When sci-fact beats sci-fi: Echoes of exploding stars' final cries may be trapped in the rings of trees on Earth

Geo-boffin urges fellow scientists to consider again link between supernova and radiocarbon levels

Katyanna Quach Thu 12 Nov 2020 

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Astronomers seeking to chart the history of supernovas that once lit up our skies and flooded our planet with radiation ought to take a look at tree rings, it's been suggested.

Robert Brakenridge, a geoscientist at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research, reckons stars exploding relatively close to Earth may have left fingerprints in our forests and jungles, which could be used to build a timeline of epic eruptions.

The trick, we're told, is to pay close attention to the amount of carbon-14 found inside the circular layers of trunk that form as trees grow. Carbon-14, aka radiocarbon, is produced in Earth's atmosphere when neutrons, smashed off atoms by incoming cosmic rays, merge with nitrogen. Some of that carbon isotope is absorbed into the trees as they grow, the quantity of which can be measured.

You can see where this is going: higher-than-expected levels of carbon-14 in a tree ring may point to an increase in radiation caused by exploding faraway stars, which kick out extreme levels of cosmic rays, causing a surge in radiocarbon that's absorbed by the plants. Brakenridge thus reckons spikes in radiocarbon detected in tree rings may have been created when the Earth was showered with more cosmic rays than usual. These radiation-heavy periods mark when massive old stars erupted nearby as supernovas, he argued.

This theory has been mulled before: for example, in 2005, a team in Japan investigated the effect of supernova on radiocarbon levels in trees. They found "no evidence" linking the two, and suggested any variation in the isotope is due to standard solar rays rather than dramatic explosions. Brakenridge thinks the scientific world should take a look again.

“We’re seeing terrestrial events that are begging for an explanation,” he said on Wednesday. “There are really only two possibilities: a solar flare or a supernova. I think the supernova hypothesis has been dismissed too quickly.”

I think the supernova hypothesis has been dismissed too quickly

Crucially, he said he can trace four radiocarbon increases, detailed in a paper published last week in the International Journal of Astrobiology, to four separate supernovas. The oldest explosion dates back more than 13,000 years when a giant star in the Vela constellation located 815 light-years away burst, and seemingly ramped the level of carbon-14 on Earth by three per cent.

“These are small radiocarbon isotope anomalies, peaks in concentration, in tree rings at particular years as dated by tree-ring scientists,” Brakenridge told The Register. “Tree rings in many trees are annual, so we can reliably identify to the year how old the ring is.”

In other words, the carbon-14 spikes in trees could pinpoint the date a sun detonated more accurately than studying the heavens, assuming you can get an old-enough sample.

“Astronomers can only approximately date the times of the supernovas from their remnant nebula," Brakenridge said. "If a secure connection of a specific event to a recorded carbon-14 anomaly [can be pinpointed], the energy of the supernova, and its actual age, can be tightly constrained. Supernova energies vary widely: so this helps get at the basic physics of the explosion."

The study's sample size of four is small, and so you may not want to jump to conclusions, though Brakenridge is hopeful the dating technique can be used in the future. “My paper only starts this process, it proposes strong candidates for specific known supernova events and known carbon-14 anomalies,” he told us. ®

 

Baby Yoda stowed away on Crew Dragon, boards International Space Station

Japanese Astronaut Soichi Noguchi bringing soft toy into space was only surprise as Crew-1 docked

Simon Sharwood, APAC Editor Tue 17 Nov 2020 

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Crew-1, the first ever four-passenger flight to the International Space Station (ISS) and also the first time NASA has formally used a commercial craft to carry astronauts, has docked safely.

The craft brought Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker and Soichi Noguchi to the ISS. Noguchi was the last to emerge from Crew Dragon’s hatch and as he did so, released a small soft toy that looks an awful lot like Baby Yoda. SpaceX’s launch fees work out at around $2,700 a kilogram, in case you were wondering.

