The formation of ice particles in the Earth's atmosphere significantly impacts cloud properties and climate. However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was unable to assess the impact of atmospheric ice formation in their recent report due to insufficient basic knowledge. This review focuses on the quantitative understanding of ice nucleation by particles immersed in supercooled water droplets, addressing mineral dusts, biological species, carbonaceous combustion products, and volcanic ash. The study introduces methods to describe ice nucleation and compares the efficiency of different aerosol types using a time-independent temperature-dependent parameter. Results indicate that ice nucleation below about −15 °C is dominated by soot and mineral dusts, while above this temperature, biological materials are the primary nucleators. The review highlights the challenges in understanding and quantifying ice nucleation, particularly in mixed-phase clouds, and emphasizes the need for more experimental data and theoretical advancements.The formation of ice particles in the Earth's atmosphere significantly impacts cloud properties and climate. However, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was unable to assess the impact of atmospheric ice formation in their recent report due to insufficient basic knowledge. This review focuses on the quantitative understanding of ice nucleation by particles immersed in supercooled water droplets, addressing mineral dusts, biological species, carbonaceous combustion products, and volcanic ash. The study introduces methods to describe ice nucleation and compares the efficiency of different aerosol types using a time-independent temperature-dependent parameter. Results indicate that ice nucleation below about −15 °C is dominated by soot and mineral dusts, while above this temperature, biological materials are the primary nucleators. The review highlights the challenges in understanding and quantifying ice nucleation, particularly in mixed-phase clouds, and emphasizes the need for more experimental data and theoretical advancements.