# Spikes in the ice cube tray **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 19, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spikes-in-the-ice-cube-tray/317791 "2005-08-19T19:17:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spikes-in-the-ice-cube-tray/317791/1 "2005-08-19T19:17:43Z")
No, not the bleached vampire. Last week I filled my ice cube tray with water, put it in the freezer, and waited. Well, not sat around and waited for the ice to form. I do have a life. I mean, I knew it would be a while. Anyway, when I checked later, I found that one ice cube had a once-inch tall, thin spike of ice protruding from the center of the top. Why and/or how does this formation occur? ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spikes-in-the-ice-cube-tray/317791/2 "2005-08-19T19:21:48Z")
I find it happens everytime I use warm water to fill the ice tray. A guess would be that the liquid in each individual cube cools and freezes at different rates. the spike is the last cooling point for the centre of the cube. like a reverse stalagmite.(sp?) This is tongue in cheek at best. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spikes-in-the-ice-cube-tray/317791/3 "2005-08-19T19:26:14Z")
Here be some **spikecicle** threads: [Stalagmites in ice cube tray?!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=315493&highlight=spikecicles) [WIERD ice-cubes.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=170456&highlight=spikecicles) [Spikecicles (reprise)](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=111107&highlight=spikecicles) ---
**Author:** ![Phlosphr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2005, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spikes-in-the-ice-cube-tray/317791/4 "2005-08-19T19:28:40Z")
Difinitive answer [Here](http://www.physics.utoronto.ca/~smorris/edl/icespikes/icespikes.html) . ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spikes-in-the-ice-cube-tray/317791/5 "2005-08-20T00:09:10Z")
Shoulda known it’d come up before. Thanks for the info, y’all. Makes sense. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spikes-in-the-ice-cube-tray/317791/6 "2005-08-20T05:16:28Z")
Slightly off-topic: if you freeze some ice cubes and stick them in a covered box for a month or so, you get some very nice ice crystals forming. They’re hexagonal planes which meet to form hexahedral structures. Quite interesting, that. ---
**Author:** ![Blake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@Blake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blake)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2005, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spikes-in-the-ice-cube-tray/317791/7 "2005-08-20T06:11:48Z")
You all have it wrong, the growths are the result of energy contained in expanded water molecules. > [@](#): > > Using the water to make ordinary ice cubes, though the ENERGY is still there, it only expresses itself, and osmosis only occurs, when it’s not raining. [http://www.johnellis.com/wonders.htm](http://www.johnellis.com/wonders.htm) And this man must knows what he’s talking about because he’s got photographic proof. > [@](#): > > The above picture is a close up view of one ice cube that grew up 2 1/2 inches out of the ice tray. This is proof that electrons are present [http://www.johnellis.com/wisdom.htm](http://www.johnellis.com/wisdom.htm) So there you have it. The growths are caused by expanded water molecules and constitue proof that electrons are present. And they only occur when it’s raining, or in plants or, umm, something