Big brain…tiny list of Facebook friends? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. We, humans, are VERY smart mammals – if we do say so ourselves! Some say it’s because we have such big brains. But at what cost to society? Manuela González-Suárez at the University
Continue readingTag: food
Hangry Caterpillars
When does the very HUNGRY caterpillar become very HANGRY? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Eating is a serious – and DANGEROUS – business! I WILL “cut you” for that last piece of Valentine’s candy! Do our creepy-crawly friends feel the same? Enter Joseph Collie
Continue readingGrandma’s Hands
Do grandmas really have a “magic touch” for baking? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Aspen Reese from Harvard wanted to know: can grandma’s actual hands really make a difference? She and her team sent flour to eighteen bakers across North America and Europe. The
Continue readingThe Perfect Pop
Movie magic meets… popcorn science? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. No movie night is complete without delicious, buttery popcorn! But have you ever wondered what makes those kernels pop and jump? A study led by Ecole Polytechnic tried to explain this phenomenon. Two French
Continue readingRice Cooker
Rice is delicious! But no longer nutritious? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Climate change can really bring the heat! But, ocean levels aren’t the only thing on the rise. Carbon dioxide levels are also increasing. How does this change in the atmosphere affect our
Continue readingLet it Brie
Ah, gay Par-ee! The smell of fresh baguettes, coffee, and… CHEESE! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying, oui, oui! In France, cheese gets its yummy taste from a special fungus called Penicillium camemberti. It’s had hundreds of years to hone its cheesy qualities. But
Continue readingYelp Department
Does trying out a new restaurant give you butterflies? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Hopefully the butterflies mean excitement — not food poisoning! Health departments can’t monitor all eateries all the time. Who can we trust to keep restauranteurs in line? Maybe Yelp can
Continue readingBitter or Sweet?
Kale again? Yuck! I hate bitter greens! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. I know, I know – eating greens is healthy. But my taste buds disagree! What’s the secret to eating those bitter greens happily? Meet Laura Martin and colleagues from the University of
Continue readingKeto Cheatin’
Are those cookies? Wait!! Aren’t you on keto? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Trying to shed those extra pounds? Try the keto diet! This low carb, high fat diet deprives your body of glucose. So your body starts burning its fat reserves. Let’s be
Continue readingBinge-Eating Mind
In the immortal words of Homer, “mmmm… donuts!” This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. What’s today’s most common eating disorder? Binge eating! And it’s a major health crisis—more prevalent than breast cancer and HIV. Scientists are hard at work trying to find a solution. Enter
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