Scientists all over the world are doing amazing work. They’re chasing down cures for cancer, discovering breakthroughs for Alzheimer’s Disease, and advancing green energy. Some scientists are also working on some seemingly less crucial projects, like trying to confirm the answers to age old questions. For instance, do fries stolen from someone else’s plate actually taste better? Research study puts “food theft” to the test A recent study published in the journal Food Quality and Preference noted there have been a lot of studies demonstrating how outside factors affect the taste and enjoyment of food. For example, music can make wine taste better while playing crunchy sounds can make potato chips seem more crisp. However, the researchers write, “There has been little attention on how moral transgression itself might enhance gustatory pleasure in everyday settings.” In other words, it’s commonly accepted knowledge that a bite “stolen” from a friend, family member, or maybe even a stranger is far more delicious than one from your own plate. But the phenomenon has been scarcely studied. Until now. Participants in the study Stolen fries are spicier than justice: How covert larceny enhances taste were asked to “steal” French fries from the plate of a confederate under different conditions. After the theft and consumption, volunteers were surveyed on their emotions (guilt, excitement, etc.), and on how the food tasted. The findings? Not only did “covert acquisition” increase people’s enjoyment of the fries, but the risk involved was highly correlated with stronger enjoyment. Meaning, when the confederate guarding a plate was “stern” and more watchful, the people who stole the fries reported they tasted even better. The guiltier people felt about the taking, the yummier the spoils. The Forbidden Fruit Effect explained Researchers based their hypotheses, that were largely proven correct in the study, based on the well-documented Forbidden Fruit Effect. It’s human nature. The more forbidden, taboo, or restricted something is, the more it naturally piques our curiosity and desire. It’s highly applicable to food, as seen in one study which showed that children who weren’t allowed to eat candy were far more transfixed by candy marketing. The researchers of the stolen fries study write, “Indulgence paired with mild guilt increases enjoyment more than guilt-free consumption.” Not only does the context affect our enjoyment of food, it affects the way our taste buds and brain react. The stolen French fries were perceived as saltier, crispier, and fresher when served with a side of guilt. Truffle oil fries The fascinating psychology and science of food Anybody who’s ever eaten a sandwich or savored a cup of coffee knows a few things to be true. For starters, food tastes better when made by someone else. This is just an anecdotal human truth. When a loved one makes you a sandwich, it’s objectively more delicious than if you’d made it yourself. Fascinatingly, this has also been studied scientifically, or at least tangentially. When you make a sandwich yourself, you’re imagining the end product over and over as you make it. Surprisingly, this has the effect of making the sandwich less desirable. When someone brings you a completed sandwich, not only does it pique your interest, imagination, and hunger, but its contents and makeup are a delightful little surprise. Next, some food tastes better as leftovers. Fresher is better ,but you’re not imagining things if that casserole or those muffins from a few days ago are actually peaking for you. There’s a lot of complex science involved including the breakdown of proteins and fats, moisture distribution, and starch retrogradation—all factors that can change, and improve, taste and texture. Finally, your “dessert stomach” is actually real—sort of. Most people can relate to feeling exceptionally full from dinner, yet still having room for a bit of dessert. This phenomenon has been studied in mice, and researchers have found that sugar has a unique effect: even just the anticipation of the pleasure from eating something sweet can literally trick our brains into blocking the signals that our stomach is actually full. The stolen French fries study proves that food is so much more than just the sum of its ingredients. Food is culture and community, of course, but the pleasure we take in enjoying it can vary wildly based on things like music, love, and even guilt. The post Science confirms that food stolen from someone else’s plate tastes better appeared first on Upworthy.

