From Metal Bars to Candy Bars

Materials scientists turn to what you're eating and how you eat it

When Peter J. Lillford’s two children were young, he saw no problem with the kids spitting out tough pieces of meat during dinner. Instead of withholding dessert until they cleaned their plates, Lillford turned his kids’ finicky eating habits into a teaching tool. Out came the tweezers so the family could dissect the offending mouthfuls.