Issue 3: Empowered in Science
This issue shines a light on the women who have shaped,
and continue to shape, the world of science and innovation.
We emphasise the importance of representation, mentorship,
and inclusive education. It’s a call to action to honour
women’s contributions in STEM and to ensure that the next
generation can thrive, lead, and be seen.
Extract
Every time that we come to the supermarket, we are faced with an army of vegetables that are identical to each other. Every apple is the same red, and every zucchini is the same length. Despite this uniformity, we carefully scan boxes of fruit in search of the perfect one. However, the satisfaction vanishes when the tasting reveals a flavourless fruit. Throughout history, we developed a strong aesthetic preference for food, and this leads the consumer to buy more visually appealing, closer to their aesthetic expectations.
Fruit and vegetables have been modified to meet our aesthetic expectations, creating increasingly strong canonical images in our minds. Thus, the apple must be completely red and shiny, and oranges must all be the same size. The Different does not even reach our supermarket shelves. Furthermore, the norms and aesthetic preferences contribute to significant good waste because they are considered “unsuitable” for their appearance. In Italy, for instance, 20% of produce is normally discarded - under optimal weather conditions, and this figure can rise to as much as 70% in years that are affected by severe weather events.