The 27-hour trip to the ISS went off without a hitch. The propellant heating glitch NASA worried about yesterday turned out not to be a problem. Crew Dragon stayed on schedule, was able to navigate autonomously to its destination, and arrived on time.

Warm hugs awaited the arriving crew members, while mask-wearing ground crew in California grouped for a team photograph that may have made social distancing challenging but seemed well-deserved.

Soichi Noguchi and his baby Yoda. Click to enlarge

The four new arrivals join Expedition 64, which gets right down to business tomorrow with a six-hour spacewalk for Russian crew members Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov who will prepare for the arrival of the new Russian Multipurpose Laboratory Module named “Nauka”.

NASA says the pair will first “conduct leak inspections outside the hatch, as this will be the first spacewalk using the Poisk module for its purpose as an airlock. Next, they will relocate an antenna from another module, the Pirs docking compartment, to Poisk, the first in a series of tasks over the course of several spacewalks that will prepare Pirs for decommissioning, undocking, and disposal.”

The cosmonauts also will replace a fluid flow regulator on the Zarya module, retrieve hardware that measures space debris impacts, and reposition an instrument used to measure the residue from thruster firings.

It’s the first spacewalk for both men, but the eighth for 2020 and the 232nd overall in support of ISS assembly, maintenance and upgrades. ®

POST MODERN MONOPOLY CAPITALI$M

BuzzFeed Acquires HuffPost From Verizon Media

BuzzFeed to Buy HuffPost in Stock Deal With Verizon Media

© AP Photo / Andy Kropa

SOCIETY

23:29 GMT 19.11.2020Get short URL

by Mary F.  RT

 0 02

HuffPost is a US news aggregator and blog, formerly known as The Huffington Post until 2017. The site, sometimes abbreviated further as HuffPo, was acquired by Verizon Media, a unit of Verizon Communications, in 2015.

In an official statement, Verizon Media revealed on Thursday that BuzzFeed Inc. has agreed to acquire HuffPost in a stock deal, a decision expected to boost the growth of both digital media outlets. The new acquisition is part of a larger deal between BuzzFeed and Verizon Media. 

"Verizon Media and BuzzFeed today announced a new strategic partnership across content and advertising, the acquisition of HuffPost by BuzzFeed, and an investment that will make Verizon Media a minority shareholder in BuzzFeed. From powering new consumer shopping experiences, to content syndication, to innovative ad products, the partnership will unlock new revenue opportunities for both media companies. The addition of HuffPost - which BuzzFeed will acquire - brings BuzzFeed a universally known brand with significant scale, and an audience complementary to its own," the statement reads.

Under the larger deal, the companies will syndicate content on their platforms and seek joint advertising opportunities as the deal will allow BuzzFeed to tap into Verizon Media's ad platforms. As part of the agreement, HuffPost will also contribute to Verizon Media's portfolio as an official partner, joining other partners, including The New York Times, USA Today, Associated Press, and Reuters. 

A person familiar with the deal told the Wall Street Journal that Verizon Media will invest an unidentified amount of cash into Buzzfeed.

Jonah Peretti, BuzzFeed’s founder and chief executive, will lead the combined company.

“We’re excited about our partnership with Verizon Media, and mutual benefits that will come from syndicating content across each other’s properties, collaborating on innovative ad products and the future of commerce, and tapping into the strength and creativity of Verizon Media Immersive,” Peretti said in the press release.

Despite the new agreement, however, HuffPost’s daily operations will not be impacted and the site will remain a “separate news organization” from BuzzFeed, BuzzFeed's editor-in-chief, Mark Schoofs, told employees. Meanwhile, a new editor-in-chief will be hired for HuffPost.

The Verizon media chief executive, Guru Gowrappan, revealed to the WSJ that the idea for a partnership between Verizon and BuzzFeed first arose during a meeting with Peretti at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) convention in Las Vegas earlier this year. The two discussed how the companies could potentially work together.

