Is stolen food tasty?

May 4, 2026

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Chips taken from someone else’s plate may taste better than chips from your own, according to a new study by researchers at the Russian Medical Academy.

The study involved 120 people, who were all given the same chips to eat. Even though the chips were identical, the volunteers ate them in different ways. Some people were served the chips directly, while others were given chips by another person.

A third group was told to steal the chips from another plate. In one test, someone was standing nearby and watching them, making it a “high-risk” situation. In another test, there was less chance of being caught, making it “low risk”.

After each test, the volunteers rated how tasty the chips were. The chips stolen in the high-risk situation were described as the most delicious, as well as saltier and crispier. The study suggests that excitement or the feeling of doing something cheeky may change how food tastes.

Article written by Milli Banbury

This article was written using AI as an assistive tool for research, writing, and proofreading.
The te reo Māori version of this article was translated with AI assistance. While care has been taken to keep it accurate, if you spot anything that doesn't read quite right, please let us know

Learning Options

Recall Questions

Thinking questions

Digital Thinking

Learning Options

Recall Questions

Thinking questions

Digital Thinking

At the edge of a native forest near Rotorua, a group of Year 8 students checked bird counts over three mornings. They heard more tūī and fantail calls after a section of weeds was removed and young trees were planted. The students also noticed fewer introduced birds near the track. Their teacher said the change could be linked to better food sources and safer nesting places. The group did not claim the forest was fully restored, but they agreed the planting work seemed to be helping the habitat recover.

Which summary best captures the main idea of the passage?

The teacher explained that introduced birds were the main reason the forest needed work. The forest was fully restored because the students planted young trees near the track. Removing weeds and planting native trees seemed to improve the forest habitat and support native birds. The students counted birds for three mornings and heard more tūī than fantail calls.