Cosmos Editorial
Just in case you haven’t had enough to eat over the break, here are six snack stories, videos and podcasts from 2022 which should leave a great aftertaste.
There’s a scientific twist to splitting your Oreo
Snacking on an Oreo, while testing its mechanical properties in the lab, is apparently a legitimate methodology of research, according to a team of rheologists – physicists who study complex fluids – from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.
Why salt makes things taste so good – or does it?
If you’ve ever enjoyed a salted caramel ice cream, or accidentally inhaled an entire tub of Pringles, you’ll know the joy of sodium chloride – also known as salt.
Salt is made up of both sodium and chlorine, which – although you shouldn’t eat them separately – are molecules humans need to survive.
But that doesn’t explain why we like it.
Peeling back the skin on the science behind bananas
Bananas are beloved the world over, but will they become extinct? Will eating too many kill you? And is banana peel really that slippery?
The science behind inflight food
Literally being inside a plane at high altitude makes your food taste worse, so it’s no surprise that inflight meals have a reputation for being bland and unappetising.
But as airlines ramp up their capacity post-pandemic, they’re seeking new ways to lure passengers aboard, starting with the science of the tastebud.
The brain-frying physics of the oil sizzle
If you’ve fried anything, you’ve experienced the satisfying sizzling sound, which means the hot oil is working its fatty magic. But what causes this auditory splendour which heralds deep-fried gaiety?
How does popping candy work?
Popping candy is a treat and a science experiment all in one, causing a tingling sensation on the tongue and a delightful crackle as you eat it.
But what causes that popping sensation? You might think it’s a chemical reaction, but it’s actually a pretty cool combination of gases and heat.