1 00:00:00,966 --> 00:00:03,066 ♪ ♪ 2 00:00:05,733 --> 00:00:06,809 NARRATOR: The future of food 3 00:00:06,833 --> 00:00:09,400 {\an1}is being revolutionized by science... 4 00:00:11,633 --> 00:00:13,200 {\an1}...as new research helps bring 5 00:00:13,233 --> 00:00:15,266 {\an1}unexpected ingredients to the table. 6 00:00:15,300 --> 00:00:16,866 {\an1}Kind of tastes like shrimp. 7 00:00:16,900 --> 00:00:20,800 {\an1}They have this seafood quality to them. 8 00:00:20,833 --> 00:00:22,766 {\an1}It reminds you of, like, a Frito or a chip. 9 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:27,366 VALERIE STULL: Just, like, crunchy and a little oily and a little salty. 10 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:28,466 {\an1}They taste like popcorn. 11 00:00:28,500 --> 00:00:31,000 JESSICA WARE: A very smushy taste. 12 00:00:31,033 --> 00:00:31,933 {\an1}Like a pudding, almost. 13 00:00:31,966 --> 00:00:33,333 JOSEPH YOON: The citrusy flavor, 14 00:00:33,366 --> 00:00:35,000 {\an1}it's so incredible. 15 00:00:35,033 --> 00:00:37,300 NARRATOR: Researchers are revealing 16 00:00:37,333 --> 00:00:40,433 {\an1}these delicious ingredients could do wonders for our health. 17 00:00:40,466 --> 00:00:43,466 TANYA LATTY: They're full of polyunsaturated fat, 18 00:00:43,500 --> 00:00:45,342 {\an1}they're full of protein, and they have a whole range 19 00:00:45,366 --> 00:00:46,742 {\an1}of trace minerals and micronutrients. 20 00:00:46,766 --> 00:00:49,200 STULL: Potential prebiotic effects 21 00:00:49,233 --> 00:00:52,233 {\an1}and potential reductions in gut inflammation. 22 00:00:52,266 --> 00:00:54,666 Those two things are very exciting. 23 00:00:54,700 --> 00:00:59,033 NARRATOR: So what are these miraculous foodstuffs? 24 00:00:59,066 --> 00:01:01,466 {\an1}Well, they're insects! 25 00:01:02,933 --> 00:01:04,500 {\an1}Thousands of edible species 26 00:01:04,533 --> 00:01:08,166 {\an1}in all shapes and sizes. 27 00:01:09,433 --> 00:01:12,966 {\an1}It is gastronomy in the highest form. 28 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:14,266 Amen. 29 00:01:14,300 --> 00:01:15,566 ♪ ♪ 30 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:17,600 NARRATOR: Not everyone is convinced. 31 00:01:17,633 --> 00:01:19,900 {\an1}What I would say to anyone that's nervous 32 00:01:19,933 --> 00:01:22,266 {\an1}is, I'm right there with you still. 33 00:01:22,300 --> 00:01:23,633 {\an1}I'm right there with you still. 34 00:01:25,700 --> 00:01:27,600 NARRATOR: But some researchers believe 35 00:01:27,633 --> 00:01:28,800 {\an1}that chowing down on insects 36 00:01:28,833 --> 00:01:32,000 could have made our species smarter. 37 00:01:32,033 --> 00:01:33,866 JULIE LESNIK: Our brains run on fat. 38 00:01:33,900 --> 00:01:36,300 {\an1}That extra fat in their diet contributed to supporting 39 00:01:36,333 --> 00:01:38,566 {\an1}this little bit larger brain. 40 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,600 NARRATOR: And in the future, eating insects 41 00:01:41,633 --> 00:01:44,900 {\an1}may help save us from ecological catastrophe. 42 00:01:44,933 --> 00:01:46,300 {\an1}To produce more meat 43 00:01:46,333 --> 00:01:49,033 {\an1}than we already do is incredibly problematic. 44 00:01:49,066 --> 00:01:51,466 STULL: The mass production 45 00:01:51,500 --> 00:01:52,709 and the way that we're doing it now 46 00:01:52,733 --> 00:01:53,733 {\an1}is simply unsustainable. 47 00:01:53,766 --> 00:01:57,066 LATTY: Insects offer so much promise. 48 00:01:57,100 --> 00:01:58,376 They potentially could feed the world. 49 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:01,566 NARRATOR: But to make this change a reality, 50 00:02:01,600 --> 00:02:04,066 {\an1}scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs 51 00:02:04,100 --> 00:02:06,966 {\an1}must crack the secrets of insect farming. 52 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:09,300 {\an1}Insect agriculture has the potential 53 00:02:09,333 --> 00:02:11,633 {\an1}to radically transform the way we produce food 54 00:02:11,666 --> 00:02:12,800 {\an1}around the world. 55 00:02:12,833 --> 00:02:15,366 KEIRAN WHITAKER: It only takes nine to 12 days 56 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:16,866 to turn what is a grain of sand 57 00:02:16,900 --> 00:02:18,733 {\an1}into an inch-long protein bar. 58 00:02:18,766 --> 00:02:19,966 {\an1}Automation fits so nicely 59 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:22,733 {\an1}with this type of farming. 60 00:02:22,766 --> 00:02:24,533 NARRATOR: But will all this be enough 61 00:02:24,566 --> 00:02:25,966 {\an1}to persuade people 62 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,633 {\an1}to change their ways... 63 00:02:28,666 --> 00:02:29,742 {\an1}So that, I can see the bugs. 64 00:02:29,766 --> 00:02:32,633 NARRATOR: and learn to love the bug? 65 00:02:32,666 --> 00:02:34,033 MIKE RAUPP: On the count of three, 66 00:02:34,066 --> 00:02:35,333 {\an1}we're going to go for it. 67 00:02:35,366 --> 00:02:36,433 {\an1}Ready? 68 00:02:36,466 --> 00:02:37,633 {\an1}One, two, three. 69 00:02:37,666 --> 00:02:38,766 {\an1}Cheers! 70 00:02:39,966 --> 00:02:41,033 (whimpers) 71 00:02:41,066 --> 00:02:42,509 NARRATOR: Welcome to the wonderful world 72 00:02:42,533 --> 00:02:44,333 {\an1}of "Edible Insects." 73 00:02:44,366 --> 00:02:46,266 (crunches) 74 00:02:46,300 --> 00:02:48,133 NARRATOR: Right now on "NOVA." 75 00:02:50,266 --> 00:02:51,266 ♪ ♪ 76 00:03:10,833 --> 00:03:13,200 (birds chirping) 77 00:03:13,233 --> 00:03:15,566 NARRATOR: Our planet is teeming with life. 78 00:03:17,533 --> 00:03:20,566 ♪ ♪ 79 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:22,933 {\an1}But one of branch of the family tree 80 00:03:22,966 --> 00:03:25,466 {\an1}is often overlooked: 81 00:03:25,500 --> 00:03:27,600 insects. 82 00:03:27,633 --> 00:03:32,233 ♪ ♪ 83 00:03:32,266 --> 00:03:34,966 {\an7}I've always loved insects, as long as I can remember. 84 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:36,100 {\an8}When I was a kid, 85 00:03:36,133 --> 00:03:37,409 {\an7}I used to run around my neighborhood 86 00:03:37,433 --> 00:03:38,609 {\an7}collecting insects and bringing them home 87 00:03:38,633 --> 00:03:39,900 to show my mom. 88 00:03:39,933 --> 00:03:42,200 {\an1}I think they're just amazing and fantastic animals. 89 00:03:42,233 --> 00:03:45,333 NARRATOR: Entomologist Tanya Latty 90 00:03:45,366 --> 00:03:48,566 has been obsessed with insects for years. 91 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:50,166 {\an7}And with good reason: 92 00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:52,166 {\an7}insects are everywhere. 93 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:55,833 {\an8}Two-thirds of known animal species 94 00:03:55,866 --> 00:03:58,300 {\an8}are insects. 95 00:03:59,433 --> 00:04:00,433 {\an7}For every one of us, 96 00:04:00,466 --> 00:04:04,566 {\an8}there are over a billion of them. 97 00:04:04,600 --> 00:04:08,200 {\an8}They've survived and thrived on Earth 98 00:04:08,233 --> 00:04:11,266 {\an7}for nearly half a billion years. 99 00:04:11,300 --> 00:04:16,900 {\an7}And they've adapted to almost every possible ecological niche. 100 00:04:16,933 --> 00:04:19,200 {\an8}LATTY: Insects are the most diverse animals on the planet. 101 00:04:19,233 --> 00:04:20,309 {\an1}There are millions of species. 102 00:04:20,333 --> 00:04:21,733 {\an1}There are so many species 103 00:04:21,766 --> 00:04:23,966 {\an1}that we're not even sure of the exact number. 104 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,166 NARRATOR: Either alone 105 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:27,666 {\an1}or in vast colonies, 106 00:04:27,700 --> 00:04:30,433 {\an1}insects are a secret force 107 00:04:30,466 --> 00:04:32,000 {\an1}that regulates our world. 108 00:04:32,033 --> 00:04:34,833 {\an1}They pollinate, clean up, 109 00:04:34,866 --> 00:04:38,133 and keep the rest of nature in balance. 110 00:04:38,166 --> 00:04:41,100 {\an1}They help make our world tick. 111 00:04:42,700 --> 00:04:44,066 LATTY: We tend to overlook insects, 112 00:04:44,100 --> 00:04:45,709 {\an1}and that's a great shame, because without them, 113 00:04:45,733 --> 00:04:49,733 our ecosystems wouldn't function. 114 00:04:49,766 --> 00:04:51,100 {\an1}I mean, they do everything. 115 00:04:51,133 --> 00:04:52,666 {\an1}How can you not love insects? 116 00:04:53,700 --> 00:04:55,400 NARRATOR: But while some people love bugs, 117 00:04:55,433 --> 00:05:00,400 others just love the way they taste. 118 00:05:00,433 --> 00:05:04,200 ♪ ♪ 119 00:05:04,233 --> 00:05:06,633 To some, the idea of eating insects 120 00:05:06,666 --> 00:05:08,866 may seem strange. 121 00:05:08,900 --> 00:05:12,566 {\an1}But in places like Thailand, 122 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:14,833 it's long been a cultural tradition. 123 00:05:14,866 --> 00:05:18,566 ♪ ♪ 124 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:20,633 {\an7}Very good, very good! Delicious! 125 00:05:20,666 --> 00:05:24,366 ♪ ♪ 126 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:27,166 {\an8}(translated): I've got coconut beetle grubs, 127 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:32,133 {\an1}crickets, silkworm cocoons, grasshoppers, giant crickets, 128 00:05:32,166 --> 00:05:35,366 {\an1}and bamboo caterpillars. 129 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:40,200 ♪ ♪ 130 00:05:40,233 --> 00:05:44,566 NARRATOR: In Thailand, insect-eating originated 131 00:05:44,600 --> 00:05:46,300 in rural areas. 