Meet Ice XXI: The Ice That Refuses to Melt in Warm Temperatures

Researchers have discovered Ice XXI, a new type of ice that remains solid at room temperature under extremely high pressure, challenging the traditional understanding of water. Unlike ordinary ice, which melts when warm, Ice XXI maintains its solid structure even in such conditions. Water is more complex than it seems, existing not only as liquid, vapor, or ice but also in over 20 distinct ice forms, each with a unique molecular arrangement determined by temperature and pressure. This discovery could fundamentally reshape our understanding of water’s behavior and open new possibilities in materials science and related fields.