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The Taste Of Space

Posted by samzenpus on from the what-wine-does-it-go-with dept.

It turns out that space tastes like raspberries and not Tang or freeze-dried ice cream as one might suspect. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy were searching for evidence of amino acids in space when they found ethyl formate, the chemical used in to make raspberry flavoring. The astronomers used the IRAM telescope in Spain to analyze electromagnetic radiation emitted by a hot and dense region of Sagittarius B2 that surrounds a newborn star. Astronomer Arnaud Belloche said, "It [ethyl formate] does happen to give raspberries their flavour, but there are many other molecules that are needed to make space raspberries."

23 of 81 comments (clear)

  1. I beg to differ by DaveV1.0 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Space does not have a taste. Sagittarius B2, however, tastes like raspberries.

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    1. Re:I beg to differ by pleappleappleap · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Can vacuum have a smell? Might the lack of any matter provide a certain stimulus to our olfactory receptors? Similarly, might a vacuum have a taste?

    2. Re:I beg to differ by Rei · · Score: 3, Informative

      And the moon smells like burnt gunpowder.

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    3. Re:I beg to differ by Rei · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Can vacuum have a smell?

      I don't know... what does near-instant frostbite of your olfactory epithelium smell like?

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    4. Re:I beg to differ by Taibhsear · · Score: 3, Informative

      Can vacuum have a smell? Might the lack of any matter provide a certain stimulus to our olfactory receptors? Similarly, might a vacuum have a taste?

      Yes. Blood. More specifically, your own.

    5. Re:I beg to differ by JustOK · · Score: 4, Funny

      smells like a typical Canadian winter.

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    6. Re:I beg to differ by nine-times · · Score: 2, Funny

      I remember seeing a TV show that described the smell of space. Highly interesting stuff.

    7. Re:I beg to differ by nitehawk214 · · Score: 2, Funny

      The senses are completely bombarded with input which our brain ignores, for example the feel of your tongue on your teeth right now, or the weight of your shirt.

      Thanks for making me notice these, asshole.

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    8. Re:I beg to differ by Rei · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Why would you smell your blood in a vacuum?

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    9. Re:I beg to differ by shadowbearer · · Score: 2, Funny

        It would probably be the only thing you *could* smell (and taste, likely), as the air rushes out of your sinuses and lungs, past the rupturing blood vessels.

        Briefly.

      SB

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    10. Re:I beg to differ by shadowbearer · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Lunar surface dust in a pressurized environment does. I don't remember that anyone has adequately explained it or not, but it's probably due to rapid oxidation of soil particles in an oxygenated environment. (makes sense)

        Looking around, I found an interesting link here

        http://www.nasa.gov/exploration/home/30jan_smellofmoondust.html

        Another possibility is that moondust "burns" in the lunar lander's oxygen atmosphere. "Oxygen is very reactive," notes Lofgren, "and would readily combine with the dangling chemical bonds of the moondust." The process, called oxidation, is akin to burning. Although it happens too slowly for smoke or flames, the oxidation of moondust might produce an aroma like burnt gunpowder. (Note: Burnt and unburnt gunpowder do not smell the same. Apollo astronauts were specific. Moondust smells like burnt gunpowder.)

      SB

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    11. Re:I beg to differ by j-turkey · · Score: 2, Funny

      Can vacuum have a smell?...

      Yeah, and it sucks.

      ...badum ching!

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    12. Re:I beg to differ by Rei · · Score: 2, Informative

      Morbo voice: Decompression does not work that way!

      If you don't exhale, your lungs burst and rather than blood rushing *out* of your circulatory system, air rushes *in*. Which kills you, of course. If you do exhale, you get to die through a combination of dehydration, freezing, and asphyxiation. Water sublimates in a vacuum. Moisture in your skin, eyes, and mouth goes straight to vapor. The capillaries are permeable, so moisture leaves them too (especially in your lungs), thickening your blood and causing severe acidosis. It also pools under your skin and in the muscles, severely bloating you. Evaporation of water rapidly reduces body temperature (especially on the skin). Nitrogen bubbles up in your bloodstream, a painful condition known as The Bends. Your stomach, bowel, and bladder contents can empty. Seizures occur. At the same time, your lungs work in reverse concerning oxygen -- it leaves your bloodstream. So not only are you not getting new oxygen, but you're losing your existing oxygen. Your brain shuts down in 15-30 seconds. The thickening blood and gas bubbles stop blood flow. You die after a couple minutes.

      And... back to the original topic... the freezing of your senses and loss of blood shuts them down.

