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WORK TITLE: Flavor
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://bobholmes.org/
CITY: Edmonton
STATE: AB
COUNTRY: Canada
NATIONALITY:
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married.
EDUCATION:University of Alberta, B.Sc., 1980; University of Arizona, Ph.D., 1988; University of California, Santa Cruz, certificate in science writing, 1992.
ADDRESS
CAREER
North Dakota State University, sessional lecturer, 1989-1991; University of California, Santa Cruz, instructor, 1995-2000; New Scientist, correspondent, 1994-, features editor, 1998-2002; University of Alberta, instructor, 2010.
WRITINGS
Has contributed articles to New Scientist, Science, Health, U.S. News & World Report, and National Wildlife, as well as various newspapers.
SIDELIGHTS
Bob Holmes is a freelance science writer who has written primarily for New Scientist, an international science news weekly magazine. He has also contributed to Science, Health, US News & World Report, National Wildlife, and various newspapers in the fields of sensory science, evolution, anthropology, behavior, astrobiology, life sciences, environment, ecology, evolution, genetics, and health. He holds a bachelor of science degree from University of Alberta and a Ph.D from the University of Arizona. He earned a certificate in science writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he also worked as an instructor. He has lectured at North Dakota State University and University of Alberta.
Holmes published his first book, Flavor: The Science of Our Most Neglected Sense, in 2017. In it, the author looks at the scientific underpinnings of food preferences—preferences that are based on taste, smell, texture, appearance, and even individual memories. Hess told a Publishers Weekly interviewer : “Human noses are optimized for flavor by the way our heads are shaped; we get the most of aromas that are inside our mouths in a way that no other organism does. We are better at appreciating flavor than all other animals.”
Kathleen McBroom, writing in Booklist, called the book “entertaining and highly readable overview of chemoreception sciences.” A critic in Kirkus Reviews noted the range of the discussion, from “odor receptors, retronasal olfaction, and genetic differences in taste perception” to “experiments that reveal the importance of factors such as the color and weight of the crockery or the sound the food makes in the mouth.”A Publishers Weekly contributor remarked that “as Holmes runs through terrific experiments and describes strange technologies, he makes food science fun and approachable.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, March 15, 2017, Kathleen McBroom, review of Flavor: The Science of our Most Neglected Sense, p. 10.
Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2017, review of Flavor.
Publishers Weekly, February 27, 2017, review of Flavor, p. 90; March 13, 2017, Eric Norton, “PW Talks with Bob Holmes: On the Tip of my Tongue,” p. 71.
ONLINE
Bob Holmes Website, http://bobholmes.org (October 21, 2017).
About
IMG_0026In my 20+ years as a science writer, I’ve published more than 800 articles about evolution, ecology, environment, genetics, biomedicine, anthropology, and other topics. Since 1994 I’ve been a correspondent for New Scientist magazine, the world’s largest-circulation newsweekly of science and technology.
I taught for several years in the Science Writing program at the University of California, Santa Cruz (and am an alumnus of the program), and now teach Science Journalism at Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre on Vancouver Island, Canada (next course June 2016).
Stored in a box somewhere, I also have a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
I live with my wife and standard poodle in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Bob Holmes
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Bob Holmes
3rd degree connection3rd
Freelance writer
New Scientist magazine University of California, Santa Cruz
Edmonton, Canada Area 164 164 connections
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Freelance science writer specialising in environment, ecology, evolution and genetics. I am also comfortable in health and medical writing.
Primary emphasis on longer, more in-depth articles requiring detailed reporting and careful story-telling.
Specialties: Writing about environment, evolution, ecology, genetics. See less See less of Bob’s summary
Highlights
University of California, Santa Cruz
You both studied at University of California, Santa Cruz
Bob studied at University of California, Santa Cruz after you started
Experience
New Scientist magazine
Correspondent
Company NameNew Scientist magazine
Dates Employed1994 – Present Employment Duration23 yrs
University of Alberta
Instructor, Science Journalism
Company NameUniversity of Alberta
Dates EmployedJul 2010 – Jul 2010 Employment Duration1 mo
Taught Science Journalism course for senior undergraduate and graduate students at Bamfield Marine Sciences Centre, British Columbia.
New Scientist magazine
Features editor
Company NameNew Scientist magazine
Dates EmployedAug 1998 – Dec 2002 Employment Duration4 yrs 5 mos
Commissioned, edited, and oversaw production of feature articles about biology, evolution, anthropology, and other aspects of science.
