Cold-Water Fish Break the Ice with Antifreeze
5:25 minutes
Cold-water fish, snow-dwelling bugs, and some grasses have evolved natural antifreeze proteins to avoid turning to ice cubes. Peter Davies, a biologist at Queen’s University in Ontario, discusses how these antifreeze substances work, and their applications for human problems—like keeping the ice out of ice cream.
In the SciFri Snack, biologist Peter Davies tells us that some companies add proteins that act like antifreeze to ice cream. Don’t worry—it’s safe to eat. But there is something fishy about this additive…
Segment Guests
Peter Davies
Peter Davies is the Canada Research Chair in Protein Engineering at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada.
Meet the Producer
About Christopher Intagliata
@cintagliataChristopher Intagliata was Science Friday’s senior producer. He once served as a prop in an optical illusion and speaks passable Ira Flatowese.