Radiolab

The Sweetest Thing

September 18, 2026·31 min·4-min readnarrativescience
Podzilla Summary (4 min)
TLDR
The quest to find the sweetest thing in the world leads from sugar to artificial sweeteners, sensory illusions, and even brain lasers, revealing that sweetness is not just a chemical property but a deeply constructed perception shaped by evolution, the brain, and the senses. What we taste

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Guest

L

Latif Nasser

narrative on Radiolab

Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Latif NasserPat WaltersLinda BartoszekPaul BreslinCharles ZukerDanielle ReedCharles Spence

Companies

NutraSweet

Products & Tools

LugdunameAdventameAspartame

Research & Papers

Erythrose in interstellar medium

Topics

AstronomyBiologyChemistryFood ScienceLong Form JournalismNeuroscienceScientific Method

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