[EricH]

Actually, it is possible to do stuff like this without getting hurt too badly (no personal experience, but my Physics book had a little bit on this). And sanddrag, don't tell me you have never heard of firewalking. They use the same principle. The theory is that if you wet your finger (foot, hand, whatever) before you do something like this, the water will take most of the heat until it is gone, so if you are quick, you can get away with it. (Although firewalkers use coals, so they step quickly and don't get as much energy to their feet as if they used metal.) I think this has some basis, but I'm too lazy to go find my book and check it out .