The four tastes humans are most familiar with are sweet, sour, salty and bitter. In 1908 a Japanese chemistry professor discovered a fifth – savory. Now a behavioral geneticist has discovered that mice have receptors that detect calcium. Because mice and humans have many genes in common, it’s likely calcium is a sixth taste. Supposedly calcium is what gives high-calcium vegetables – like kale and collard greens – their bitter flavor. The reason we don’t detect calcium when we eat dairy products is it binds with fats and proteins. Further research, however, will confirm if human tongues actually have these “miceroscopic” receptors.  Read more... (425 words, 1 image, estimated 1:42 mins reading time)

Tags: Bolivia, Chili pepper, Chorda tympani, Cooking, home, Research, university of florida, University of Washington

Today there are studies for just about everything. A study comparing smokers with non-smokers found that smokers are concerned primarily with the present and non-smokers are concerned more about the future. Professional dancers were given as an example. Because their careers are short, professional dancers are more concerned about the present – and professional dancers, as a group, are heavy smokers. This surprised me because dancing requires good physical condition. Nevertheless, if smokers are the ones who are concerned about the present that must mean those in charge of government spending are non-smokers.  Read more... (420 words, 1 image, estimated 1:41 mins reading time)

Tags: American Medical Association, California Institute of Technology, Day, health, Journal of the American Medical Association, London, Research, Specific Substances