is this witchcraft?

[BeesAndChiscuits]

Dh made me a cuppa. I had just come into the house and he poured the water into my mug.

I couldn’t see the water at that point, but I could hear it being poured, and I said to DH “did you boil that?” because it didn’t sound hot.

DH checked and it turned out he hadn’t boiled the kettle, but is concerned that a few hundred years ago I would be burned at the stake for being a witch: he argues that it is impossible to determine the temperature of water by the noise it makes when poured.

Who’s right? I think very hot water sounds more tinkly and cold water sounds splashy. Am I hallucinating this? Am I a witch? Or is it a thing?

Nope, I agree, they sound different when poured.

Actually hot water does sound different - but then I am a witch!

Agree that hot and cold water sound different when being poured, thought I was a bit weird thinking this until you mentioned it OP.

Tell him you may well be a witch, you really don't know but it's probably best he keeps on your good side in future. Cackle and leave the room for a minute or so.

Yes thats totally a thing. I can tell.

Even though I know exactly what you mean, 'it didn't sound hot' amuses me. Witch!

This was covered on QI once, and hot water being poured does in fact sound different to cold water being poured but not everyone can hear the difference

Yes, i can tell if i've got the mix right when running a bath by the sound of it running.

By the pricking of my thumb .....

Double, double toil and trouble;. Fire burn and cauldron bubble

Clearly a witch thing. But I can totally tell.

This is totally a thing! My mum can tell by sound when cream is whipped too! Often been told (yelled at!) from across the room that the cream is done or am I planning on making butter! 😂

It bugs me unreasonably on tv or in theatre when you can hear them pouring cold tea.

I am a little bit miffed that I am neither a witch nor terribly unique and special. I think I will indulge in some training - I’ve never thought about doing bath temperature by sound before but I will try now. Also milk sounds different to water. I wonder if there is some highly-paid job for which I will be headhunted with this skill.

I am not going to admit to DH that this is a known phenomenon. I prefer being mysterious and a little scary.

I can also tell the difference between the sounds of hot and cold water.

You're not a witch.

Or we both are

Yes, I used to be able to tell when the water tank had emptied and cold water was filling the bath.
So, no you're not a witch. Or maybe we all are!!!!!!

I wonder if this is like HD TV, and men are more able to tell HD from old TV and women are able to hear temperature and consistencey of fluids better!?

Although I know we have HD TV and my OH is always moaning that the water doesn't really sound boiling so we must be the couple that prove the rule.

Yes, very definitely A Thing.

There was a very clear Sciency explanation for this phenomenon that I heard on Radio 4.

Unfortunately, I've forgotten what it was.

Different density different sound (quick sciency explanation) ice also sounds different

@Weezol Has it. Tell him that he better not piss you off lest you cast a spell on him.

Weezol

I'm deaf so can't hear water, but I can smell when the heating is on in the house before I feel it.

It just smells hot to me

I can smell the heating too Soubriquet! And hear the difference between hot and cold water.

I can smell the heating and hear the temperature of pouring water. Just checked with DH, DD and DS and they said "of course it sounds different".

None or all of us are special then.

I too can do this (witchcraft) although I think cold water sounds more ‘splashy’ and boiled water sounds more ‘fliud’. Maybe we all have a witchy hearing sense!

Yes, it sounds different - I saw some science programme on TV once and they explained why.

I can tell the difference too.