It was the eve of St. Patrick’s Day here in Dublin. There was a buzz in the air as it was the beginning of a long weekend. Pubs were overflowing, more than usual, with people and drink. Hordes of tourists descend on the city every year to witness the colourful, week-long celebrations for Paddy’s Day....

I attended an interesting talk in the evening, on March 22nd at the Science Gallery. Named Snap, Crackle, and Pop with Nicola Twilley, it attracted my attention because it promised to take me through a lot of things, from the “history of the calorie to the science behind how the sound of food affects its...