Chris Infotainment

The Power of Words and the Art of the Comeback When someone delivers a hurtful insult, it can often leave us speechless. In some cases, it may even cause deep and enduring mental health scars that are comparable to those from physical abuse. However, a scientist has now proposed a clever response that could help turn the tables on an insult. According to Dr. Dean Burnett, a neuroscientist and lecturer, the best comeback to an insult is a simple three-word phrase: "Calm down, grandma." This response, he claims, can effectively put a damper on someone's mean comments or even reverse their effects. It might even make the person laugh, diffusing the situation entirely. Dr. Burnett, author of Emotional Ignorance , explains that the impact of an insult depends as much on the recipient as it does on the person delivering it. By using this retort, the recipient can make the insulter seem like the lower-status, more easily-ridiculed party. For example, if someone says, "Yo...

Understanding the Science Behind Caramelizing Onions Whether you're preparing a comforting stew or a mouthwatering curry, onions are often the first ingredient you reach for. However, recent scientific findings suggest that you might be cooking your onions incorrectly. To achieve the deep, caramelized flavors essential for many dishes, traditional recipes can require up to 30 to 40 minutes of cooking time. But with a bit of scientific knowledge and one simple ingredient, you can cut this time in half. The secret lies in controlling the Maillard reaction, a chemical process responsible for browning and flavor development in food. This reaction is influenced by pH levels, allowing chefs to speed up or slow down the process as needed. To brown onions faster, increasing their pH by adding an alkaline substance like baking soda is effective. The Role of Baking Soda in Accelerating Browning When onions are placed in a hot pan, a series of chemical and physical reactions begin. Initia...