Insane Stats

Archive

Under certain conditions, hot water can freeze faster than cold water. What is this counterintuitive phenomenon called?

Past stat · 2026-07-01 UTC

The answer

It's named for Erasto Mpemba, a Tanzanian student who noticed it in the 1960s, though people had reported the same thing for centuries before him. Scientists still don't fully agree on what causes it.

Correct answer: The Mpemba effect

Source →

One unbelievable fact. Three guesses.

Privacy