Examining claims of long-range molecular order in water molecules

The importance of water to all life on Earth cannot be overstated. Although it is considered a simple liquid, water has been under intense scrutiny at the molecular scale for several decades. The directional nature of hydrogen bonds ensures that water molecules are not random but have a great propensity towards order, particularly at the interface of other substances. This study investigates some recent claims of long-range ordering of interface water molecules, giving rise to a phase between liquid and solid.