“Verizon Media’s strategy has evolved over the past two years to focus on our core strengths - ads, commerce, content and subscriptions,” Gowrappan said in the press release. “We’ve created a powerhouse ecosystem, built on a trusted network, that delivers an end-to-end experience for consumers and advertisers. The partnership with BuzzFeed complements our roadmap while also accelerating our transformation and growth.”

The agreement follows BuzzFeed's laying off of nearly 70% of its furloughed staff in July, reportedly in the wake of the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

BUZZFEED ACQUIRES HUFFPOST FROM VERIZON MEDIA                                                        

USA

Published on November 20, 2020

Verizon Media and BuzzFeed signed a new strategic partnership across content and advertising, including the acquisition of HuffPost, a media platform for news, commentary, entertainment, features, and lifestyle content, by BuzzFeed, and an investment that will make Verizon Media a minority shareholder in BuzzFeed.

As part of the agreement, Verizon Media and BuzzFeed agree to syndicate content across each other’s platforms, create an innovation group to explore monetization opportunities, and leverage emerging ad formats, including extended reality (XR) and AR applications. BuzzFeed will also have the opportunity to leverage Verizon Media Immersive, an online XR platform for advertising and content and to tap into Verizon Media’s ad platform, which provides access to qualified data sets while reaching consumers across all channels, including mobile, desktop, video, native, addressable TV, Connected TV (CTV), Digital Out of Home (DOOH), and audio.

As part of the deal, HuffPost will continue to contribute to Verizon Media’s portfolio as an official publishing partner, joining premium content partners such as The New York Times, USA Today, Associated Press, and Reuters. HuffPost content will be amplified via Yahoo channels and products, boosting traffic and monetization.

BuzzFeed will be able to syndicate content across Verizon’s Media brands, including Yahoo – a huge driver of traffic for HuffPost – and more. Additionally, Verizon Media will continue to manage sales for HuffPost’s ad inventory.

BuzzFeed’s acquisition of HuffPost will bring it back full circle to its original Founder and CEO, Jonah Peretti. With this acquisition, BuzzFeed plans to extend its lines of business across Huffpost’s complementary demographic. BuzzFeed News and HuffPost will operate as separate, distinct news organizations.

FinSMEs

20/11/2020

Japan lawmakers declare climate emergency after government sets zero emissions goal


By Linda Sieg, Aaron Sheldrick

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese lawmakers on Thursday declared a climate emergency in a symbolic vote aimed at increasing pressure for action to combat global warming after the government last month committed to a firm timetable for net-zero emissions.

With the vote by parliament’s powerful lower chamber, Japan - the world’s fifth-biggest carbon emitter - joins fellow Group of Seven members Britain, Canada and France in similar resolutions, as well as the European Union as a bloc and nearly 2,000 regional and city authorities around the world.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga last month announced Japan would aim to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, a major shift for the world’s third-largest economy which relies heavily on imported fossil fuels for its energy sources.

The emergency, non-binding declaration - drafted by a cross-party group of legislators - cites “unprecedented damage” from hurricanes, flooding and forest fires, exacerbated by climate change at home and abroad, and said the world faces a “climate crisis”.

With erratic weather patterns from this year’s record hurricane season in the Atlantic to floods in Europe being linked to climate change, governments around the world face more calls to act even as the coronavirus pandemic rages, sapping resources.


Ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Yoshihisa Furukawa, head of the secretariat of a non-partisan group of MPs behind the declaration, said the resolution was vital to show the world Japan was not lagging in the fight against global warming.

“I think this can send the message to the world that Japan’s parliament and government are firmly resolved to tackle this aiming at a carbon-free society,” he told Reuters, speaking before the vote.

The government is developing measures including investment funds and tax incentives to push through changes needed to reach the net zero emissions target, and Furukawa said the declaration would give impetus to those efforts given its non-partisan backing.

