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The Salt
12:08 pm
Thu January 12, 2012

Why X-Rayed Food Isn't Radioactive, And Other Puzzles

Credit Lui Kit Wong / MCT /Landov
Irradiation is most often used to kill insects, parasites, or bacteria in or on spices, which are typically dried outdoors in before being shipped.

Earlier this week, we were surprised to learn that food manufacturers increasingly X-ray foods to screen for foreign objects that can break a tooth. That sounds like a good idea.

But the notion of X-rayed food also sparked a lively debate in The Salt's comments section on whether this poses a health threat. After all, we do know that some X-rays can damage DNA in the human body. So what does radiation mean for food?

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The Two-Way
12:04 pm
Thu January 12, 2012

Court Martial Recommended For Bradley Manning In WikiLeaks Case

An investigating officer has recommended that Army private Bradley Manning face court martial on multiple criminal charges related to the downloading of nearly 1 million war logs and secret diplomatic cables. Manning is accused of taking the files and them passing them on to WikiLeaks.

If he does face a court martial and is convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.

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Movie Reviews
12:02 pm
Thu January 12, 2012

An 'Iron Lady' Fully Inhabited By Meryl Streep

I admit I was biased against the Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady. Not, you understand, against Thatcher and her Tory politics. Against Meryl Streep and her accents. Which are great, no doubt. But I went in resolved not to fall for her pyrotechnics yet again. I wanted realism.

Well, it didn't take long to realize that I was watching not only one of the greatest impersonations I'd ever seen — but one that was also emotionally real.

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NPR Story
12:00 pm
Thu January 12, 2012

Amid Recent Criticism, Romney Pushes Back

After facing an onslaught of criticism about his work as a venture capitalist, Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney pushed back Thursday. At a press conference in South Carolina, he said jobs were created, thanks to his work at Bain Capital. NPR's Ari Shapiro joins Melissa Block from Greenville, S.C.

NPR Story
12:00 pm
Thu January 12, 2012

Gov. Barbour Faces Criticism After Pardons

In Mississippi, criticism continues to stream in after outgoing Gov. Haley Barbour pardoned more than 200 people. Some of those let go include murderers.

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