Despite subzero temperatures, increased UV radiation, little liquid water, and few available nutrients, bacteria living at Earth’s poles thrive. They manage it thanks in part to molecules called biosurfactants, which help them separate the complex substrates they feed on into easy-to-metabolize droplets. On February 7 in the journal Trends in Biotechnology, researchers review the hypothetical uses of these cold-loving molecules for “green” detergents, fuel additives, and other applications.