University of California, Santa Cruz
Instructor, Science Journalism
Company NameUniversity of California, Santa Cruz
Dates EmployedApr 1995 – Dec 2000 Employment Duration5 yrs 9 mos
Taught feature writing and newswriting to students in UCSC Science Writing program.
North Dakota State University
Sessional lecturer
Company NameNorth Dakota State University
Dates EmployedJan 1989 – May 1991 Employment Duration2 yrs 5 mos
Taught undergraduate courses in human biology, mammalian physiology, environmental science.
Education
University of California, Santa Cruz
University of California, Santa Cruz
Degree NameCertificate Field Of StudyScience Writing
Dates attended or expected graduation 1991 – 1992
University of Arizona
University of Arizona
Degree NamePhD Field Of StudyEcology and Evolutionary Biology
Dates attended or expected graduation 1982 – 1988
University of Alberta
University of Alberta
Degree NameBSc Field Of StudyZoology
Dates attended or expected graduation 1977 – 1980
PW Talks with Bob Holmes: On the tip of my tongue
Eric Norton
Publishers Weekly. 264.11 (Mar. 13, 2017): p71.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Listen
Full Text:
In Flavor: The Science of Our Most Neglected Seme (Norton, Apr.), science writer Holmes surveys the interplay of taste, smell, and feel.
Why is flavor such a surprisingly ripe field of scientific exploration?
I've always been fascinated by the sense of smell and the way it influences our behavior in unexpected ways. Also, I love to cook and eat. There is fascinating science work happening in flavor that is relatively new. We are still working stuff out, such as how many basic tastes there are, or how we detect the smell or taste of a molecule.
Can you describe some of the suggested "new" tastes beyond sweet, salty, umami, bitter, and sour?
There is some indication that people have a taste for calcium, but there is no conclusive evidence at this time. There may be a basic taste for water. Rodents have a taste for starch, but it isn't clear that humans do. It has also been suggested that there is a taste for carbon dioxide, perhaps having to do with detecting fermented foods that might be going bad.
What was your favorite experiment that you participated in or learned about? My favorite was trying Szechuan pepper, a seedpod in the citrus family. When you mush it in your mouth for a bit, you feel a buzz, like the lowest G on a piano. I have never felt that before and it is the most bizarre feeling. Also it was fascinating talking to professional flavorists and learning how individual elements come together to make one flavor--that wintergreen, anise, and vanilla make root beer, or that four unrelated flavors make strawberry.
Who is the coolest person that you met?
The Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philly is where some of my favorite people work. I was also impressed by Harry Klee, the tomato guy in Florida who figured out why grocery store tomatoes taste lousy and how to fix them. That is probably the most practical discovery that will impact people's lives in the next 10 years.
What was the most surprising thing you learned?
That the human nose is quite good--better than that of rats and as good that of as dogs--but our noses aren't down where the smells are. Human noses are optimized for flavor by the way our heads are shaped; we get the most of aromas that are inside our mouths in a way that no other organism does. We are better at appreciating flavor than all other animals.
What did you learn that you've used the most?
Paying attention. Everyone thinks "my nose isn't special, I couldn't pick out the coconut aroma in my peach or the fig note in my chocolate" but anybody who can pick out the difference between a raspberry and a strawberry has the basic perceptual tools. I now carry a wine flavor wheel because it is easier to pick things off a list than to come up with something from scratch. I also grill my steaks at a lower temperature since the research suggests that you get more of the roasty, nutty flavors if it has more time on the grill.
Flavor: The Science of our Most Neglected Sense
Kathleen McBroom
Booklist.
113.14 (Mar. 15, 2017): p10.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Flavor: The Science of our Most Neglected Sense.
By Bob Holmes.
Apr. 2017.320p. Norton, $26.95 (9780393244427). 612.3.
There are connoisseurs among us, those who can swirl a glass of wine and identify the vintage, or sniff a mushroom and
discern when it was harvested. And then there are those of us who just like to eat; pass the fries, and where's the hot
sauce? In this entertaining and highly readable overview of chemoreception sciences, still an emerging field, according
to the author, readers learn that food preferences--and we all have them, based on our DNA, our physical peculiarities,
our heritage, our experiences in utero and during weaning--are based on a combination of sensations: taste, most
certainly, but also smell, feel, texture, appearance, and memory. Chapters deftly summarize current research, addressing
the physical and evolutionary aspects that explain why Western palates enjoy some foods (peanuts and beer) but not
others (aged walrus meat). The final chapter anticipates flavors of the future while encouraging readers to savor the
ever-expanding flavors currently available. Foodies will enjoy the anecdotes and should be able to handle the science;
the science crowd will appreciate the solid presentation and should be able to handle the restaurant reviews. Everyone
will be ready for a snack. --Kathleen McBroom
McBroom, Kathleen
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
McBroom, Kathleen. "Flavor: The Science of our Most Neglected Sense." Booklist, 15 Mar. 2017, p. 10. General
OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA490998361&it=r&asid=f147399543b2a380b16865548f83c923.
