Science

An illustration shows spikes of different types of wheat: (1) Polish wheat (2) Club wheat (3) Common bread wheat (4) Poulard wheat (5) Durum wheat (6) Spelt (7) Emmer (8) Einkorn.

Nothing Says 'Hip' Like Ancient Wheat

4:17pm June 27, 2016

by Natalie Jacewicz

Many consumers in North America and Europe are willing to pay a premium for nutritious, organic grains. That makes the market ripe for a revival of millennia-old bread wheat, some plant breeders say.

To Help A Criminal Go Straight, Help Him Change How He Thinks

7:00am June 26, 2016

by Jack Bush

More than half of prisoners released from prison are rearrested within a year. Cognitive therapy can help prisoners change the thinking that gets them in trouble, like "I'll never back down."

Science
Arts

With A Zap, Scientists Create Low-Fat Chocolate

12:29pm June 25, 2016

by Mark H. Kim

Scientists say they've figured out how to reduce the fat in milk chocolate by running it through an electric field. The result is healthier, but is it tastier?

Personality Tests Are Popular, But Do They Capture The Real You?

5:18am June 25, 2016

by Annie Murphy Paul

It can be a lot of fun taking those back-of-the-magazine personality tests. But tests may be less fun when they are used by employers to make big life decisions on hiring and job performance.

Science

New Study Explores Psychology Of Giving Wedding Gifts

6:32pm June 24, 2016

by Shankar Vedantam

A new study looks at the psychology of giving wedding gifts. Researchers found when buying wedding gifts, people closest to the recipient often diverge from the registry to express their unique relationship to the recipient. But this leaves the recipient less happy than if they had received something from the registry.

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Invisibilia: Is Your Personality Fixed, Or Can You Change Who You Are?

5:59pm June 24, 2016

by Alix Spiegel

A man committed a horrible crime. Then he decided he no longer wanted to be a bad person. It is possible to change our personalities, psychologists say, even though we like to think they're innate.

The new brewery at Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. The school now teaches the art and science of brewing, an elective course.

Fermentation Fervor: Here's How Chefs Boost Flavor And Health

4:35pm June 24, 2016

by Allison Aubrey

As more chefs experiment with microorganisms to transform ingredients and create new flavors, fermentation has gone from ancient preservation technique to culinary tool du jour.

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Bakey's offers three spoon flavors — plain, sweet and savory.

This Startup Wants You To Have Your Disposable Spoon And Eat It, Too

6:58pm June 23, 2016

by Didem Tali

An Indian startup sells edible spoons that taste just like crackers, made out of millet, rice and wheat. The company's founder says it's a fun way to encourage people to reduce their plastic waste.

A new disclosure statement on a package of peanut M&Ms candy notes they are

Senators Reach Deal On National GMO Labeling Bill

6:45pm June 23, 2016

by Peggy Lowe

The new bill would require companies to disclose genetically modified ingredients in food products. But critics dislike that this information does not have to appear directly on the food label.

The seed library maintained by the Jijak Foundation contains dozens of native varieties of corn, beans, tobacco, watermelon and ancient squash.

Science
Arts

How Native American Tribes Saved A Giant, Ancient Squash From Oblivion

5:34pm June 23, 2016

by Rebecca Williams

Native Americans in the Great Lakes region have cultivated the giant squash for centuries. Now tribes are sharing the seeds with each other and with small farmers to bring the plant back.