‘Name, sir?’ I inquire.

‘Edward Bunton,’ he replies, his rapid breaths condensing on the glass screen between us. ‘Appointment with Dr Jenkins.’

‘Bunton…’ I murmur, clicking through my computer.

‘You hear the news, son?’

I glance up at him. ‘About the aliens? Yes, sir.’

‘Extraordinary, isn’t it?’ he gushes. ‘I knew it. I knew they were real.’

‘Mhmm.’ My mouse clicks faster.

‘You must’ve seen Star Wars, eh? Star Trek? ET? Amazing that we can come up with all this tosh and in truth they wouldn’t look out of place in a bloody zoo. Must be chilly on their planet with all that fur, eh?’

‘Dr Jenkins, you said?’ I interrupt.

‘Er, yes. For three-thirty. You know, they’re saying they’ve got technology that’ll put us hundreds of years into the future. Help us make spaceships, even. Faster than light! Unbelievable.’

I look at him again. His face is beet red with elation.

‘You can go in now,’ I direct him.

He hesitates. ‘My appointment’s in fifteen minutes. Bit early, isn’t it?’

I point down the hallway. ‘First door on your left.’

Now looking confused, he nods to me and goes on his laboured way. As soon as he’s out of earshot, I lean over to Ana and, unwilling to touch her, I put a hand on the back of her chair. She pauses her furious typing and looks at me with dried tears etched into her cheeks.

‘Why?’ she chokes out. Another question she already knows the answer to.

Seeing her upset wipes my mind clean of all the words I’d rehearsed over and over again in the shower and in front of the mirror. Swallowing over the lump in my throat, I bow my head, unable to meet her gaze.

‘Crosswords,’ I mumble. ‘Too many crosswords.’

Confusion flickers across her features. ‘Huh?’

I clear my throat. ‘Crosswords. How many have we solved together since last year? Hundreds? I love doing them with you.’

Our eyes meet again, and she’s looking at me intently, like there’s something she’s searching for. She doesn’t say anything, so I ramble on.

‘And before I met you, I’d never tried anything Mediterranean before. That salad your mom makes, what’s it called? Tabbouleh? I could eat it for breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, supper, even whatever you call that meal we had at 2am during that night shift.’

‘Din-fast,’ she smiles. My heart skips a beat.

‘I loved our din-fast. And I love the way you don’t take smack from anyone. How many rude visitors did you tell off when I didn’t have the guts to do it?’

‘I told you, you shouldn’t let them just walk all over you.’

I smile back. ‘When you’re around, I don’t need to worry. And as much as I hate this place,’ I gesture to the office at large, ‘I love it too, because it’s our space. I feel safe here. You make me feel safe. And you might be the only person on the planet who thinks I’m funny.’

Her tears take on a different quality. ‘Toby, are you saying – ’

The sound of a door creaking open cuts her off. The stooped form of Dr Jenkins emerges from his office, one hand clutching his stethoscope, the other running a hand through his wild bone-white hair. By the time he reaches reception we’re already back at our computers looking as busy as possible, as if we can somehow shield ourselves from the moment.

‘Have you two seen the news?’ he exclaims.

I glance at the TV on the wall in the waiting room. I’d turned it off just before telling Ana I wanted to talk to her; before that, it had been blaring CNN’s latest on the alien contact.

‘It was getting distracting.’

‘Nonsense,’ he scoffs. ‘Something big has happened. You’ll want to see this.’

He grabs the remote and flips the TV back to life. A reporter is standing in front of the White House, gesturing at some peculiar triangular buildings on the usually pristine green lawn.

The aliens have arrayed their craft in front of the White House in a startling display of power, the reporter says, but so far it appears their intentions are benevolent. Predictably, social media has gone into a frenzy, quickly dubbing the triangular spacecraft “White Toblerones”. 

The news report momentarily captures my attention, a brief distraction, the words barely registering in my mind. I steal a glance at Ana from the corner of my eye; her profile is bathed in the soft glow of the office lights. She’s composed now, but her eyes still shimmer with unshed tears.

‘Toblerones? Can’t see the resemblance myself,’ Dr Jenkins grunts.

‘Don’t you have a patient waiting?’ I ask him. Ana loves Toblerones. Last month, after she had a particularly rough day, I surprised her with one of the giant ones they only sell at certain confectionery stores. I recall the way she squealed with pure delight, suppressing a smile at the memory.

Dr Jenkins waves a nonchalant hand at me, his attention fixed on the screen.

‘Edward can wait,’ he says. ‘His appointment hasn’t started yet, anyway.’

The news report drones on for another fifteen minutes, during which I try and fail to avoid stealing glances at her. I click through my computer aimlessly as a whirlwind of emotions tugs me in different directions. Self-reproach slides through my gut like a parasite. My mind chatters incessantly, a constant stream of doubts about the ill-timed confession, at once regretful and relieved.

It took me months to realise and then admit to myself how I felt. Anabela is unlike anyone I’ve ever met before: a firebrand, in the vein of her Latin mother, a romantic, a thinker, an obsessive, a quandary. She hasn’t shown me a red flag yet, but even if she did, I’d charge at it faster than a Spanish bull.

