Hacker News Reader

> heavier volatile substances (which are referred to as "ices")

When you know that astronomers call about anything that is not hydrogen or helium "metals" and you learn that even gazes are "ices" for some reason¸ makes you think now would be a good time to level the playground and start again :)

View on HN

I agree, but from what I understand it's partially about things typically behave. At super cool temperatures, ice acts like stone, and a bunch of other stuff will appear to be as strong as metals. There's also a ton of tradition dating back to the renaissance time period.

Rocks are basically silicon ice.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com