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Rooting out trouble
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THE LAST WORD Ocean’s lull
n The sound and sight of water is relaxing for a number of complementary reasons. First, it can drown out noises and voices around us, creating a “cone of privacy” that can enhance a conversation or focus our own thoughts. The complexity, clarity and frequency of water sounds can mask noise better than white noise, which becomes annoying and causes anxiety. Second, rhythmic patterns of sound and light, repeating at certain frequencies, can be soothing, leading to entrainment. Members of a band feel this when they are in a musical groove, and audience members experience its pull too. As we walk along the beach with a close companion, our thoughts, words and breathing can become synchronised. Our brains seek patterns; ocean waves provide plenty while remaining interesting and stimulating enough to hold our attention thanks to the occasional rogue wave, shift in the wind, jumping fish or similar. Third, all organisms need to live close to a source of water or they will die. The combination of visual, auditory, olfactory and somatic inputs results in an emotional response to water that
guides us. If we navigate correctly, other types of vegetables should be placed in already boiling water. Why? we live. It makes sense, then, that we find some water sounds, n For some vegetables, the smells and sights appealing. cooking time needs to be short For some people, a fear of water and fairly precise. This is more derived from a bad experience or easily achieved by plunging cultural upbringing precludes them into boiling water. them experiencing the cognitive However, root vegetables take and psychological benefits of longer to cook. Put them in water. But for many others, boiling water, and you risk the recorded water sounds are outside becoming too soft before great for lulling them to sleep. the inside is fully cooked. These Marine explorer Jacques Cousteau spoke for the majority “The usual rule is that if when he said: “The sea, once it a vegetable is harvested casts its spell, holds one in its from under the ground, net of wonder forever.” then you boil it from cold” Wallace Nichols California Academy of Sciences, vegetables benefit from slow US, and author of Blue Mind heating, during which time an (Little, Brown, 2014) enzymatic reaction takes place, firming them up. n The calming nature of waves According to the book McGee crashing against the sand comes on Food & Cooking (Simon and down, possibly, to two things: Schuster, 2004), certain vegetables the waves remind us of our own and fruits – including potatoes, breath, and they never stop. sweet potatoes, beetroot, carrots, Meditation practices focus beans, cauliflower, tomatoes, on “watching the breath” and cherries and apples – contain an how breathing never leaves us enzyme in their cell walls that while we live. Similarly, the becomes activated at around relentlessness of waves lapping 50 °C and inactivated above 70 °C. against the shore can be The enzyme alters the cell-wall reassuring. pectins, making them more Alexandra Borrelli resistant to being removed or Yoga and meditation teacher broken down at boiling London, UK temperatures. The usual softening that occurs during cooking can therefore be Rooting out trouble reduced by heating initially to I read that when cooking root a modest temperature. During vegetables, you should put them into this time, the foods develop a the water when it’s still cold and bring persistent firmness that survives them to the boil. But I also read that subsequent prolonged cooking.
The writers of answers that are published in the magazine will receive a cheque for £25 (or US$ equivalent). Answers should be concise. We reserve the right to edit items for clarity and style. Please include a daytime telephone number and an email address if you have one. New Scientist retains total editorial control over the published content. Reed Business Information Ltd reserves all rights to reuse all question and answer material that has been
submitted by readers in any medium or in any format and at any time in the future. Send questions and answers to The Last Word, New Scientist, 110 High Holborn, London WC1V 6EU, UK, by email to [email protected] or visit www.newscientist.com/topic/lastword (please include a postal address in order to receive payment for answers). Unanswered questions can also be found at this URL.
What is it about the sea lapping gently against the shore we find so calming? Is there an evolutionary explanation behind this pleasing phenomenon?
