The Sweetest Thing
Summary
Latif Nasser investigates the science of sweetness after his children ask what the sweetest thing is. He explores how artificial sweeteners, sensory cues like color and sound, and brain lasers can alter perception, revealing that sugar might actually be the most intense natural sweet. The episode concludes with the discovery of a sugar molecule in deep space, suggesting the universe itself might taste like raspberries.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: AT&T iPhone 18 Pro
Promo: Radiolab Fanny Pack and The Lab Membership
Intro: The quest for the sweetest thing
Scientific ranking of sweeteners by potency
Tasting experiment: Why potency doesn't equal taste
Potency vs. Intensity: Why sugar might be the winner
Evolutionary biology: Sweetness as a survival cue
Sponsors: Capital One and Smalls Cat Food
Promo: This American Life
Fruit chemistry: Volatiles and smell enhancing sweetness
Visual cues: How color and appearance affect taste
Sonic seasoning: The effect of sound on sweetness
Neuroscience: Mapping the sweet pathway in the brain
Optogenetics: Using lasers to create artificial sweetness
Astrobiology: Finding sugar molecules in space
Conclusion and credits
Update: Latif Nasser's vocal cord injury
Staff credits and funding acknowledgments
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