... the results are somewhat unexpected.
I had heard that solid ice does not respond to microwaves the way water does, so today while boiling some water for ramen, I also put in the (standard suburban) microwave one ice cube (with a paper towel to catch any meltwater).
The paper towel was unnecessary. After 2 1/2 minutes the water in the measuring cup was in a full rolling boil, but the ice cube was ice cold. There wasn't even a drop of water on the towel beneath.
Posting this so readers can use the info to win bar bets or impress your children at dinner. Or perhaps next time you host a party ask guests to guess "how quickly" will the microwave melt the ice cube.
Addendum: several interesting observations in the comment thread.
Related: Microwaving Ice - why defrosting is so slow. Note: "This is why you shouldn't defrost a chicken on full power..."
