No more slutty honey.
Honey looks innocent in bear form, but it’s one of the most adulterated foods. More than a third of honey in the U.S. is smuggled in from China, and it’s often mixed with illegal antibiotics and heavy metals. But no fear: A laser tool that measures carbon on Mars is on a mission to stop food fraud. The European Space Agency-funded device works by scanning the carbon dioxide released from burning honey, and apparently, it can also detect cheap substitutes in olive oil and chocolate. A company in the United Kingdom is working to develop small portable versions of the laser, so grab your best pipe and prepare to become the Sherlock Holmes of honey laundering. [Earlier, Arstechnica via Wired UK]
