Serving Up Science

Whenever you’re stressed at work or school, do you ever catch yourself reaching for a bag of chips or candy? Or are you ever so lost in your work that you don’t realize you’re snacking? On this episode of Serving Up Science, science writer Sheril Kirshenbaum and WKAR’s Karel Vega discuss stress eating with student reporter Amanda Barberena.

Candy, scary movies and costumes all signify that Halloween is approaching, but one important characteristic is missing: jack-o’-lanterns. On this episode of Serving Up Science, science writer Sheril Kirshenbaum and WKAR’s Karel Vega discuss the dawn of the jack-o’-lantern with the help of student reporter Amanda Barberena.

When you go to the store and pick up a gallon of milk, you're probably not worried about it being filled with formaldehyde, thanks to the FDA. However, it took some brave men to risk their health to bring food safety issues to light. On this episode of Serving Up Science, science writer Sheril Kirshenbaum and WKAR’s Karel Vega talk about the heroic act of the Poison Squad.

A few words were spoken and suddenly food prices plummeted. On this episode of Serving Up Science, science writer Sheril Kirshenbaum and WKAR's Karel Vega talk about the three most famous food libel cases of all time.

Energy is inherently related to every significant challenge of the 21st century: water scarcity, inequality, national security and agriculture. On this episode of Serving Up Science, Sheril Kirshenbaum speaks with Dr. Michael Webber, the Chief Science and Technology Officer at the global energy and infrastructure services company ENGIE.

Water is critically important to agriculture as well as many aspects of our lives. On this week's segment Sheril and Karel speak with Dr. Jay Famiglietti, director of the Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, Canada about the future of water.

In the summertime, there’s really no better way to cool off than with a nice big ice cream cone. Imagine a time when you’ve taken a bite out of your cone when suddenly, you feel a strange sensation in your head. The sensation commonly known as brain freeze.

When it’s time to pick up eggs at the supermarket, making a choice can be overwhelming. Should you be buying cage-free or free range? Organic or conventional? What is the difference between all of the terms you see on the carton?

Every chef has their own technique when it comes to cooking, roasting, broiling or grilling for the best flavor, but most agree on one important step – meat should rest after cooking and before slicing.

WKAR's podcast "Serving Up Science" taught dozens of people about the science behind taste. It was the final signature event of Michigan State University's seventh annual Science Festival.