Maanvi Singh : NPR

Maanvi Singh

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Maanvi Singh

Wednesday June 22, 2016

The onion, says allium expert Eric Block, "really is quite beautiful from a scientific perspective." Tastyart Ltd Rob White/Getty Images hide caption

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Tastyart Ltd Rob White/Getty Images

The Science Of Why Onions Make Us Cry

June 22, 2016 • Sure, their beautiful, multilayered complexity has moved poets to weep. But the real answer is more practical: A bulb's gotta keep the baddies away. We get the lowdown from a chemist.

Friday May 27, 2016

Check Out These Musicians Who Literally Play With Their Food

The London Vegetable Orchestra strikes up a tune at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Christie Goodwin/Getty Images hide caption

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Christie Goodwin/Getty Images

Check Out These Musicians Who Literally Play With Their Food

May 27, 2016 • It turns out beans aren't the only musical fruit. The London Vegetable Orchestra is one of many musical acts that uses all sorts of fruit and veg to produce sweet (and savory) sounds.

Saturday May 14, 2016

VIDEO: Watch An Afghan Calligrapher's Gifted Hands Create A Miniature Work Of Art

Afghan artist Sughra Hussainy, makes her own watercolors and pens to create intricate miniature paintings and calligraphy. Toya Sarno Jordan/NPR hide caption

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Toya Sarno Jordan/NPR

VIDEO: Watch An Afghan Calligrapher's Gifted Hands Create A Miniature Work Of Art

May 14, 2016 • Sughra Hussainy, a 27-year-old artist from Afghanistan, never imagined her talent in traditional Persian calligraphy would take her around the world.

Wednesday May 11, 2016

Care Packages: How The U.S. Won Hearts Through Stomachs After WWII

A typical CARE package. "My mother, I am so thankful, had a fantastic imagination for how to make things with limited ingredients," recalls Renate Senter, 77. Her family first received one of the parcels in 1946 while living in West Germany, after fleeing Poland. Courtesy of CARE hide caption

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Courtesy of CARE

The Salt

Care Packages: How The U.S. Won Hearts Through Stomachs After WWII

May 11, 2016 • Before they were boxes of comforting essentials sent to college students, soldiers and others far from home, care packages were a vital lifeline for thousands of displaced families in postwar Europe.

Monday May 9, 2016

Notorious FDA? Feds Turn To Hip-Hop To Tamp Down Teen Smoking

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FDA

Shots - Health News

Notorious FDA? Feds Turn To Hip-Hop To Tamp Down Teen Smoking

May 9, 2016 • For its latest anti-tobacco campaign, the Food and Drug Administration wants to harness hip-hop swagger to reach minority teens — who disproportionately suffer the consequences of smoking.

Notorious FDA? Feds Turn To Hip-Hop To Tamp Down Teen Smoking

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Friday April 29, 2016

When It Came To Food, Neanderthals Weren't Exactly Picky Eaters

Neanderthal hunters cutting up their kill. Michel Grenet/Science Source hide caption

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Michel Grenet/Science Source

The Salt

When It Came To Food, Neanderthals Weren't Exactly Picky Eaters

April 29, 2016 • During the Ice Age, it seems Neanderthals tended to chow down on whatever was most readily available. Early humans, on the other hand, maintained a consistent diet regardless of environmental changes.

Sunday April 24, 2016

In Honor Of #NationalPoetryMonth: Your Favorite Poems About Food And Farming

Acclaimed poet Maya Angelou knew how to appreciate a great steak. Heidi Gutman/ABC via Getty Images hide caption

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Heidi Gutman/ABC via Getty Images

The Salt

In Honor Of #NationalPoetryMonth: Your Favorite Poems About Food And Farming

April 24, 2016 • Gastronomy and poetry are a natural pairing. After all, both provide necessary nourishment. We asked you to share your favorite selections about farming and food and gathered them up here.

Thursday April 7, 2016

Is Samoa's Obesity Epidemic A Harbinger For Other Developing Nations?

