Short Science, January 6, 2013

The frequency and volatility of El Nino, a weather pattern that hammers the tropical Pacific Ocean every five years or so, does not seem linked to climate change, US research shows. The study involved measuring the monthly growth of ancient coral fossils found on two tropical Pacific islands to determine what, if any, impact the warming climate had on the weather phenomenon. By reconstructing temperatures and rainfall over the millenniums, the study compared it to the frequency and intensity of El Nino and found the latter had become more intense in the 20th century. But although the increase was statistically significant and could be linked to climate change, the historic record provided by the coral fossils allowed researchers to determine that El Nino has also had large natural variations in past centuries. AFP

European scientists say they have found further evidence that how you serve food and drink matters hugely in the perception of taste. Researchers at the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the University of Oxford recruited 57 volunteers and asked them to taste hot chocolate served in plastic cups with four different colours - white, cream, red and orange with white on the inside. The chocolate was the same in all the samples, but the volunteers found that the flavour was better when the drink was served in the orange or cream-coloured cups. The findings could be beneficial to chefs and many food manufacturers. AFP