November 18, 2004

Sound advice

Pistachio lovers, listen up.

Grab a handful of pistachio nuts and you will usually find several with shells that are closed so tightly they cannot be eaten. But soon you might be able to enjoy the snack without this frustration.

A gadget that listens to the distinctive pings made by nuts when they bounce off a surface could help to sort open-shell nuts from uncrackable closed ones.

So ok, using a nutcracker isn't a terrible hardship, but still...

Here's another more societally beneficial use of sound:

The same type of sound waves that pulsate from sonar fish-finders and ultrasound fetal monitors can dramatically boost the power of anti-clotting medicine and help it dissolve brain blockages in stroke patients, a study suggests.

Since tPA as a clot-buster loses efficacy rapidly, the use of sound waves might save quite a few lives if an emitter could be installed in ambulances. The problem with doing that is apparently training cost, certainly not size; the thing is a lipstick-sized wand. This study was partially funded by NIH; here's their press release.

Posted by Linkmeister at November 18, 2004 11:11 AM
Comments

Ahh...pistachio nuts. People who eat pistashio nuts know what kind of nuts to eat, for sure.

Posted by: RON at November 18, 2004 06:34 PM

Great, now I have a craving for pistachios.
I think that technology is pretty cool, to sort out those pesky closed-shelled pistachios. However, pistachios are already expensive, so I think I'd rather sit there with a nutcracker handy rather than spend extra money on that technology to be used.
Interestingly enough, I happened to be reading your blog at the same time I'm watching this particular Frontline episode... And apparently studies have shown that people who eat more nuts do NOT weigh more.

Posted by: Chloe at November 19, 2004 04:30 AM

Linky,
I want to email you a question. Could you give me your addy, because my computer crashed and I don't have your uptodate email.
Thanks,
Donna

Posted by: toxiclabrat at November 19, 2004 05:05 AM