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If you Google "chocolate chip cookie recipe," you'll find millions of different recipes and methods for making them at home. All feature slight variations that make them unique. Baking temperature, for example, is one detail many bakers disagree on. Top results recommend baking cookies at 375, 350, or even, in some cases, 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Many of them claim to be the "absolute best" chocolate chip cookie recipe.Science may have something to say about that, thanks to some delectable new research.A team of food scientists and researchers from the University of Guelph recently conducted a rigorous examination of the effects of baking temperature on cookies.In a paper fittingly titled "Morphological changes and color development during cookie baking—Kinetic, heat, and mass transfer considerations," published in the Journal of Food Science, a team led by Maria Corradini presented an impressively detailed study.The researchers set out to methodically track what happens to cookies during baking. How does color change over time? How do shape, size, moisture level, and thickness evolve at different points in the process? And, crucially, how do all of those factors shift when different baking temperatures are applied?It's safe to say this may be the most comprehensive scientific examination of desserts ever conducted. The most delicious experiment ever.Photo credit: CanvaThe paper explains what the researchers were looking to uncover and why it matters:"During baking, several physical and physicochemical changes occur, such as shape expansion/contraction, color development, and the generation of desired flavor compounds. Studying the physical and physicochemical properties of baked goods and the influence of heat and mass transfer on them can provide valuable information to the cereal sector to improve and optimize the baking process, control the quality and safety characteristics of products, and guarantee appropriate handling of this product."Though the study focused specifically on cookies, many of the findings could also apply to other baked goods, such as bread, crackers, and granola bars, which make up a sizable portion of the average person's diet.The researchers found that, not surprisingly, temperature had a big impact on how the cookies turned out.Cookies baked at the highest temperatures set quickly in the oven and ended up the driest after the 12-minute bake. Cookies baked at the lowest temperatures retained the most moisture but tended to spread more and develop less ideal shape and structure.While everyone has their own preferences for gooey and doughy cookies or crisp and crunchy ones, the team did find one specific temperature that really hit the spot. Food & Wine summed it up this way: "Within the lab conditions of the study, 205°C (just over 400 F) struck a middle ground — hot enough to promote structure and doneness without excessive drying. That balance may help explain why many experienced bakers gravitate toward slightly higher oven temperatures than individual recipes typically call for."Veteran bakers across social media have plenty of opinions about the ideal temperature for baking cookies, with many advocating for the higher end of what most recipes suggest. Cookies baked at around 375 degrees Fahrenheit often develop a lightly crisp exterior with an extremely moist center. In the lab, researchers baked each batch for 12 minutes. In a home kitchen, however, baking "until done" at lower temperatures typically requires more time and may actually result in a drier cookie overall. - YouTube www.youtube.com What's particularly fascinating about the study is what its findings could mean for future baking research.In the conclusion of the paper, the authors write, "This study serves as an initial and fundamental step for developing a future comprehensive model that can be used to simulate the baking process for producing cookies with better quality and safety."Now that the baking process has been modeled in such extreme detail, researchers are one step closer to "virtual cookies," Corradini told the Institute of Food Technologists. She added that, one day, companies may be able to experiment virtually with different recipes and baking methods without wasting food ingredients or energy.The research could also lead to more efficient food production processes. Corradini has partnered with a team at the University of Foggia in Italy, "who used a very high-resolution biomedical 3D printer to produce biscuit prototypes. They found that they could design a biscuit that needed much less time baking, thereby saving energy." The findings are of particular interest to commercial bakeries that spend billions on energy. Photo by Juno Jo on Unsplash Commercial bakeries in the United States spend close to a billion dollars on energy each year, so they're constantly looking for ways to make the process more efficient. One study found, for example, that cutting bread-baking time by 20% did not reduce quality or safety.Studies like this could help lower those costs, potentially making baked goods more affordable and accessible. And even if they don't, they might inspire us amateur bakers to try a slightly more aggressive baking approach at home on our next batch of snickerdoodles.

