Alcohol, features and articles | Educational Science

Jun 19, 2018

Here's the Latest Study on the Links Between Alcohol and Cancer

Drinking less alcohol may be linked to a lower risk of cancer, a new study suggests. In the study, researchers found that people who drank some alcohol had a lower risk of cancer and death from any cause during a nine-year period than those who drank more or none. In...

Jul 2, 2018

Beer Shortage Looms in Europe As CO2 Supply Dwindles

Forget the conundrum of whether your glass is half-empty or half-full — pretty soon, plenty of beer glasses in the United Kingdom may not have anything in them at all. Soda drinkers won't have much to toast with, either. And it's all due to a severe disruption in the European...

Jul 14, 2018

Why Do Some People Hate the Taste of Beer?

If the thought of sipping a beer is gag-inducing, you're not alone. But even if you're in good company, it begs the question: Why do some people hate the taste of beer? The answer comes down to genetics, which influences how our brains process bitter-tasting and cold beverages. What's more,...

Jul 21, 2018

Should Breast-Feeding Women Really Drink Guinness?

New mothers are commonly heaped with advice — some of it welcome, some not. But there's one rather unconventional piece of wisdom that stands out from the rest: For decades, women have been told they should drink Guinness — the dark, Irish beer — to boost their production of breast...

Jul 23, 2018

Radioactive Traces from the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Found in California Wine

Following the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, radioactive waste leaked into surrounding areas and contaminated waters and food. Seven years later, traces of the disaster were found half a world away — in California's wine. A group of French nuclear physicists tested 18 bottles of California's rosé and cabernet...

Aug 24, 2018

There's No 'Safe' Level of Alcohol Consumption, Global Study Finds

Drinking alcohol in moderation is more harmful than previously thought, according to a new study that concludes there's no safe level of alcohol consumption. The comprehensive study, which analyzed information from millions of people in nearly 200 countries, found that alcohol is tied to nearly 3 million deaths globally each...

Aug 27, 2018

How a Hangover Affects Your Brain the Next Day

We all know we shouldn't drink and drive. But what about hopping behind the wheel the morning after you've been drinking? According to a new meta-analysis, even this could be problematic, as the effects of alcohol on our brains may linger even after the chemical has left our bloodstream. The...

Nov 15, 2018

Coffee Tastes Bitter, So Why Do People Drink It?

It may sound counterintuitive, but people who are supersensitive to coffee's bitter taste actually drink more of it, a new study finds. This sensitivity isn't simply a matter of taste, either, but rather is influenced by a person's genetic makeup, the researchers said in the study, which was published online...

Feb 8, 2019

No, Drinking 'Beer Before Wine' Won't Prevent a Hangover, Study Finds

The adage, beer before wine and you'll feel fine, wine before beer and you'll feel queer doesn't hold up to scientific scrutiny. A new study finds that the order in which you consume alcoholic drinks won't actually help you avoid a hangover. Rather, drinking too much alcohol of any kind...

Mar 1, 2019

Drinking Alcohol May Be More Harmful Than Thought for Young Adults

Alcohol consumption may be more harmful than thought, particularly for young and middle-age adults, a new study suggests. Although drinking alcohol in moderation is often thought to be good for you, the authors point out that many studies on the benefits of alcohol consumption involve people ages 50 and older....

Mar 28, 2019

For Cancer Risk, a Bottle of Wine Equals This Many Cigarettes

Drinking a bottle of wine per week may be like smoking five to 10 cigarettes in the same time period, in terms of cancer risk, according to a new study from the United Kingdom. The study, published today (March 28) in the journal BMC Public Health, is the first to...

May 11, 2019

Is It Safe to Drink Moonshine?

A glass of clear moonshine may look identical to water, but this illicit alcoholic beverage is infamous for its potency — and for the peril associated with drinking it. What is moonshine? Broadly, moonshine is any type of distilled liquor that's manufactured without government oversight, though some argue that moonshine...

Sep 26, 2019

Watch Supersonic Shock Waves Launch from a Bottle of Champagne

Popping open a bottle of bubbly creates shock waves like those in the supersonic exhaust of a fighter jet, according to a new study. The split-second pop of a champagne cork is created by a quick escape of high-pressure gas long stuck in the bottle's neck. Now, a group of...

Oct 24, 2019

A Man Kept Getting Drunk Without Using Alcohol. It Turns Out, His Gut Brews Its Own Booze.

For six long years, a man would experience mysterious bouts of drunkenness without ever drinking a drop of alcohol. Eventually, he was diagnosed with a rare condition that filled his gut with booze. The 46-year-old man had auto-brewery syndrome (ABS), a condition that causes bacteria in the gut to transform...

Jan 27, 2020

Nuclear fallout exposes fake 'antique' whisky

If you've fantasized about dropping a few thousand dollars on a bottle of rare Scotch, you might want to re-think that investment. Scientists have found that half of the bottles of aged single malts they tested were not as old as their labels suggested. Rare bottles of vintage Scotch whisky...