Accessed 8 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A490998361
10/8/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1507498362610 2/3
Holmes, Bob: FLAVOR
Kirkus Reviews.
(Mar. 1, 2017):
COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Holmes, Bob FLAVOR Norton (Adult Nonfiction) $26.95 4, 25 ISBN: 978-0-393-24442-7
An introduction to what flavor is and how we experience it.In the early chapters, Holmes, a longtime correspondent for
New Scientist and an avid cook, gets a bit bogged down in the biology of taste, resulting in a slow narrative pace during
his discussions of odor receptors, retronasal olfaction, and genetic differences in taste perception. Matters pick up,
however, in the third chapter, "The Pursuit of Pain," in which the author turns away from taste and smell and explores
another aspect of flavor: burn. Holmes blends accounts of his interviews with researchers with his own experiences
testing the fire levels of various chili peppers, a narrative pattern he follows in later chapters. In the next chapter, "This
is Your Brain on Wine," he recounts experiments that reveal the importance of factors such as the color and weight of
the crockery or the sound the food makes in the mouth. He also reports that researchers are finding that the brain binds
together inputs from many sensory channels to create the sensation of flavor. In other chapters, Holmes takes up the
problems of keeping flavor in certain crops, such as tomatoes and strawberries, the development of appealing ready-toeat
meals for the military, and how flavor affects food intake. The author chronicles his visit to the Culinary Institute of
America to see students learning how to create flavor in the kitchen. He also spent time with scientists working in the
modern flavor industry, chemists who take flavors apart and build them up again to enhance processed foods. Among
the odder experiments conducted by the author, who often put himself front and center, was decanting wine into his
kitchen blender to see how it affected the flavor; the results are intriguing. An uneven work, but some of the chapters
could have lives of their own as entertaining magazine pieces.
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Holmes, Bob: FLAVOR." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2017. General OneFile, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA482911565&it=r&asid=8b7249be77e5f651fa7260abc68cb278.
Accessed 8 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A482911565
10/8/2017 General OneFile - Saved Articles
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/marklist.do?actionCmd=GET_MARK_LIST&userGroupName=schlager&inPS=true&prodId=ITOF&ts=1507498362610 3/3
Flavor: The Science of Our Most Neglected
Sense
Publishers Weekly.
264.9 (Feb. 27, 2017): p90.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
* Flavor: The Science of Our Most Neglected Sense
Bob Holmes. Norton, $26.95 (320)
ISBN 978-0-393-24442-7
In this mouthwatering work, New Scientist correspondent Holmes turns the kitchen into a laboratory, probing the nature
of gustatorial delight to find better ways to think and talk about the foods we enjoy (or don't). Holmes opens by
carefully walking readers through what flavor actually is, which turns out to be much more than just the sense of taste.
Taste is vital because it helps a person detect immediately what will supply carbohydrates (sweet), electrolytes (salt),
and protein (umami) while avoiding poisons (bitter) and food that has gone bad (sour). Most people understand that
scent is a component of flavor, but sight, sound, touch, and even mental states such as expectation play into the way we
perceive our foods. Holmes also addresses the ways in which flavor potentially affects appetite, as scientists remain
undecided on that question. He takes a fascinating and mildly disturbing foray into the industrial flavor industry and
shares what gives certain foods their particular flavor. He concludes by taking a look at the way chefs and amateurs
cooks combine flavors. He encourages gastronomic appreciation, since "almost anyone can get better at appreciating
flavor." As Holmes runs through terrific experiments and describes strange technologies, he makes food science fun and
approachable. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Flavor: The Science of Our Most Neglected Sense." Publishers Weekly, 27 Feb. 2017, p. 90+. General OneFile,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=ITOF&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA485671230&it=r&asid=9c5637ddddd865528bd1014b59310954.
Accessed 8 Oct. 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A485671230