ABSTRACT
Water is necessary for all life on Earth. Water molecules are integral parts of all biological molecules, and it is the solvent that allows biological molecules to move and interact with one another. When water freezes, the molecules can be arranged in at least 18 distinct geometric forms, leading to diverse matrices of water molecules. This is part of the reason that ice is less dense than liquid water, which makes it float on top of liquid water, a unique characteristic. This also makes it possible for microbes to survive when frozen in ice, because they can manipulate the water molecules chemically, such that the crystals do not damage the integrity of their cells.