132 00:05:46,333 --> 00:05:48,066 {\an1}But over the last few decades, 133 00:05:48,100 --> 00:05:50,300 the culture has spread into the cities, 134 00:05:50,333 --> 00:05:54,300 {\an1}where urbanites are developing a real taste for them. 135 00:05:54,333 --> 00:05:56,366 ♪ ♪ 136 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:57,476 {\an8}(translated): I usually eat them 137 00:05:57,500 --> 00:05:59,600 {\an7}when I go out drinking with my friends. 138 00:05:59,633 --> 00:06:02,500 {\an7}They taste fantastic with beer. 139 00:06:02,533 --> 00:06:05,400 {\an8}(translated): I eat them as a snack between meals. 140 00:06:05,433 --> 00:06:07,600 {\an1}They are not scary at all. 141 00:06:07,633 --> 00:06:10,466 {\an1}They are extremely healthy and natural. 142 00:06:10,500 --> 00:06:13,566 {\an1}I highly recommend everyone gives them a try. 143 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:18,066 NARRATOR: Insect-eating isn't unique to Thailand. 144 00:06:18,100 --> 00:06:20,700 Across the globe, over two billion people eat 145 00:06:20,733 --> 00:06:24,866 {\an1}over 2,000 varieties of insect. 146 00:06:24,900 --> 00:06:30,233 But not every bug makes a good meal. 147 00:06:30,266 --> 00:06:32,100 {\an8}So which species are the most popular? 148 00:06:32,133 --> 00:06:34,633 {\an8}At number five, it's the Hemiptera, 149 00:06:34,666 --> 00:06:37,500 {\an8}including cicadas and water bugs. 150 00:06:37,533 --> 00:06:39,833 {\an8}By all accounts, they're quite a mouthful. 151 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:43,633 {\an8}At number four, it's the Orthoptera, 152 00:06:43,666 --> 00:06:46,966 {\an7}including locusts, grasshoppers, and crickets. 153 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,833 {\an7}Hard to catch, but famed for their satisfying crunch. 154 00:06:50,866 --> 00:06:54,466 {\an7}In at number three, it's the Hymenoptera: 155 00:06:54,500 --> 00:06:57,200 {\an7}including ants, bees, and wasps. 156 00:06:57,233 --> 00:07:01,033 {\an7}The venomous ones can give their taste a citrus twist. 157 00:07:02,333 --> 00:07:04,166 {\an8}At number two, it's the Lepidoptera... 158 00:07:04,200 --> 00:07:08,833 {\an7}butterflies and moths in their caterpillar state. 159 00:07:08,866 --> 00:07:10,133 {\an7}In Southern Africa, 160 00:07:10,166 --> 00:07:12,066 {\an8}millions of these fleshy favorites 161 00:07:12,100 --> 00:07:14,400 {\an7}are devoured each year. 162 00:07:14,433 --> 00:07:16,233 {\an7}But at number one, 163 00:07:16,266 --> 00:07:17,500 {\an7}it's the beetles... 164 00:07:17,533 --> 00:07:21,900 {\an8}the Coleoptera, especially their juicy larvae. 165 00:07:21,933 --> 00:07:23,533 {\an8}Together, these grubs and weevils 166 00:07:23,566 --> 00:07:27,666 {\an7}make up nearly a third of all insect species consumed. 167 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,166 ♪ ♪ 168 00:07:32,200 --> 00:07:36,666 {\an1}Insects have been a part of the human diet for millennia. 169 00:07:36,700 --> 00:07:39,042 {\an1}But scientists are discovering they have a lot more to offer 170 00:07:39,066 --> 00:07:41,300 {\an1}than just a taste sensation. 171 00:07:43,566 --> 00:07:44,876 {\an7}So, this is the larva of a scarab beetle. 172 00:07:44,900 --> 00:07:46,500 {\an1}So, when it gets older, 173 00:07:46,533 --> 00:07:49,133 {\an1}it's going to look a little bit like a june bug. 174 00:07:49,166 --> 00:07:50,766 NARRATOR: To understand why scientists 175 00:07:50,800 --> 00:07:52,233 {\an1}are becoming so fascinated 176 00:07:52,266 --> 00:07:53,733 by insect-eating, 177 00:07:53,766 --> 00:07:57,166 {\an1}this beetle larva is a good place to start, 178 00:07:57,200 --> 00:07:58,976 {\an1}because its translucent skin allows you to see 179 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:01,366 {\an1}what's so special about an insect. 180 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:04,200 LATTY: If you look closely, 181 00:08:04,233 --> 00:08:05,600 {\an1}you can see this white stuff. 182 00:08:05,633 --> 00:08:07,733 {\an1}That's an organ called the fat body. 183 00:08:07,766 --> 00:08:10,400 It's not actually the same as fat. 184 00:08:10,433 --> 00:08:13,200 {\an1}It's more like a combination of fat and liver. 185 00:08:13,233 --> 00:08:17,500 NARRATOR: Many insects have these spread throughout their bodies, 186 00:08:17,533 --> 00:08:19,900 {\an1}one of several nourishing insect ingredients 187 00:08:19,933 --> 00:08:22,133 {\an1}that are impressing scientists. 188 00:08:22,166 --> 00:08:24,933 {\an1}These are very nutritious. 189 00:08:24,966 --> 00:08:26,533 They are full of polyunsaturated fat, 190 00:08:26,566 --> 00:08:27,666 {\an1}they're full of protein, 191 00:08:27,700 --> 00:08:28,776 and they have a whole range of 192 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:31,000 trace minerals and micronutrients. 193 00:08:32,266 --> 00:08:35,933 NARRATOR: Compared to a steak, insects really stack up. 194 00:08:35,966 --> 00:08:38,000 Steak is packed with valuable protein, 195 00:08:38,033 --> 00:08:41,466 iron, fats, and micronutrients. 196 00:08:41,500 --> 00:08:44,966 {\an1}But whether eaten as a fatty larva or in an adult form, 197 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,466 pound for pound, many bugs equal or better 198 00:08:48,500 --> 00:08:52,500 {\an1}the nutritional value of the finest steak. 199 00:08:52,533 --> 00:08:55,566 {\an1}And there could be even more nutritious species out there 200 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,800 {\an1}just waiting to be discovered. 201 00:08:58,833 --> 00:09:02,066 {\an1}We've only really started to investigate a tiny number, 202 00:09:02,100 --> 00:09:04,066 {\an1}and given that huge diversity, 203 00:09:04,100 --> 00:09:06,033 {\an1}there's a huge likelihood that they could have 204 00:09:06,066 --> 00:09:08,533 {\an1}all sorts of different nutritional profiles... 205 00:09:08,566 --> 00:09:10,400 Some of which may be excellent for us. 206 00:09:10,433 --> 00:09:11,733 ♪ ♪ 207 00:09:11,766 --> 00:09:14,000 NARRATOR: Insects are clearly 208 00:09:14,033 --> 00:09:16,066 {\an1}a great source of nourishment. 209 00:09:16,100 --> 00:09:19,533 {\an1}And this is leading some researchers to ask: 210 00:09:19,566 --> 00:09:22,366 {\an1}Was an insect diet key to the evolution 211 00:09:22,400 --> 00:09:25,366 {\an1}of the exceptional human brain? 212 00:09:28,133 --> 00:09:30,433 ♪ ♪ 213 00:09:30,466 --> 00:09:32,900 {\an1}Biological anthropologist Julie Lesnik 214 00:09:32,933 --> 00:09:35,100 is studying a puzzling chapter 215 00:09:35,133 --> 00:09:36,276 in the story of human evolution: 216 00:09:36,300 --> 00:09:38,800 {\an1}a remarkable increase in the brain size 217 00:09:38,833 --> 00:09:43,633 {\an1}of our ancient ancestor Australopithecus. 218 00:09:43,666 --> 00:09:46,633 Australopithecus was a small foraging ape 219 00:09:46,666 --> 00:09:49,766 that roamed the African savanna 220 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,233 from just over four million years ago. 221 00:09:52,266 --> 00:09:56,666 But something big is going on with her brain. 222 00:09:56,700 --> 00:09:59,433 {\an1}From about five million to up to two million years ago, 223 00:09:59,466 --> 00:10:03,266 {\an1}we have this brain size expansion of about 20%. 224 00:10:03,300 --> 00:10:06,500 NARRATOR: This is a substantial increase. 225 00:10:06,533 --> 00:10:08,700 Its cause remains an evolutionary mystery. 226 00:10:08,733 --> 00:10:12,766 {\an1}But experts believe it probably took a special diet 227 00:10:12,800 --> 00:10:14,733 {\an1}to support this larger brain. 228 00:10:14,766 --> 00:10:17,033 {\an8}Brains are energetically expensive. 229 00:10:17,066 --> 00:10:19,733 {\an7}And one thing they especially need are fatty acids. 230 00:10:19,766 --> 00:10:21,166 {\an7}Our brains run on fat, 231 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:25,666 {\an7}and fat is a very rare resource naturally in our environment. 232 00:10:25,700 --> 00:10:27,566 {\an1}So what were they eating? 233 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:29,142 NARRATOR: It's possible Australopithecus 234 00:10:29,166 --> 00:10:34,566 {\an1}obtained this fat by scavenging the bodies of larger animals. 235 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:36,700 But Julie thinks there's an alternative 236 00:10:36,733 --> 00:10:39,733 {\an1}and more surprising explanation. 237 00:10:39,766 --> 00:10:43,066 Termite mounds pepper the African savanna, 238 00:10:43,100 --> 00:10:44,766 {\an1}their rock-hard exterior 239 00:10:44,800 --> 00:10:47,500 protecting the fatty larvae within. 240 00:10:47,533 --> 00:10:51,200 {\an1}Our cousin the chimpanzee forages for termites today 241 00:10:51,233 --> 00:10:53,233 using ingenuity and simple tools 242 00:10:53,266 --> 00:10:56,466 to penetrate the termite fortress. 243 00:10:56,500 --> 00:10:59,800 LESNIK: Chimpanzees can thread into that termite nest 244 00:10:59,833 --> 00:11:04,566 {\an1}with a flexible probe made of either grass or a green branch, 245 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:08,633 {\an1}and the soldier caste bite on to the end of that tool, 246 00:11:08,666 --> 00:11:09,900 {\an1}and then chimpanzees 247 00:11:09,933 --> 00:11:13,266 {\an1}extract them from the mound and eat those termites 248 00:11:13,300 --> 00:11:14,833 {\an1}right off that probe. 249 00:11:14,866 --> 00:11:18,066 NARRATOR: This technique harvests the adult insects. 