The Mpemba Effect: Does Hot Water Freeze Faster?
Researchers from Kyoto University and the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology have investigated the Mpemba effect, which refers to the phenomenon of hot water freezing faster than cold water. They studied the effect in quantum systems by preparing two systems with quantum dots connected to a heat bath. By observing the time evolution of these systems, they found evidence of the thermal quantum Mpemba effect, where the hotter part becomes colder and vice versa. The researchers believe that these findings could have potential applications beyond thermal analyses.