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Is There Any Point to ‘Frivolous’ Academic Research?
BBC News Magazine, 24 September 2009
Denise Waterman, writing for BBC News Magazine, puts the arguments for and against, with my work on the perfect cheese sandwich as a prime example. My own argument is simple: if I can open a door to the world of science by showing how scientists think about the little problems of life, then it’s a good thing. Only when journalists misrepresent it and present a distorted picture of science does it become a bad thing.
A Dunkable Delight, the Sweet Potato Biscuit
Daily Mail (London), 31 August 2009 (and many other newspapers)
Felice Tocchini has created a biscuit which he claims can survive up to a minute in a hot drink before disintegrating into a sodden mess. This smashes the current record of 25.5 seconds for a chocolate digestive…The recipe is a closely-guarded secret, but he revealed that the key was layering flour and oat-based doughs to build strength, before coating it all in an 'impermeable' egg-based glaze before baking. One of the more outlandish ingredients is tiny slivers of sweet potato, which keep it together without spoiling the taste…Physicist and author Dr Len Fisher said the new creation was fascinating. He added: 'This sounds like a clever use of science to solve the perennial dunking problem.' Dr Fisher wrote the book How to Dunk a Doughnut, which applies science to everyday life. He discovered that dunking releases up to ten times more flavour than eating the biscuit dry.
Chocolate Digestive is Nation’s Favourite Dunking Biscuit
Telegraph (London), 2 March 2009
The dunking story just rolls on and on! Here it has resurfaced in the Telegraph (London).
 Abusive Letter re Dunking
I have just watched a programme on TV on how to dunk a biscuit which I believe was a project headed by yourself. What a complete waste of time, of manpower and machinery. Who in their right mind could sanction this scheme. I am sure you could be more dutifully employed as street cleaners or ticket collectors. Is this what goes on at English Universaties [sic] these days, its no wonder we are falling behind in World affairs...
Biscuit Dunking Poem
 Barbara Daniels
I even received the attention of poets. One of their poems has even appeared in an anthology. My favourite, though, was this one from a member of London’s Garrick Club, with the immortal couplet:
“Some men delight in tits and bums,
But I’m absorbed by biscuit crumbs” ...
Professor Len Fisher is a pioneer of the Physics of Biscuit Dunking
In “Quirk : The curious case of a small island” (The Number (UK) Ltd., London, 2004)
Cold Milk Takes the Biscuit
BBC News, November 1999
The best way to enjoy a biscuit is not with tea or coffee but with cold, chocolate-flavoured milk, according to new research. Scientists at Nottingham University have found milky drinks trap the biscuit flavours in the mouth, whereas hot drinks tend to "wash away" the experience before the mouth and nose have had time to fully appreciate them...
Good Dunking Guide
Daily Mail, November 1999
The publicity company came back for a second bite the next year. This time I looked at what liquid you should dunk you biscuit in. It was a simple but substantial bit of science, using a remarkable instrument developed at the University of Nottingham and called MSNose. It measures the concentration of aromas released as one chews, and I discovered that fatty materials like milk (especially chocolate milk!) are best for dunking because the fats and oils retain the flavours in the mouth for longer. I have since used this discovery when helping leading chefs to design flavoursome recipes. View image of article.
Len Fisher on Dunking
BBC Radio 4 "Today" programme, November 1999
School Boy's Letter on Dunking
One of the pleasures of receiving the prize was the large number of letters from schoolchildren. Mostly they wanted help with their projects, but this one had its own advice to offer …
 Scientists Get the Art of Dunking Down to a T
The Daily Telegraph
One of the best media stories about the physics of dunking a biscuit. Unlike some newspapers, the Daily Telegraph actually got the equation right, and also explained just what it meant extremely well. Conclusion: Many journalists are really keen to help put over what science is about. It is really up to scientists to help them more. View image of article.
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