250 00:11:18,100 --> 00:11:19,766 But to get the fatty larvae, 251 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,966 {\an1}you must penetrate further into the mound. 252 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:26,000 Intriguingly, a number of almost 253 00:11:26,033 --> 00:11:28,500 {\an1}two-million-year-old animal bones 254 00:11:28,533 --> 00:11:31,200 {\an1}have been unearthed in South Africa. 255 00:11:31,233 --> 00:11:35,466 {\an1}Their smooth, rounded ends show clear parallel scratches. 256 00:11:35,500 --> 00:11:38,400 Scientists believe these are wear marks 257 00:11:38,433 --> 00:11:39,966 {\an1}from repeated strikes, 258 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:44,100 {\an1}and that the bones are actually Australopithecine tools 259 00:11:44,133 --> 00:11:47,300 {\an1}used for one specific job. 260 00:11:47,333 --> 00:11:48,366 {\an1}This is a prototype, 261 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:50,600 basically, of the types of tools 262 00:11:50,633 --> 00:11:52,200 they were using two million years ago. 263 00:11:52,233 --> 00:11:55,200 A tool like this can get through, especially 264 00:11:55,233 --> 00:11:56,666 {\an1}if you have a fragment 265 00:11:56,700 --> 00:11:58,166 that has kind of a pointier end 266 00:11:58,200 --> 00:11:59,209 {\an1}that lets you penetrate it. 267 00:11:59,233 --> 00:12:01,200 {\an1}We can pretty confidently say 268 00:12:01,233 --> 00:12:04,866 {\an1}that these bone tools were used to dig into termite mounds. 269 00:12:04,900 --> 00:12:06,600 (pounding) 270 00:12:06,633 --> 00:12:07,742 NARRATOR: Breaking open the mounds 271 00:12:07,766 --> 00:12:10,366 could have given Australopithecines access 272 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:13,433 {\an1}to the nutritious fat of the termite larvae: 273 00:12:13,466 --> 00:12:15,900 {\an1}instant brain food. 274 00:12:15,933 --> 00:12:18,133 By just adjusting a little bit 275 00:12:18,166 --> 00:12:21,000 how they utilize the same resource, 276 00:12:21,033 --> 00:12:24,566 {\an1}it's probably enough to get them that extra fat in their diet 277 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:28,266 {\an1}that contributed to supporting this little bit larger brain. 278 00:12:28,300 --> 00:12:30,100 (insects buzzing) 279 00:12:30,133 --> 00:12:31,633 NARRATOR: Insects may well have 280 00:12:31,666 --> 00:12:34,833 {\an1}provided our ancestors with key nutrients 281 00:12:34,866 --> 00:12:37,966 {\an7}at a crucial point in their development. 282 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,400 ♪ ♪ 283 00:12:40,433 --> 00:12:42,800 But our bodies' relationship with insects 284 00:12:42,833 --> 00:12:46,733 {\an1}may not have ended in the distant past. 285 00:12:46,766 --> 00:12:48,442 {\an1}There's growing evidence that an insect diet 286 00:12:48,466 --> 00:12:52,666 may influence more than just our brains. 287 00:12:52,700 --> 00:12:56,066 {\an1}Recent research suggests that a key process in our bodies 288 00:12:56,100 --> 00:12:58,933 {\an1}gains significant benefits from eating insects. 289 00:13:00,566 --> 00:13:02,666 Our digestion. 290 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,666 Health scientist Valerie Stull 291 00:13:08,700 --> 00:13:10,500 is fascinated by the microorganisms 292 00:13:10,533 --> 00:13:13,433 that populate our digestive system. 293 00:13:14,833 --> 00:13:17,076 STULL: Gut bacteria are incredibly important to human health. 294 00:13:17,100 --> 00:13:19,966 {\an7}We actually have more bacterial cells in our bodies 295 00:13:20,000 --> 00:13:23,000 {\an7}than we do human cells, and they play a huge role 296 00:13:23,033 --> 00:13:24,800 {\an8}in our overall health and well-being. 297 00:13:26,233 --> 00:13:30,300 NARRATOR: But some strains of gut bacteria are unwelcome guests. 298 00:13:30,333 --> 00:13:32,000 Too many of them make our gut 299 00:13:32,033 --> 00:13:34,866 {\an1}prone to inflammation and disease... 300 00:13:34,900 --> 00:13:38,166 Even cancer. 301 00:13:38,200 --> 00:13:41,200 {\an1}There's mounting evidence that some modern Western diets 302 00:13:41,233 --> 00:13:44,400 are upsetting the healthy balance. 303 00:13:45,600 --> 00:13:48,700 STULL: Diets that are very, very high in red 304 00:13:48,733 --> 00:13:53,533 {\an1}and processed meats can lead to imbalances in gut microbiota. 305 00:13:53,566 --> 00:13:56,233 {\an1}We know that refined sugars, refined grains 306 00:13:56,266 --> 00:13:58,600 are also not particularly good for promoting 307 00:13:58,633 --> 00:14:01,433 {\an1}that healthy ecosystem within the gut. 308 00:14:02,833 --> 00:14:04,266 NARRATOR: Valerie wondered whether 309 00:14:04,300 --> 00:14:06,933 {\an1}the insect diet enjoyed in many parts of the world 310 00:14:06,966 --> 00:14:09,500 {\an1}could improve gut health. 311 00:14:09,533 --> 00:14:11,733 {\an1}I wanted to investigate, 312 00:14:11,766 --> 00:14:13,566 what are the potential health impacts 313 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:16,766 {\an1}of eating insects beyond just their nutritional composition? 314 00:14:16,800 --> 00:14:19,400 NARRATOR: Valerie gave 20 volunteers 315 00:14:19,433 --> 00:14:22,266 {\an1}a milkshake to drink once a day for two weeks 316 00:14:22,300 --> 00:14:24,933 as a part of their regular diet. 317 00:14:24,966 --> 00:14:27,533 {\an1}The milkshakes of half the group 318 00:14:27,566 --> 00:14:29,666 {\an1}had insects ground and blended into them. 319 00:14:29,700 --> 00:14:31,933 When their gut bacteria was checked, 320 00:14:31,966 --> 00:14:33,176 {\an1}Valerie discovered the insect shake 321 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:36,366 was having a noticeable effect. 322 00:14:36,400 --> 00:14:40,000 STULL: We saw potential prebiotic effects 323 00:14:40,033 --> 00:14:42,933 {\an1}in terms of promoting the growth of healthy bacteria 324 00:14:42,966 --> 00:14:45,866 {\an1}and potential reductions in gut inflammation. 325 00:14:45,900 --> 00:14:48,833 {\an1}Those two things are very exciting. 326 00:14:51,433 --> 00:14:53,933 NARRATOR: What could cause these changes? 327 00:14:53,966 --> 00:14:57,166 {\an1}The answer may not lie with what's inside an insect, 328 00:14:57,200 --> 00:15:00,300 {\an1}but what's outside it. 329 00:15:00,333 --> 00:15:01,566 {\an1}Unlike vertebrates, 330 00:15:01,600 --> 00:15:06,166 {\an1}insects do not rely on an internal skeleton. 331 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:08,033 {\an7}Insects don't have bones inside their body. 332 00:15:08,066 --> 00:15:09,542 {\an7}Instead, they have the support on the outside. 333 00:15:09,566 --> 00:15:12,033 {\an7}It's a little bit like a suit of armor, 334 00:15:12,066 --> 00:15:13,966 {\an7}and we call that an exoskeleton. 335 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:15,400 {\an8}NARRATOR: It's the material 336 00:15:15,433 --> 00:15:19,300 {\an7}the exoskeleton is formed from that makes it so special. 337 00:15:19,333 --> 00:15:21,000 The exoskeleton's made out of chitin, 338 00:15:21,033 --> 00:15:23,000 which is this stiff, fibrous material 339 00:15:23,033 --> 00:15:24,866 {\an1}that gives it the structure. 340 00:15:26,266 --> 00:15:30,466 NARRATOR: It's unclear if humans can digest chitin fiber. 341 00:15:30,500 --> 00:15:31,766 {\an1}But when ingested, 342 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:34,266 {\an1}it appears to stimulate the growth of good gut bacteria 343 00:15:34,300 --> 00:15:38,200 in a way that other dietary fiber may not. 344 00:15:39,533 --> 00:15:41,233 Chitin may be a missing ingredient 345 00:15:41,266 --> 00:15:45,233 {\an1}that helps generate a healthy, balanced digestive system. 346 00:15:47,200 --> 00:15:50,333 {\an1}This can relate to so many human health conditions. 347 00:15:50,366 --> 00:15:52,666 {\an1}We need more variable gut bacteria. 348 00:15:52,700 --> 00:15:57,266 {\an1}We need abundant populations of these healthy bacteria. 349 00:15:57,300 --> 00:15:59,800 {\an1}It suggests that in our past, 350 00:15:59,833 --> 00:16:02,200 {\an1}chitin from insects was probably part of 351 00:16:02,233 --> 00:16:05,100 {\an1}the natural, normal, basic human diet 352 00:16:05,133 --> 00:16:07,433 that was used to keep a healthy gut. 353 00:16:07,466 --> 00:16:09,566 ♪ ♪ 354 00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:10,800 NARRATOR: So, in the past, 355 00:16:10,833 --> 00:16:12,800 {\an1}insects in our diet may have made our species 356 00:16:12,833 --> 00:16:16,466 not just smarter, but healthier, too. 357 00:16:16,500 --> 00:16:19,133 And today, they continue to serve 358 00:16:19,166 --> 00:16:22,100 {\an1}as an exceptionally nutritious food source. 359 00:16:22,133 --> 00:16:24,066 {\an1}But some experts claim that eating bugs 360 00:16:24,100 --> 00:16:26,633 {\an1}could do even more, 361 00:16:26,666 --> 00:16:29,500 and help solve a looming global crisis. 362 00:16:35,866 --> 00:16:38,333 Forecasts predict that by 2050, 363 00:16:38,366 --> 00:16:43,066 {\an1}the human population will have swelled to over nine billion. 364 00:16:43,100 --> 00:16:45,766 If current eating habits continue, 365 00:16:45,800 --> 00:16:47,000 {\an1}that would mean a doubling 366 00:16:47,033 --> 00:16:49,600 {\an1}of meat production. 367 00:16:49,633 --> 00:16:52,333 {\an1}But that could prove very damaging to our planet. 368 00:16:54,866 --> 00:16:57,833 {\an1}How we produce meat is awful for the environment. 