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Polar bears<\/a> need all the help they can get to survive their frosty Arctic <\/a>environment<\/a>. One of their biggest survival secrets appears to be greasy hair<\/a>. The sebum<\/a>\u2013or hair grease\u2013on their fur makes it very difficult for ice to stick. The findings are detailed in a study published January 29 in the journal Science Advances<\/em><\/a>, and could help chemists and engineers develop new anti-ice coatings for more durable fabrics, skis, snowboards, and more.<\/p>\n Polar bears have a thick layer of fat below two layers of fur<\/a> that help trap their internal body heat. According to Polar Bears International<\/a>, these layers keep them so warm that adult males can quickly overheat when they run. Ice also does not accumulate on it, despite the bears spending nearly all of their time in and around freezing cold water.<\/p>\n \u201cAnimals living in polar habitats have emerged as a source of inspiration for the development of new anti-icing materials,\u201d Richard Hobbs, a study co-author and chemist at Trinity College in Dublin, said in a statement.<\/a><\/p>\n To learn more about how, the team collected hair from six polar bears in the wild. They measured the adhesion strength of ice to get a sense of how well it can stick to fur. Next, they looked at hydrophobicity<\/a>\u2013the process that dictates whether water can shed before it freezes. Finally, they analyzed the freezing delay time, or how long it takes for a single drop of water to freeze at certain temperatures on a particular surface. They then compared the performance of polar bear hair with human hair and two human-made ski skins<\/a>.<\/p>\nPolar animals as inspiration<\/h2>\n