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Mystery #3Tier 2ice / cooling / heat

Why does a drink full of ice stay icy cold right up until the last cube melts?

Fill a glass with cola and ice and the drink turns beautifully cold. Here is the odd bit: it stays that cold, not creeping warmer, for ages. Then, moments after the last ice cube disappears, it finally starts to warm up. Why does an icy drink stay cold right until the very last cube has melted?

A tall glass filled with ice cubes and water, with more ice cubes melting on the surface beside it.
Photo: Cleiton Andrade · CC0 · via Wikimedia Commons

Your guess

What do you think the ice is doing to keep your drink so cold for so long?

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