There’s just one problem.

‘How is Lucy, Tobias?’ Dr Jenkins asks, suddenly standing in front of my counter, the TV muted.

‘She’s great, thank you,’ I stammer back. ‘She was just promoted to partner at her law firm. I’m so proud of her.’

He nods. ‘I’m not surprised. She’s extraordinary, that one.’ He looks at Ana. ‘And how is your mother, Anabela?’

She turns around, lashes glistening. ‘Very well, Dr Jenkins. Sounds like the aliens are supplying us with all sorts of medical tech. You and her might both be out of a job soon.’

‘Yes, perhaps,’ he chuckles. ‘Well, Tobias, we will miss you here. Some more than others, perhaps.’ His eyes dart between us as he stalks back into his office.

Once we’re sure he’s gone, we exchange another meaningful glance. Heart pounding, my breath catches in my throat, and I have to force the words out.

‘I’ve realised there are some things I can’t avoid anymore,’ I say softly. ‘Even if they complicate everything.’

A dozen expressions dance across her face, each more anguished than the last. At last she settles on a tearful smile. Her gaze lingers on me for a moment, her eyes searching mine.

‘Being friends would be easier than… ’ she trails off.

I feel a warm flush in my cheeks. ‘Sorry.’

‘No,’ she murmurs, her voice carrying a hint of humour. Her chest rises with a deep, steadying breath. ‘Don’t apologise. It’s complicated, and I’ve tried to push it away, but it’s the truth. I feel the same way.’

My animal brain almost takes control of me then. It warms my cheeks, quickens my pulse, screeches that this is when I’m supposed to kiss the girl. But my rational brain wins. It hurts, and part of me doesn’t want to, but I say it in a whisper.

‘And that’s why I have to leave.’

We share a moment of silent understanding, and she inclines her head, a sad smile on her lips. By the time Edward Bunton emerges from Dr Jenkins’ office, we’re both busy at our desks. I’m packing up my stationery, my spare lunch containers from Ana’s mom, my book of crossword puzzles. She deals with Bunton, shutting down his awkward attempts at conversation about the White Toblerones and ushering him out the door with a minimum of fuss.

I look around the office as I leave, a space that holds so many memories, and the lump in my throat returns. We do our customary walk together back to our cars. We stop at hers first, the blue Mazda Demio with a chipped wing mirror. The earlier heat hasn’t fully faded but somehow my limbs and hands are shivering.

She looks up at me uncertainly. ‘You finally told her about me, didn’t you?’

‘Before this, I’d only been in love once.’ Reaching into my pocket, I slip my wedding ring back on. It’s cool, but it slides back into the depression on my finger with comfort, like it never left. ‘And now it’s twice. But I made a commitment to Lucy, and I have to honor that.’

She studies the ring, then shakes her head. ‘You were an idiot for taking it off in the first place.’

‘I wasn’t thinking.’

‘No, you weren’t.’

‘Somehow, it made me feel less guilty for feeling the way I do about you.’

‘Sometimes I wonder if your brain is made of tabbouleh,’ she retorts. We share a chuckle.

‘I don’t know Lucy,’ she continues, ‘but I can’t do this to her. From everything you’ve told me, the way you talk about her, the way you love each other. She doesn’t deserve this.’

She takes a shuddering breath. ‘I don’t know if it’s possible to love two people at once. Especially with your whole heart. So it’s okay. I understand. Sometimes you meet the right person,’ her voice breaks, ‘but someone else got there first. That’s life.’

‘And that’s why we can’t talk for now.’

‘No,’ she corrects me, ‘that’s why we can’t talk ever again.’

The words make a physical pain in my chest. I always imagined heartbreak would feel like a tearing sensation, or the stab of a dagger, or that it would make me cry out in anguish. Instead it’s a dull ache between my ribs, like someone pulled the fibres of my myocardium and twisted them into knots. At the same time my conscience is beating on the inside of my skull, demanding why this is so difficult when it shouldn’t be. Should it?

We let the silence stretch for a time, unwilling to let the moment end. Then a piercing sound from above makes us both jump and whirl around. A dark triangle emerges from the distance, gradually looming larger, until it takes shape as one of the White Toblerones streaking past at incredible speed. It passes just above us, and the reflection from the otherworldly metal is almost as bright as the sun itself, beautiful and incomprehensible. A few blinks later and it’s a speck in the distance.

We turn back to each other, eyebrows raised.

‘I thought they’d be… more,’ I admit, my voice raw and unsteady. Squinting into the distance, I convince myself I can still see a dot on the fiery horizon. ‘Something more than a bus-sized triangle.’

Ana sniffs. ‘That’s the problem.’

We share one last glance of shared understanding that needs no words. She tilts her head and gives me that slightly wider smile that shows all of her teeth, wrinkling up her nose. The evening sun lights her skin golden, a longing wind caresses her hair, and I know she’ll never look at me that way again.

