THE BIG FREEZE

At what air temperature do your tears freeze? It’s not a question that I normally ponder on but I believe that I nearly discovered the answer last month when I was descending on skis from an altitude of 3,800 metres in a temperature of -20◦ Celsius. I adjusted my goggles, pulled tight my fleece hood and blinked the affected eye in an effort to stop my lids sealing, whilst also hastening my speed. In the end I had to thank Lady Nature for at least making my tears salty and so reducing the temperature at which they would have turned to solid ice.

Does she work in a similar way, I wonder, when blood runs cold and hearts turn to stone?