Mayonnaise Helps Heal Endangered Green Sea Turtles
Image Source: Ariel Schalit
Mayonnaise isn't generally considered health food, but it's certainly helped a group of sea turtles in Israel. A recent 1,000 ton oil spill off the Israeli coast, considered one of the country's worst ecological disasters, has caused extensive damage to wildlife, including endangered green sea turtles. The reptiles have been ingesting loads of sticky, black tar. At Israel’s National Sea Turtle Rescue Center, employees found a creative way to flush the toxic substance from their digestive tracks. “We continue to feed them substances like mayonnaise, which practically clean the system and break down the tar,” said Guy Ivgy, a medical assistant at the center. The turtles are expected to recover in a week or two, and then be released back into the wild. Remember that the next time you accidentally ingest some toxic black tar. Mayonnaise to the rescue!
VIDEO: One Day, Your Home Could Be Made With Mushrooms
Image Source: The Verge
Mushrooms are helping architects and engineers create more sustainable building materials. Construction accounts for about 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions, more than the global shipping and aviation industries combined. Compared to traditional building materials like cement, those made with mycelium, the fungal network from which edible mushrooms grow, produce far less carbon dioxide. Mushroom construction materials are still in the early stages of research and development, but they are showing potential as insulation and a possible replacement for concrete blocks. Check out the video to see how durable a mushroom brick proved to be in several tests, including a flame retardant test.
The Weirdest Food Crimes Of 2020
The past year will go down in history as one of the globe's most tumultuous: more than 2 million people dead from COVID-19, a global recession as the Dow suffered its worst single-day drop ever, the planet's hottest year on record (tied with 2016), the most destructive wildfires in history in Australia and California, US President Donald Trump was impeached twice, the police killing of George Floyd and others sparked a worldwide Black Lives Matter movement, and giant murder hornets invaded the US. Amid the chaos, some bizarre food crimes managed to fly under the radar: more than 4 million bees were stolen along with their hives in California, 3 tons of chickpeas went missing in Washington DC, and in Copenhagen, thieves tunneled their way into the wine cellar of Michelin-starred restaurant Formel B to abscond with $200,000 worth of their best wines. Be careful out there: Distraction is the essence of deceit.
Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Street Food Shop In Pompeii
Image Source: Luigi Spina / Pompeii Archaeological Park via AP
A termopolium (Latin for hot food counter) was recently discovered in the ruins of Pompeii in an area not yet open the public. On the front of the food stand brightly colored frescoes (shown above) depict some of the animals used in the food once sold there, including duck and chicken. Archaeologists also found traces of nearly 2,000-year-old food in terra cotta jars at the site, which had previously been buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The Pompeii Street Food Cookbook is sure to follow soon. Stay tuned.
Image Source: Shutterstock
A choice quote: "We pride ourselves on serving bland, lukewarm food to distract you from the crushing existential dread that accompanies ending a relationship with someone you don’t particularly like but have kept around for seven months too long so that you wouldn’t be utterly alone."
Hormel Foods Gives Away 10,000 Bacon Scented Face Masks
Do you love the smell of bacon? Act fast and you could win a free bacon scented face mask. Through October 28, Hormel Foods is giving away 10,000 of them at www.breathablebacon.com. For every mask request until supplies last, the company will also donate one free meal to Feeding America, the nation's largest network of food banks.
