In 1900, the average dairy cow in America produced 424 gallons of milk each year. By 2000, that figure had more than quadrupled, to 2,116 gallons. In this episode of Gastropod, we explore the incredible science that transformed the American cow into a milk machine—but we also uncover the disturbing history of prejudice and animal cruelty that accompanied it. ... Show More
Nov 18
From Fountain of Youth to Fruit on the Bottom: How Yoghurt Finally Made it Big in America
Yoghurt is the most diverse section of the dairy case: from Icelandic skyr to creamy Australian, and fruity French Yoplait to full-fat Greek. With something to suit every palate, plus a dose of microbes to support healthy digestion, yoghurt is a staple food in the US, hero of a m ... Show More
50m 45s
Nov 4
Yes, You Really Can Make Food From Thin Air—And We Tried It
Every second of every day, plants on earth do something miraculous: they take the carbon dioxide from air and turn it into food. With very few exceptions, everything we eat starts out that way. But what if we wanted to cut out the middlemen, re-wild all those fields full of wheat ... Show More
48m 19s
Oct 21
Pizza Pizza!
At last, an episode on pizza! But that raises a tricky question: what exactly is pizza? As it turns out, the original pizzas from eighteenth-century Naples looked nothing like a standard slice—they were more like a focaccia, topped with oil, herbs, anchovies, or whatever else was ... Show More
46m 10s
Jun 2021
BrainStuff Classics: Could Platypus Milk Fight Antibiotic-Resistant Disease?
For everything that's weird and wondrous about the platypus, we probably shouldn't be surprised that its milk may help save countless lives, but here we are. Learn how in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/platypus ... Show More
5m 5s