Sharp Cheese: Supertasters

According to this article, each of us is either a non-taster, medium taster, or a supertaster. However, being a supertaster is not necessarily better than a non-taster: both fats and vegetables may taste bad to a supertaster.

Normally, people prize highly acute senses. We brag about twenty-twenty vision or the ability to eavesdrop on whispers from across the room. But taste is not so simple: supertaste may be too much of a good thing, causing those who have it to avoid bitter compounds and find some spicy foods too hot to handle. This unusual corner of perception science has been explored by Linda Bartoshuk of Yale University, who first stumbled upon supertasting about 15 years ago while studying saccharin. While most people found the sugar substitute sweet and palatable, others sensed a bitter aftertaste. She went on to test hundreds of volunteers with a host of chemicals found in food. About one in four, she discovered, qualified as supertasters, a name she coined.

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Well-Named Cheese: A Very Lucky Guy

Two years ago, a man named Kerry Edwards registered www.kerryedwards.com to "put up photos" for his family and friends. Now, after John Kerry chose John Edwards as his presidential running mate, Kerry Edwards is cashing in on his luck by selling the now-important domain name. The current bid is $150,000!

Global Warming Bad for Frogs, Too

Rising temperatures will likely affect all of us, as storms increase in some areas and droughts increase in others. But if that doesn't get to you, think of the plight of little green tree frogs like this guy, who will see their numbers diminish. This article tells how some parts of Australia are both causing and dealing with climate change.

EZ-Cheese: Skip Lines at Theme Parks

Wouldn't it be nice to go straight to the front of the line at Six Flags or Disneyland? Of course, it wouldn't be so nice if someone else cut in front of you, but these theme parks make it fair.

Man Eats Hot Rolls, Sues Restaurant

A Cleveland-area man who "shoved dinner rolls into his mouth" apparently did not know the food would be hot and he would be burned. The man, Matthew Gauci, sued Ryan's Family Steak House for the burns he suffered after eating the rolls during a roll-eating contest in February, 2002. Fortunately, the three-judge panel that reviewed his complaint dismissed the lawsuit.

In their decision, the judges stated that Gauci will now only receive "stone-cold rolls" when he dines at the restaurant in the future. "If the rolls are frozen, he will most likely not burn himself again," the judges said. Gauci will be allowed to use "only plastic utensils and dishes" while wearing a bib, and will be constantly monitored by restaurant employees as he eats.
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