A brinicle is a fascinating underwater phenomenon that occurs when very cold, saline water leaks out from sea ice and forms a downward-growing icicle.

As it descends, it freezes everything in its path, earning it the nickname “the finger of death” because it can quickly immobilize and potentially kill marine life below it.

Brinicles are more commonly found in the frigid waters near the Arctic and Antarctic, and their unique formation has been captured in nature documentaries.