Dustin Nolan has worked as an anchor for Iowa’s KWQC TV6 (an NBC affiliate) since 2022. Just last year, he and his wife took home a Mid-America Emmy for Best Morning/Daytime newscast in the medium/small market category. All that to say, Nolan’s career seemed to be on an upward trajectory…which made his “bittersweet” announcement all the more heartbreaking.  The reporter was immediately visibly emotional as he told viewers that it would be his last day on air since he was “stepping away from the news industry.” A heartfelt goodbye Nolan began by affirming how seriously he took the job, and how much it meant to him that people “trusted” him to bring the morning news. He said that while he never strove for perfection in his journalism, he did strive for authenticity.  WATCH: Emmy-winning reporter and KWQC TV6 morning anchor Dustin Nolan was visibly emotional as he announced on-air Friday that he’s quitting both the station and the news industry. He said the newsroom owed viewers “more than trends or sanitized news”#quadcities #IApol pic.twitter.com/TVOpls7MPs— Jackie Singh (@HackingButLegal) June 21, 2026 “I promise you I’ve given you everything I have…I’ve always done my best to be transparent, bring you the facts, and I’ve always been myself. I’ve loved being able to provide a public service to this place we all call home, the Quad Cities,” he said.  He continued: “When it comes to this job, all I’ve ever wanted to do is report on the issues that really matter.” Nolan also emphasized the importance of local news stations not simply following “trends” or “sanitizing” their messaging to avoid making people uncomfortable.  “The facts matter and that’s why we do what we do here. We have to take people out of their bubbles and comfort zones and make them think about the world we all live in.” Ironically, Nolan’s plea for facts in journalism wasn’t necessarily adhered to in the headlines relating to his farewell announcement. View this post on Instagram Several outlets covering the story used verbiage that suggested he quit live on the air in protest of the news industry, which Nolan clarified was not the case in a follow-up post shared on X.  “Facts matter. Journalism matters. Being truthful matters. That was my message on Friday, and now it’s being twisted into whatever ideology people want…I was not quitting on air. I decided with my wife months ago, and the station had the job posted months ago. Second, I was not blasting the news station or the news industry. I was simply explaining my approach to journalism and reminding everyone what we do.” Here’s my official statement. pic.twitter.com/7aJyDpUp4q— Dustin Nolan (@DustinLNolan) June 22, 2026 Indeed, Nolan’s farewell message, and the stories that were spun because of it, is a fascinating demonstration of how quickly and instinctively we can manipulate the facts to fit into a certain narrative.  A case study in media literacy It’s worth noting that this was done both by news outlets and regular online discussion. Many comments on X and TikTok interpreted Nolan’s announcement as standing up against having a moral dilemma with working in media.  “It’s so hard to say goodbye to a career you so loved and believe in.  I pray he will be able to find his alignment again,” wrote one person.  Another said, “This is what happens when you have principles and morals and refuse to lie and push propaganda. May Dustin Nolan thrive and prosper in his future endeavors.” Many of us are disillusioned by the bias, censorship, and sensationalism of modern-day journalism. So it’s easy to see how readers might have concluded that Nolan was as well. But the facts are: Nolan shared that he was leaving, and he shared what he believed news stations “owed” the public. That’s it.  If there’s an additional “spin” to add, it’s this human element: what we witnessed was a man saying goodbye to something he loved, and goodbyes are painful. A story like this won’t necessarily make headlines, but it certainly reminds us of what’s undeniably true…that everything ends.  The post Iowa news anchor’s emotional farewell is an eye-opening call for ‘facts’ in journalism appeared first on Upworthy.

Few animals on Earth are as innately endearing as a friendly Golden Retriever. Even folks who don’t fancy themselves “dog people” tend to melt in the presence of a sweet-natured Golden. And if you are a dog person, you can just consider yourself a goner. Perhaps that’s why a Golden Retriever’s “kissing booth” has captured the hearts of so many residents and visitors of Waltham, Massachusetts. The kissing booth isn’t exactly a booth, but rather a window of a home that opens directly onto the sidewalk. And the kissing isn’t really kissing, per se, but rather friendly licks from a good doggo named Driver. As shown in a clip from NBC10 Boston, Driver’s human, Haley Scott, puts out a sign when “Driver’s Kissing Booth” is open, usually in the early evenings. It reads: “Kisses and Pats are offered free of charge. Pay it forward with an act of kindness. My name is Driver and I’m a 3-year-old Golden Retriever! Some of my favorite things are tennis balls, swimming, and going to the horse farm with my mom.” Attached to the sign is a little baggie of treats. “There are treats here for me—please only one per visit! I’m watching my figure,” the sign reads. It’s all about spreading the joy of a good doggo Golden Retrievers are joy bringers. (Photo credit: Canva) Driver (named after Haley’s late father, who was a truck driver) waits patiently by the window for passersby. Haley calls it his “Street TV.” As people approach, Driver sticks his snout out the open window. Some come just for pats, but plenty of people lean in for some sweet pooch smooches as well. A woman named Annie who passed by and visited the booth said, “People need the joy and love of unconditional love from a dog like a Golden Retriever.” It’s so true. Haley could easily put out a tip jar for the privilege of getting sweet doggo kisses from Driver, but for her, it’s really about spreading that joy and love. “Ultimately, I’m doing this because it makes people happy,” she told NBC10. “And so if this made you smile, just go do something to make someone else smile.” People everywhere are enjoying Driver’s Kissing Booth Golden Retrievers are so very kissable. (Photo credit: Canva) Judging by the comments, it’s definitely making people smile: “Goldens are the best people!” “This world needs more golden retrievers!”“I love how dogs love attention, and we love giving them attention.” “This is the greatest story! What a wonderful dog and his human for doing this. This world needs more animals and humans like this in it.” “How sweet! What a good boy! And mom is special for sharing him with the world.”“Now that is beautiful to see. A happy pup spreading happiness. Protect this pup and his human.” Here’s to Driver’s Golden Retriever joy and his human Haley who’s spreading it. The post Passersby in Massachusetts city get free pooch smooches at Golden Retriever’s ‘kissing booth’ appeared first on Upworthy.