This is also why root vegetables do not do well in slow cookers – they can spend too long in the initial “pre-cooking” zone and go firm in a way that isn’t reduced by further cooking. Pre-boiling them for a few minutes before they go into a slow cooker inactivates the enzyme and allows them to soften during slow cooking. David Gibson Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK n Ignore all such advice and steam your vegetables. That way you minimise the loss of nutrients that would otherwise leach out into the water. David N. Cox Senior Research Scientist CSIRO Food and Nutrition Flagship Adelaide, South Australia n The usual rule is that if a vegetable is harvested from under the ground, then you boil it from cold. If it is from above the ground, it should be plunged into boiling water. If, however, it is from “underground, overground” then it’s a Womble, and you probably shouldn’t be cooking it. Mike Vose Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, UK
This week’s question Breaking the law
If the laws of physics very slowly began to break down, who would be most likely to notice first? Paul Oakley Horsham, West Sussex, UK
Question Everything The latest book of science questions: unpredictable and entertaining. Expect the unexpected Available from booksellers and at newscientist.com/questioneverything
THE LAST WORD Ocean’s lull
n The sound and sight of water is relaxing for a number of complementary reasons. First, it can drown out noises and voices around us, creating a “cone of privacy” that can enhance a conversation or focus our own thoughts. The complexity, clarity and frequency of water sounds can mask noise better than white noise, which becomes annoying and causes anxiety. Second, rhythmic patterns of sound and light, repeating at certain frequencies, can be soothing, leading to entrainment. Members of a band feel this when they are in a musical groove, and audience members experience its pull too. As we walk along the beach with a close companion, our thoughts, words and breathing can become synchronised. Our brains seek patterns; ocean waves provide plenty while remaining interesting and stimulating enough to hold our attention thanks to the occasional rogue wave, shift in the wind, jumping fish or similar. Third, all organisms need to live close to a source of water or they will die. The combination of visual, auditory, olfactory and somatic inputs results in an emotional response to water that
guides us. If we navigate correctly, other types of vegetables should be placed in already boiling water. Why? we live. It makes sense, then, that we find some water sounds, n For some vegetables, the smells and sights appealing. cooking time needs to be short For some people, a fear of water and fairly precise. This is more derived from a bad experience or easily achieved by plunging cultural upbringing precludes them into boiling water. them experiencing the cognitive However, root vegetables take and psychological benefits of longer to cook. Put them in water. But for many others, boiling water, and you risk the recorded water sounds are outside becoming too soft before great for lulling them to sleep. the inside is fully cooked. These Marine explorer Jacques Cousteau spoke for the majority “The usual rule is that if when he said: “The sea, once it a vegetable is harvested casts its spell, holds one in its from under the ground, net of wonder forever.” then you boil it from cold” Wallace Nichols California Academy of Sciences, vegetables benefit from slow US, and author of Blue Mind heating, during which time an (Little, Brown, 2014) enzymatic reaction takes place, firming them up. n The calming nature of waves According to the book McGee crashing against the sand comes on Food & Cooking (Simon and down, possibly, to two things: Schuster, 2004), certain vegetables the waves remind us of our own and fruits – including potatoes, breath, and they never stop. sweet potatoes, beetroot, carrots, Meditation practices focus beans, cauliflower, tomatoes, on “watching the breath” and cherries and apples – contain an how breathing never leaves us enzyme in their cell walls that while we live. Similarly, the becomes activated at around relentlessness of waves lapping 50 °C and inactivated above 70 °C. against the shore can be The enzyme alters the cell-wall reassuring. pectins, making them more Alexandra Borrelli resistant to being removed or Yoga and meditation teacher broken down at boiling London, UK temperatures. The usual softening that occurs during cooking can therefore be Rooting out trouble reduced by heating initially to I read that when cooking root a modest temperature. During vegetables, you should put them into this time, the foods develop a the water when it’s still cold and bring persistent firmness that survives them to the boil. But I also read that subsequent prolonged cooking.
The writers of answers that are published in the magazine will receive a cheque for £25 (or US$ equivalent). Answers should be concise. We reserve the right to edit items for clarity and style. Please include a daytime telephone number and an email address if you have one. New Scientist retains total editorial control over the published content. Reed Business Information Ltd reserves all rights to reuse all question and answer material that has been
submitted by readers in any medium or in any format and at any time in the future. Send questions and answers to The Last Word, New Scientist, 110 High Holborn, London WC1V 6EU, UK, by email to [email protected] or visit www.newscientist.com/topic/lastword (please include a postal address in order to receive payment for answers). Unanswered questions can also be found at this URL.
What is it about the sea lapping gently against the shore we find so calming? Is there an evolutionary explanation behind this pleasing phenomenon?
This is also why root vegetables do not do well in slow cookers – they can spend too long in the initial “pre-cooking” zone and go firm in a way that isn’t reduced by further cooking. Pre-boiling them for a few minutes before they go into a slow cooker inactivates the enzyme and allows them to soften during slow cooking. David Gibson Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK n Ignore all such advice and steam your vegetables. That way you minimise the loss of nutrients that would otherwise leach out into the water. David N. Cox Senior Research Scientist CSIRO Food and Nutrition Flagship Adelaide, South Australia n The usual rule is that if a vegetable is harvested from under the ground, then you boil it from cold. If it is from above the ground, it should be plunged into boiling water. If, however, it is from “underground, overground” then it’s a Womble, and you probably shouldn’t be cooking it. Mike Vose Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, UK
This week’s question Breaking the law
If the laws of physics very slowly began to break down, who would be most likely to notice first? Paul Oakley Horsham, West Sussex, UK
Question Everything The latest book of science questions: unpredictable and entertaining. Expect the unexpected Available from booksellers and at newscientist.com/questioneverything