Japan’s new target for carbon neutrality could open the way for its beleaguered nuclear industry to fire up again, nearly a decade after the Fukushima disaster shut down most reactors, although the public remains wary. Nuclear provided about 30% of Japan’s electricity before Fukushima, when the country had 54 operable reactors compared with just two operating now.


Announcing the new emissions target, Prime Minister Suga said Japan would “pursue nuclear power” along with introducing as much renewable energy as possible, without specifying precise plans for reactors.

Still, frustrated scientists and activists have regularly sounded warnings that action is still lagging to meet the Paris Agreement target of curbing emissions enough to keep temperature rises to within 1.5-2 degrees Celsius of pre-industrial levels.

(Graphic: Japan's annual carbon emissions, )



Reporting by Linda Sieg, Aaron Sheldrick and Ami Miyazaki; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell

 

Racial attitudes in a community affect COVID-19 numbers

PLOS

Research News

 

Implicit racial attitudes within a community can effectively explain racial disparities seen in rates of COVID-19 in the United States, according to a new study published this week in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by George Cunningham and Lisa Wigfall of Texas A&M University, USA.

There is a growing body of evidence showing that racial and ethnic minorities are more affected by severe illness, and more likely to be hospitalized, from COVID-19 compared to white people. This disparity can be only partially explained by the disproportionate rates of underlying medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and obesity, seen among Black/African American people.

In the new study, researchers collected data from a variety of publicly available sources for 817 counties (26% of all counties) in the United States. The data included information on cumulative COVID-19 deaths and cases from January 22 to August 31, 2020 as well as explicit and implicit racial attitudes--collected through Harvard University's Project Implicit. The researchers also obtained a wide spectrum of demographic and economic information for these communities so that they could control for these factors.

The percent of Black residents in a county was positively associated with COVID-19 cases (r=0.47) and deaths (r=0.32) in the county. Moreover, both explicit and implicit racial attitudes were positively associated with COVID-19 (r=0.72). The results demonstrated that the relationship between race and COVID-19 cases was strongest when either explicit or implicit racial attitudes were highest. There was also an effect of implicit racial attitudes on COVID-19 deaths among the Black population. The authors conclude that implicit racial attitudes in a community can help explain racial disparities in COVID-19 rates.

The authors add: "These findings show that, even beyond the impact of county demographics, implicit and explicit racial attitudes impact the rates of COVID-19. Racial attitudes captured at the county level represent the bias of crowds and reflect deeper biases that are embedded into systems within society. These biases can negatively affect county residents, including their health and wellbeing."

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Citation: Cunningham GB, Wigfall LT (2020) Race, explicit racial attitudes, implicit racial attitudes, and COVID-19 cases and deaths: An analysis of counties in the United States. PLoS ONE 15(11): e0242044. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242044

Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.

Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available article in PLOS ONE: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0242044

 

Individualism and Social Change

An Unexpected Theoretical Dilemma in Marxian Analysis

Vitantonio Gioia

Abstract | Index | Outline | Text | Bibliography | Notes | Illustrations | References | About the author

Abstract

Marx (especially in his youth) develops an original analysis of individualism, rooted in the structure of modern society. He criticizes on the one hand Hegel and many representatives of the ‘Hegelian left’, on the other hand ‘vulgar materialism’ and Feuerbach. Nevertheless, it remains true that in Marxism (especially in Second-International Marxism) ‘individualism’ was seen negatively and, consequently, the individual and their activities were always pushed towards the background, in order to emphasize the relevance of collective factors (classes, state, political parties, etc) for explaining social change. The question is whether this outcome has its roots in Marxian analyses or it is the result of a theoretical distortion by early Marxist orthodoxy, due to the lack of knowledge of young Marx’s significant works: the Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right was published in 1927, the Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844 and the German Ideology were published in full version in 1932 and the Grundrisse were published in 1939-41. However, to reclaim young Marx’s rich analysis of modern individualism seems important in order to build a historically oriented analysis of individuals and of their relations to society. This approach would let us move away from the prevailing axiomatic approach of both mainstream economics—centered on homo oeconomicus and their selfish motives—and many representatives of contemporary sociology, who aim at building universal explanations based on the hypothesis of rational agents acting in a social environment inhabited by ‘isolated individuals’, at the expense of the historical features of individual activities.

