Administrators say that the purpose of this test is to show respect for "the Japanese spirit" but, in light of the decline of chopstick use among Japanese children, it also seems like a rather unusual way to make sure everyone has good table manners.

For his science experiment this year, a middle school student from Boca Raton, Florida decided that he would test the effects of energy drinks on blood sugar. He came up with the idea because the drinks are hugely popular with his friends who feel that the drinks give them a "boost" and was already familiar with blood sugar and testing it because his cousin is a diabetic. Lucas Peel's hypothesis was that the drinks with the greatest amount of sugar and caffeine would produce the greatest increase in blood sugar, giving the drinker a burst of energy.

Over the course of about a week, Lucas drank Red Bull, Rock Star, Amp and water, testing his blood sugar levels twice after each of the three times he tried each drink. He found that, contrary to his original theory, it was "the energy drinks with the least sugar [that] increased blood sugar level." Red Bull boosted blood sugar more than any of the other drinks.

Lucas says that he avoids energy drinks and hopes that his project will help some of his fellow students to realize that they are not a good replacement for a real breakfast.

This isn't the first time that a middle-school student has conducted a science project that attracts a far-ranging interest. Earlier this year, for example, a student in Tampa, FL tested samples of water from the toilets at fast food restaurants and compared it to the ice from the soda machines, only to discover that there were more bacteria in the soda machine than the toilet.

After green onions were identified as the source of contamination for an E. coli outbreak at several East Coast Taco Bells, the company not only recalled all the scallions at its 5,800 locations nationwide, but sent out samples of the rest of their food products for testing to ensure that no other foods were at risk. The tests have come back negative, leaving the green onions as the sole source for the bacteria.

Taco Bell has switched produce suppliers, but with 61 cases identified, including 48 hospitalizations and 7 cases of kidney failure, the company is not out of the woods yet. Lawsuits are already being filed on behalf of some of those who were victims of the contamination, and because most chain restaurants have indemnity agreements with their suppliers, the company will be the one held accountable in these cases.

The company is working to sanitize and reopen stores that closed as a result of the outbreak.

Some sort of aptitude testing is done in just about every school in the country, mandated by the city or state government, to check on the progress of the educational system. This testing time can be stressful for students because, though they are not actually "graded" on their performance, they still have to sit through many long days of math and reading comprehension tests. Having to concentrate for such an extended period can be very challenging for students, particularly young ones. Schools try to perk them up by offering snacks, but a Washington State school found something very interesting this year when they decided to give the kids fruits, instead of muffins or granola bars. They found that the students were quieter, less stressed and more focused.

This was by no means a scientific test, but anecdotal evidence from people who spend their lives observing children is not something to be taken lightly. The principal and teachers surmise that not only did fact that the fruits were less sugary than other snacks play a role in helping the children to concentrate, but the fruits were more satisfying and more filling than alternatives.  It if happened to one or two students, it would be harder to believe, but a positive change - no matter how small - in such a large group of children as a result of healthy snacking is something worth looking into.

According to a story in the New York Times magazine, there might be a connection between a healthy diet and a propensity for violence. Studies have been done in countries including Finland and England, and are underway in Holland and Norway, that showed a decrease in the levels of violent behaviors exhibited by convicts who were given omega-3 fatty acids and other nutritional supplements. The decrease was compared to prisoners who received placebo supplements, or none at all. Apparently, in addition to other health benefits, "Omega-3's foster the growth of neurons in the brain's frontal cortex, the bit of gray matter that controls impulsive behavior." In other words, for people who impulsively committed violent acts, having an increased amount of omega-3-generated neurons blocked those impulses and eliminated many violent behaviors.

The article does, of course, remind readers that there is no miraculous way to eliminate violent behavior - no matter how much fresh fish and spinach people are given. Just like diet alone is not a substitute for exercise on the quest to lose weight, diet alone cannot stop all violent behaviors. But it could help.

[Image NYT]

The Wrigley gum company is on a mission to prove that gum is not something to be chewed for fun and to annoy teachers. After years of the underappreciation of the value of its products, the company has turned to science for some answers. The Wrigley Science Institute was founded to discover whether gum can actually aid in weight management, stress relief, or in boosting concentration, all claims that have been made and passed along by gum chewers over the years. If the Science Institute can find sufficient evidence, the company can then claim the health benefits of the product on the products' packaging or in ads.

Just think back to all the elemantary school teachers who told you not to chew gum in class. If the Wrigley Science Institute is right about some of their theories, those same teachers could be passing out sticks of gum before tests!

Who didn’t hear the phrase “Don’t chew gum at school!” when they were growing up? Of course, this sort of instruction always encourages a few people to flout the rules and chew gum even more frequently. The main reason that gum chewing was frowned upon was that students would probably stick the used wads under the desk or on the floor, where other unsuspecting students might come into contact with them. For some reason, though, the teachers always claimed that the reason was that students couldn’t pay attention while chewing gum. This was a ridiculous excuse since people are more than capable of engaging in other activities while they chew, like walking, for example.