Basic Cooking Terms

Au jus – To serve with the natural juices or gravy.

Bake – Cook by dry heat in an oven; or to cook pancakes on a griddle.

Baking sheet – Good baking sheets (also called cookie sheets) are thick, and the best are insulated. Nonstick baking sheets can make life easier.

Baking (Pizza) stone – It is best to bake pizza and bread directly on a hot surface, and a baking stone provides the hot surface needed.

Barbecue – To roast meat slowly on a spit or grill over coals, or in the oven, basting frequently with a highly seasoned sauce.

Baste – To moisten foods during cooking with drippings, water or seasoned sauce, to prevent drying or to add flavor.

Beat – To work a mixture smooth with a regular, hard, rhythmic movement.

Blanch – To immerse fruits or nuts in boiling water to remove skins or make easy to peel; also, to dip fruits and vegetables in boiling water in preparation for canning, freezing or drying.

Blend – To mix two or more ingredients until smooth and uniform.

Blind bake – To bake a piecrust before it is filled to create a crisper crust. To prevent puffing and slipping during baking, the pastry is lined with foil and filled with pie weights, dry beans or uncooked rice. These are removed shortly before the end of baking time to allow the crust to brown.

Boil – Cook in boiling liquid in which bubbles rise vigorously to the surface. The boiling point of water is 212 F at sea level.

Braise – To brown meat or vegetables in small quantity of hot fat, then to cook slowly in small amount of liquid either in the oven or on top of the stove. Braising is an ideal way to prepare less-tender cuts of meat, firm fleshed fish and vegetables.

Broil – Cook by exposure to direct heat under the broiler of a gas or electric range, in an electric broiler, or over an open fire.

Brown – To cook food quickly on top the stove (in fat or without fat), under a broiler, or in the oven to develop a richly browned, flavorful surface and help seal in the natural juices.

Brush – To spread food with butter or margarine or egg, using a small brush.

Butterfly – To split a food such as shrimp, boneless lamb leg or pork chop, horizontally in half, cutting almost but not all the way through, then opening (like a book) to form a butterfly shape. Butterflying exposes more surface area so the food cooks evenly and more quickly.

Candy – To cook fruit in a heavy sugar syrup until transparent, then drain and dry. Also, to cook vegetables with sugar or syrup to give a coating or glaze when cooked.

Caramelize – To melt sugar slowly over very low heat until sugar is liquid, deep amber in color and caramel flavored.

Chill – To refrigerate food or let it stand in ice or iced water until cold.

Chop – To cut food into small pieces with a knife or small cutting appliance.

Chow (Stir-fry) – A basic cooking method in Oriental kitchens. Generally a wok is used, but you may use a frying pan. The food is tossed about in a hot pan with very little oil, in a process not unlike sautéing.

Clarify – To clear a liquid, such as consommé, by adding slightly beaten egg white and egg shells; the beaten egg coagulates in the hot liquid and the particles which cause cloudiness adhere to it. The mixture is then strained.

Coat – To roll foods in flour, nuts, sugar, crumbs, etc., until all sides are evenly covered; or to dip first into slightly beaten egg or milk, then to cover with whatever coating is called for in a recipe.

Coats spoon – When a mixture forms a thin, even film on the spoon.

Coddle – To cook slowly and gently in water just below the boiling point. Eggs are frequently coddled.

Combine – To mix various ingredients together.

Cook – To prepare food by applying heat in any form.

Core – To remove the core or center of various fruits, such as apples, pears and pineapple, and vegetables, such as lettuce and cabbage. Coring eliminates small seeds or tough and woody centers.

Correct the seasoning – To check for salt, pepper or herbs to make sure the dish has turned out as expected.

Cream – To rub, whip or beat with a spoon or mixer until mixture is soft and fluffy. Usually describes the combining of butter and sugar for a cake.

Crimp – To pinch or press dough edges – especially piecrust edges – to create a decorative finish and/or to seal two layers of dough so the filling does not seep out during baking. Edges of parchment or foil may also be crimped to seal in food and its juices during cooking.

Crisp – To make firm and brittle in very cold water or in refrigerator (lettuce or other greens, for example).

Curdle – To coagulate, or separate, into solids and liquids. Egg- and milk-based mixtures are susceptible to curdling if they are heated too quickly or combined with an acidic ingredient, such as lemon juice or tomatoes.

Cut – To break up food into pieces, with a knife or scissors.

Cut in – To mix shortening with dry ingredients using a pastry blender, knife or fork. Usually applied to pastry making.

Deep-Fry – Cooking in enough fat to cover the food completely. The aim is to produce foods with a crisp golden-brown crust and a thoroughly cooked interior without letting them absorb too much fat. The kind, quantity and temperature of the fat are important in accomplishing this result.

Deglaze – After meats or vegetables have been browned, wine or stock is added to the pan over high heat, and the rich coloring that remains in the pan is gently scraped with a wooden spoon and combined with the wine or stock.

Devein – To remove the dark intestinal vein of a shrimp by using the tip of a sharp knife, then rinsing the shrimp in cold water.

