It’s actually a pretty neat parallel – both are all about getting the right temperature at the right time. When a blacksmith tempers a blade, he heats the steel to a specific point, holds it, then quakes it down quickly so the micro‑structure locks in strength and flexibility. In a fuel cell, I’m controlling heat and timing during the electrolysis step to split water efficiently and then keeping the proton‑exchange membrane at just the right temperature so the reaction stays steady and the cell doesn’t overheat. In both cases, a small shift in heat or timing can mean the difference between a razor‑sharp sword and a dull blade, or between a clean, efficient power source and a wasteful one. The science of precise control ties them together in a very tangible way.