New Atlas

Science Audio available

Raising orphan crops with CRISPR: Could groundcherries be the new strawberry?

Rich Haridy October 1, 2018

A team of researchers has been investigating ways to speed up our often long-winded crop domestication process using the latest CRISPR gene-editing technology. A study has outlined how a crop known as a groundcherry could be effectively modified to be better suited to large-scale farming.

Science

Oldest-known beer is a 13,000-year-old vintage

Michael Irving September 13, 2018

Beer is generally thought to be about 7,000 years old, but now archaeologists have found clues that could date beer-making to almost twice that age, meaning it predates agriculture and represents the oldest record of man-made alcohol.

Archaeologists have discovered evidence of beer-brewing dating back around 13,000 years – making it the oldest ...

Health & Wellbeing

Take good old honey for common coughs, says official advice

James Holloway August 23, 2018

People with acute coughs should take honey and cough medicines before going to the doctor, official advice from the UK says. Coughs caused by cold and flu viruses, as well as viral bronchitis, should last around three weeks, and do not necessarily need a trip to the doctor, according to the advice.

Official advice recommends self-care, including taking honey, for many coughs

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

Study suggests moderate carbohydrate intake is ideal for a longer life

Rich Haridy August 19, 2018

Research is suggesting diets both low and high in carbohydrates can be associated with a higher risk of early mortality. It's suggested moderate consumption of carbs is the ideal long-term proposition but low-carb diets can be improved if proteins & fats are coming from plant and not animal sources.

A new study suggests low-carb diets high in animal fats and proteins can increase mortality risks

Science

"Herculean" research finally sequences wheat genome after 13 years of work

Rich Haridy August 16, 2018

After a massive international effort involving over 200 scientists across 20 countries, the entire wheat genome has been finally sequenced. The landmark human achievement is hoped to lead to more efficient wheat breeding and production of crops.

The massive achievement should accelerate research into the breeding of more resilient and higher yielding wheat ...

Science

Natural preservative could keep foods fresh longer than ever

Ben Coxworth August 16, 2018

There may be new hope for people who don't want potentially-harmful preservatives in their food, yet who still want it to have a decent shelf life. Scientists in Singapore have developed a plant-based food preservative, which they claim is actually more effective than its artificial counterparts.

The preservative has been successfully tested on fruit juice and meat samples

Science

Scientists may have uncovered exactly how eating certain vegetables can prevent colon cancer

Rich Haridy August 15, 2018

Newsflash - eating vegetables is good for you! OK, so this may not exactly be new information, but a new study has revealed for the first time one of the key biological mechanisms at play explaining how chemicals produced by some vegetables can prevent cancer and colon inflammation.

When we eat vegetables from the Brassica genus, our guts produce a chemical now identified as ...

Medical

Stanford study reveals how gut bacteria can battle Salmonella

Rich Haridy July 26, 2018

Impressive research has revealed a molecule produced by a certain type of gut bacteria can offer natural protection from Salmonella infections. As well as pointing toward potential new treatment strategies, the discovery could explain why some people get sicker from the pathogen than others.

A specific type of gut bacteria has been found to produce a compound that inhibits the ...

Science

Bleeding meatless burger gets the green light

Nick Lavars July 24, 2018

Getting a fake burger to taste like the real thing is no mean feat. The Impossible Burger brings a meaty flavor to its plant-sourced patties with one key, and controversial, ingredient, which has just been recognized as safe by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The Impossible Burger has been deemed safe to eat by the FDA

Biology

Magnetic stimulation reveals how the brain controls food cravings

Rich Haridy July 23, 2018

A new study from the University of Waterloo has revealed that cravings for high-calorie foods can be increased by suppressing activity in a part of the brain responsible for self-control. The research offers key insights into how neurocognitive mechanisms can be modulated to alter food consumption.

Suppressing activity in a certain part of the brain has been found to directly increase cravings ...