Develop – Allow food to sit for a time before serving so the flavors have a chance to blend or brighten.

Devil – To coat with a hot seasoning, such as mustard or a hot sauce. Eggs are “deviled” when the yolk is mixed with highly spiced seasonings.

Dice – To cut food into small cubes of uniform size and shape, usually about 1/4 inch in size.

Dissolve – To make a liquid and a dry substance go into solution.

Dot – Scatter small amounts of specified ingredients, usually butter, or nuts, chocolate, etc. on top of food. This adds extra richness and flavor and helps promote browning.

Dredge – To sprinkle, coat or cover with flour, crumbs, cornmeal or other seasoned mixture.

Drizzle – To slowly pour a liquid, such as melted butter or a glaze in a fine stream, back and forth, over food.

Dust – To sprinkle a food or coat lightly with flour, sugar, cornmeal or cocoa powder.

Emulsify – To bind liquids that usually cannot blend smoothly, such as oil and water. The trick is to add one liquid, usually the oil, to the other in a slow stream while mixing vigorously. You can also use natural emulsifiers – egg yolks or mustard – to bind mixtures like vinaigrettes and sauces.

Ferment – To bring about a chemical change in foods or beverages. Beer, wine, yogurt, buttermilk, vinegar, cheese and yeast breads all get their distinctive flavors from fermentation.

Fillet – A strip or compact piece of boneless meat or fish.

Flambe – To sprinkle with brandy or liqueur and ignite and serve flaming.

Fold; Fold in – To combine two ingredients or two combinations of ingredients by two motions; cutting vertically through the mixture and turning over and over by sliding the implement (usually a rubber spatula or wire whisk) across the bottom of the mixing bowl with each turn.

Fork-tender – A degree of doneness for cooked vegetables and meats. You should feel just a slight resistance when food is pierced with a fork.

Fricassee – To cook pieces of fowl or meat by braising and serving with a thickened sauce.

Fry or Pan-Fry – To cook in a small amount of fat on top of the stove; also called “saut ” and “pan-fry.”

Garnish – To decorate any foods. Nuts, olives, parsley, citrus zest and so forth are called garnishes when used to give a finish to a dish.

Glace – To coat with a thin sugar syrup cooked to the crack stage.

Glaze – To cover with aspic; to coat with a thin sugar syrup; to cover with melted fruit jelly. Cold meats, fish, fruit, etc., are often glazed.

Grate – to rub on a grater to shred or flake.

Grill – See “Broil.”

Hack – When cutting up chickens or thin boned meats, one “hacks” with a cleaver, thus cutting the meat into large bite-size pieces and retaining the bone. The presence of the bone will keep the meat moist during cooking.

Julienne – Food cut into very thin strips.

Knead – To work and press dough with the heels of your hands so the dough becomes stretched and elastic.

Lard – To insert strips or pieces of fat into uncooked lean meat for added flavor and moisture; or, slices of fat may be spread on top of uncooked lean meat, meatloaf or fish for the same purpose.

Leavening – Any agent that causes a dough or batter to rise. Common leaveners include baking powder, baking soda and yeast. Natural leaveners are air (when beaten into eggs) and steam (in popovers and cream puffs).

Liqueur – A sweet, high-alcohol beverage made from fruits, nuts, seeds, spices, or herbs infused with a spirit, such as brandy or rum. Traditionally served after dinner as a mild digestive, liqueurs can also be used in cooking.

Lukewarm – At a temperature of about 95 F. Lukewarm food will feel neither warm nor cold when sprinkled on or held to the inside of the wrist.

Marinate (Marinade) – To let foods stand in a marinade, usually an acid-oil mixture of oil and vinegar or wine, often flavored with spices and herbs.

Melt – To heat solid food, like sugar or fat, until it becomes liquid.

Mince – To cut with knife or scissors into very fine pieces.

Mix – To stir, usually with a spoon, until ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Pan-broil – To cook, uncovered, on a hot surface, usually a skillet. The fat is poured off as it accumulates.

Pan-fry – To cook or fry on top of the range in a hot, uncovered skillet with little or no fat. Steaks, chops, potatoes are frequently cooked this way.

Parboil – To boil until partially cooked.

Pare – To cut away coverings of vegetables and fruits.

Pasteurize – To sterilize milk by heating, then rapidly cooling it.

Peel – To strip or slip off outer coverings of some fruits or vegetables.

Pinch – The amount of a powdery ingredient you can hold between your thumb and forefinger – about 1/16 teaspoon.

Pipe – To force a food (typically frosting or whipped cream) through a pastry tip to use as a decoration or garnish, or to shape dough, such as that for éclairs.

Pit – To remove the seed or pit.

Plank – To bake or broil meat, fish or vegetables on a wooden or metal plank.

Poach – To cook eggs, fish, chicken, fruit and other delicate foods in hot liquid (below the boiling point), being very careful that food holds its shape.

Pot-roast – To brown meat in a small amount of fat, then finish cooking in a small amount of liquid.