369 00:16:57,866 --> 00:17:00,833 So to produce more meat than we already do 370 00:17:00,866 --> 00:17:02,200 {\an1}is incredibly problematic. 371 00:17:02,233 --> 00:17:05,133 NARRATOR: To produce a pound of beef 372 00:17:05,166 --> 00:17:06,433 {\an1}compared to a pound of corn 373 00:17:06,466 --> 00:17:10,800 {\an1}takes seven times more water and 100 times more land. 374 00:17:10,833 --> 00:17:15,366 {\an1}This contributes to droughts and high levels of deforestation. 375 00:17:17,000 --> 00:17:19,500 {\an1}Many scientists and policy makers are now suggesting 376 00:17:19,533 --> 00:17:21,900 that if we hope to feed everyone, 377 00:17:21,933 --> 00:17:26,400 {\an1}we need a fundamental change. 378 00:17:26,433 --> 00:17:28,176 STULL: It's not to say that conventional animal agriculture 379 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:31,433 can't fit in with a sustainable food system, 380 00:17:31,466 --> 00:17:34,633 {\an1}but the mass production and the way that we're doing it now 381 00:17:34,666 --> 00:17:37,500 {\an1}is simply unsustainable. 382 00:17:37,533 --> 00:17:40,733 NARRATOR: The answer may lie in exploiting a special ability 383 00:17:40,766 --> 00:17:43,200 {\an1}found in many invertebrates. 384 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:47,766 {\an1}It turns out that insects 385 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:49,200 {\an1}have the potential to make protein 386 00:17:49,233 --> 00:17:53,966 {\an1}far more efficiently than other animals. 387 00:17:55,133 --> 00:17:58,133 The reason lies in their physiology. 388 00:18:01,733 --> 00:18:05,233 LATTY: Animals like mammals and birds are warm-blooded. 389 00:18:05,266 --> 00:18:06,309 {\an1}So what that means is that we generate 390 00:18:06,333 --> 00:18:08,133 {\an1}a tremendous amount of body heat. 391 00:18:08,166 --> 00:18:11,633 {\an1}Insects are a little different. 392 00:18:11,666 --> 00:18:12,700 {\an1}This is a thermal camera, 393 00:18:12,733 --> 00:18:15,066 {\an1}and what it'll let us do is detect heat. 394 00:18:15,100 --> 00:18:16,533 NARRATOR: On the image, 395 00:18:16,566 --> 00:18:18,200 {\an1}Tanya's skin appears red, 396 00:18:18,233 --> 00:18:19,166 {\an1}meaning it's warm. 397 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:22,966 As a mammal, she is endothermic, 398 00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:24,900 burning food to generate internal heat. 399 00:18:24,933 --> 00:18:28,600 {\an1}But the spiny leaf insect appears blue, 400 00:18:28,633 --> 00:18:31,266 {\an1}meaning it's cool. 401 00:18:31,300 --> 00:18:33,800 {\an1}It is ectothermic. 402 00:18:33,833 --> 00:18:37,233 {\an1}Ectothermic refers to the fact that some organisms 403 00:18:37,266 --> 00:18:39,200 are unable to generate body heat. 404 00:18:39,233 --> 00:18:40,966 {\an1}If it's warm outside, 405 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:42,342 their bodies are that same temperature. 406 00:18:42,366 --> 00:18:45,766 If it's cold, they're also cold. 407 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:46,842 NARRATOR: This physiological difference 408 00:18:46,866 --> 00:18:48,366 {\an1}has a major effect 409 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:52,100 {\an1}on the quantity of resources they need to grow. 410 00:18:52,133 --> 00:18:53,533 Since insects aren't wasting energy 411 00:18:53,566 --> 00:18:55,333 trying to keep their bodies warm, 412 00:18:55,366 --> 00:18:58,266 {\an1}most of the calories they eat can be converted into nutrients 413 00:18:58,300 --> 00:18:59,900 {\an1}that we could then eat. 414 00:18:59,933 --> 00:19:02,000 {\an1}So you get a much higher conversion efficiency 415 00:19:02,033 --> 00:19:05,333 with an insect than you would with a mammal. 416 00:19:05,366 --> 00:19:08,666 NARRATOR: When it comes to generating animal protein efficiently, 417 00:19:08,700 --> 00:19:10,200 insects rule. 418 00:19:11,900 --> 00:19:13,566 {\an1}To produce a pound of beef 419 00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:17,633 {\an8}requires nearly ten pounds of feed. 420 00:19:17,666 --> 00:19:22,900 {\an7}But growing a pound of insects needs less than two pounds. 421 00:19:22,933 --> 00:19:25,066 One pound of beef also requires 422 00:19:25,100 --> 00:19:30,133 {\an1}over 2,000 gallons of water. 423 00:19:30,166 --> 00:19:32,066 {\an1}But the same weight of insect 424 00:19:32,100 --> 00:19:36,233 {\an1}can take less than 12 gallons. 425 00:19:36,266 --> 00:19:37,733 LATTY: If you're farming an insect, 426 00:19:37,766 --> 00:19:40,333 you don't need to feed them nearly as much 427 00:19:40,366 --> 00:19:42,766 as you would a mammal of the same size. 428 00:19:42,800 --> 00:19:44,700 {\an1}Insects offer so much promise. 429 00:19:44,733 --> 00:19:47,266 {\an1}They are a really accessible form of protein that, 430 00:19:47,300 --> 00:19:49,000 {\an1}you know, potentially could feed the world. 431 00:19:50,833 --> 00:19:52,233 NARRATOR: The numbers look great. 432 00:19:52,266 --> 00:19:55,666 {\an1}But can humanity really move from farming pigs, 433 00:19:55,700 --> 00:19:57,466 {\an1}chickens, and cows 434 00:19:57,500 --> 00:20:00,133 {\an1}to farming insects? 435 00:20:00,166 --> 00:20:02,033 {\an1}If we are going to feed billions, 436 00:20:02,066 --> 00:20:04,033 the amount of insect protein needed 437 00:20:04,066 --> 00:20:06,033 will be enormous. 438 00:20:09,733 --> 00:20:12,133 Over 90% of insects consumed today 439 00:20:12,166 --> 00:20:13,900 {\an1}are foraged from the wild. 440 00:20:13,933 --> 00:20:15,600 The palm weevil... 441 00:20:15,633 --> 00:20:18,366 {\an1}probably the most popular edible insect of all... 442 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:22,333 Is harvested from rotting palm trunks. 443 00:20:22,366 --> 00:20:24,166 {\an1}But natural harvesting like this 444 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:27,633 {\an1}could not be scaled to feed billions. 445 00:20:27,666 --> 00:20:29,000 STULL: It's local and it's free. 446 00:20:29,033 --> 00:20:34,866 {\an1}But really, the way to utilize insects better as a food 447 00:20:34,900 --> 00:20:39,333 {\an1}is to help people farm them and engage in insect agriculture. 448 00:20:40,933 --> 00:20:43,266 NARRATOR: Change is already happening. 449 00:20:43,300 --> 00:20:44,666 In Thailand, 450 00:20:44,700 --> 00:20:47,000 {\an1}the last few decades have seen a surge 451 00:20:47,033 --> 00:20:49,966 {\an1}in start-up insect farms, 452 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:53,533 {\an1}led by entrepreneurs like Thanaporn "Kaew" Sae Leaw. 453 00:20:54,900 --> 00:20:56,900 {\an8}(translated): We heard about insect farming 454 00:20:56,933 --> 00:20:58,566 {\an7}from our relatives. 455 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:01,433 {\an7}They said it's something you can do as a sideline, 456 00:21:01,466 --> 00:21:05,333 without giving up your day job. 457 00:21:05,366 --> 00:21:07,066 {\an1}In this container, 458 00:21:07,100 --> 00:21:10,533 I've got a batch that are already 15 days old. 459 00:21:10,566 --> 00:21:12,400 {\an1}Here, let me show you. 460 00:21:13,966 --> 00:21:15,833 NARRATOR: In Thailand, crickets have become 461 00:21:15,866 --> 00:21:19,700 {\an1}these new farmers' insect of choice. 462 00:21:19,733 --> 00:21:21,266 Because not only does cricket farming 463 00:21:21,300 --> 00:21:22,400 {\an1}take up very little space, 464 00:21:22,433 --> 00:21:25,366 {\an1}but their rapid growth allows farmers 465 00:21:25,400 --> 00:21:27,500 {\an1}to continually harvest year-round. 466 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:32,166 {\an7}But there is still a lot to learn. 467 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:34,166 The field of insect agriculture 468 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:36,566 {\an1}is really in its infancy. 469 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:37,866 {\an1}So learning to farm insects 470 00:21:37,900 --> 00:21:40,800 at scale to feed lots of people, 471 00:21:40,833 --> 00:21:42,600 we're just now scratching the surface. 472 00:21:42,633 --> 00:21:44,666 NARRATOR: Farming insects 473 00:21:44,700 --> 00:21:48,466 definitely comes with unfamiliar new challenges. 474 00:21:48,500 --> 00:21:50,166 {\an1}Much of Thanaporn's time is spent 475 00:21:50,200 --> 00:21:52,033 {\an1}keeping her ectothermic charges 476 00:21:52,066 --> 00:21:54,300 {\an1}at the correct temperature. 477 00:21:54,333 --> 00:21:57,233 {\an1}SAE LEAW (translated): We've always got to keep a close eye 478 00:21:57,266 --> 00:21:58,633 on the weather. 479 00:21:58,666 --> 00:22:00,433 Sometimes when it gets too hot, 480 00:22:00,466 --> 00:22:03,133 {\an1}we have to spray water on the crickets 481 00:22:03,166 --> 00:22:04,500 {\an1}to cool them down. 482 00:22:04,533 --> 00:22:05,776 NARRATOR: And cattle farmers don't have to deal with 483 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:09,333 {\an1}the problem of cannibalism. 484 00:22:09,366 --> 00:22:12,100 (translated): Unfortunately, 485 00:22:12,133 --> 00:22:16,766 {\an1}if there's not enough food, they do start to eat each other. 486 00:22:19,233 --> 00:22:20,600 {\an1}That's one of the reasons 487 00:22:20,633 --> 00:22:23,300 {\an8}we have put in these egg cartons... 488 00:22:23,333 --> 00:22:26,100 {\an7}it gives the vulnerable ones somewhere to hide 489 00:22:26,133 --> 00:22:29,833 {\an8}from their voracious companions. 490 00:22:29,866 --> 00:22:32,900 NARRATOR: But it's worth the effort. 