Firefly Language

Love Carl Zimmer's latest article in the NY Times, Blink Twice if You Like Me. From the article:

The fireflies flashing in the air are all males. Down in the grass, Dr. Lewis points out, females are sitting and observing. They look for flash patterns of males of their own species, and sometimes they respond with a single flash of their own, always at a precise interval after the male’s. Dr. Lewis takes out a penlight and clicks it twice, in perfect Photinus greeni. A female Photinus greeni flashes back.

“Most people don’t realize there’s this call and response going on,” Dr. Lewis said. “But it’s very, very easy to talk to fireflies.”

We're all in this together

A new study by the Wildlife Conservation Society reveals the latest threat to some of our planet's endangered species: Cancer. Tazmanian devils, turtles, whales, sea lions, and dolphins are among those afflicted at rates comparable to those in humans. After reading this short article in treehugger, I am saddened by the hypothesis that carcinogens (undoubtedly man-made, IMO) are at the bottom of this.

Questioning safety of Roundup

New research has revealed that an inert ingredient in the popular weed-whacking herbicide, Roundup, can also suffocate human cells, particularly embryonic, placental and umbilical cord cells, in a laboratory. Crystal Gammon, for Scientific American, reports:

Glyphosate, Roundup’s active ingredient, is the most widely used herbicide in the United States. About 100 million pounds are applied to U.S. farms and lawns every year, according to the EPA.

Until now, most health studies have focused on the safety of glyphosate, rather than the mixture of ingredients found in Roundup. But in the new study, scientists found that Roundup’s inert ingredients amplified the toxic effect on human cells—even at concentrations much more diluted than those used on farms and lawns.

The research team suspects that Roundup might cause pregnancy problems by interfering with hormone production, possibly leading to abnormal fetal development, low birth weights or miscarriages.

Monsanto, the product's manufaturer, contends that the study does not reflect realistic usage and conditions of the product. And the EPA classifies classifies glyphosate as a Group E chemical, which means that there is fairly strong evidence it does not cause cancer in humans.

As with any data and contraversy, I feel obligated to err on the side of caution and suggest that expecting mothers steer clear of Roundup.

Understanding the American Appetite

Great article in yesterday's Well column in Science Times, How the Food Makers Captured our Brains, about the topics of a new book by former Food and Drug Administration head Dr. David A. Kessler, “The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite.” A few excerpts from the article:

When it comes to stimulating our brains, Dr. Kessler noted, individual ingredients aren’t particularly potent. But by combining fats, sugar and salt in innumerable ways, food makers have essentially tapped into the brain’s reward system, creating a feedback loop that stimulates our desire to eat and leaves us wanting more and more even when we’re full.

Dr. Kessler isn’t convinced that food makers fully understand the neuroscience of the forces they have unleashed, but food companies certainly understand human behavior, taste preferences and desire. In fact, he offers descriptions of how restaurants and food makers manipulate ingredients to reach the aptly named “bliss point.” Foods that contain too little or too much sugar, fat or salt are either bland or overwhelming. But food scientists work hard to reach the precise point at which we derive the greatest pleasure from fat, sugar and salt.

The result is that chain restaurants like Chili’s cook up “hyper-palatable food that requires little chewing and goes down easily,” he notes. And Dr. Kessler reports that the Snickers bar, for instance, is “extraordinarily well engineered.” As we chew it, the sugar dissolves, the fat melts and the caramel traps the peanuts so the entire combination of flavors is blissfully experienced in the mouth at the same time.

Much like the above text, the book is supposed to focus on why those peanut M&Ms are so darn addictive and not so much attack the industry, but simply understand how our brains work in response or in conjunction. Join Tara Parker-Pope's discussion here.

McFood in Tokyo

Daniel Gross, for Slate, is reporting from Japan this week and next and I love the fact-filled op-ed he wrote about the presence of American food in Tokyo. Find it here.

If you are wondering what or whom defines "American food," it appears to be: Wolfgang Puck, McDonald's, Outback Steakhouse, the Hard Rock Café and T.G.I Fridays.

One of my favorite lines: I've traveled about 20 hours and 7,000-odd miles to wind up in a strip mall. Also love the acronym: SPC, Stabucks Per Capita.

Love her!

Check out some snapshots of Michelle O. harvesting veggies from the White House garden via The Huffington Post. From the accompanying article:

...White House Associate chef Sam Kass said no chemicals--fertilizer or herbicide-- had been used on the garden, but that the underlying White House soil had been "amended" with crab meal from the Chesapeake Bay, green sand compost and lime powder. Kass said that the only problem he had noticed is that "something is nibbling a little bit on the kale." But Kass also said the garden "is not "certified organic."

Kass said that there has been one big weeding once a week and that he and a pastry chef along with "volunteers" from the White House had done the weeding. The garden was cleaner of weeds than the area under the nearby trees.

Kass also said that the White House has begun offering tours of the garden to school children and plans to have the school tours about twice a week.

Kass said he has taken 90 pounds of produce from the garden, including broccoli and green beans and "one beautiful eggplant." He also said he has harvested herbs "every night" and they are not included in the 90 pounds.

Some has been used at the White House and some has been donated to Miriam's Kitchen...

Unusual, but not entirely surprising, contaminated "food" recall

Yesterday, after US health officials linked Toll House refrigerated cookie dough to E. coli infections in as many as 66 people in 28 states, Nestle USA recalled the convenience item I am struggling to call "food." From the NY Times article:

Officials have been hunting since March for the cause of cases from across the country that shared the same genetic fingerprint. Because most victims were young and female, the investigation was unusual from the start. Twenty-five people have been hospitalized, including seven who suffered a severe complication called hemolytic uremic syndrome. No one has died.

Among the early food suspects were strawberries and fruit smoothies, but neither quite fit. On Wednesday, health investigators in Washington State proposed a link with Nestlé’s raw cookie dough, prompting officials in the rest of the country to re-interview victims. All six in Minnesota confirmed eating raw dough, said Carlota Medus, an epidemiologist in the state health department.

As tempted as I am to rant about the sorry state of food safety, I think I have to bring up consumer responsibility instead. I mean, isn't there a universal rule about not eating raw cookie dough (unless, of course, it happens to be mixed with ice cream in a Ben 'N Jerry's container)? And if you do dare to taste a spoonful of raw cookie dough or brownie batter, aren't you admittedly taking a gamble?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Nestle should be entirely off the hook... I'm just saying that while food safety officials investigate the source of contamination, be it an ingredient or something within the processing facility, maybe people could use a little common sense.

Just because...

Not sure if this image is a real photo or photoshopped but either way, as with many other important things I discover on the Interweb, it needs to be shared with my loyal readers. What does this have to do with climate change, the American diet or agri-business, you ask? Absolutely nothing. It is just awesome squirrel love.

What's better than finding a froglet in your yard?

Scientists finding a new species of glass frog while on an expedition in Nangaritza, Ecuador!! Or anywhere really. Check 'em out:


Pretty cute, huh? From Conservation International: "Nymphagus chancas, a glass frog, was recorded for the first time in Ecuador. This species is only known from one locality in northeastern Peru."

Learn about lots of other significant findings from the recent expedition here.

Toxic fireworks?

Consider where they are coming from. If they were made in China, the EPA is concerned about a toxic chemical, perchlorate (found in the cheap imports), seeping into our drinking water and hindering the thyroid's production of growth hormones in pregnant women and children. Luckily, chemists Mike Hiskey and Darren Naud have been working on friendlier fire. Too bad there aren't any laws regulating perchlorate just yet.