Pound – To flatten meats and poultry to a uniform thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. This ensures even cooling and also tenderizes tough meat by breaking up connective tissues. Veal and chicken cutlets are often pounded.

Heat – To heat oven to stated temperature before using.

Prick – To pierce a food in many or a few places. You can prick a food in order to prevent buckling – an empty piecrust before it is baked, for example – or bursting – a potato before baking, or sausages before cooking.

Proof – To test yeast for potency: If you’re not sure if yeast is fresh and active, dissolve it in warm water (105 to 115 F) with a pinch of sugar. If the mixture foams after 5 to 10 minutes, the yeast is fine to use. Proofing also refers to the rising stage for yeast dough.

Punch down – To deflate yeast dough after it has risen, which distributes gluten (the elastic protein in flour that gives bread its strength) and prevents dough from over-rising. Punch your fist in the center of dough, then pull the edges toward the center.

Puree – To force vegetables, fruits and other foods through a fine sieve, food mill or ricer or blend in an electric blender or food processor to remove skins, seeds and so forth, and to produce a fine-textured substance.

Reconstitute – A procedure used for preparing dried foods, whereby the product is soaked in fresh water for a time.

Reduce – To evaporate some of the liquid in stock or sauce by boiling.

Render – To heat meat fat, cut into small pieces, until fat is separated from connective tissues. The clear fat is strained before being used in cooking. The crisp, brown bits left in the skillet – delicious but high in fat – are called cracklings.

Roast – Cook (Bake) by dry heat in an oven, on a spit in an oven, over charcoal, or in an electric rotisserie.

Roux – A blend of flour and oil or butter used to thicken sauces and gravies. The fat and flour are mixed together in equal amounts over heat. If a white roux is desired, the melting and blending are done over low heat for a few minutes. If a brown roux is desired, the flour is cooked in the fat to the desired degree of brown.

Rubbed – When whole-leaf herbs, such as sage or bay leaves, are crushed in the hands so that their oils are released, the herbs are then referred to as having been rubbed.

Saute – To fry lightly until golden and tender in a small amount of hot fat on top of range, turning frequently. From the French word that means “to jump.”

Scald – To heat liquid just below the boiling point; milk has reached a scalding point when film forms on the surface.

Scallop – To arrange foods in layers in a casserole (such as scalloped potatoes), with a sauce or liquid, and then bake. Usually has a topping of bread crumbs.

Score – To cut narrow grooves or gashes part way through fat, in meats before cooking.; e.g., in steaks to prevent curling, or to cut diamond-shaped gashes through fat in ham just before glazing.

Scramble – To stir or mix foods gently while cooking, as eggs.

Sear – To cook at a very high temperature, either on top of range or in oven, for a short time in order to quickly form a brown crust on the outer surface of meat.

Shave – To cut wide, paper-thin slices of food, especially Parmesan cheese, vegetables, or chocolate. Shave off slices with a vegetable peeler and use as garnish.

Shirr – To break eggs into a dish with cream or crumbs, then bake.

Shot – A liquid measure that amounts to very little or to taste. A shot of wine is about 1 ounce, but a shot of Tabasco is less than 1/16 teaspoon.

Shred – To cut food into slivers or slender pieces, using a knife or shredder.

Shuck – To remove the shells of oysters, mussels or clams, or the husks of corn.

Sift – To put dry ingredients through a fine sieve.

Simmer – To cook in a liquid that is kept just below the boiling point; bubbles form slowly and break below the surface.

Skewer – A long, thin metal or wooden pin used to secure or suspend meat and/or vegetables during cooking. To thread foods, such as meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, on a wooden or metal skewer so they hold their shape during cooking.

Skim – To remove fat or froth from the surface of a liquid, such as stock or boiling jelly.

Steam – To cook on a rack or holder over a small amount of boiling water in a tightly covered container.

Steep – To allow food, such as tea, to stand in hot liquid to extract flavor and/or color.

Sterilize – To heat in boiling water or steam for at least 20 minutes, until living organisms are destroyed.

Stew – To cook foods, in enough liquid to cover, very slowly – always below the boiling point.

Stir – To mix, usually with a spoon or fork, until ingredients are worked together.

Stir-fry (Chow) – A basic cooking method in Oriental kitchens. Generally a wok is used, but you may use a frying pan. The food is tossed about in a hot pan with very little oil, in a process not unlike sautéing.

Stock – A liquid in which vegetables or meat has been cooked.

Sweat – To sauté over low heat with a lid on. This method causes steam and expedites the cooking time.

Temper – To heat food gently before adding it to a hot mixture so it does not separate or curdle. Often eggs are tempered by mixing with a little hot liquid to raise their temperature before they are stirred into a hot sauce or soup.

Tender-crisp – The ideal degree of doneness for many vegetables, especially green vegetables. Cook them until they are just tender but still retain some texture.

Terrine – A dish used for the cooking and molding of coarse-ground meat loaves. Also the meat itself. The dishes are found in many styles and materials.

