What makes water unique?

Water has many unique characterisics and properties. Usually in a solid state, the particles of matter are much closer together than they are in its liquid state. The opposite is true of water. Water's solid state is much less dense than its liquid state. This is why ice floats in water. The boiling point of water compared to other molecules of simliar weight is also unusually high. Water has an ability to dissolve many chemical sunstances. It can dissolve salts, ionic compounds and polar covalent compounds. Water can also absorb large amounts of heat. These unique properties are what makes water different from all other molecules!