Why Does Metal Feel Colder Than Wood?Your hand is secretly a heat-flow detector.

From the show

Science Around You

This reveals the real reason some objects feel colder than others, even when they're in the same room. A metal doorknob and a wooden door are the same temperature, but one feels frigid. Why? Metal is a thermal conductor, rapidly drawing heat from your hand. Your nerves interpret this quick heat loss as 'cold'. Wood, an insulator, transfers heat slowly. Your sense of touch isn't measuring temperature—it's measuring the rate of heat transfer.