Why Does Metal Feel Cold?

When you touch a metal railing and a wooden bench in the same room, both are at room temperature, yet the metal feels noticeably colder. This is because metals have high thermal conductivity — aluminium, for example, conducts heat about 1,000 times faster than wood. Your skin is warmer than the surface, and the metal rapidly draws heat away from your fingertips, making them cool down quickly. Your brain interprets this rapid heat loss as "cold." The sensation is about the rate of heat transfer, not the actual temperature of the object.