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  2. Smelloscope by wjousts · · Score: 5, Funny

    And to think, they laughed at Professor Farnsworth and his Smelloscope.

  3. Only ONE man... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...would dare give me the raspberry!

    GOD!

  4. What's next? by TinBromide · · Score: 3, Funny

    First they had telescopes, which they used to get the sights of space, then they came up with the smell of space, now the taste, so what's next? The sound of space?

    In space, nobody can hear the sound of Wooosh!

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    1. Re:What's next? by EdZ · · Score: 2, Informative

      What, you've never listened to the RF from the surface of the Sun, or a distant pulsar, or Jupiter's electromagnetic field? Or if you want to listen to space Right This Instant, turn your radio (or a TV without channel blanking) to a channel with no broadcast. Behold the CMB.

    2. Re:What's next? by slimjim8094 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The sound of space?

      "Hello darkness, my old friend"

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  5. LoneStar!!! by asicsolutions · · Score: 5, Funny

    There is only one person who would DARE give me the raspberry....

  6. In other gastronomical news... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Scientists report Uranus tastes like crap.

    1. Re:In other gastronomical news... by rts008 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      No, rattlesnake does NOT taste like chicken!

      It tastes like snake. Most snakes taste similar, but not really like chicken. It tastes more like turtle/tortoise than chicken.

      I think that idea comes from confusing texture and appearance with taste. Cooked snake is very much like cooked chicken breast in texture and appearance, but not in taste.

      If you ever want to try snake for yourself, after 'dressing'* the snake, you need to parboil it. A layer of oil will form in the pot. Yes, this is truly 'snake oil'! Discard the water/snake oil batch, rinse the parboiled snake with fresh water. You do not want any of the snake oil! It is very bitter and strong tasting! Not pleasant at all.**

      Now cook the snake in your favorite manner.
      One of my favorites is to make a marinade by simmering some diced celery and onions in orange juice for about 10 minutes, let that cool, pour into a roasting pan/dish, add parboiled snake, cover the pan/dish, and roast at 300 F until done.(judge 'doneness' exactly like you would chicken breast) Enjoy!

      Here is where the 'tastes like chicken' part comes in...It will look and feel just like cooked chicken breast. It will feel the same while chewing on it. The 'palatability' will make your mind try to convince you it is chicken, but your taste buds will insist that it is different from chicken.
      It is a pretty safe bet that if you like chicken breast, you have a better than 50% chance of liking snake.

      That recipe also works great for chicken and pork chops!

      *dressing means skinning, gutting, and butchering the carcass, no matter which animal you are 'processing'

      **this seems to be a characteristic aspect to eating reptiles in general...lizards, you get the picture. Parboil is your friend when preparing reptiles for eating!
      There is a reason Special Forces troops are nicknamed "Snake"...it's shortened from "Snake-eater"...for good reason! We've recipes for stuff most USA citizens would never think to eat on their own!
      Hint:
      If it's not trying to eat you, it's probably food.
      If it is trying to eat you, then not only is it food, but that food comes with it's own delivery service!
      Yes, make it through 'SpecWar***' training, and you are the top of the food chain. Period.
      Cats are prime eating, BTW...all species from domestic 'kitty' to the big cats...lions, tigers, jaguars, ocelots....
      Dog is an 'acquired' taste, but always avoid dog liver- toxic to humans!

      ***'Special Warfare units'== Green Beanies, Black Beanies, SEALs, Force Recon, our U.K. and Aussie**** counterparts, Russia's Spetsnaz, doesn't matter...same-same...pinnacle of the food chain.

      **** For the very best experience for partying while on 'stand down'/leave, find a receptive Australian 'SpecWar' party. Those blokes know how to party! Most 'fun' I ever had with my pants on, was partying with Aussie SpecWarriors...EVER!
      I regret that I have never had the opportunity to stand beside them in battle...I feel certain it would parallel my partying experience with them! Strike Swiftly , and Who Dares Wins ...I remember you, my friends.

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  7. Re:You can't have your cake and taste it too by BlitzTech · · Score: 2, Informative

    Luckily, propyl cyanide is only a health rating of 2 and has an LD50 of 50-100mg/kg. By contrast, potassium cyanide has an LD50 of 6mg/kg, and it is likely that sodium cyanide is close to that value.

    Just like you shouldn't think that wood alcohol is a viable substitute for grain alcohol. It sounds like it'd be similar, but 10mL's will make you blind and 30 will kill you.

  8. Space smells of raspberries shows... by maroberts · · Score: 2, Funny

    ..where Red Dwarf has been when Lister has finished another curry

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