NYU chemists have discovered a family of anti-freeze
molecules that prevent ice formation when water temperatures drop below 32
degrees Fahrenheit. Their findings, which are reported in the latest issue of
the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), may lead to new
methods for improving food storage and industrial products.
“The growth and presence of ice can be damaging to
everything from our vehicles to food to human tissue, so learning how to
control this process would be remarkably beneficial,” says co-author Kent
Kirshenbaum, an associate professor in NYU’s Department of Chemistry. “Our
findings reveal how molecules ward off the freezing process and give new
insights into how we might apply these principles elsewhere.”