Science Unlocks The Power Of Flavor In ‘...

Living with black bears is complicated. They’re huge, hungry, and they really don’t care about your hostas. After a long period of being overhunted, black bears are on the rebound. And as they begin returning to parts of their native ranges, they’re finding humans there, too.Repo ... Show More

You’ve probably been warned that if you don’t finish that course of antibiotics, you could wind up battling antibiotic-resistant bacteria. But a growing body of research suggests that the opposite might be true. What does this mean for you and your next sinus infection? Flora tal ... Show More

When states began legalizing recreational cannabis a couple decades ago, 25 million Americans said they used the drug. That number nearly tripled to 70 million by 2023.There are a lot of open questions about how it affects us. Why do some people find more pain relief from THC tha ... Show More

Will eating mint cancel out the feeling of spice in your mouth? How do you manipulate aroma compounds to mimic the taste of lemon? When it comes to the science of flavor, there is no shortage of questions to ask. On this episode, Dr. Samantha Yammine is joined by renowned flavor ... Show More

<p>What is flavor? Neil deGrasse Tyson and co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly explore the science of what makes some foods tastier than others, what is “umami,” and how flavor changed in the 20th century with food scientist Arielle Johnson.</p><p>NOTE: StarTalk+ Patrons can li ... Show More

<p>"Natural flavors” show up on ingredient lists for all kinds of foods. But what does that mean exactly? We get a peek into the secretive science of flavoring when we talk with Marie Wright of ADM, who’s created more than 1,000 flavors in her 30+ years as a flavor chemist. She e ... Show More

For thousands of years, there have been four basic tastes recognized across cultures. But thanks to Kumiko Ninomiya (a.k.a. the Umami Mama), scientists finally accepted a fifth. Could there be even more? (First published in 2022.) Guests: Kumiko Ninomiya, biochemist and former di ... Show More

How do we taste? What evolutionary benefit is there to tasting bitter and sour? And why should you think about wearing noise-cancelling headphones on planes if you want to enjoy your food?      In this Focus episode of How We’re Wired, join producer Dr Eva Higginbotham as she unc ... Show More

For thousands of years, there have been four basic tastes recognized across cultures. But thanks to Kumiko Ninomiya (a.k.a. the Umami Mama), scientists finally accepted a fifth. So could there be even more? This is the fourth episode of our six-part series, Making Sense. For more ... Show More

The Science of CookingBrian Cox and Robin Ince get their chef's hats on as they look at the science of cooking. They are joined by comedian Katy Brand, author and food critic Grace Dent, material scientist Mark Miodownik and science writer Harold McGee, whose seminal book on the ... Show More

Why does grape candy taste so fake? What on earth is blue raspberry, anyway? And what is the difference between natural and artificial, at least when it comes to flavor? Join us as we taste the rainbow on this episode of Gastropod, from artificial flavoring’s public debut at the ... Show More

The squish of bananas, the squeak of mushrooms, the pop of a grape: for some people, these textures are a delight—but for others, they’re a total nightmare. Texture plays a huge role in how we experience food, and yet it’s kind of a scientific conundrum. Why do people—and entire ... Show More