How Do Ice Skates Glide on Ice?

It was long taught that the pressure of a skate blade melts ice, but calculations show the pressure is far too small to melt ice at typical rink temperatures. Scientists now think ice has a naturally disordered, quasi-liquid layer of molecules at its surface, even well below freezing. Friction from the moving blade also produces some heat, adding a thin film of meltwater. Research published around 2018 suggested surface water molecules roll like tiny ball bearings across the ice. Rink ice is kept at around minus 3 to minus 5 degrees Celsius, depending on the sport.