Toast – To brown and dry the surface of foods with heat, such as bread and nuts.

Toss – To tumble ingredients lightly with a lifting motion, as in a salad.

Truss – To tie meat with metal or wooden pins or skewers, or string, to help meat hold its shape during cooking.

Whip – To rapidly beat eggs, heavy cream, etc., in order to incorporate air and expand volume.

Whisk – To beat ingredients (such cream, eggs, salad dressings, sauces) with a fork or the looped wire utensil called a whisk so as to mix or blend, or incorporate air.

Zest – To remove the colored peel of a citrus fruit. Use a grater, zester or vegetable peeler to remove the outermost part, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath. The peel itself is often referred to as zest.

China’s solar-heated sand floors keep homes cozy at 65°F even in freezing -1°F

The system featured a solar-thermal collector, a thermal storage tank, an air-source heat pump, a sand-filled thermal storage floor, and water pumps.

Updated: Mar 10, 2025 08:24 AM EST

A heat pump that recovers waste heat to produce useful hot water even steam for heating and industrial process, not only helps to protect environment but also save energy obviously.

Many rural homes around the globe lack modern heating options and rely on wood or coal, leading to health risks and environmental harm. In China alone, around 400 million tons of standard coal are used for winter heating each year, with nearly half burned in inefficient small stoves in rural areas.

Transitioning to cleaner energy sources is crucial to reducing their carbon footprint, especially as global carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from fossil fuels and industry reached 37.01 billion metric tons in 2023, according to Statista.

To tackle the issue, Chinese researchers from the Zhongyuan University of Technology and Dalian University of Technology, have come up with a groundbreaking solution by developing a system that connects a solar-air source heat pump (SASHP) to a sand-based thermal storage floor (STSF).

According to the researchers, the system is capable of sustaining an average indoor temperature of 65.8°F (18.8°C), even as outdoor temperatures fluctuate between -1.1°F and 54.1°F (-18.4°C and 12.3°C).

Conducting the experiment

The innovative thermal storage floor system features cost-effective, stable sand-filled coils integrated with a SASHP to enhance rural heating efficiency.

Led by Pengli Yuan, PhD, lead author of the study from the Zhongyuan University of Technology, the team carried out several experiments, after setting up the system in a single-family rural residence in Chifeng, in the autonomous region Inner Mongolia, China.

It included a solar-thermal collector (STC), thermal storage tank (TST), ASHP, sand-based thermal storage floor (STSF), and water pumps, with the floor containing pipes embedded in a 200-millimeter layer of sand for efficient heat retention.

Schematic diagram of SASHP-STSF system. Credit: ScienceDirect/Elsevier/Yuan et al., 2025

“When solar radiation is sufficient, the sand absorbs a substantial amount of heat and releases it into the room,” the researchers say. “During period of insufficient solar radiation or at night, the stored heat is gradually released into the room, thereby extending the duration of solar heating.”

This not only enhances the system’s solar energy utilization but also significantly reduces the ASHP’s operating time in low-temperature, high-humidity conditions at night, ultimately boosting overall efficiency.

How it works

The system functioned through four distinct modes, adapting to varying weather conditions. Mode 1 functioned exclusively on sunny days, utilizing solar collectors to heat the thermal storage tanks. On the other hand, Mode 2 relied entirely on the head pump during cloudy or rainy weather.

Mode 3 combined both, with solar collectors running during the day and the heat pump at night, and mode 4 optimized energy use by running the heat pump only during the day when solar energy was insufficient, avoiding nighttime operation.

The team observed the system for nine days and found that the sand-based thermal storage floor kept indoor temperatures stable between 63.3°F (17.4°C) at night and 68.4°F (20.2°C) during the day, even as outdoor temperatures ranged from -1.1°F (-18.4°C) to 54.1°F (12.3°C), averaging 22.1°F (-5.5°C).

Ultimately, the system proved to be a practical heating solution for rural areas facing harsh cold conditions, boasting an average coefficient of performance (COP) of 2.6 and a solar fraction (SF) of 50.9%.

After modeling the system in TRNSYS, a simulation tool for analyzing energy systems, the researchers confirmed its reliability. Over six months of heating, mode 4 performed better than mode 3, achieving a coefficient of performance of 4.6 and a solar fraction of 77.9%, increasing by 15.9% and 20.3%, respectively. It additionally used 405.2 kWh less energy than mode 3.

The scientists found that local electricity pricing policies play a key role in operating costs. Their analysis showed that without peak-valley pricing, Mode 4 reduces costs by 28% compared to Mode 3. However, with peak-valley pricing, the difference narrows, with Mode 4 costing just 2.6% more than Mode 3.

“This suggests that optimizing the operational mode according to local electricity pricing policies can minimize the operating costs,” they conclude. “For rural households, mode 3 is the more economical option under peak-valley pricing, while mode 4 offers a more sustainable solution for energy conservation and emission reduction from the national government perspective.”

The study has been published in the journal Case Studies in Thermal Engineering.

How do we know if anti-Semitism is real or imaginary? There’s a very easy way to find out.

