Today's interesting Fark thread discussed the benefits of red wine as a protection against radiation.
http://www.fark.com/comments/6040286/Apropos-of-nothing-too-much-red-wine-protects-against-radiation
Obviously relevant with Japanese power stations in danger of meltdown and releasing radioactivity.
Debate got off to a good start with first commenter referring to the Neil Diamond song "what about red red wine?"
Then we had suggestions for positive action: "So, should I send a case of pinot noir to Japan?" answered by "Haven't they suffered enough?" while others reckoned that it meant they could stand in the reactor with a hose for a week without harm.
At this stage the inevitable nit-picker stuck his head in "They found that one chemical in red wine when combined with acetyl and injected into a mouse protected it from some radiation damage. That's not the same thing as getting the benefit by drinking wine. Not that there isn't enough reason to drink wine anyway... just saying... that's not whet they found and not what they claimed to have found."
This is getting pretty close to trolling, so it was justly ignored. Nobody really cared about how accurate or realistic the article was, it was the principle of the thing that appealed.
Another commenter gave us this dialog to illustrate the way the message gets garbled:
Scientist: It seems evidence points that an isolated compound might help to prevent the common cold.
Journalist: Neat-o! Is this compound found in anything we normally consume?
Scientist: Yes, red wine, but you'd have to consume 300 glasses of wine to to absorb enough of the compound to be of any potential benefit. Furthermore, the testing and trials are still in early stages, as there are many variables involved. It's really too soon to make any claims.
Journalist: HEY GUYS, RED WINE PREVENTS AND CURES THE COMMON COLD!
Wine Industry Publicist: BUY OUR CRAP IT'S A MIRACLE CURE!
Scientist: ...
Then thread diverted slightly "Actually very few people can tell the difference between a white and red by taste. If you were given a blind test of wine, you probably would have no idea." This was met with scorn from some who were absolutely sure they could tell the difference.
This may be the dumbest claim I've ever read on fark, and I read a lot of fark.
If you have a valid citation to back this up, I'd be astonished.
In 2001, Frederic Brochet conducted two experiments at the University of Bordeaux.
In one experiment, he got 57 wine experts together and had them taste one glass of red wine and one glass of white wine. He had them describe each wine in as much detail as their expertise would allow.
What he didn't tell them was both were the same wine. He just dyed the white one red.
In the other experiment, he asked the experts to rate two different bottles of red wine. One was very expensive, the other was cheap.
Again, he tricked them. This time he had put the cheap wine in both bottles.
So, what were the results?
The experts in the first experiment, the one with the dyed wine, described the sorts of berries and grapes and tannins they could detect in the red wine just as if it really was red. Every single one, all 57, could not tell it was white.
In the second experiment, the one with the switched labels, the experts went on and on about the cheap wine in the expensive bottle. They called it "complex" and "rounded." They called the same wine in the cheap bottle "weak" and "flat."
Yet another study has tasters rate cheese eaten with two different wines. One they were told was from California, the other from North Dakota. The same wine was in both bottles. The tasters rated the cheese they ate with the California wine as being better quality, and they ate more of it.
What this points out is the nasty beast of expectation.
Expectation, as it turns out, is just as important as raw sensation. The build up to an experience can completely change how you interpret the information reaching your brain from your otherwise objective senses.
Your expectations powerfully influence the final vote in your head over what you believe to be reality.
Your expectations are the horse, and your experience is the cart. You get this backwards all the time because you are not so smart.
You learn something new every day.
More stuff on drink here
No comments:
Post a Comment