New Atlas

Science Audio available

Electromagnetic induction to improve taste and shelf life of beer and other beverages

David Szondy June 16, 2019

A new electromagnetic induction technology promises to make beer and other beverages taste better and have a longer shelf life. The new technique that applies precise heating to food processing has recently completed its major first round of testing ahead of a market launch later this year.

A new process uses electromagnetic radiation to selectively heat beer and other foods and drink

Health & Wellbeing Audio available

With some help from the sun, oyster mushrooms could fight TB

Ben Coxworth June 10, 2019

In developing nations with limited infrastructure, obtaining vitamin supplements can be difficult. With that in mind, German scientists are now suggesting that people in such regions could fight tuberculosis (TB) by ingesting something else – oyster mushrooms that have been sitting in the sun.

Although fresh oyster mushrooms don't contain much vitamin D, they produce quite a bit when exposed ...

Good Thinking Audio available

Domino's AI-powered pizza scanners make sure its pies are the real deal

Nick Lavars May 28, 2019

Those familiar with the realities of fast food may also be familiar with disparities between how good it can appear on professionally photographed menus and what it looks like when you open the box. Domino's has introduced a new AI-powered scanner it says will help bridge this gap.

The system leverages artificial intelligence as a form of quality control before pizzas are sent on ...

Biology Audio available

Fascinating study uncovers how we evolved to benefit from eating fermented food

Rich Haridy May 23, 2019

For thousand of years humans have been using fermentation as a way of preserving foods and engendering good gut health. A new study has discovered that a specific immune function receptor, evolved in humans and apes, is triggered by a metabolite from lactic acid bacteria found in fermented foods.

It is hypothesized that about 10 million years ago we evolved the ability to safely eat ...

Science Audio available

Peasant pottery sheds light on medieval English diets

David Szondy May 19, 2019

A new study from the University of Bristol claims to have, for the first time, found direct, definitive evidence of the food eaten by medieval common folk in England based on the chemical analysis of food residue found on pottery fragments from excavations of the village of West Cotton.

Food residues on pottery have provided insights into medieval English diets

Science Audio available

First-of-its-kind trial finds processed food causes overeating, but researchers not sure why

Rich Haridy May 16, 2019

Researchers have discovered diets composed of ultra-processed foods lead to overeating and weight gain when compared to diets composed of unprocessed foods. As both diets contained the same amounts of sugars and fats, it is unclear why the ultra-processed food engenders overeating and weight gain.

This image shows one of the study's unprocessed lunches, consisting of a spinach salad with chicken ...

Biology Audio available

Long-lost "tasty genes" could soon be spliced back into store-bought tomatoes

Michael Irving May 14, 2019

It’s no secret that tomatoes plucked from the supermarket aisles just aren’t that tasty. To find taste genes that could be spliced back into commercial crops, researchers have complied a pan-genome of all cultivated and related wild tomato species, uncovering almost 5,000 previously-unknown genes.

Researchers have completed a pan-genome of all cultivated tomato breeds, uncovering thousands of unknown genes that ...

Outdoors Audio available

GoSun Chill can call on the power of the Sun to keep its contents cool

Matt Kennedy May 9, 2019

The GoSun Chill is a portable cooler that, instead of needing to be loaded up with ice, draws on a 144-Wh detachable powerbank for refrigeration (or topping up your mobile devices). GoSun also provides a number of solar panel options for completely off-grid cooling capabilities.

GoSun Chill, shown with the optional GoSun Flex solar panel

Environment Audio available

Fancy some grubs in your grub? You might if you can't see them

Matt Kennedy May 2, 2019

Researchers in Australia are looking into maggot sausages as meat alternative. This is seen as a first step in conditioning Westerners to accept insects and grubs as normal, everyday food sources.

Australian researchers have begun looking into insect-based pre-prepared food – such as sausages – as a ...

Science Audio available

World-first breakthrough improves on pasteurization and keeps milk fresh for 90 days

Rich Haridy May 1, 2019

An Australian company called Naturo has revealed the development of a breakthrough milk processing technique that is heat-free, eliminates more pathogens than pasteurization, and leaves the milk with a refrigerated shelf life of up to 90 days.

CEO of Naturo Jeff Hastings claims his process is the biggest breakthrough in the global milk ...