July 1, 2024• Physics 17, 105In the Mpemba effect, a warm liquid freezes faster than a cold one. Three studies investigate quantum versions of this effect, challenging our understanding of quantum thermodynamics. APS/Carin Cain Figure 1: (Top left) Under specific conditions, hot water (red curve) can freeze faster than cold water (blue curve) when interacting with an external environment. This classical phenomenon is known as the Mpemba effect. (Right) Aharony Shapira and colleagues studied an...