491 00:22:32,933 --> 00:22:33,900 With low costs, 492 00:22:33,933 --> 00:22:36,066 low maintenance, and a quick turnover, 493 00:22:36,100 --> 00:22:38,700 Thai farmers are taking to the emerging industry 494 00:22:38,733 --> 00:22:42,000 {\an1}in the tens of thousands. 495 00:22:42,033 --> 00:22:43,433 (translated): Most of the time, 496 00:22:43,466 --> 00:22:45,566 {\an1}there aren't enough for us to eat. 497 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:47,700 {\an1}We have all sold out. 498 00:22:47,733 --> 00:22:49,566 {\an1}And if the demand gets any higher, 499 00:22:49,600 --> 00:22:54,400 we might have to expand the farm. 500 00:22:54,433 --> 00:22:55,966 {\an8}♪ ♪ 501 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,176 {\an8}NARRATOR: With healthy domestic demand for these tasty snacks, 502 00:22:58,200 --> 00:23:03,800 {\an1}Thailand's insect farms look set to grow. 503 00:23:03,833 --> 00:23:06,266 {\an1}But what about the U.S.? 504 00:23:06,300 --> 00:23:08,300 {\an1}How close is America to being conquered by 505 00:23:08,333 --> 00:23:11,133 {\an1}the insect-eating bug? 506 00:23:11,166 --> 00:23:12,933 (buzzing) 507 00:23:12,966 --> 00:23:14,300 {\an1}Baltimore, Maryland. 508 00:23:15,466 --> 00:23:18,800 {\an1}Entomologist Mike Raupp leads his Cicada Crew 509 00:23:18,833 --> 00:23:21,466 {\an1}on an insect hunt. 510 00:23:21,500 --> 00:23:23,433 RAUPP: So you can see this ancient pin oak tree. 511 00:23:23,466 --> 00:23:26,700 {\an1}This one's probably been here maybe for 100 years. 512 00:23:26,733 --> 00:23:30,800 NARRATOR: Among the roots of the tree, the soil seems alive. 513 00:23:30,833 --> 00:23:35,633 {\an1}Periodical cicadas are returning to the surface, 514 00:23:35,666 --> 00:23:38,800 {\an1}the advance guard of "Brood X." 515 00:23:38,833 --> 00:23:43,400 {\an1}These insects have spent nearly two decades alone 516 00:23:43,433 --> 00:23:44,733 below ground. 517 00:23:44,766 --> 00:23:48,566 {\an1}But after 17 years, it's time to breed. 518 00:23:48,600 --> 00:23:50,500 RAUPP: They come out at dusk, 519 00:23:50,533 --> 00:23:53,700 {\an1}they climb the tree, they try to escape their shells, 520 00:23:53,733 --> 00:23:55,833 then get up to the relative safety 521 00:23:55,866 --> 00:23:57,633 of the treetop. 522 00:23:57,666 --> 00:24:01,000 NARRATOR: Where they mate in their multitudes. 523 00:24:01,033 --> 00:24:03,500 {\an7}This happens nowhere else on Earth 524 00:24:03,533 --> 00:24:06,966 {\an8}except right here in the Eastern United States. 525 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:08,266 {\an7}And this is the big brood. 526 00:24:08,300 --> 00:24:11,000 DEMIAN NUNEZ: This is what I was hoping for. 527 00:24:11,033 --> 00:24:12,409 {\an1}I'm just really impressed by the density 528 00:24:12,433 --> 00:24:13,566 {\an1}that's in this neighborhood. 529 00:24:14,766 --> 00:24:16,600 NARRATOR: Brood X is so famous because 530 00:24:16,633 --> 00:24:18,700 {\an1}the numbers are phenomenal. 531 00:24:18,733 --> 00:24:22,533 {\an1}There can be up to 1.5 million of them an acre, 532 00:24:22,566 --> 00:24:25,366 {\an1}coating every available surface. 533 00:24:26,866 --> 00:24:29,033 {\an1}Overloading the environment is actually 534 00:24:29,066 --> 00:24:32,400 {\an1}their survival strategy. 535 00:24:32,433 --> 00:24:33,800 {\an1}Synchronizing a rare 536 00:24:33,833 --> 00:24:37,866 {\an1}17-year emergence allows them to outlive some predators 537 00:24:37,900 --> 00:24:39,566 {\an1}and overwhelm the rest. 538 00:24:39,600 --> 00:24:42,700 (buzzing) 539 00:24:42,733 --> 00:24:46,366 {\an1}It guarantees their bizarre strategy of predator satiation. 540 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:50,200 {\an1}Filling the belly of every predator that wants to eat them 541 00:24:50,233 --> 00:24:52,133 and still having enough left over 542 00:24:52,166 --> 00:24:53,666 {\an1}to perpetuate their species. 543 00:24:53,700 --> 00:24:55,000 ♪ ♪ 544 00:24:55,033 --> 00:24:56,200 NARRATOR: Not so long ago, 545 00:24:56,233 --> 00:24:58,000 {\an1}it wasn't just birds and other small animals 546 00:24:58,033 --> 00:24:59,933 that benefited. 547 00:24:59,966 --> 00:25:00,966 {\an1}These emerging broods 548 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:03,033 were once a nutritious windfall 549 00:25:03,066 --> 00:25:06,000 {\an1}for Indigenous communities. 550 00:25:06,033 --> 00:25:07,109 LESNIK: When we think about, 551 00:25:07,133 --> 00:25:09,433 {\an1}"Are insects consumed here in North America?" 552 00:25:09,466 --> 00:25:12,833 {\an1}They were a traditional part of many diets 553 00:25:12,866 --> 00:25:14,233 {\an1}of many different tribes. 554 00:25:14,266 --> 00:25:17,200 {\an8}We've lost a lot of this history, 555 00:25:17,233 --> 00:25:20,900 {\an7}partially because of the removal of these populations 556 00:25:20,933 --> 00:25:22,166 {\an7}from their native lands. 557 00:25:22,200 --> 00:25:26,100 RAUPP: I know that Indigenous people ate cicadas. 558 00:25:26,133 --> 00:25:27,666 {\an1}It was a bounty for them. 559 00:25:27,700 --> 00:25:29,833 {\an1}So from my interest as an entomologist, 560 00:25:29,866 --> 00:25:33,566 {\an1}I certainly am going to snack on just a few periodical cicadas. 561 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:36,533 NARRATOR: For a dedicated entomologist, 562 00:25:36,566 --> 00:25:39,800 eating a cicada is a rite of passage. 563 00:25:39,833 --> 00:25:42,200 {\an1}We're just going to, on the count of three, 564 00:25:42,233 --> 00:25:43,200 {\an1}we're going to go for it. 565 00:25:43,233 --> 00:25:44,333 {\an1}You guys ready? 566 00:25:44,366 --> 00:25:45,476 {\an4}Who's up? (woman speaking indistinctly) 567 00:25:45,500 --> 00:25:46,800 {\an1}We're all up? 568 00:25:46,833 --> 00:25:47,833 {\an1}Jessica, are you up? 569 00:25:47,866 --> 00:25:48,800 I'm up. 570 00:25:48,833 --> 00:25:49,833 {\an1}All right, thumbs up. 571 00:25:49,866 --> 00:25:52,000 {\an1}Ready? One, two, three. 572 00:25:52,033 --> 00:25:53,133 {\an1}Cheers! 573 00:25:54,100 --> 00:25:55,233 (whimpers) 574 00:25:55,266 --> 00:25:57,266 {\an7}Pretty sweet. RAUPP: What's the flavor? 575 00:25:57,300 --> 00:25:58,966 {\an7}What do you get? Demian? 576 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:01,500 {\an8}Slight nuttiness. 577 00:26:01,533 --> 00:26:04,100 {\an8}It does taste like nut a lot... I wasn't expecting that. 578 00:26:04,133 --> 00:26:05,333 {\an8}Oh, my God! 579 00:26:05,366 --> 00:26:07,633 NARRATOR: Mike encourages his grad students 580 00:26:07,666 --> 00:26:11,333 {\an1}to experiment with this insect bounty. 581 00:26:11,366 --> 00:26:12,666 SAENZ: The idea is to, like, 582 00:26:12,700 --> 00:26:14,066 spread the wings a little bit, 583 00:26:14,100 --> 00:26:16,000 so they can, I don't know, like, 584 00:26:16,033 --> 00:26:17,300 like, get crispy, 585 00:26:17,333 --> 00:26:20,333 {\an1}and then you're just eating the abdomens over here. 586 00:26:20,366 --> 00:26:21,900 {\an1}That's what I'm thinking. 587 00:26:21,933 --> 00:26:24,366 RAUPP: People eat raw oysters, 588 00:26:24,400 --> 00:26:25,666 {\an1}they eat raw clams... 589 00:26:25,700 --> 00:26:27,633 {\an1}creatures that live at the bottom of a bay 590 00:26:27,666 --> 00:26:29,076 {\an1}and filter you-know-what out of the water. 591 00:26:29,100 --> 00:26:32,633 {\an1}Now, why wouldn't somebody eat a periodical cicada 592 00:26:32,666 --> 00:26:35,233 {\an1}that's been sipping plant sap for 17 years? 593 00:26:35,266 --> 00:26:37,533 NARRATOR: The roots of some Americans' 594 00:26:37,566 --> 00:26:42,166 {\an1}resistance to insect-eating aren't hard to find. 595 00:26:42,200 --> 00:26:44,176 {\an1}This country's culinary attitudes largely originate 596 00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:47,733 {\an1}from the prejudices of Northern Europeans. 597 00:26:47,766 --> 00:26:50,800 {\an7}America was settled by European colonists, 598 00:26:50,833 --> 00:26:54,900 {\an7}and the bulk of insect diversity is really around the Equator. 599 00:26:54,933 --> 00:26:56,233 {\an7}It's not in England. (laughs) 600 00:26:57,466 --> 00:26:59,733 LESNIK: So, insects weren't largely available. 601 00:26:59,766 --> 00:27:03,700 {\an1}The diets in these northern latitudes tend to be 602 00:27:03,733 --> 00:27:06,433 {\an1}very meat-centric, because that's what's available 603 00:27:06,466 --> 00:27:07,709 to get you through harsh winters. 604 00:27:07,733 --> 00:27:11,166 WARE: Early colonists noted that Native people 605 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:12,533 {\an1}in parts of the United States 606 00:27:12,566 --> 00:27:14,866 consumed insects. 607 00:27:14,900 --> 00:27:17,766 {\an1}But that was considered to be an "other," I think. 608 00:27:17,800 --> 00:27:20,266 {\an1}That was something that a different group of people ate. 609 00:27:20,300 --> 00:27:22,700 {\an1}And so I don't think it was widely adopted. 610 00:27:22,733 --> 00:27:24,466 Really good. Yum! 611 00:27:24,500 --> 00:27:26,700 NARRATOR: Hundreds of years later, 612 00:27:26,733 --> 00:27:29,033 {\an1}some think it's time to move past this culinary bias. 613 00:27:29,066 --> 00:27:31,466 (laughs softly) 614 00:27:33,700 --> 00:27:36,466 NARRATOR: If the global food industry is going to reinvent itself, 615 00:27:36,500 --> 00:27:40,733 {\an1}many believe the change must start here, 616 00:27:40,766 --> 00:27:43,566 {\an1}because wealthy countries like the U.S. play a leading role 617 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:46,700 {\an1}in setting global attitudes. 