Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) have been around for a long time now. They were first introduced in the 1980s and since that time no significant evidence has emerged that they are harmful. Despite this, bans on GMOs and calls for labeling genetically modified products at the retail level continue to gain strength. Despite the fact…
Video on the science of caffeine and why it’s so good for you
This short video from Reactions describes what happens when caffeine enters your body and all of the amazing things that it does for you. It also explains how much caffeine is too much, and while the “ideal amount” is a very low three cups per day, “too much” is around 75 cups – so the next time…
SciShow presents the science of Chocolate
Even if science was your least favorite subject in school, you’re going to like this science. It’s just a little over 4 minutes of Hank Green of SciShow telling you all about chocolate – where it comes from, its history as a food and what the various chemicals in chocolate do once they’re in your body. It turns out…
Mary Louise Parker (Nancy on Weeds) makes Brownies on My Drunk Kitchen
I’ve said before that My Drunk Kitchen is really the only cooking show worth watching in any medium and now it’s even better. Mary Louise Parker, who hasn’t been seen much since Weeds ended its run in 2012, is the special guest star this week. This particular episode is about baking! Specifically it’s about baking…
the Onion’s Tips for Healthy Eating
Give up on the fad diets and the endless cycle of gaining and loosing weight with these simple tips for healthy eating from the Onion!
Once more with feeling “GMOs Won’t Harm Your Health”
Indre Viskontas at Mother Jones has posted an interview with Dr. Steven Novella of Yale. “Novella is a prominent voice in the skeptical movement, a scientific movement that, as he describes it, focuses heavily on explaining the truth behind common myths—things that people believe that aren’t true.” It is worth reading the whole article but…
Watch NASA’s 3D Pizza Printer in Action
I’ve said in the past that 3D printing will be the most disruptive technology to date. I believe that it will eventually result in the ‘Napsterification’ of manufacturing. Eventually you will be able to download specs and print just about anything you want, to the peril of manufacturing, shipping and retail. The primary argument against…
Make coffee less bitter, ripen bananas and revive stale cookies with chemistry life hacks
Reactions, the new video series from the American Chemical Society, gives you handy pointers for ‘better living through chemistry’. This first episode is focused on the kitchen with painfully easy instructions for making coffee less bitter, green bananas yellow and making stale cookies fresh again. Via io9
How to open a bottle of wine with a shoe, instead of a corkscrew
As I write this it is 10 O’Clock EST on Saturday night so this will be incredibly useful for someone. It may not be you, but it could be someone you love. This handy video tells you how to open a bottle of wine using a shoe and a wall instead of a corkscrew. I…
Ingredient Lists for ‘Natural’ Foods Can Look Scary
Processed foods can be scary. There is little that can put people off as quickly as a long list of unfamiliar ingredients. Part of this though is due to people’s ignorance of chemistry. If you break down the list of things that go into making up a blueberry, an egg or a banana you’ll find…