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General discussion

Chocolate contributes to scientific breakthrough ...

Feb 13, 2004 12:05PM PST

Well, 'breakthrough' may be stretching it a bit ... but chocolate did contribute:
Yahoo! News - Chocolate Obsession Leads to Physics Discovery

Chaikin and his colleague, chemist Salvatore Torquato, used the candies to investigate the physical and mathematical principles involved when particles are poured randomly into a vessel.

Writing in Friday's issue of the journal Science, they said they found that oblate spheroids -- such as plain M&Ms -- pack surprisingly more densely than regular spheres when poured randomly and shaken.

When poured in, they said, spheres occupy about 64 percent of the space in a container. M&Ms manage to pack in at a density of about 68 percent.

Discussion is locked

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Re: Chocolate contributes to scientific breakthrough ...
Feb 13, 2004 12:24PM PST

Hi, Dr. Bill.

Salvador Luria won a Nobel Prize for work on the genetics of mutatiuon that was stimulated by a trip to Las Vegas and consideration of what has become known as "Monte Carlo theory."

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The opinions expressed above are my own,
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(NT)And that ability to more densely pack explains their fattening abilities!!! (chuckling)
Feb 13, 2004 2:54PM PST
Wink
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Chocolate is a well known health food. I try to eat it
Feb 13, 2004 3:00PM PST

every day for health reasons, of course!