system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
Why does water has to boil before I may put the noodles in?

Why is it not enough to be just hot? Does something special happen to the food I put in the water if it starts boiling?
gpt
When cooking noodles you are not simply re hydrating the pasta, but you are cooking the starch.  The starch molecules actually change.  This works best in very hot water.  

While the process will occur at temperatures lower than a full boil, there are two reasons for boiling.  First, you want to minimize the time in the water to prevent the pasta from absorbing too much water and becoming too mushy/pasty/gross.   Secondly, as the boiling water bubbles, it is self-stirring to a degree to help prevent the noodles from cooking together in a clump.