618 00:27:46,733 --> 00:27:50,166 {\an7}It's simply true that our dietary preferences 619 00:27:50,200 --> 00:27:53,533 {\an1}are driving marketplaces for food trade across the globe. 620 00:27:53,566 --> 00:27:56,633 {\an1}So I think if we can do nothing else, 621 00:27:56,666 --> 00:28:00,533 {\an1}if we can change the perception of insects as food in the West, 622 00:28:00,566 --> 00:28:02,500 {\an1}that would be a positive step forward. 623 00:28:02,533 --> 00:28:05,700 NARRATOR: But that could be a challenge. 624 00:28:05,733 --> 00:28:10,666 {\an1}Many Americans aren't just neutral towards bugs, 625 00:28:10,700 --> 00:28:12,400 {\an1}they're horrified by them. (screaming) 626 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:18,200 NARRATOR: In cultures without a history of eating them, 627 00:28:18,233 --> 00:28:20,533 {\an1}insects are often associated with decay and disease. 628 00:28:20,566 --> 00:28:23,533 WARE: People often associate flies, for example, 629 00:28:23,566 --> 00:28:25,533 {\an1}with things that are unclean, 630 00:28:25,566 --> 00:28:27,966 {\an1}or cockroaches with things that are unclean. 631 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:31,766 {\an1}And so nobody really is going to think, "Oh, I... 632 00:28:31,800 --> 00:28:34,133 {\an1}That's going to be a good food item," if you see something 633 00:28:34,166 --> 00:28:35,866 {\an1}crawling out of your, your sewer drain. 634 00:28:35,900 --> 00:28:37,666 {\an1}Having disgust as your first impression 635 00:28:37,700 --> 00:28:39,566 {\an1}for something you're about to eat, 636 00:28:39,600 --> 00:28:41,500 {\an1}that's a pretty bad first impression. 637 00:28:41,533 --> 00:28:45,666 NARRATOR: This disgust response might look like an instinctive reaction 638 00:28:45,700 --> 00:28:48,866 {\an1}to potential threat. 639 00:28:48,900 --> 00:28:52,866 {\an7}People generally can recognize the disgust face very easily. 640 00:28:52,900 --> 00:28:56,633 {\an7}In one, the lower jaw drops and the tongue is extended. 641 00:28:56,666 --> 00:28:58,033 {\an7}And another version, 642 00:28:58,066 --> 00:29:01,300 {\an1}it's just raising the upper lip, closing the nose a little. 643 00:29:01,333 --> 00:29:04,700 {\an1}But it's associated with the feeling of nausea. 644 00:29:04,733 --> 00:29:07,400 {\an1}And that, again, reminds us that disgust 645 00:29:07,433 --> 00:29:09,000 {\an1}is originally about food, 646 00:29:09,033 --> 00:29:13,266 because nausea is a food rejection sensation 647 00:29:13,300 --> 00:29:14,933 {\an1}that gets us to stop eating. 648 00:29:14,966 --> 00:29:19,100 NARRATOR: But in reality, compared to other livestock 649 00:29:19,133 --> 00:29:21,066 {\an1}like cows and pigs, 650 00:29:21,100 --> 00:29:23,300 {\an1}edible insects are unlikely to carry pathogens 651 00:29:23,333 --> 00:29:27,533 {\an1}that are harmful to humans because insect physiology 652 00:29:27,566 --> 00:29:29,900 {\an1}is so different from our own. 653 00:29:29,933 --> 00:29:33,833 {\an1}Psychologists are now finding that disgust towards insects 654 00:29:33,866 --> 00:29:37,766 {\an1}is nothing more than a socially acquired response. 655 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:38,900 WARE: Children are not born 656 00:29:38,933 --> 00:29:40,800 {\an1}with an innate distaste for insects. 657 00:29:40,833 --> 00:29:42,533 {\an1}You know, in fact, many young toddlers 658 00:29:42,566 --> 00:29:44,476 {\an1}would grab an insect, and the first thing they would do 659 00:29:44,500 --> 00:29:46,100 {\an1}is put it towards their mouth. 660 00:29:46,133 --> 00:29:48,000 {\an1}There's no innate disgust. 661 00:29:48,033 --> 00:29:52,000 {\an1}It's almost entirely, I would say, social conditioning. 662 00:29:52,033 --> 00:29:55,166 {\an1}Getting people to like insects is part of a general problem 663 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:57,200 {\an1}of getting people to like anything. 664 00:29:57,233 --> 00:30:02,000 NARRATOR: So, if disgust is more nurture than nature, 665 00:30:02,033 --> 00:30:05,533 {\an1}is it possible to get mainstream America to love the bug? 666 00:30:05,566 --> 00:30:10,400 {\an1}New York chef Joseph Yoon is a passionate advocate 667 00:30:10,433 --> 00:30:12,466 {\an1}for edible insects. 668 00:30:12,500 --> 00:30:13,733 YOON: I'm not saying 669 00:30:13,766 --> 00:30:17,033 {\an7}that we can save the world by eating insects, 670 00:30:17,066 --> 00:30:22,166 {\an7}but the idea that we can make small lifestyle choices 671 00:30:22,200 --> 00:30:24,866 {\an1}that can positively impact the environment 672 00:30:24,900 --> 00:30:26,866 {\an1}and future generations, 673 00:30:26,900 --> 00:30:29,633 {\an1}that's of great inspiration and motivation to me. 674 00:30:29,666 --> 00:30:35,100 NARRATOR: Joseph has agreed to run an experiment for "NOVA." 675 00:30:35,133 --> 00:30:37,300 {\an1}He's constructing a tasting menu designed to see 676 00:30:37,333 --> 00:30:40,166 {\an1}if some New Yorkers could be converted to insect eating 677 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:41,900 {\an1}with a little creative cooking. 678 00:30:41,933 --> 00:30:45,800 YOON: People tend to think in extremes when it comes to edible insects. 679 00:30:45,833 --> 00:30:48,800 {\an1}They think of insects, something that's gross, 680 00:30:48,833 --> 00:30:51,233 {\an1}and something that they don't want to eat. 681 00:30:51,266 --> 00:30:54,566 {\an1}We need to redefine the idea of edible insects 682 00:30:54,600 --> 00:30:57,366 {\an1}from the ground up. 683 00:30:57,400 --> 00:31:00,233 {\an1}And it's a matter of shifting perceptions 684 00:31:00,266 --> 00:31:03,233 {\an1}from insects being gross 685 00:31:03,266 --> 00:31:07,166 {\an1}to show that they're delicious! 686 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:10,133 {\an1}Here are some roasted crickets. 687 00:31:10,166 --> 00:31:14,200 {\an1}These are black ants that have the formic acid 688 00:31:14,233 --> 00:31:16,900 {\an1}as a defense mechanism, which gives it a citrusy flavor. 689 00:31:16,933 --> 00:31:18,700 {\an1}It's so incredible. 690 00:31:18,733 --> 00:31:21,633 {\an7}These are mealworms that we have here. 691 00:31:21,666 --> 00:31:23,233 {\an7}These have a nutty, earthy, 692 00:31:23,266 --> 00:31:26,166 {\an8}umami flavor. 693 00:31:26,200 --> 00:31:28,733 {\an7}These are chipotle-flavored grasshoppers. 694 00:31:28,766 --> 00:31:32,233 {\an7}These are wonderful, just, snacks. 695 00:31:32,266 --> 00:31:33,509 NARRATOR: With ingredients like these, 696 00:31:33,533 --> 00:31:37,200 {\an1}Joseph's task is hard, but not impossible. 697 00:31:37,233 --> 00:31:39,133 ♪ ♪ 698 00:31:39,166 --> 00:31:41,366 Because America's socially conditioned disgust 699 00:31:41,400 --> 00:31:44,700 {\an1}has been successfully reversed before. 700 00:31:44,733 --> 00:31:48,066 {\an1}Just consider your nearest sushi counter. 701 00:31:48,100 --> 00:31:52,666 {\an1}50 years ago, sushi restaurants were rare in the U.S. 702 00:31:52,700 --> 00:31:53,809 {\an1}Many Americans were squeamish 703 00:31:53,833 --> 00:31:56,633 {\an1}about eating uncooked fish. 704 00:31:56,666 --> 00:31:58,766 STULL: It was disgusting... raw fish was disgusting. 705 00:31:58,800 --> 00:32:01,700 {\an1}Then it, you know, permeated the coasts. 706 00:32:01,733 --> 00:32:03,900 {\an1}You got it at a fancy restaurant in New York 707 00:32:03,933 --> 00:32:05,200 or San Francisco. 708 00:32:05,233 --> 00:32:08,800 {\an1}Now you can get sushi at a gas station in Nebraska. 709 00:32:08,833 --> 00:32:11,333 {\an1}Food culture does change. 710 00:32:11,366 --> 00:32:14,100 NARRATOR: Some experts believe that sushi's breakthrough in the U.S. 711 00:32:14,133 --> 00:32:18,233 {\an1}was thanks to the creation of the California roll, 712 00:32:18,266 --> 00:32:22,133 {\an1}where the unfamiliar ingredients are hidden by a rice exterior. 713 00:32:23,766 --> 00:32:26,933 It's all about clever psychology. 714 00:32:26,966 --> 00:32:29,966 {\an1}So could Joseph leverage this same trick for insects? 715 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:32,400 {\an1}While he prepares his menu, 716 00:32:32,433 --> 00:32:35,333 {\an1}the tasters arrive. 717 00:32:35,366 --> 00:32:39,366 {\an7}I'm pretty adventurous, yeah, it's exciting, it's fun, yeah. 718 00:32:39,400 --> 00:32:42,700 {\an8}I'm nervous, but also very excited. 719 00:32:42,733 --> 00:32:45,066 {\an7}I would consider myself a pretty adventurous eater... 720 00:32:45,100 --> 00:32:46,733 {\an7}at least a nine out of ten. 721 00:32:46,766 --> 00:32:48,066 {\an7}I'm actually kind of excited! 722 00:32:48,100 --> 00:32:50,042 {\an7}Always willing to try something new, and, you know, 723 00:32:50,066 --> 00:32:51,433 {\an7}push the boundaries. 724 00:32:51,466 --> 00:32:56,366 {\an1}♪ I like bugs with 16 legs and bugs with lots of eyes ♪ 725 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,133 {\an1}♪ I like spiders that crawl on the floor ♪ 726 00:32:58,166 --> 00:33:00,333 {\an1}♪ And eat up all the flies ♪ 727 00:33:00,366 --> 00:33:04,733 {\an1}A great strategy for trying to convince people 728 00:33:04,766 --> 00:33:08,466 {\an1}to try edible insects is to incorporate it into food 729 00:33:08,500 --> 00:33:10,866 {\an1}they already know and love. 730 00:33:10,900 --> 00:33:12,233 To start off, 731 00:33:12,266 --> 00:33:14,100 we have a blueberry hopper muffin 732 00:33:14,133 --> 00:33:16,300 with grasshoppers. 