# Dry ice for my ice chest? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 22, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-ice-for-my-ice-chest/547604 "2010-07-22T15:13:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-ice-for-my-ice-chest/547604/21 "2010-07-23T16:08:05Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > I discovered a trick with dry ice, magicians do something similar with flies. If you are camping somewhere near a beach with small baby crabs (about 2 inches across), catch one and place it near the dry ice in the cooler. I fanned the crab with a piece of cardboard to keep fresh air going to it, I didn’t want to suffocate it. After a few minutes, hand someone the “dead” crab. The heat from their hand will revive the crab. Hilarity ensues. I protest most vehemently! :mad: mangeorge, Charter menber, SCPA. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-ice-for-my-ice-chest/547604/22 "2010-07-23T16:14:12Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > mangeorge, > Charter menber, SCPA. Society for the Creative Provocation of Animals? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-ice-for-my-ice-chest/547604/23 "2010-07-23T16:24:41Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > I protest most vehemently! :mad: > mangeorge, > Charter menber, SCPA. Chill out. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-ice-for-my-ice-chest/547604/24 "2010-07-23T16:28:47Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > Society for the Creative Provocation of Animals? 😃 Small Crab Protection Association. **racer72** is walking on thin ice. Wanna sign up? Primo proferred at all meetings. Fifty bucks annual dues. Paypal prefered. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-ice-for-my-ice-chest/547604/25 "2010-07-23T16:45:59Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Chill out. _Nobody_ says that anymore. Wanna join up? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-ice-for-my-ice-chest/547604/26 "2010-07-23T17:32:22Z")
Dry ice is superior if you want to have frozen food. Wrapping thickly with layers of newspaper will let the chest contents stay at a higher temperature above freezing and make the dry ice last even longer. The time I used dry ice it lasted over double the amount of time ice did and the food was colder. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-ice-for-my-ice-chest/547604/27 "2010-07-23T17:49:21Z")
I’ve decided to try both ways myself. I just rememberwed, my pickup has a built-in ice chest. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-ice-for-my-ice-chest/547604/28 "2010-07-23T18:00:57Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > Wanna join up? So if I join I won’t catch crabs? I bet you say that to everyone. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-ice-for-my-ice-chest/547604/29 "2010-07-23T18:23:01Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > So if I join I won’t catch crabs? > > I bet you say that to everyone. If you do, just pack dry ice around where they live. Really! You’re not a susceptible adolescent boy, I hope. If you are, ignore the above. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dry-ice-for-my-ice-chest/547604.md?page=1)