Supercomputer study to probe physics mystery and unlock new tech

Scientists will use cutting-edge supercomputers to investigate a physics mystery that has puzzled researchers for decades and could help unlock the next generation of computing.

Dr Nikolaos Fytas will lead research into why some systems behave in unexpected ways when cooling down, including the bizarre Mpemba effect, where hot water can sometimes freeze faster than cold.

Researchers believe the findings could have implications for future technologies including quantum computing, data storage and advanced materials design.

The three-year project, funded by a £288,306 Leverhulme Trust Research Grant, will use powerful computer simulations to uncover the hidden rules governing how complex systems behave following sudden temperature changes.

'Inform the development of future technologies'

The School of Mathematics, Statistics and Actuarial Science team will also develop new algorithms designed to overcome “critical slowing down”, a major bottleneck that limits the study of highly complex systems.

Dr Fytas said: "This project will allow us to tackle some of the most fundamental and long-standing questions about how complex systems behave far from equilibrium.

"By uncovering the hidden rules behind these surprising phenomena, we hope to develop new computational approaches that can overcome existing limitations in the field.

"In the longer term, these insights could help inform the development of future technologies in computing and materials science."

Led by Dr Fytas alongside a postdoctoral researcher and PhD student, the study will begin in September 2026 and run until August 2029.

The work focuses on critical systems, where tiny changes can trigger dramatic chain reactions.

These phenomena appear across nature and technology, from magnets and fluids to biological swarms, quantum devices and advanced materials.

Quantum technologies  

Researchers will use unprecedented-scale simulations on some of the world’s most powerful computing systems to track how these systems evolve and reorganise.

Scientists believe the Mpemba effect and similar behaviours may be governed by universal principles, but definitive evidence has remained elusive.

The project will also investigate how quickly complex systems reorganise near critical tipping points, a long-standing puzzle in physics with potential implications for future quantum technologies and advanced materials.