Top of page

Index terms

Keywords: 

Marx (Karl), Marxism, Individualism, Historical Materialism, Weber (Max), Sombart (Werner), Gramsci (Antonio)

Top of page

Outline

1. Introduction

2. Human nature, individualism and history in the young Marx

3. Marx and classical economics: from human nature to the “anatomy” of modern society

4. Some developments of Marxist views after Marx: from the “final economic crisis” to socialism

5. A revolution against “Das Kapital”. Antonio Labriola and Antonio Gramsci: the Italian way toward the rediscovery of the role of political subjectivity

6. Conclusions

Top of page

Full text  https://journals.openedition.org/jihi/286

Review examines sexual aggression in MALE mammals

WILEY

Research News

 

A recent review of published studies in non-human mammals examines "sexual disturbance," or male behavior towards a female around mating that can be costly for the female--for example, that might inflict physical harm or cause mother-offspring separation. The findings are published in Mammal Review.

The author, Marcelo H. Cassini, PhD, of the Laboratorio de Biología del Comportamiento, in Argentina, found that sexual disturbance was frequent in 4 of the 32 mammalian orders examined: Primates, Artiodactyla, Carnivora, and Cetacea, which all include species with polygyny (in which a male mates with multiple females). The most common response of females to sexual disturbance was grouping around a dominant male.

The most common expression of sexual conflict around copulation was seen in behaviors associated with female retention attempts that cause minor harm. Research suggests that the most common response of females to sexual disturbance comprises female grouping around a dominant male.

Additional research is needed to see whether sexual disturbance affects the reproductive success of males and females.

"This review suggests that sexual aggression is a rare behavior among the thousands of species of mammals," Dr. Cassini 

NO DRINKING! NO FIGHTING! The laws of early Edo Japan to keep the peace

The official document details how workers should act during the reconstruction of Sunpu Castle.

KUMAMOTO UNIVERSITY

Research News

 

IMAGE: A LETTER FROM THE LORD OF THE HOSOKAWA CLAN TO THE FOUR VASSALS IN CHARGE STATING THE RULES TO BE FOLLOWED. view more 

CREDIT: PROFESSOR TSUGUHARU INABA

An early Edo period document stipulating the Hosokawa clan code of conduct for vassals dispatched on a national project to rebuild Sunpu Castle has been discovered by Kumamoto University researchers. The thirteen articles from the head of the Hosokawa clan in the Kokura domain (area), Tadaoki Hosokawa at the time, delegate full authority to the vassals to lead construction and prevent conflicts with other clans. It is the second original code of conduct document related to the Sunpu Castle reconstruction effort to be discovered.

During the Edo period (1603-1867), the Japanese central government mobilized feudal lords from all over the country to build and repair important castles and carry out extensive infrastructure development. It is commonly believed that these national projects prevented clans from accumulating wealth by forcing them to send out materials and men, thereby establishing a system of control in the territory. Sunpu Castle, located in the center of Japan in Shizuoka Prefecture, was closely associated with the first of the Edo Shogunate (Ieyasu Tokugawa) and was an important base for the Edo Shogunate. A major expansion of the castle was delayed by a fire in December of 1607, but was quickly rebuilt by the following year. A number of daimyo clans were mobilized from all over Japan for this series of restoration projects.

The document found by researchers was issued by the head of the Hosokawa clan, Tadaoki Hosokawa, on January 8th, 1608, and outlined the Hosokawa clan code of conduct for vassals during reconstruction and their journey from Kokura (now northern Kyushu) to the Sunpu Castle reconstruction site (southwest of Tokyo). Consistent throughout this code is a strict prohibition of any action that might lead to quarrels with vassals or workers of other clans. Articles 9 and 10 delegated full authority of the renovation site to the four persons named and the superintendent in charge of the Hosokawa clan.

