For the perfect cup of tea, start with the right bacteria
The organisms near a tea plant’s roots can influence the depth of flavour in its leaves
For the perfect cup of tea, does one add milk to boiling water, or the reverse? Neither, if new research in the journal Current Biology is to be believed. What must be prepared first, instead, are the microbes.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Microbe brewing”
From the February 17th 2024 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionDiscover more
Elon Musk is causing problems for the Royal Society
His continued membership has led to a high-profile resignation
Deforestation is costing Brazilian farmers millions
Without trees to circulate moisture, the land is getting hotter and drier
Robots can learn new actions faster thanks to AI techniques
They could soon show their moves in settings from car factories to care homes
Scientists are learning why ultra-processed foods are bad for you
A mystery is finally being solved
Scientific publishers are producing more papers than ever
Concerns about some of their business models are building
The two types of human laugh
One is caused by tickling; the other by everything else