The bizarre tale of the world’s oldest cognac

Only three bottle were known of the 1762 Gautier Cognac. The bottle pictured was auctioned by Bonhams in New York on April 30, 2014, selling to Polish company Wealth Solutions for US$59,500 and has subsequently been opened and its contents dispersed into a range of high-priced merchandise - watches, coins and fountain pens. Another of the bottles is now in the Gautier Museum and can be expected to remain there for the foreseeable future. The third and largest bottle will sell at auction on May 28, 2020. It is the only publicly available bottle of the world's oldest Cognac, and competition to own it is expected to be ferocious.

The only remaining bottle of the world’s oldest cognac will sell at auction next week, and will almost certainly set a new price record for a bottle of the famous French brandy. Like many of the world’s most expensive cognacs, the bottle of Gautier Cognac was made prior to the phylloxera plague that wiped out Europe’s grapevines in the late 19th century.

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Old alcoholism drug shows potential as new anti-obesity treatment

New research from an international team of scientists has found an old drug, used for over half a century to treat alcoholism, could be repurposed as a useful anti-obesity medication. The animal study saw the drug prevent obesity and improve metabolic … Continue reading Old alcoholism drug shows potential as new anti-obesity treatment

The Auto-Bartender

It’s the end of the academic semester for many students around the globe, so here comes the flurry of DIY projects. Always a great time to check out all the cool hacks from our readers all over the world. One project that piques our interest comes courtesy of [Jason Ummel] …read more

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Brain region that influences binge drinking identified

New animal research from scientists at the Medical University of South Carolina has found binge drinking can be controlled by blocking a key brain region linked to emotion-related behavior. The mouse studies suggest blocking certain opioid receptors in… Continue reading Brain region that influences binge drinking identified

Scientists uncover metabolic mechanisms behind herbal “hangover cure”

A good night out is all too often followed by a bad day. Most of us would probably reach for a glass of water and some greasy food over a herbal remedy that’s claimed to be a hangover cure, but dihydromyricetin (DHM) does seem to have some effect. And … Continue reading Scientists uncover metabolic mechanisms behind herbal “hangover cure”

Unique bladder-brewery condition causes woman to pee alcohol

Doctors at the University of Pittsburgh are reporting a bizarre case of a woman who urinates alcohol. The medical mystery confounded scientists when the woman showed none of the other regular signs of excessive alcohol consumption, leading them to conc… Continue reading Unique bladder-brewery condition causes woman to pee alcohol

Death to all Coca Cola Cans with This Miniature Arduino Powered Cannon

[MJKZZ] sends in this entertaining little tutorial on building a small automated cannon out of a syringe.

He starts the build off by modifying an arc lighter, the fancy kind one might use to light a fire on a windy day, so that it can be controlled by a micro-controller. …read more

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Scientists distill radioactive-free vodka from Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

For the daring tippler, scientists from Ukraine and the University of Portsmouth led by Professor Jim Smith have distilled an artisan “radioactive-free” vodka made from ingredients from the Exclusion Zone around the Chernobyl nuclear reactor … Continue reading Scientists distill radioactive-free vodka from Chernobyl Exclusion Zone