What people don't realize about hot liquids - a cup of boiling water is more dangerous than a hot stovetop. People panic about children touching hot dry things

What people don't realize about hot liquids - a cup of boiling water is more dangerous than a hot stovetop. People panic about children touching hot dry things, like hot plates or coals. A hot coal (with no flame) isn't a huge danger, as the outer layer of skin on their hand will evaporate, creating a protective layer of gas. And the pain will make them pull back. It's still possible for things to go badly, but the risk is smaller than people may think. On the other hand, a saucepan full of soup (or worse, oil) can easily kill a child if it splashes all over them. The hot liquid sticks to skin and clothes, transferring large amounts of heat (thus cooking multiple layers of skin). So while a cup of coffee sounds safe (due to it being a familiar hazard, and people incorrectly assuming that < boiling point = not so dangerous), it's really really dangerous. Put it in an easily crushed paper cup, and hand it to a grandma in a car, and you are just asking for trouble.