Food and Farming
The Fishy Science Behind Mutant Salmon
Americans have been eating genetically modified corn, soybeans, and other crops for nearly two decades. But thanks to the Food and Drug Administration, now you might find a salmon with genes spliced from two other fish species on your plate. It’s the first time the...
Big Ag Serves Up Wastewater Salads
Ask anyone who’s lived through California’s drought: Water scarcity is getting scary. And banning long showers isn’t even a drop in the bucket when it comes to finding a solution. The biggest water sponge by far is food production, yet agri-giants continue to douse...
What Competing Thanksgiving Tales Share
Thanksgiving is here. Let’s eat! America's most food-focused holiday traces its roots back to the abundant feast that Pilgrims and Indians enjoyed together in the fall of 1621. Only half of the Mayflower Pilgrims who’d arrived at Plymouth Rock the previous December...
They’ve Got the Red Cup Blues
'Tis the season to bicker about Starbucks coffee cups. Nothing gets you in the holiday spirit like a chill in the air, Christmas songs in every store, and anger about a phony "War on Christmas." Clearly, love for one another, world peace, and the Christian faith...
My Thanksgiving Terror
The leaves are changing colors and the air is getting crisp. As we settle into fall, Americans take time to reflect on what they're thankful for. Like many folks, I've got plenty of gratitude for the most important meal I'll eat this month. Sweet potatoes, stuffing,...
The Three F’s of Thanksgiving
When I think about Thanksgiving, I think about family, food, and firsts. The first person in my family to eat a Thanksgiving feast was William Brewster, my 13th great-grandfather. He was also one of the first people to celebrate this tradition at all. After coming...
Is It Time to Put Down the Bacon?
By now you've probably heard the sobering news: Red meat may cause cancer. And bacon and other popular processed meats definitely do, the World Health Organization says. Does that mean we all need to quit eating processed meats — no pun intended — cold turkey? For...
Don’t Let Them Blind You with Their Science
When I first began researching agriculture, I had no idea how organic farming worked. I saw it as a somewhat backward yet non-toxic and desirable way to grow food. Organic farmers didn’t use fertilizer, I figured, so maybe the plants would be smaller. And they didn’t...
The Great Pumpkin Shortage Is Coming
Pumpkin fever is back. The latest bout of this seasonal disorder has infected Hostess Twinkies and moved Starbucks to put a smidge of real pumpkin in its pumpkin spice lattes. Previously, the ubiquitous coffee purveyor used a common ploy: It evoked agrarian and...
When Your Teacher Asks If You Want Fries with That
When it comes to predatory marketing to children, nobody's lovin' it like McDonald's. In addition to selling unhealthy food, the chain lures kids in with toys and a playground — and its spokesperson is a clown. But it's the fast food giant's marketing to captive...