733 00:33:16,333 --> 00:33:18,133 {\an1}♪ I love bugs that live in the mud ♪ 734 00:33:18,166 --> 00:33:22,200 We have azcayo guacamole with black ants, 735 00:33:22,233 --> 00:33:23,600 crickets, citrus, 736 00:33:23,633 --> 00:33:26,800 chili peppers, onions, and garlic. 737 00:33:26,833 --> 00:33:27,800 ♪ I like bugs ♪ 738 00:33:27,833 --> 00:33:31,100 And then we have pizza cavalletta, 739 00:33:31,133 --> 00:33:34,033 with a locust bolognese, mozzarella, 740 00:33:34,066 --> 00:33:36,333 pecorino romano, and basil. 741 00:33:36,366 --> 00:33:37,700 Bug appétit! 742 00:33:37,733 --> 00:33:40,033 (chuckling): All right, here we go. 743 00:33:40,066 --> 00:33:44,033 NARRATOR: So what will the tasters think? 744 00:33:45,100 --> 00:33:46,100 {\an1}CHENG: Ooh... 745 00:33:46,133 --> 00:33:47,566 {\an1}(laughs) 746 00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:50,166 {\an1}There's a really big one in there. 747 00:33:50,200 --> 00:33:52,500 ♪ ♪ 748 00:33:52,533 --> 00:33:54,166 (chuckling) 749 00:33:54,200 --> 00:33:55,733 {\an1}Nice little crunch factor. 750 00:33:55,766 --> 00:33:56,833 (laughs) 751 00:33:56,866 --> 00:33:59,533 {\an1}You definitely know it's... (laughs) 752 00:33:59,566 --> 00:34:00,966 not a fruit. 753 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:03,633 {\an7}This one I'm nervous about. (laughs) 754 00:34:04,933 --> 00:34:06,266 {\an8}Yeah, so that, I can see the bugs. 755 00:34:06,300 --> 00:34:07,909 {\an7}GOLDBERG: I'm trying to get, like, the least 756 00:34:07,933 --> 00:34:11,666 {\an7}intimidating bite. 757 00:34:11,700 --> 00:34:14,200 {\an1}(laughing, crunching loudly) 758 00:34:20,133 --> 00:34:22,233 So scary! (laughs) 759 00:34:22,266 --> 00:34:25,200 {\an1}These really look like little bugs, so... 760 00:34:25,233 --> 00:34:27,633 Um, so that part was a little rough. 761 00:34:27,666 --> 00:34:29,633 {\an1}It doesn't weird me out, because I know that 762 00:34:29,666 --> 00:34:33,266 {\an1}it's prepared to be eaten, edible. 763 00:34:33,300 --> 00:34:35,433 {\an1}But if I went probably to a place by my house 764 00:34:35,466 --> 00:34:38,433 and got guacamole and found crickets in it, 765 00:34:38,466 --> 00:34:40,766 {\an1}I'd have an issue. 766 00:34:42,433 --> 00:34:43,733 Pizza! 767 00:34:43,766 --> 00:34:45,200 Okay. 768 00:34:45,233 --> 00:34:46,909 {\an1}This one's a little iffy, but I'm going to try it anyway. 769 00:34:46,933 --> 00:34:49,200 {\an1}I'm going to go for the big bug right there. 770 00:34:49,233 --> 00:34:51,000 {\an1}I think this is a locust right here. 771 00:34:52,666 --> 00:34:54,133 Okay. 772 00:34:54,166 --> 00:34:55,566 (exhales) 773 00:34:57,333 --> 00:35:00,966 {\an8}♪ ♪ 774 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:02,566 {\an1}I think the, the pizza masks 775 00:35:02,600 --> 00:35:05,466 {\an1}the, the taste of the bugs, so... 776 00:35:05,500 --> 00:35:06,733 I didn't actually 777 00:35:06,766 --> 00:35:09,800 {\an1}taste much of the locust, which is good. 778 00:35:09,833 --> 00:35:11,309 {\an1}I don't know if I would order something, seeing something, 779 00:35:11,333 --> 00:35:12,300 {\an1}a big bug right there. 780 00:35:12,333 --> 00:35:15,833 {\an1}Maybe if it was not seen as much? 781 00:35:15,866 --> 00:35:18,300 {\an1}If I think about what I ate, it's... 782 00:35:18,333 --> 00:35:19,933 Challenging. (laughs) 783 00:35:19,966 --> 00:35:23,566 NARRATOR: Despite Joseph's skills, the main courses have produced 784 00:35:23,600 --> 00:35:25,566 a mixed reaction. 785 00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:29,500 So, for dessert, the chef goes one step further. 786 00:35:29,533 --> 00:35:32,233 YOON: A delicious banana bread 787 00:35:32,266 --> 00:35:35,433 {\an1}with a vanilla buttercream frosting. 788 00:35:35,466 --> 00:35:37,566 Surprise! 789 00:35:37,600 --> 00:35:39,366 {\an1}There's mealworm powder 790 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:42,333 {\an1}in both the banana bread and the frosting. 791 00:35:42,366 --> 00:35:44,666 {\an1}The psychological advantage 792 00:35:44,700 --> 00:35:48,800 {\an1}of using insect powder is that you don't have to see it. 793 00:35:48,833 --> 00:35:50,666 (laughing): Amazing! 794 00:35:50,700 --> 00:35:54,666 NARRATOR: Joseph may have struck pay dirt with the powdered insects. 795 00:35:54,700 --> 00:35:57,033 Mm! 796 00:35:57,066 --> 00:35:58,566 That's delicious. 797 00:35:58,600 --> 00:36:00,500 {\an1}I feel like this one I'm actually 798 00:36:00,533 --> 00:36:05,166 {\an1}the least intimidated by, because it is, um... 799 00:36:05,200 --> 00:36:08,533 {\an1}It's powder, so it's... You don't see a physical bug. 800 00:36:08,566 --> 00:36:10,033 {\an1}You can't taste anything different 801 00:36:10,066 --> 00:36:13,000 {\an1}than a normal banana bread. 802 00:36:13,033 --> 00:36:14,576 (chuckling): I actually really like that, that's awesome. 803 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:16,100 {\an1}That's really delicious. 804 00:36:16,133 --> 00:36:20,400 NARRATOR: Perhaps insect powder is the secret weapon to overcome 805 00:36:20,433 --> 00:36:23,133 {\an1}America's disgust. 806 00:36:23,166 --> 00:36:25,900 {\an1}Insect powder is so versatile. 807 00:36:25,933 --> 00:36:28,966 You can add it to your smoothies, 808 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,500 {\an1}you can add it to soups, 809 00:36:31,533 --> 00:36:32,633 {\an1}you can add it to sauces. 810 00:36:32,666 --> 00:36:34,300 {\an1}You can add to your mac and cheese sauce. 811 00:36:34,333 --> 00:36:37,133 You can add it to your fried rice. 812 00:36:37,166 --> 00:36:42,166 {\an1}You can add insect powder to virtually any type of food. 813 00:36:42,200 --> 00:36:45,733 {\an1}Because of Americans' attitude towards insects, 814 00:36:45,766 --> 00:36:47,509 {\an1}I think it's going to be a really successful way 815 00:36:47,533 --> 00:36:49,866 to introduce them to insect protein. 816 00:36:49,900 --> 00:36:53,400 (laughing): I would probably finish this. 817 00:36:53,433 --> 00:36:55,800 NARRATOR: But there's a problem. 818 00:36:55,833 --> 00:36:57,100 Pound for pound, 819 00:36:57,133 --> 00:36:59,266 {\an1}insect protein producers cannot 820 00:36:59,300 --> 00:37:01,166 {\an1}currently get close to the prices charged 821 00:37:01,200 --> 00:37:05,200 {\an1}by their established livestock rivals. 822 00:37:05,233 --> 00:37:08,133 {\an7}If prices stay as high as they are, 823 00:37:08,166 --> 00:37:10,166 {\an7}consumers are unlikely to make the switch. 824 00:37:11,866 --> 00:37:15,200 {\an7}But could science and technology help close the gap? 825 00:37:17,566 --> 00:37:20,466 ♪ ♪ 826 00:37:20,500 --> 00:37:24,933 {\an1}Canadian Mohammed Ashour is an insect farmer with big plans. 827 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:27,576 ASHOUR: We are building the world's densest, 828 00:37:27,600 --> 00:37:31,733 {\an1}smartest, and largest commercial cricket production 829 00:37:31,766 --> 00:37:34,900 {\an1}and processing facility. 830 00:37:34,933 --> 00:37:39,300 {\an7}Insect agriculture has the potential to radically transform 831 00:37:39,333 --> 00:37:42,633 {\an7}the way we produce food around the world. 832 00:37:42,666 --> 00:37:46,966 NARRATOR: Mohammed runs a start-up company that hopes to bring down 833 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:50,233 {\an1}the costs of insect farming. 834 00:37:50,266 --> 00:37:54,100 {\an1}Their plan is based on research from their R&D facility 835 00:37:54,133 --> 00:37:57,366 in Austin, Texas, 836 00:37:57,400 --> 00:38:00,500 {\an1}aimed at cracking the code of farming the cricket. 837 00:38:00,533 --> 00:38:02,566 ♪ ♪ 838 00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:04,700 {\an1}Chief operating officer 839 00:38:04,733 --> 00:38:08,633 {\an1}Gabe Mott manages the cricket research project. 840 00:38:08,666 --> 00:38:13,366 MOTT: The high expense of insect protein generally is 841 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:16,700 {\an1}predominantly because it's a novel industry. 842 00:38:16,733 --> 00:38:18,733 {\an7}We need to understand the organisms as, as well as 843 00:38:18,766 --> 00:38:19,900 {\an8}we possibly can, 844 00:38:19,933 --> 00:38:21,933 {\an7}provide them exactly what they need to thrive, 845 00:38:21,966 --> 00:38:26,133 {\an7}and then eventually, begin selective breeding. 846 00:38:26,166 --> 00:38:28,800 NARRATOR: Cows, chickens, and pigs have been selectively bred 847 00:38:28,833 --> 00:38:31,500 {\an1}as food for millennia. 848 00:38:31,533 --> 00:38:34,466 {\an1}In contrast, edible insects remain much closer 849 00:38:34,500 --> 00:38:37,300 {\an1}to their wild origins. 850 00:38:37,333 --> 00:38:40,233 MOTT: The process of selective breeding crickets 851 00:38:40,266 --> 00:38:42,000 {\an1}has really only just begun, 852 00:38:42,033 --> 00:38:44,466 {\an1}and there's a, a long way for us to go. 853 00:38:44,500 --> 00:38:48,233 The good news is, we obviously can deal with 854 00:38:48,266 --> 00:38:50,566 {\an1}much larger herds, 855 00:38:50,600 --> 00:38:52,433 {\an1}crickets lay vastly more eggs, 856 00:38:52,466 --> 00:38:54,366 {\an1}their life cycle is shorter, 857 00:38:54,400 --> 00:38:56,266 {\an1}and we can take advantage 858 00:38:56,300 --> 00:38:58,633 {\an1}of modern, cutting-edge technology. 859 00:38:58,666 --> 00:39:02,066 {\an1}We get to apply that from day one, as opposed to centuries 860 00:39:02,100 --> 00:39:04,366 {\an1}into the breeding process. 