[map]

What is this new state? If it was explained, I didn’t get it. What channel, what tunneling, what near absolute zero effect?

[UCANSEE2]

I think what they are saying is that a molecule of water normally won't fit into a nanotube, but if you chill it to almost absolute zero, it will alter it's structure to fit inside the nanotube. Probably warmer in there.

Of course, this implies the molecule can 'think', and alters it's own structure for survival.

[dr_lew]

From grad school, I remember a maxim concerning what sort of particles might form an interference pattern when passing through a diffraction grating.

The answer was, “You can diffract pianos.” So the “piano” was the exemplar of a nonelementary particle that could be subject to quantum diffraction effects.

In this case the “piano” is the water molecule. The point is that it has to be cooled to the point where it is INDISTINGUISHABLE from its neighboring “pianos”, and this is facilitated by its confinement in a “deep” potential well, such that any movement is confined to a quantum excitation. So you have these water molecules in the same ( ground level ) state, and as identical particles they can combine into coherent states of lowest energy, just like electrons in an atom.

See? So the challenge is, if you don’t like this, why are you so comfortable with atoms?

[Smokin' Joe]

What is this new state?

Ice nine. We're doomed.

wow, two Kurt Vonnegut references in 24 hours...(8^D)