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1. The Dark Ages were a time of prosperity Latest evidence points to productive and sustainable agriculture The Dark Ages ran for about 400 years, from around the fall of the Roman Empire, in the middle of the 6th century, to around the 10th or 11th centuries. It was dark because the light of Rome had been...
2. The military-culinary complex How the army invaded lunchboxes everywhere Have you ever stopped to wonder what drives the incessant innovation in processed food? Who thought that an energy bar would be a good thing to exist? What was the logic that drove the development of the cheese-flavoured powder that...
3. Tulip bulb soup Second helpings from Eat This Podcast 2015 As ever, I’m taking a little break and bringing you some repeats from 2015. This one is prompted by an episode of NPR’s Planet Money that I’ve just listened to. They decided to cook a peacock for reasons that I...
4. A far from dismal scientist In conversation with Marc Bellemare, agricultural economist Speculators are responsible for food price spikes? Food price spikes are responsible for riots in the streets? First-world hipsters are responsible for hungry quinoa farmers in Peru? Seeking answers to basic questions....