Chemspy chemistry news and views

Oil and water: An icy interaction when oil chains are short, but steamy when chains are long - Water transforms into a previously unknown structure in between a liquid and a vapor when in contact with alcohol molecules containing long oily chains. However, around short oily chains water is more icelike. Water plays a huge role in biological processes, from protein folding to membrane formation, and it could be that this transformation is useful in a way not yet understood.(10.1038/nature11570)

Bibliography