Noodle Now!
Guess who’s one of the top five instant noodle lovers in the world? We are! A hungrooo nation, India
ranks fourth in the global instant noodles consumption as per a report by World Instant Noodle
Association. About 5.5 million servings in a year are polished off by us. How much taste bhi health bhi
do we get instantly? The Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) slurpy study on yet another mis-
LEAD-ing brand of instant noodles in 2012 revealed some fatty truth! The trans fat-free claim of Top
Ramen was all hogwash. The CSE study found 0.6 gm of trans fats in its packet while the permissible
limit as per FSSI rules is 0.2 gm per serving. Instant lies, anyone?
Cool cow
What’s the anthem of Kerala’s Vechur and Kasargod dwarf cows? “I like to cool it, cool it.” Many experts
are hailing them as weapons against climate change as farmers struggle with their crossbred cattle in
wake of drought and fodder shortage. The cool quotient of these natural breeds emanates from their
thermometer gene. Researchers at Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University and Animal
Husbandry Department claim that these small cows consume less water and food than the crossbreeds.
The latter often faint and are more susceptible to udder infections than the local species. The
temperature is soaring! It’s time for the small cows to switch on their internal air conditioner.
Toxic fresh air
A walk or run in greener pastures can make Jack a healthy boy! Is it the oxygen? Yeah! But there is more to it – country air’s poisonous elements. Particles and chemicals released by plants and fungi may
strengthen our bodies’ natural defenses a study published in New Scientist revealed. The low level of
toxins these plants produce leads to a kind of repair mechanism in our bodies. It’s the phytochemicals,
compounds that produce strong taste and colour in plants which are at play here. Want to ‘bottle’ tad
bit of poisonous air? Professor Michael Moore, toxicologist and study author suggests it could be a
possibility! Care for a spray of plant poison for better immunity?
Fishy wallet
Fishermen don’t solely return with whole fish one buys at the local market. Tails, spines, scales andskin
waste goes into the net too! About 2 billion pounds of this food junk alone gets dumped into Alaska.
How about carrying this fishy produce in your pocket? Well, now you can. Tidal Vision in the US is using
this food waste to create salmon leather for crafting wallets. A tiny step for ocean sustainability issues,
what say?
Winged commander
Zipping through wilderness into the corridors of power is tiny Blue Mormon butterfly. It’s been declared
a first citizen of Maharashtra’s insect world! The velvet, black-winged and bright blue spot creature has
become India’s first official state butterfly. Found only in the western ghats of Maharashtra, South
India, coastal states and Sri Lanka, Blue Mormon is the second largest butterfly in the country after the
Troides minos. The insect mantralaya can’t help but rejoice getting its due after six decades of
independence. Want an audience with the state butterfly? The winged commander will oblige you the
most during monsoon.
