Image 4 - Klaas Wynne holding a vial of frozen glassy salt solution
original size image (jpg, ~1.5MB)
Prof Klaas Wynne holding a vial of concentrated salt solution, which has been frozen into a glass in liquid nitrogen. All salt solutions behave like a liquid on the verge of being a glass (much like freezing rain). Do not try this at home: glassy water can suddenly and violently expand into crystalline water causing a (minor) explosion that can shatter the vial.
(c) 2008 Klaas Wynne, University of Strathclyde, Physics Department, SUPA, Permission to reproduce granted under condition of linking to http://bcp.phys.strath.ac.uk/