The Mpemba effect: fact or fiction?

Water ice crystals on glass

Source: © Shutterstock

Why freezing ice cream 50 years ago put science in hot water

If you put both hot and cold water in a freezer, the hot water (allegedly) takes less time to turn to ice. This is the exact opposite of what science tells us should happen. It’s a weird behaviour known as the Mpemba effect – and it’s been the centre of a scientific argument for 50 years.