Ask Marilyn

Why does blowing on hot soup make it cool faster? My breath is warmer than room temperature, not cooler.

—Jamie Supramaniam, Washington, D.C.

For the same reason that blowing on an ice cream cone in hot weather will make it melt faster. (Really? Yes, it does.) Blowing pushes away the thin layer of soup-warmed air (or cooled air, in the case of ice cream) directly over the bowl, allowing more of the food surface to contact the ambient air. Blowing also moves the food itself, causing more of the same.