Understanding ice nucleation is essential in predicting weather patterns. Lowering the energy barrier for nucleation can lead to ice formation at higher temperatures. Surfaces with the right structure facilitate water molecules in arranging themselves into a crystal. Researchers have discovered that certain bacteria and fungi proteins are excellent at ice nucleation and are even used in artificial snowmaking. Although bigger proteins are typically better at nucleating ice, exceptions exist, like tiny fungal proteins that clump together into large, ice-nucleating aggregates. Scientists like Molinero are developing models to predict ice nucleation on surfaces using different factors like surface chemistry and defects. Ultimately, understanding ice nucleation is key to predicting cloud behavior and weather patterns accurately.
https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-enduring-mystery-of-how-water-freezes-20240617/