Article 1 instructs the entire Hosokawa workforce to follow the instructions of the superintendent, Masazumi Honda - Aide to the Shogun, in all matters of discipline. Article 2 stipulates that fighting within the clan must be strictly avoided. Those engaged in fighting, as well as those who supported them, were punished (usually by death).

Articles 3 to 5 are provisions aimed at preventing fights with other clans. Going to watch another clan's fight was a punishable offense (Article 3). If a servant escaped to another house, he was not returned forcefully. On the other hand, those who escaped from other clans were to be returned after the completion of the project (Article 4). Lodging fees from Kokura to Sunpu were to be paid in accordance with the "Gohatto" (laws & regulations) (Article 5).

CAPTION

National projects in the Edo period required lords from all parts of the country to contribute manpower. It is commonly believed that the roles of these projects were 1) to prevent clans from accumulating wealth, and 2) to establish a system of control over their territories by forcing them to provide materials and manpower.

The second half of the code provides a glimpse into the life of the soldier class (ashi-garu) mobilized for the project. Alcohol (sake) was strictly prohibited. They could bring their own food (bento), but were not to drink more than three small flat sake cups (sakazuki) of alcohol (Article 6). When going to town, they were supposed to declare the nature of their errand to the magistrate and obtain a permit (Article 7). Meetings with people from other clans or the shogunate were strictly forbidden (Article 8). Hot baths in another clan's facilities were not allowed (Article 11). Sumo wrestling and spectating were strictly forbidden during the period of the project, and violators would be punished (Article 12). On the round trip between Kokura and Sunpu, workers were to travel in groups as indicated on an attached sheet (Article 13). This purpose of this historical document was to maintain peace at the project site and vividly conveys the aspects of the samurai society during its transition from a time of war to peace and prosperity.

When asked about the academic significance of this document, Professor Tsuguharu Inaba said, "This discovery provides us with a great deal of information about the politics concerning feudal lord mobilization by the shogunate to build castles." Professor Inaba discovered the document and was part of the Eiseibunko Research Center team at Kumamoto University who deciphered it.

Until now, only two documents related to the reconstruction of Sunpu Castle were known: an original code of conduct written by Mori Terumoto, feudal lord of the Choshu clan, and another, which is a copy of the Choshu clan document, from Maeda Toshinaga, feudal lord of the Kaga clan. The discovery of this ancient document and the fact that the three documents are similar means that each clan was likely presented with a general code of conduct framework by the shogunate. Each clan then established the rules in the name of their feudal lord and required their vassals to enforce them.

The Hosokawa and Mori clans had been enemies in a major civil war (culminating in the Battle of Sekigahara) only seven years earlier and if something had sparked an old grudge, a major conflict could have evolved. The shogunate dared to mobilize the adversarial clans for the same national project to discipline them and make their joint efforts more visible. This ancient document reveals an attempt to thoroughly prevent conflicts between the clans and suggests that the shogunate was trying to eliminate the seeds of civil war by reconciling relations between clans. In other words, the government strategically implemented a national project to establish peace within Japan.

This document was made public for the first time on the 4th of November 2020 at the Kumamoto University Library Online Exhibition of Rare and Valuable Materials.

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Reference:

https://www.lib.kumamoto-u.ac.jp/about/events/onlinekichoshiryo

The 4th and 5th images on the website show Tadaoki Hosokawa's Official Code of Conduct which was made into law on January 8th, 1608 (in Japan's Keicho period)

CAPTION

For the Hosokawa clan, the code of conduct written by Lord Hosokawa included a limit on drinking alcohol. Workers could only drink 3 small flat sake cups (sakazuki) of alcohol per day. Other rules included limits on Sumo wrestling/spectating, details for dealing with run-away servants, and an order to not use the bathing facilities of another clan. To maintain a peaceful atmosphere, fighting was strictly prohibited and those who engaged in the act could be punished by death.

