It’s eco-friendly and freakishly strong: Meet Israel’s Mars-ready ‘super-ice’

Israeli researchers at Hebrew University have created BioPykrete, a molecularly bonded super ice that is 10 times stronger and 70 times harder to break than regular ice. Made from water, plant cellulose, and a bacterial protein, the biodegradable material could be used for construction in the Arctic, Antarctica, and potentially on Mars or the Moon.

In a world first, Israeli researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have created a molecularly bonded super ice called BioPykrete that is 10 times stronger and 70 times harder to break than regular ice. Made mostly of water with plant cellulose fibers and a specially designed bacterial protein, the material could provide a biodegradable alternative for building in extreme cold conditions such as the Arctic or Antarctica, and even on Mars or the Moon. Lead researcher Prof. Ido Braslavsky explained that the protein acts as two-sided molecular glue, locking ice crystals directly onto cellulose fibers, making the composite tougher and less brittle. Unlike concrete, when no longer needed, the structure melts away without leaving rubble. The invention nods to the WWII-era Pykrete concept by Geoffrey Pyke and Max Perutz. Braslavsky said the lab wants to test whether the material becomes stronger in deeper cold and holds up through repeated freezing and thawing. The article also includes a subscription pitch for The Times of Israel Community.