When you’re a first responder, you never know what the day might bring. We’ve all seen images depicting firefighters saving cats from trees, but have you ever seen a firefighter rescue a dog? The Cape Coral Fire Department in Florida received a call on June 22, 2026, regarding a struggling dog in a canal at Brittania Lake. Engine 9 and Rescue 9 responded to the call but could never have predicted what they’d find. Resident Denae Judd saw the pup from her kayak and worked to lead the team to the struggling animal. It turns out it wasn’t a dog after all. “She monitored its location and let the crew know it had crawled up under a dock. Firefighters entered the water and were able to extract what turned out to be a coyote pup from the space. It was exhausted from its ventures and unable to be released,” the fire department shared on Facebook. The Cape Coral Fire Department Knew Just What to Do The crews took the animal to East West Veterinary Care Center for help. Staff will coordinate the coyote pup’s move to CROW-Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Inc., for rehab. “For her assistance with this unique situation, firefighters presented Denae with a Community Recognition Coin. We also want to recognize a nearby neighbor, Brian. We learned that he is the one who originally saw the coyote fall in the lake. He even jumped in after to try to get it! His efforts caught the attention of other neighbors who called 9-1-1 and Denae,” the Cape Coral Fire Department shared. “We werent able to get a photo, but firefighters stopped by this afternoon to present him with a coin as well. This save was a great team effort!!” Forrest Gump was right. You never know what you’re going to get. This story’s feature image can be found here

Ryan Seacrest took over the helm as host of Wheel of Fortune in 2024 after long-time host Pat Sajak retired. He and Vanna White have had a successful run during his two seasons as host, and fans seem to love the pair together. As he closed out season 43 of Wheel, Ryan Seacrest is planning a huge move. He recently sold his Napa Valley mansion for $18.5 million, according to Realtor.com. After making significant renovations to the property, Ryan could profit as much as $4.5 million from the sale. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ryan Seacrest (@ryanseacrest) Ryan Seacrest Won’t Have to Move Too Far Ryan Seacrest also owns a Bel-Air mansion worth $36 million and multiple other homes around the country, making a move relatively easy. According to Urban Freaks, his Bel-Air home is the perfect location for someone like Ryan who longs for peace and quiet while still being in Los Angeles. “The property’s history attracted him too—actress Diane Keaton owned it 20 years ago, adding Hollywood pedigree. After Serge Azria’s extensive renovations, the home was move-in ready with modern systems and updated design,” Urban Freaks shared. “For someone constantly in the public eye, the secluded nature of the property offers respite. Ryan can entertain A-list friends in complete privacy or simply unwind in his olive tree courtyard.” Ryan Seacrest may move into a new residence, but it looks like he’s in it for the long haul on Wheel of Fortune. “Thank you to the Wheel crew for another great season!” He shared on Instagram in early June. “Ryan, I will be seeing you again in Season 44,” a fan wrote. “If Ryan is hosting, I’m watching my fav ever!” Another person agreed. This story’s featured image is by Eric McCandless/Disney via Getty Images