Culture

Nora McDonald, George Mason University - Social media apps regularly present teens with algorithmically selected content often described as “for you,” suggesting, by implication, that the curated content is not just “for you” but also “about you” – a mirror reflecting important signals about the person you are. All users of social media are exposed to these signals, but researchers understand that teens are at an especially malleable stage in the formation of personal identity. Scholars have begun to demonstrate that technology is having generation-shaping effects, not merely in the...

Derek Mitchell, University of Leeds - When people think of honey bees, they often think of classic wooden hives, in which beekeepers are having to breed more and more bees just to keep managed populations...

With each bite you take in a new place, you enter a story shaped by climate, migration and local resources that define regional cooking. You will notice how staple ingredients-rice in Asia, maize in the Americas, wheat in the Mediterranean-anchor daily meals and how preservation methods like drying, fermenting and smoking reflect both necessity and creativity. You should explore how technique matters: the precision of Japanese knife work, the slow braises of French cuisine, the high-heat wok tossing of Chinese stir-fries and the open-fire roasting common across African and South American kitchens. Technique transmits values about time, community and the relationship between cook and ingredients. Your palate will be guided by...

Yvonne Prince, Cape Peninsula University of Technology; Glenda Mary Davison, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, and Tandi Matsha-Erasmus, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University A recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 8 million people die annually from smoking related complications. Despite efforts by governments and various organisations to create awareness about the dangers, around 1.3 billion people still use some form of tobacco and 80% of them live in low to middle income countries. There is no safe level of smoking. Even second-hand smoke can lead to serious complications such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. The mouth (oral cavity) is the first port of entry to the rest of...

Skills grow when you practice deliberately in the kitchen, and you can develop a reliable foundation by approaching learning as a series of small, repeatable habits. Start with safety and cleanliness: wash hands, sanitize surfaces, and handle knives with care so you avoid injury while focusing on technique. You don't need every gadget to get started; invest in a sharp chef's knife, a cutting board, a heavy skillet, a saucepan, and a reliable oven thermometer. Stock a basic pantry with oil, salt, pepper, flour, rice, pasta, canned tomatoes, vinegar, and a handful of dried herbs so you can make many different dishes without last-minute trips to the store. Begin with fundamental...

Derek Mitchell, University of Leeds - When people think...

It's the foundation of every great dish: when you...

Equipment defines how efficiently you cook and how much...

By Anne Roumard - In a world where confidence is...