Scientists are trying to give ice cream a fighting chance against scorching summers—particularly the sort of heat India serves up. The trick lies in controlling ice crystals, fat, air and water, the four players that decide how quickly a scoop turns into a puddle. Japanese researchers have tested strawberry polyphenols to slow melting; others are studying BslA, a protein that helps hold the fat-and-air structure together. Space science already has freeze-dried ice cream which does not melt because there’s so little water left. Our future cones may simply demand less frantic licking as Indian makers adjust proteins, fibre, stabilisers, packaging and chain storage to help the scoops resist melting through blazing afternoons.