With Josh Wilhide ’10 M.S., Mass Spectrometry Facility Manager
On a hot summer day, there’s nothing quite like the perky fizz of a just-opened soda to keep you cool and caffeinated. As consumers, many of us are incredibly loyal to a particular brand – even to the point of being sommelier-level tasters of sodas.
Many people can tell the difference between Coke and Pepsi blindfolded. But how does the hardworking human taste bud stand up to the massive data-collecting power of one of UMBC’s mass spectrometers?
Josh Wilhide ’10 M.S., chemistry, can quench our thirst for this particular knowledge quite handily. Using one of the mass spectrometers in UMBC’s Molecular Characterization & Analysis Complex (or MCAC), and a bit of basic scientific reasoning, the mysteries of cola will be revealed!
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
- An oh-so-discerning palate
- Cups and paper for secret voting (no cheating!)
- Sample colas: Pepsi, Coke and generic (Giant brand)
- A mass spectrometer, if you can get one. Oh wait, we have seven of them right here at UMBC.