New insights into the fundamental behaviour of water

New insights into the fundamental behaviour of water Published on the 3rd September 2026 by ANSTO StaffShare to FacebookShare to BlueskyShare to LinkedIn Key Points Research has confirmed that water's molecular dynamics change dramatically between about -35°C and -20°C when it becomes glassy The findings have relevance for cryopreservation of biological materials, food freezing technologies, and understanding water in living cells, where it is often also confined at the nanoscale The research team used neutron and synchrotron techniques at ANSTO to observes dynamic changes at the molecular scale An international collaboration of researchers has used ANSTO's facilities to find something new about the properties one of the most fundamental everyday materials, water, and answered an important scientific question. The findings published in Nature Communications have practical implications for understanding water at very low temperatures. The findings have relevance for cryopreservation of biological materials, food freezing technologies, and understanding water in living cells, where it is often also confined at the nanoscale.  Water is one of the most familiar substances ...