The timeless, complimentary taste of oysters and champagne -- explained

According to a study published by the University of Copenhagen today, an
uncanny umami synergy makes the combination of yeast-brewed bubbly and fresh molluscs a match made in heaven

FACULTY OF SCIENCE - UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN

Research News

 

Matching prices aren't the only reason oysters and champagne pair so well. According to a study published by the University of Copenhagen today, an uncanny umami synergy makes the combination of yeast-brewed bubbly and fresh molluscs a match made in heaven for some. Ironically, the new knowledge could help us consume more vegetables in the future.

Oysters and champagne are considered a perfect pairing. Now, researchers from the University of Copenhagen's Department of Food Science have found flavours in a range of champagnes and variety of Danish oysters that for the first time provide the scientific explanation for why these two foods complement one another so well.

"The answer is to be found in the so-called umami taste, which along with sweet and salty, is one of the five basic flavours detectable to human taste buds. Many people associate umami with the flavour of meat. But now, we have discovered that it is also found in both oysters and champagne," states Professor Ole G. Mouritsen from the Department of Food Science at UCPH.

In champagne, dead yeast cells contribute greatly to an umami flavour (glutamate). And as for oysters, the umami emerges from the mollusc's muscles (nucleotides).

"Food and drink pair well when they spark an umami synergy from combinations of glutamate and certain nucleotides. Champagne and oysters create a notably synergistic effect that greatly enhances the taste of the champagne. Furthermore, champagne contributes to the overall impression with, for example, its acidity and bubbles. That explains the harmony of these two foods," explains PhD student Charlotte Vinther Schmidt, the study's lead author.

Could get people to consume more vegetables

Besides the more luxurious example of oysters and champagne, the professor also points to ham and cheese, eggs and bacon and tomato and meat as gastronomic companions with umami synergy.

The professor believes that this synergy and taste is important to us humans for food choices. According to him, we are evolutionarily encoded to crave umami, as it is a sign of protein-rich food that is important to our bodies.

The encoding may be responsible for us being less enthusiastic about eating umami-less vegetables.

"Understanding the umami principle is particularly important because it can help get us to eat more vegetables. By being cognizant of umami synergy, one can make any vegetable tasty. And, it is my firm belief that if we want more people to eat more vegetables, we need to deal with the fact that greens lack umami," says Ole G. Mouritsen.

Local oysters and old champagne

For the ultimate combination of New Year's Eve oysters and champagne, Professor Mouritsen suggests native Danish Limfjord oysters and an older vintage champagne.

"One gets the most bang for the buck and best taste experience by tracking down flat Limfjord oysters and an unfortunately slightly more expensive bottle of older champagne. Older vintage champagnes have more dead yeast cells, which provide more umami. And Limfjord oysters contain large quantities of the substances that give umami synergy. Still, one shouldn't hesitate from purchasing the invasive Pacific oysters that are harvested in the same area as our native Limfjord species. They too can share an umami synergy with champagne, as the study shows," says Mouritsen

The research was published in Scientific Reports and conducted by Charlotte Vinther Schmidt, Karsten Olsen and Ole G. Mouritsen of the University of Copenhagen's Department of Food Science.

Facts:

• In the study, the researchers examined a variety of champagnes, along with both Limfjord oysters and Pacific oysters. The study marks the first time that a scientific explanation has been provided for why oysters and champagne pair so well.

• It is the combination of the amino acid glutamic acid and nucleotides from the breakdown of muscles from fish, molluscs and shellfish, for example, that greatly enhance umami taste.

• The umami taste is derived from the concurrent binding of the salt (glutamate) of a free amino acid (glutamic acid) along with nucleotides to the umami receptor found in the taste buds of our tongues and in the oral cavity.