Tentacled droplets swim with stored heat energy

Okay, I will readily admit right off the bat that I have no clue what is happening here.

I can describe it using the words of the ChemistryWorld.com article from which this video comes...

Beginning as innocuous oily droplets about 20–40μm across floating in water, these structures take on faceted, crystal-like shapes when cooled to around 2-8°C – even though they aren’t frozen. Then things get really weird. 

Some of the particles’ facets grow while other shrink, producing a variety of geometrical forms such as kites, isosceles triangles and spiked tetrahedra. Then, from some of the sharp corners emerge tentacle-like strands, as if being extruded from a nozzle. As they grow, the strands bend into undulating shapes – and the droplets start to swim, propelled through the fluid by the tentacles’ extension.

What the heck? The tentacles appear as the microdroplets are cooled, propelling the microdroplet forward. Then, as the droplet is warmed again, the tentacles retreat back into the droplet? That's weird.

Luckily, I'm not the only one stumped as to what's happening here. " ‘I have really no idea what is going on,’ [McLeish] admits. "

The world is strange. 

Let's try to keep it that way.