A Moment of Science: Cochineal Bugs

Award-winning Museum educator Bob Alderink reveals the secret ingredient that gives your strawberry yogurt (and many other foods) a pleasing rosy hue.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal for more information about cochineal bugs.

• Category

  Science & Technology

[abahawas]

don't call native americans indians.. it's just plain ignorant

[ncnaturalsciences]

Actually, either Native American or American Indian is acceptable for use in the U.S., according to almost every style and usage guide, including the AP Stylebook we use.

In a 1995 Census Bureau study of preferences, about half of Indigenous peoples preferred the term "American Indian."

And as noted in Wikipedia, "In Mexico, the preferred expression is "Indigenous Peoples" (pueblos indígenas in Spanish). Indios [Indian] is still in common use, including among the indigenous peoples."

[ncnaturalsciences]

Agreed, eating bugs doesn't sound so bad when the alternative is coal/tar sludge!

[oneflashoflight]

Reading the transcript is best. Really.

[HAZFRAME]

this video is just plain cool

[Sporty Classic]

"you may be rinsing it out with more bugs" gotta love it

[viplami]

does any of you know that coca cola is made by this bug

[TheNewBlackster]

I do not know why so many people are turned off by this (unless vegetarian or vegan). I would rather eat/drink something made with a natural dye (like this red beetle juice) than the synthetic, carcinogenic (cancer causing) FD&C Red 40 dye.

[booshy23ify]

وعععع الله يقرفكم

[Abdulrhman Al-Noshan]

يعني يالحبيب اي شي مضاف اليه لون احمر

بالغالب يكون مضاف اليه مسحوق الخنافس

اولها مشروب الروزبيري - ستاربوكس

انتبه ياراعاك الله

[rednasje1987]

Is that why indians are 'red'?

[rednasje1987]

that would be me :D