pumpkin – XiaoZhi Lim

Pumpkin in pumpkin spice lattes: none

This morning the New York Times had a new video, What’s In It: Pumpkin Flavor, which explained how stuff like pumpkin spice lattes get their signature flavors. Not too surprisingly, there’s no pumpkin involved. Pumpkin provides more texture than flavor, and I’m pretty sure a pumpkin-textured latte wouldn’t be a seller.

Boston University Pumpkin Drop

10/31/13 Boston, MA – Julie Williams, center, and Jessica Allan, right, moves a large pumpkin filled with paint together to a chute on the roof of Boston University Metcalf Science Center for physics professor Karl Ludwig, left, to push off. "I'm a rookie," said Ludwig. Photo by XiaoZhi Lim

For a photojournalism class that I took in fall 2013, I had to turn in a complete picture story every Monday. One of them was the annual Boston University Pumpkin Drop, held by the Boston University physics department. Staff and students fill some 40 pumpkins with paint and flour, and then push the pumpkins off… Continue reading Boston University Pumpkin Drop

Three chemistry tricks to spice up your Halloween

If you stayed up last night celebrating the Red Sox win and have to throw a badass Halloween party tonight, here’s three cool chemistry tricks using common items to help you out.