Water is, as you know the prerequisite for life on Earth. Or rather, the Earth's life forms have arisen mainly due to the unique properties of water. On another planet, there may be completely different conditions and totally different form of life. Who knows?
Water is not like many of our elements. In its solid, frozen state volume is larger but the density is lower than in it’s liquid state. It is at its heaviest in the liquid state just above the freezing point (+4 degrees Celsius).
The detail of density means that no water along the poles, with normal depth, bottom freezes in winter. Along the bottom, the water is 4 degrees Celsius and a specific biological activity is always occurring. This means that aquatic animals can find some food during the winter, which would have been impossible if the bottom was covered with ice.
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