Smells Delicious!

Snack time! Brownie or…cucumber?  This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Our prehistoric ancestors hunted for high-calorie prey to survive. Fortunately, WE don’t have to hunt farther than the nearest cafeteria for our next meal. But do we still have the instincts to sniff out the

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Bad Apples

Apples

No kidding – that’s one BAD apple! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. When choosing apples, do you grab the brightest one? Maybe you should give that off-colored produce a second look! Laura Bolos from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and colleagues recruited over

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Eight Arms to Hold You

Octopus arms

Go, go, octopus arms! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. When it comes to arms, octopuses have PLENTY! Their suction-cupped arms have terrified us in horror movies. But do we really know them? Lena Van Giesen and her team at Harvard University looked deeper. The

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Chocolate Surprise

“Life is like a box of chocolates….” This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science saying, wise words from Forrest Gump! We’ve all heard not to judge a book by its cover. But what about chocolates? Meet Frank Dunshea and his team from the University of Melbourne.

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Bitter 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

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Yummy Water

Does water have a flavor? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Our tongue has taste buds to detect if something is sweet, sour, bitter, or salty. But how do we taste water? A team from Caltech may have uncovered the HIDDEN taste of water. How?

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Taste Test

Coffee – it’s an acquired taste! Or is it? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Some of us LOVE the bitter taste of coffee – others prefer sweet colas! Why is that? Marilyn Cornelis of Northwestern University wondered if the answer is in our D-N-A.

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Build-A-Burger

Coming to a supermarket near you – lab-grown steak! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science….saying, someday. When they get it right! Yes, scientists can now make meat by growing cells in a laboratory! It’s easy on the planet, but not so much on the palate.

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Salt Fix

Salt free potato chip? No thanks! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Salt is in almost all foods, from soup to nuts! But too much causes high blood pressure. So how can we reduce salt intake without sacrificing taste? Healthier salts! Which have potassium or

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