They're Dippin' Dots, a summertime staple.

But this confectionery treat didn't start as, well, ice cream.

It started as cow feed.

Dippin' Dots were invented in the 80s, not by an ice cream brand, but by a microbiologist.

Curtis Jones specialized in cryogenics.

In 1987, he was working for a bio-tech company in Kentucky, trying to figure out how to make food for farm animals more efficient.

His big breakthrough came when he flash-froze cattle feed at 350 degrees below zero, which produced small pellets.

Serendipitously, Curtis loved making ice cream.

Next thing he knew, he was using liquid nitrogen to freeze ice cream at extremely low temperatures and ended up with small beads of it.

When eaten, the natural heat of the mouth melted the beads and thus, Dippin' Dots was born.

A year later, he formed the company out of his parent's garage in Illinois, but there was a problem.

Curtis had nowhere to sell the product.

Dippin' Dots need to be stored at such a cold temperature that it made it impossible for grocery stores to house the tasty treat, so he got creative and marketed his product to alternate locations.

Now, they're sold at amusement parks, festivals, zoos, and other summertime destinations.

But whether or not they really are the ice cream of the future, we'll just have to wait and see.