How about this as a thought experiment: Suppose Arabs were the richest population in the West. Then suppose we put 2 million Israeli Jews in a concentration camp, cut off their food, water, medicine, and electricity, and left them all waiting to die.

Then suppose we tell all other Jews watching helplessly in horror: We Arabs have always been hated for our race and religion. You certainly have the right to criticize our politics, and we won’t stop you. But you can’t cross the line into anti-Arab racism. We’ve made it a career-ending offence.

Here’s a long list of general statements that constitute anti-Arab racism. We wrote this list. We are the butchers and starvers of your people, and also the definers, judges, and punishers of anti-Arab racism.

In the concentration camp where we torment your families, we use jet bombers and genocidal TV channels. But here in North America we wear business suits and work as activists against anti-Arab racism.

By the way, one of the statements that constitute anti-Arabism is you comparing us to Hitler. Another one is you criticizing us too much and not criticizing other bad people in the world (i.e. singling us out because we’re Arabs). Another one is you claiming that we are rich and powerful.

I think all Jews would find this premise ridiculous, even enraging just to read. 🤔 It is fucking ridiculous, isn’t it? I agree. It’s something only George Orwell could make up.

And therefore anti-Semitism is imaginary.

What alternative international security arrangements could replace the current military alliance system?

The current military alliance system—dominated by NATO, AUKUS, and various U.S.-led coalitions—has led to “perpetual conflict”, unbalanced global governance, and an outdated world order that caters to Western military-industrial interests rather than actual security. The UN Security Council (UNSC), in its present form, is a Cold War relic that enables five nuclear-armed nations (U.S., U.K., France, China, Russia) to dictate global security while the rest of the world watches from the sidelines. This system isn’t about “global peace”—it’s about securing the power of those already in charge.

Time to Rip Up the Old Playbook

The world doesn’t need more military alliances—it already has the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which, if properly reformed, could actually deliver global security instead of warlord diplomacy.

Right now, the UNSC is a glorified protection racket for the P5 (U.S., U.K., France, Russia, China), who use their veto power to block any resolution that threatens their own interests. U.S. shields Israel, Russia protects itself, China vetoes anything it dislikes, and France and the U.K. cling to power like relics of a dying empire. Meanwhile, the Global South, representing 80% of humanity, has no real say in security matters —even though they suffer the most from war, economic collapse, and refugee crises caused by Western interventions.

The Fix: A Real Security Council, Not a P5 Clubhouse

1. Abolish the Veto – No more special privileges for the P5. A true global consensus should decide security matters, not elite war profiteers.

2. Expand Membership – India, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia, Nigeria—major global players—must have permanent seats. The world isn’t just Europe, America, and China.

3. Decentralize Security – Regional bodies like ASEAN, the African Union, and South American blocs should lead security in their regions. No more NATO deciding the fate of non-Western nations.

Why the Western War Machine Hates This

A real UNSC means no more endless wars feeding the U.S. military-industrial complex, no more NATO expansion forcing Russia to arm itself, and no more Western powers bombing nations into submission under the guise of “democracy.”

The UNSC already exists. It just needs the elite power-hogging parasites removed so it can actually do its job—ensuring global security for everyone, not just for the few.

“The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” – Albert Einstein

New England Clam Chowder

This old-fashioned authentic Cape Cod version of New England Clam Chowder is a hearty dish for the dwellers of a harsh climate. The old recipe has been passed down through generations without a nod to modern preferences for low-fat fare. As such, if you’re on a low fat diet, this dish may not be for you. But for a special occasion, this original version will not be beat for flavor.

Ingredients

• 2 quarts Little Neck clams, steamed, liquor reserved
• 3 to 4 pounds potatoes, peeled
• 1/2 pound lean salt pork
• 3 large sweet onions, sliced
• 2 whole bay leaves
• 1 thick slice bacon (optional)
• 2 to 3 celery stalks with green tops
• 4 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• 2 to 3 green onions or 1 leek, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 to 2 pounds frozen sweet corn (as desired)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 pint cream
• 1 quart clam broth or water
• 1/2 gallon milk
• Pinch celery seed (optional)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Paprika, to taste

