Dry Ice

carbon dioxide · freezing · science magic

Solid carbon dioxide. Dry ice is what you get when carbon dioxide gas gets super cold and turns solid. It's the same stuff plants breathe in from the air, just frozen solid!

Vanishes into air. Instead of melting into a puddle like regular ice, dry ice does something wild: it goes straight from solid to gas without becoming a liquid in between. That spooky fog at concerts and theaters? That's dry ice turning into gas right before your eyes.

Colder than ice. Dry ice is much colder than the ice in your freezer. It's so cold that you'd need special gloves to touch it, or your skin could get hurt from the extreme cold.

Keeps food frozen. Because it's so incredibly cold and doesn't leave behind any wet mess (just plain old carbon dioxide gas), dry ice is perfect for keeping ice cream and other frozen foods cold when you can't use a regular freezer.

Magic fog maker. When warm air touches dry ice, it creates that thick, creepy fog that looks amazing on stage or at Halloween parties. It's a favorite special effect because it's dramatic and totally safe to use around people.