Freezing-induced enrichment of organic solutes within ice has been hypothesized to play an essential role in the origins of life, yet direct evidence for the in-ice aggregation of dilute, water-soluble organics has remained elusive. Here, the authors employ a conformation-sensitive organic phosphor, 2- phenylbenzothiazole iodide, to uncover the formation of amino acid nanoaggregates in water ice.
- Hongping Liu
- Hao Su
- Guoqing Zhang
