water.