Kai Xu

The Mpemba effect, familiar from the paradoxical behavior of water, gains a quantum dimension: in isolated systems, a more non-equilibrium state sometimes relaxes faster. New research reveals the mechanism — the key lies in the symmetry structure of the thermostat's initial state. The wider the ener

Hot water freezes faster than cold—that's the Mpemba effect. In the quantum world, its counterpart is a system with a highly broken symmetry restoring order faster. Scientists controlled this on a superconducting chip, turning an accelerated 'tightening' of disorder on and off. This could help quant