Mpemba effect
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the observation that, in some circumstances, warmer water can freeze faster than colder water
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Erasto Mpemba, namesake of the phenomenon The Mpemba effect is the observation that very hot liquids or colloids (such as ice cream) can freeze more quickly than colder ones, for similar volumes and surrounding conditions. Physicists remain divided on the effect's reproducibility, precise definition, and underlying mechanisms. It is named after Erasto Mpemba, a Tanzanian teenager who studied it scientifically in the 1960s for the first time, along with Denis Osborne.
The Mpemba effect was initially observed in only ice cream and water, and later in other colloids. It has been studied extensively in water, with mixed results, and some experiments finding no reproducible effect. It has also been studied in magnetic alloys, nanomechanical systems, and quantum systems.