A view of the lush Samoan vegetation in American Samoa, Tutuila Island. LCDR Eric Johnson/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration hide caption

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LCDR Eric Johnson/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

The Salt

Is Samoa's Obesity Epidemic A Harbinger For Other Developing Nations?

April 7, 2016 • Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are becoming more common all over the world. But the tiny Samoan islands now have the highest rates. An epidemiologist blames changes in diet brought on by globalization.

Wednesday March 30, 2016

Boston Chinese: A Fusion Food Cooked Up In A Melting Pot City

These shrimp "Peking ravioli" (aka dumplings) were featured at the third annual Festival of Dumplings in 2014 — honoring Bostonian and celebrity chef Joyce Chen. Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images hide caption

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Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

The Salt

Boston Chinese: A Fusion Food Cooked Up In A Melting Pot City

March 30, 2016 • Peking ravioli? Chow mein sandwiches? Bread as a standard side dish? There's a fascinating history behind Boston's unique spin on Chinese cuisine.

Wednesday March 23, 2016

Ceci N'Est Pas Ice Cream (Actually It's Lard And Food Coloring)

Courtesy of Sandy Suffield

The Salt

Ceci N'Est Pas Ice Cream (Actually It's Lard And Food Coloring)

March 23, 2016 • A photo series exposes the cheats food stylists use to make dishes look so scrumptious in glossy magazines and cookbooks. Roasted meats are glazed with motor oil, and milk is replaced with glue.

Thursday March 17, 2016

How Potent Is That Pot Brownie? Dry Ice And A Blender Might Crack The Case

Different types of THC-infused confections are left on display at Amazon Organics, a pot dispensary in Eugene, Ore. Ryan Kang/AP hide caption

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Ryan Kang/AP

The Salt

How Potent Is That Pot Brownie? Dry Ice And A Blender Might Crack The Case

March 17, 2016 • Too much THC can land a person in the hospital. But testing pastries and candies made with marijuana can gum up lab equipment. One group of scientists thinks they've got a solution.

Monday March 14, 2016

The Science Behind Baking Your Perfect Pie (Happy Pi Day)

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The Salt

The Science Behind Baking Your Perfect Pie (Happy Pi Day)

March 14, 2016 • Great pumpkin pie is elusive. You could end up with a soggy crust or a grainy filling. Reporter Maanvi Singh embarked on a months-long quest to crack the code for the ideal pie.

The Science Behind Baking Your Perfect Pie (Happy Pi Day)

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Tuesday March 8, 2016

In Honor Of #InternationalWomensDay, A Playlist Of Ladies Who Rock

Israeli sisters (from left) Liron, Tair and Tagel Haim, who make up the band A-WA, perform in Jerusalem. Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

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Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images

Goats and Soda

In Honor Of #InternationalWomensDay, A Playlist Of Ladies Who Rock

March 8, 2016 • Check out the songs (and back stories) of women musicians from around the world.

Monday March 7, 2016

What It'd Take To Save 10 Million Lives: Zinc, Bed Nets, $70 Billion

A pneumococcal vaccine is delivered via motorcycle in Kenya. Evelyn Hochstein/Courtesy of Gavi hide caption

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Evelyn Hochstein/Courtesy of Gavi

Goats and Soda

What It'd Take To Save 10 Million Lives: Zinc, Bed Nets, $70 Billion

March 7, 2016 • Is the price tag too expensive? Is the goal of saving 10 million lives a year too optimistic?

Thursday February 25, 2016

Mom Inspires Daughter To Be A Doctor Who Really Makes People Better

Dr. Etheldreda Nakimuli-Mpungu is one of this year's winners of the Elsevier Foundation Award for female scientists in the developing world. Victoria Sarno Jordan/NPR hide caption

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Victoria Sarno Jordan/NPR

Goats and Soda

Mom Inspires Daughter To Be A Doctor Who Really Makes People Better

February 25, 2016 • "It's not good to just be a doctor," said the mother. The daughter, encountering HIV patients suffering from depression in Uganda, lived up to her mother's vision.