An Oxford professor has applied for a patent for a handheld tester that objectively measures the hotness of chili peppers using carbon nanotubes. The piquancy of peppers is usually measured in Scoville units, a measurement developed by scientist Wilbur Scoville in 1912. However, that rating is determined by a panel of testers. This new process would employ objective technology to determine hotness.
The carbon nanotubes used to conduct the new form of testing are made up of carbon atoms placed in a tube that's about 50,000 times thinner than a human hair.
For a high-tech device like that, it's probably best to start saving now. We cut corners by laying off Asylum's in-house panel of Scoville testers. It was a tough decision, and we wish them the best in all their future food-tasting endeavors.














