Man kept water outside in sub-zero temperatures, was stunned when he checked 4 days later

We all know that water freezes when temperatures drop below 32°F (0°C), but TikTok user @joethaxton, also known as Joe Thaxton, shared an experience that had viewers questioning the very laws of nature. In a now-viral video with nearly a million views, Thaxton filmed a 12-pack of bottled water sitting on his snow-covered porch for days during a winter storm. Despite the sub-freezing temperatures, the water remained completely unfrozen. Captioning the video, he wrote, “28 degrees F or less for the last 4 days and still not frozen. Things that make you go, hmmmm?”

The video begins with Thaxton showing his snow-covered porch and pointing to the pack of bottled water. “I’ve been keeping my water on the porch,” he says. “[Here’s] proof that it was here when it snowed. It’s been out here for three days.” Picking up a bottle, he demonstrates that the water inside is still liquid, even though outdoor temperatures have been well below freezing. Adding to his bewilderment, Thaxton explains, “My water in my house is frozen, but this water is not.”

He then poses a question that sparked even more curiosity: “Are they putting glycol in our water?” suggesting that there might be something unusual about the bottled water. While the mystery remains, the video has left viewers both entertained and puzzled, with many speculating about the science—or secrets—behind this icy anomaly.

This curious situation immediately sparked a wave of speculation in the comments section. People shared their theories and personal stories that seemed to mirror Thaxton’s findings. @adrifqdr323 said, “Water that doesn’t freeze, ice cream that doesn’t melt.” @mel_bee75 shared, “I left a Pure Life and a Deer Park in my car overnight. Temps in the teens last night. The Deer Park froze...Pure Life did not.” @blessedresin_boutique added, "As soon as you open it, it will start to freeze because I have the same exact case of water on my porch here in Ohio and it freezes soon as you open it in the molecules react to the air." Some viewers jumped in with scientific explanations and explained that the answer, as it turns out, lies in the science of “supercooling.” 

@blah_meh_ha commented, “It’s just supercooled. Water won’t freeze unless it has a nucleation site. In nature, the nucleation site can be dust, in a pipe it can be a rough spot and this bottle is smooth. Slap the side."

“I did this with a bottle of Coke. I put it in the freezer and waited a couple of hours—by that point, it was below freezing, still liquid. As soon as I opened it, it froze," @cforeman153 explained. "I volunteer at a disaster site for Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina, some of the bottle brands that have been donated freeze and some don’t. I don’t drink them anymore," chimed in @vnessalou2. "None of the bottles I left in my car were frozen. I was shocked. I thought it was a fluke! Glad, I’m not crazy," shared @may_jay_.

You can follow Joe Thaxton (@joethaxton) on TikTok for more daily life content.