Have you ever found that you've lost control of a conversation? Perhaps you're making a point about something when it's derailed by a topic you'd rather not discuss. Rather than get frustrated, there's a super simple technique one can use to get back on track. It's called the "bridge back" method, and once you understand how it's done, it can be an incredibly useful tool in conversation.The "bridge back" method is often exemplified in interviews. Rob D. Willis, a strategic story producer, shared an interview on his Instagram that Matt Lauer conducted with Anne Hathaway during her Les Misérables press junket tour. In this re-surfaced clip making the rounds online, Lauer brings up a "wardrobe malfunction" and asks her what "lessons she learned." See on Instagram First, Hathaway acknowledges that it happened. She then explains how it made her feel. "It kind of made me sad on two accounts. One, I was very sad that we live in an age when someone takes a picture of another person in a vulnerable moment rather than delete it. And I'm sorry that we live in a culture that commodifies sexuality of unwilling participants, which brings us back to Les Mis because that's what my character is." (Hathaway played Fantine, a sex worker in France in the 1800s.)Willis pauses the clip here and points out that this is a classic "trap question" that a celebrity often gets. "The journalist wants an embarrassing story, but the actor wants to talk about what they're working on." He praises Hathaway's bridge back technique and says "it's perfect for difficult questions."He breaks down how she does it:Step 1: Briefly acknowledge“It was obviously an unfortunate incident”She owns it without dwelling on it or getting emotional.Step 2: Connect to the bigger picture “It kind of made me sad on two accounts. One was that I was very sad that we live in an age when someone takes a picture of another person in a vulnerable moment and rather than delete it... And I’m sorry that we live in a culture that commodifies sexuality of unwilling participants.”She moves the frame from her personal mistake to a cultural critique.Step 3: Return to your point“Which brings us back to Les Mis — because that’s what my character is” Anne Hathaway appears on TheToday Show to discuss Les Misérables www.youtube.com, Kingsherry, The Today show On Vocate, a site dedicated to building communication and public speaking skills, they note, “Good bridging isn’t about avoidance. It’s about reframing. A skillful speaker acknowledges the legitimacy of the question but still takes the opportunity to express what truly matters to them and their audience.”They add that the method is also often seen with skilled politicians, writing, “Used well, it creates space for clarity, narrative control, and audience connection.” For a slightly easier way to memorize the tip, they call it the "ABC method"—“Acknowledge, Bridge, Communicate.”On the Cornerstone Coaching and Training site, human resources consultant Betty Lochner goes over similar ideas and stresses the importance of staying in control without getting aggressive or defensive. “Learning how to bridge conversations is learning how to move someone from where they want the conversation to be to where you want it to go.” Nadhi Saini gives examples on how to use bridging in conversations. www.youtube.com, Nidhi Saini

Getting a full night of deep, restful sleep is a struggle. From waking up in the middle of the night to having trouble falling asleep, figuring out the perfect nighttime routine to lull you into sleep is crucial to wake up fully rested. One element that may be throwing off your sleep schedule is what time you go to bed. According to Apple Watch data published in the Apple Heart and Movement Study from 2025 (via Axios), the average American bedtime is 11:37 p.m.But when is the best time to go to bed for optimal sleep? According to science, 10 p.m.Researchers in the United Kingdom found that study participants who consistently went to bed at 10 p.m. reported the lowest risk of cardiovascular disease. Those who went to bed between 10:00 p.m. and 10:59 p.m. reported lower incidence than those who went to bed between 11:00 p.m.–11:59 p.m., and after 12:00 a.m. - YouTube www.youtube.com Dr. Emma Lin, a board-certified pulmonologist and sleep medicine specialist and the co-founder of AimVein, tells Upworthy that the body starts preparing you for sleep even earlier."Around 9 to 10 p.m., the production of melatonin begins in the brain. This is the hormone that gives your body the signal that it is time to go to sleep," she says. "The body temperature drops. The heart beats slower. The breathing becomes rhythmic." By then, the body is perfectly prepped for a good night of sleep."When people go to bed at 10 p.m., they sleep better and faster. Their bodies breathe better," says Dr. Lin. "Most people wake up feeling refreshed. Going to bed at this time corresponds to the body’s natural rhythm." Woman wearing a sleeping mask asleep in bed by 10 p.m.Photo credit: CanvaOf course, going to bed at 10 p.m. may be way too late or totally unrealistic for some people. In that case, Dr. Lin stresses that what's most important is going to bed at the same time every night."Your body loves the same routine every day. This is what I always tell my patients. The brain works like a clock. If the clock doesn’t go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, it will be confused," she explains. "But if the clock goes to bed at the same time every day, it will know when it’s time to slow down. The melatonin will be released on schedule. The breathing will calm down. Patients with insomnia and sleep apnea will see an improvement in their sleep pattern just by having the same bed time every day."The goal is to sleep 7–9 hours each night, which is recommended by the National Sleep Foundation. Dr. Lin adds that this amount of sleep allows the body and brain to recover completely. Woman struggles to sleep on her phone.Photo credit: Canva"Sleeping is cyclical. Some phases are good for the immune system. Others are good for memory. Deep phases are good for allowing the lungs and heart to rest, she says. "When people get less than 7 hours’ sleep, I see increased daytime sleepiness, increased levels of stress hormones in the body, and increased breathing difficulties in people with breathing problems like asthma or lung disease when they get inadequate sleep. Adequate sleep allows the body to heal itself."So, if you are looking to go to bed at 10 p.m. (or a time that will be consistent for you to hit the 7-9 hours), Dr. Lin suggests you avoid these two things to get good sleep: "Exposure to bright light can turn the brain’s internal clock back. Using electronic devices at night suppresses melatonin," she says. "And drinking alcohol can exacerbate breathing problems at night. I tell all my patients that sleep is not a lazy activity. Sleep is a healing activity."