Now, researchers have discovered the bears have another unexpected Arctic adaptation: greasy fur. It’s a trait that, ...

In a nutshell Polar bear fur repels ice thanks to a specialized hair grease (sebum) that gives them ice adhesion strength comparable to high-tech synthetic materials, making it extremely difficult for ...

Anti-icing materials could be developed following a study of polar bear fur and its ability to remain ice-free.

Scientist recently discovered that natural grease on polar bear fur allows them to glide across the ice, rather than getting ...

Learn more about polar bear sebum, the oil on their fur that prevents ice from sticking to them, and how it could be used to ...

Senior author Bodil Holst, a physicist at the University of Bergen in Norway, was inspired to investigate polar bear fur after watching a TV quiz program, she tells Michael Le Page at New Scientist.

The results confirmed that greasy, unwashed polar bear hair strongly resists ice. When washed, the fur lost its grease and performed similarly to human hair, to which ice sticks easily. Further ...

How does the polar bear survive permanently sub-zero temperatures, in one of the most climatically inhospitable environments on the planet? Its fur hides an antifreeze: a mix of fatty substances ...