Do animals that swallow their food whole, perceive taste?

As frequently, this column is inspired by Britain’s Queen of Classics, Mary Beard. This time, her ‘History of food tasters from Nero to now,’ appearing (25 May 2025) in the TLS weekly Newsletter. Does

THE BLACK-CAPPED chickadee is wonderfully onomatopoeic. When the diminutive songbird, which is Canada’s answer to the great tit, spots a great-horned owl perched in a tree, it broadcasts a shrill ‘chi

Gut health and, as a result, fermented foods such as kefir and yogurt have had lots of good press lately. Not all are created equal, though – either in terms of probiotic diversity or, most importantl

In Sydney, Australia, sulfur-crested cockatoos have a reputation for raiding skips and bins and being able to figure out a way past almost any lock people might use to try and keep them out. Now, they

If any grape can be described as producing the Marmite of wine styles, it’s sauvignon blanc: you either love it or you hate it. This herbaceous, citrussy white goes from rustic, light workhorse in Fra

Fermented from brewed barley, this is the classic vinegar for fish & chips. Its bright, zingy flavour also makes it the best choice for preserving and pickling. ‘Non-brewed condiment’, an inexpensive