The Mystery Of Asparagus Pee
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If you liked this week’s video, we think you might also like this blog post about asparagus pee:
FYI: We try to leave jargon out of our videos, but if you want to learn more about this topic, here are some handy keywords to get your googling started:
Asparagus: a delicious, edible plant
Odor: a smell, aroma
Gas chromatography: a scientific technique used to separate and analyze compounds
Sulfur: a yellow chemical element with the symbol S
Asparagusic Acid: a sulfur containing compound present in asparagus
People featured in this video:
– Marcel Proust
– Benjamin Franklin
– John Arbuthnot
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Thanks to our supporters on :
– Today I Found Out
– Maarten Bremer
– Jeff Straathof
– Mark Roth
– Tony Fadell
– Muhammad Shifaz
– 靛蓝字幕组
– Jagdtiger
– Alberto Bortoni
– Valentin
– Nicholas Buckendorf
– Antoine Coeur
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Credits (and Twitter handles):
Script Writer: Rachel Becker (@RA_Becks)
Script Editor: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida)
Video Illustrator: Ever Salazar (@eversalazar)
Video Director: Emily Elert (@eelert)
Video Narrator: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida)
With Contributions From: Henry Reich, Alex Reich, Omkar Bhagat, Peter Reich, David Goldenberg
Music by: Nathaniel Schroeder:
Image Credits: Purple, white and green asparagus – iStock.com/PicturePartners
Viceroy Butterfly – Wikimedia user PiccoloNamek
Eggs and Asparagus – Michelle Hooton (used with permission)
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References:
Eriksson, N., Macpherson, J. M., Tung, J. Y., Hon, L. S., Naughton, B., Saxonov, S., . . . Mountain, J. (2010). Web-Based, Participant-Driven Studies Yield Novel Genetic Associations for Common Traits. PLoS Genetics PLoS Genet, 6(6). Retrieved from
Mitchell, S. C. (2001). Food Idiosyncrasies: Beetroot and Asparagus. Drug Metabolism & Disposition, 29(4), 539-543. Retrieved from
Mitchell, S. C., & Waring, R. H. (2014). Asparagusic acid. Phytochemistry, 97, 5-10. Retrieved from acid.pdf
Pelchat, M. L., Bykowski, C., Duke, F. F., & Reed, D. R. (2010). Excretion and Perception of a Characteristic Odor in Urine after Asparagus Ingestion: A Psychophysical and Genetic Study. Chemical Senses, 36(1), 9-17. Retrieved from
Waring, R. H., Mitchell, S. C., & Fenwick, G. R. (1987). The chemical nature of the urinary odour produced by man after asparagus ingestion. Xenobiotica, 17(11), 1363-1371. Retrieved from