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Years since the founding of the University of California at Davis Department of Viticulture and Enology. On April 15, 1880, with phylloxera ravaging its vineyards, the California Legislature mandated the University of California to establish a program to provide instruction and research to eradicate the vine-killing insect. Other discoveries by the esteemed faculty have included DNA mapping of grape genomes to identify their origins. Among today’s research are studies focused on sustainability and flavor analysis.

How fast are your tastebuds?

A. 13-15 milliseconds

B. 1-2 centiseconds

C. 1.5-4.0 millseconds

D. 30-35 milliseconds

The human body can taste faster than it can see, touch, or hear. According to Dr. Hildegarde Heymann, Professor and Enologist in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California at Davis, taste perception is swift because the tongue and mouth (assisted by the nose) are the body’s primary defenses against poison. Here’s how fast perception occurs after initial stimulation, as measured in thousandths of a second, for our four main senses:

Taste: 1.5 – 4.0 milliseconds
Touch: 2.4 – 8.9 milliseconds
Vision: 13 – 45 milliseconds
Hearing: 13 – 22 milliseconds

Sober Curious

The term that describes people who want to scale back their drinking and make it a meaningful activity, rather than cut out alcohol entirely. For sober curious individuals, “mindful drinking”—a philosophy that encourages reflection and… Continue reading

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