Instructions

1. Thoroughly wash clams, scrubbing shells. If you’re using freshly dug clams, sprinkle the washed clams with corn meal the night before use, and refrigerate overnight to allow the clams to be sand free.
2. On the day the chowder is to be prepared, steam, clean and shuck enough clams to have at least 2 quarts of clams (more is better!). Save the clam liquor (broth created while steaming). Refrigerate the cooked clams in their liquor.
3. Meanwhile, prepare the chowder base. Using a sharp knife, slice the salt pork (pancetta can be substituted) into 1/8-inch dice (including rind).
4. In a large stockpot, on the lowest heat setting, add salt pork to pan; add bacon (also chopped). Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, allowing salt pork to render. Remove from heat and allow to sit for another 15 minutes. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter (save remaining butter for later).
5. Sauté thinly sliced celery (save green celery leaves for later), and sliced onion in the rendered salt pork and bacon until onions take on color, adding minced garlic during the final few minutes of browning. Add clam liquor or water, scraping browned onion bits from bottom of pan. Add 2 whole bay leaves and a pinch of celery seed, if desired. Add minced green onions or leeks. Simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Wash, peel and cut the potatoes into one inch cubes. Add to the pot, bring to a boil for 30 seconds, reduce heat to barely a simmer.
7. Chowder may be thickened with a small amount of all purpose flour, Wondra flour, or a few tablespoons corn starch stirred into a cup of cold broth. When adding thickeners, be sure to allow at least 30 minutes of cooking time in order to prevent an uncooked flour taste. More thickener can be added if you like a thicker chowder base; remember that milk/cream are still to be added later, so add more than you think you’ll need to compensate.
8. After 20 to 30 minutes, check potatoes to see if they are tender. When potatoes are nearly done, add frozen corn. Be sure to use a good quality of frozen corn; the sweeter varieties improve the overall flavor of the chowder.
9. Stir in clams and strained clam liquor (be careful not to pour in the bottom of the clam liquor which usually contains sand! Add milk and cream in the ratio you desire; for a richer chowder, add more cream and less milk.
10. Simmer for another 15 minutes and add remaining butter, minced parsley, chopped green celery leaves and salt and pepper, to taste. Remove bay leaves (or simply don’t let them make it into a serving).
11. When butter has melted and clams are heated through, serve in warmed bowls, sprinkled with paprika and garnished with fresh parsley. Milk crackers are a traditional accompaniment.

Notes

To add additional flavor to this soup, especially when clam broth is not available, use a few teaspoons of clam base, available at restaurant supply stores.

Large chunks of white fish or lobster can be added during the last 20 minutes in addition to (or as a substitute for) the clams, for a seafood chowder.

Have no clams or fish? Try a broccoli chowder variation, using chopped broccoli as a substitute.

What is the most useless country in the world in terms of resources, economy, etc?

Deep in the icy heart of Siberia is a location so brutally cold that even boiling water freezes in mid-air. Welcome to Oymyakon, Russia—a village so extreme that most individuals have never even heard of it.

This small village of fewer than 500 residents has the distinction of being the planet’s coldest continuously inhabited region, with temperatures having dropped once as low as −67.7°C (−89.9°F). That’s colder, for reference, than certain regions of Mars. In Antarctica, scientists get there and leave, but actual people live in Oymyakon all the time—and not because someone made a losing wager.

Oymyakon is another type of survival story. Forget crops—nothing grows in the frozen permafrost. The locals subsist on a hard diet of reindeer meat, frozen fish, and horse liver, because fresh veggies? Forget it. Even little things, like a trip to the store, are a fight against frostbite. Cars? They’re been driven 24/7 nonstop, or the engine is an ice block. Phones? Forget touchscreen gloves—your fingers will numb before you can even text.

Reaching Oymyakon is an adventure in itself. There are no airports, no trains, and certainly no Uber. The only entry is through a long, lethal drive from Yakutsk, the closest city (which, incidentally, is also absurdly cold). Visitors must endure the “Road of Bones,” a name that is not hyperbole—this frozen highway was constructed by prisoners under Stalin, many of whom did not survive.

And yet, despite all odds, people in Oymyakon thrive. They’ve adapted to the cold in ways the rest of the world can’t even imagine. Schools only close when temperatures drop below −52°C, and kids are used to walking miles in freezing winds like it’s no big deal. The community is tight-knit, and their resilience is nothing short of legendary.

But Oymyakon is not merely an extreme weather record—it has secrets hidden deep within its frozen heart. Locals speak in hushed tones of a hidden “warm underground spring”, a natural wonder in a landscape where nothing should be warm. The spring, from which the village takes its name (Oymyakon means “Unfrozen Water”), never freezes, regardless of temperature. Some attribute it to geothermal activity below the ground, while others say it’s a mystical force, an old Siberian myth that says the water has magical qualities of life and resilience.

And then there’s the creepy permafrost enigma. Scientists have learned that anything buried in Oymyakon’s frozen earth remains intact for centuries, as if in a natural cryogenic freezer. Some say prehistoric beasts—such as mammoths and ancient wolves—lie under the ice, frozen in time, waiting to be excavated. Melting permafrost has uncovered well-preserved corpses of Ice Age animals in recent years, so who knows what else is buried beneath this extensive frozen cemetery?

A Forgotten World That Shouldn’t Exist

Even with its harsh conditions and brain-twisting survival tests, Oymyakon is still one of the most remote and least-exposed locations on the planet. Travelers do not go there often because, well. why would they? There are no luxury hotels, no visitor sites—only naked, unyielding cold and a tiny population that has made survival an art.

But Oymyakon is a reminder that the human spirit can weather the impossible. The inhabitants here don’t merely survive—they live, defying nature, logic, and the boundaries of what we believed possible. As the world turns away, this icy land keeps its secrets, speaking in hushed tones of yesteryears beneath blankets of unyielding ice.