Natural Sciences

Bananas have been cultivated for thousands of years. But are the days of the familiar Cavendish numbered?

Taming the Wild Banana

When and where did people learn to cultivate one of our favorite snacks?

Irresistible pesto

Gourmand Syndrome

First identified by neuroscientists in the 1990s, the disorder is marked by "a preoccupation with food and a preference for fine eating"

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The Joys of Jell-O

If you're feeling creative and adventurous and want to mount a Jell-O-based art project, you need to know a few things about how the stuff works

Putting beer koozies to the test.

Science in the Public Interest: The Beer Koozie Test

How well do beer koozies actually work at keeping your beverage cold?

Pulp wood (but not the kind that may appear in your cheese or bread).

The Wood in Your Food

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Eau d'Asparagus (or What's Behind That Asparagus Effect?)

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It's a Tomato! The Miracle of Life, Plant Edition

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How Can Seedless Fruit be Fruitful and Multiply?

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Experiments in Cooking: Salmon Poached in the Dishwasher

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Women in Science

Smithsonian spotlights the women that are changing the face of scientific research

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Coffee, Tea and Me: Getting That Caffeine Fix

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Neanderthals Noshed on Plants—and Cooked?

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I Think I'll Go Eat Dirt

Shiner Bock beer-battered onion rings

Beer Batter is Better; Science Says So

What's the difference between beer-battered fried foods and those fried in water-based batter?

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Toast With Beer This New Year's Eve, Not Champagne

Two breweries have teamed up to unveil a bubbly beer

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Science Trivia on Your Thanksgiving Plate

When you need to change the subject at the Thanksgiving dinner table, these tidbits of food science trivia could help...

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Soufflés: The Original Molecular Gastronomy?

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Can't Resist Starchy Foods? It May Be in Your Genes

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The Science of Fizz

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A Cookbook for Geeks Brings the Scientific Method to the Kitchen

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