A BBC camera crew has videoed a “brinicle,” a bizarre underwater “icicle of death” in Antarctica.

‘Brinicle’ ice finger of death filmed in Antarctic

With timelapse cameras, specialists recorded salt water being excluded from the sea ice and sinking.  The temperature of this sinking brine, which was well below 0C, caused the water to freeze in an icy sheath around it.  Where the so-called “brinicle” met the sea bed, a web of ice formed that froze everything it touched, including sea urchins and starfish. The unusual phenomenon was filmed for the first time by cameramen Hugh Miller and Doug Anderson for the BBC One series “Frozen Planet.”

BBC Nature: ‘Brinicle’ ice finger of death filmed in Antarctic

Thanks to Irwin Bryan for passing the story along.