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global warming

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New study predicts climate change could cause beer prices to soar

If all the data on global warming hasn’t scared you yet, maybe this will: Rising temperatures could mean less beer. A new study published in the peer-reviewed British journal Nature Plants reported that current predictions of the next few decades see beer becoming scarce and thus more far expensive — as much as twice the cost by some estimates. This scarcity will be the result of a decrease in the production of barely, the main ingredient in beer. Scientists have long known that barely is one of the most heat-sensitive crops. The predicted severe droughts and extreme heat could cause significant losses. Average barely crop losses could range from three to 16 percent, depending on the severity of the climate change. In the US alone, shortages could reduce the amount Americans drink by up to 900 million gallons — that’s 9 billion bottles of beer! According to the study, this decrease in…

Men are embarrassed to adopt vegetarian diets, study shows

Vegetarian and vegan diets might be having a moment, but according to a study conducted by the British University of Southhampton, men are embarrassed to order vegetarian food. Researches with the Man Food Project surveyed 22 men to explore the social and cultural pressures men are under when it comes to dining out. The group was split into three categories: men who were vegetarian for environmental reasons, those who wanted to build muscle without relying on meat, and those who were on economically restricted diets. In most cases, regardless of the reasons behind their diet, the participants expressed embarrassment and shame around ordering meatless meals. “A number of them relayed different experiences that indicated shame, embarrassment, or conflict-avoidance that on occasion led them to eat meat, or offer meat to guests in their house,” Dr. Emma Roe, lead researcher and professor at the University of Southhamton, told Munchies. Roe explained…

Chocolate on track to be extinct in 40 years, experts say

For chocolate lovers, there’s simply no substitute. Unfortunately, the future of the one and only source of that delicious brown concoction, the cocoa bean, is in danger. Thankfully, scientists are working to avoid a world, in our own lifetime, in which chocolate goes extinct. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, cacao plants are expected to go extinct by 2050 due to globally rising temperatures and drier weather patterns in the region the plants are grown. Cacao plants already grow in a precarious part of the planet. They only succeed in a narrow strip of rainforested land, found about 20 degrees north and south of the equator. Temperatures here stay relatively constant, no matter the season. More than half of the world’s chocolate now comes from just two countries — Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. But the temperatures in these countries are projected to rise nearly 4º Fahrenheit by 2050…

Deep fryers could combat climate change, scientists say

Skip the side salad and head straight for those french fries. New research says that molecules from burning fat could counteract global warming —if only in a small way. Researchers at the University of Reading in the UK have discovered that the fatty acids released into the air from deep frying may contribute to the formation of clouds that help cool the planet. The study’s purpose is to attain a better understanding of the impact aerosols have on global temperatures, so that proper regulations can be created. Research has shown that molecules sent airborne during the frying process, turn into 3-D droplets in the atmosphere. These droplets persist for longer than normal water droplets and can see the formation of clouds, which, in turn, help to cool the planet. Clouds created in this way reportedly reflect about a quarter of the Sun’s radiation back into space. “We found these drops could…