Almost thirty years ago Hawking predicted that black holes would radiate thermally, with a temperature proportional to the inverse mass of the black hole. The experimental observation of this effect is difficult, and the theoretical derivation is absurd (relying as it apparently does on features of field theory at energies far far larger than the mass of the universe.) However, there are condensed matter systems for which the equivalent derivation holds, but for which a natural cutoff provided by the atomic nature of matter exists. These systems can throw light both on the theoretical nature of the thermal radiation and, more tantelisingly, on possible experimental observation of the effect. This lecture will explore these aspects of dumb (as in "deaf and dumb") holes.