861 00:39:04,400 --> 00:39:07,933 NARRATOR: But breeding alone is not enough. 862 00:39:07,966 --> 00:39:10,166 {\an1}They're trying to figure out 863 00:39:10,200 --> 00:39:12,900 {\an1}the perfect environment to make the crickets thrive. 864 00:39:13,966 --> 00:39:17,000 {\an1}They use ten different growing rooms to allow 865 00:39:17,033 --> 00:39:20,333 {\an1}side-by-side comparisons for different feed, temperature, 866 00:39:20,366 --> 00:39:21,733 {\an1}and lighting levels. 867 00:39:21,766 --> 00:39:26,533 {\an1}Hundreds of sensors keep the environment under surveillance. 868 00:39:26,566 --> 00:39:28,833 MOTT: We observe the consequences of manipulations 869 00:39:28,866 --> 00:39:32,000 and changes on the insect biology, 870 00:39:32,033 --> 00:39:34,300 {\an1}on their physiology, on their health and well-being, 871 00:39:34,333 --> 00:39:36,533 {\an1}and then adapt and build on that 872 00:39:36,566 --> 00:39:38,266 {\an1}and adapt and build on that. 873 00:39:38,300 --> 00:39:40,333 NARRATOR: Aspire claims that due to five years 874 00:39:40,366 --> 00:39:43,033 {\an1}of in-house research and proprietary technology 875 00:39:43,066 --> 00:39:45,700 they've created, they've greatly increased 876 00:39:45,733 --> 00:39:48,266 {\an1}production efficiency and yield. 877 00:39:48,300 --> 00:39:50,900 MOTT: We saw these, these massive gains. 878 00:39:50,933 --> 00:39:54,433 {\an1}We were able to shave weeks off the life cycle time, 879 00:39:54,466 --> 00:39:56,633 {\an1}drastically improve survivability, 880 00:39:56,666 --> 00:39:59,833 {\an1}and develop an understanding of the optimal density 881 00:39:59,866 --> 00:40:03,100 {\an1}for cricket colonies. 882 00:40:03,133 --> 00:40:05,966 {\an1}We now harvest ten times the amount of crickets 883 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:10,866 {\an1}from the exact same bin that we did five years ago. 884 00:40:10,900 --> 00:40:13,033 ♪ ♪ 885 00:40:13,066 --> 00:40:16,233 NARRATOR: Even if that's true, to compete commercially 886 00:40:16,266 --> 00:40:18,166 with industrial livestock producers, 887 00:40:18,200 --> 00:40:22,133 {\an1}insect farming would need to scale up dramatically. 888 00:40:23,766 --> 00:40:29,233 {\an1}And this is where insects come with a built-in advantage. 889 00:40:29,266 --> 00:40:32,166 {\an1}You can't put cattle into a giant racking system. 890 00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:33,600 {\an1}They're not going to be happy. 891 00:40:34,966 --> 00:40:37,566 {\an7}Whereas insects are really 892 00:40:37,600 --> 00:40:39,800 {\an7}almost custom-made perfectly 893 00:40:39,833 --> 00:40:44,566 {\an7}for automation solutions that exist already. 894 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:47,666 {\an7}A robot can just wander around whenever the time is appropriate 895 00:40:47,700 --> 00:40:50,233 {\an7}and deliver all the feed. 896 00:40:50,266 --> 00:40:52,566 {\an7}I know to the gram how much feed is being fed, 897 00:40:52,600 --> 00:40:55,533 {\an7}and I know, effectively to the second, 898 00:40:55,566 --> 00:40:58,666 {\an7}when that feed is being delivered. 899 00:40:58,700 --> 00:41:00,776 {\an8}NARRATOR: They believe the combination of higher yields 900 00:41:00,800 --> 00:41:02,566 {\an7}and intensive automation 901 00:41:02,600 --> 00:41:05,633 {\an7}may soon allow insect farming to compete directly 902 00:41:05,666 --> 00:41:07,733 {\an1}with traditional livestock rivals. 903 00:41:07,766 --> 00:41:10,933 ASHOUR: Over the course of the next decade, 904 00:41:10,966 --> 00:41:13,733 {\an1}insect protein will go from being a really interesting 905 00:41:13,766 --> 00:41:18,066 {\an1}novel ingredient to being a mainstream protein alternative. 906 00:41:18,100 --> 00:41:20,033 ♪ ♪ 907 00:41:20,066 --> 00:41:23,833 NARRATOR: Mohammed and Gabe are not the only ones who see the potential. 908 00:41:23,866 --> 00:41:26,266 Across the world, many companies are figuring out 909 00:41:26,300 --> 00:41:29,400 {\an1}how to farm insects commercially. 910 00:41:30,733 --> 00:41:33,066 {\an1}If costs continue to drop, cheap, nutritious 911 00:41:33,100 --> 00:41:35,700 {\an1}insect protein may soon revolutionize 912 00:41:35,733 --> 00:41:39,700 {\an1}the global food supply system. 913 00:41:39,733 --> 00:41:43,366 ♪ ♪ 914 00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:45,476 {\an1}One of the many researchers hoping to contribute to this 915 00:41:45,500 --> 00:41:49,266 {\an1}burgeoning industry is entomologist Ebony Jenkins, 916 00:41:49,300 --> 00:41:51,066 {\an1}a doctoral student 917 00:41:51,100 --> 00:41:54,466 {\an7}at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. 918 00:41:54,500 --> 00:41:57,033 {\an8}JENKINS: With the market booming, I believe that there are 919 00:41:57,066 --> 00:41:59,100 {\an7}going to be many opportunities. 920 00:41:59,133 --> 00:42:01,500 {\an7}This is going to open the doors for a lot of people, 921 00:42:01,533 --> 00:42:02,733 {\an7}and we're going to be seeing 922 00:42:02,766 --> 00:42:06,166 {\an7}insect-based products soon on our local shelves. 923 00:42:06,200 --> 00:42:10,800 NARRATOR: But Ebony did not grow up loving bugs. 924 00:42:10,833 --> 00:42:15,100 JENKINS: Five years ago, I was deathly afraid of insects. 925 00:42:15,133 --> 00:42:16,333 So I went from 926 00:42:16,366 --> 00:42:19,933 {\an1}running from them, to chasing them, to eating them. 927 00:42:19,966 --> 00:42:21,166 {\an1}Now, that's revenge. 928 00:42:21,200 --> 00:42:22,733 (laughs) 929 00:42:22,766 --> 00:42:27,066 NARRATOR: Her focus is on improving insects as a source of nutrition 930 00:42:27,100 --> 00:42:30,666 {\an1}by modifying what they are fed. 931 00:42:30,700 --> 00:42:33,366 JENKINS: One of my objectives is to understand the optimization 932 00:42:33,400 --> 00:42:35,133 {\an1}of feed for various insects. 933 00:42:35,166 --> 00:42:36,833 ♪ ♪ 934 00:42:36,866 --> 00:42:39,600 NARRATOR: Every bug has a different preference. 935 00:42:39,633 --> 00:42:42,266 {\an1}Mealworms like dried foods, whereas crickets 936 00:42:42,300 --> 00:42:45,066 like vegetables and even animal protein. 937 00:42:45,100 --> 00:42:47,866 {\an1}But whether they are herbivorous, carnivorous, 938 00:42:47,900 --> 00:42:50,133 or omnivorous, 939 00:42:50,166 --> 00:42:53,400 {\an1}many insects can be highly selective in what they eat. 940 00:42:53,433 --> 00:42:56,300 {\an1}They will choose foods to naturally regulate 941 00:42:56,333 --> 00:42:58,266 {\an1}the nutrients they take in. 942 00:42:58,300 --> 00:43:01,233 {\an1}The trick for researchers like Ebony is to create a diet 943 00:43:01,266 --> 00:43:02,533 {\an1}that insects will not only 944 00:43:02,566 --> 00:43:06,900 {\an1}choose to eat, but which loads them with bonus nutrients. 945 00:43:06,933 --> 00:43:08,200 {\an1}You are what you eat. 946 00:43:08,233 --> 00:43:10,566 {\an1}So whatever they eat, they're able to metabolize, 947 00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:13,566 {\an1}and we can benefit from those items that are present 948 00:43:13,600 --> 00:43:15,166 in their system. 949 00:43:15,200 --> 00:43:17,666 So, for example, if you add more calcium 950 00:43:17,700 --> 00:43:19,433 {\an1}or something like that to their diet, 951 00:43:19,466 --> 00:43:22,233 {\an1}they're able to ingest that and pass that on. 952 00:43:22,266 --> 00:43:25,266 {\an1}There's a lot more tinkering that we could do to make sure 953 00:43:25,300 --> 00:43:27,400 {\an1}that these diets don't just 954 00:43:27,433 --> 00:43:29,966 {\an1}rear a bunch of insects, but they actually rear insects 955 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:32,600 {\an1}that have high nutritional value. 956 00:43:32,633 --> 00:43:34,800 {\an1}I think that just as pasta is, 957 00:43:34,833 --> 00:43:36,466 just as bread for your sandwich is, 958 00:43:36,500 --> 00:43:40,066 {\an1}it's a great vehicle to pass on specific nutrients that we know 959 00:43:40,100 --> 00:43:42,600 {\an1}are needed for, for healthy development. 960 00:43:44,033 --> 00:43:45,866 NARRATOR: But beyond nutrients, 961 00:43:45,900 --> 00:43:47,933 {\an1}Ebony wants to investigate the potential 962 00:43:47,966 --> 00:43:51,433 of insect food to deliver medicines. 963 00:43:51,466 --> 00:43:54,200 {\an1}Her focus is on CBD from cannabis. 964 00:43:54,233 --> 00:43:57,533 JENKINS: We are analyzing the crickets to see how they metabolize 965 00:43:57,566 --> 00:44:00,400 {\an1}CBD for medicinal purposes. 966 00:44:00,433 --> 00:44:03,700 {\an1}We just added those drops to the feed and mix it up, 967 00:44:03,733 --> 00:44:05,042 {\an1}and we're just going to let them eat it, 968 00:44:05,066 --> 00:44:10,000 {\an1}and see what is the CBD doing inside of the cricket. 969 00:44:10,033 --> 00:44:12,566 WARE: I think it would be useful to try and incorporate 970 00:44:12,600 --> 00:44:13,566 {\an1}medicinal products into insects, 971 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:15,633 {\an1}but it would be interesting to see 972 00:44:15,666 --> 00:44:17,200 {\an1}if it actually would work. 973 00:44:17,233 --> 00:44:20,600 {\an1}Insects certainly can retain a lot of things 974 00:44:20,633 --> 00:44:21,566 in their tissue. 975 00:44:21,600 --> 00:44:23,300 {\an1}It would be interesting to see 976 00:44:23,333 --> 00:44:24,833 {\an7}whether insects would metabolize them 977 00:44:24,866 --> 00:44:27,900 {\an7}and, and chuck them, or whether they would actually 978 00:44:27,933 --> 00:44:29,900 {\an8}be sequestered in the body tissue. 979 00:44:29,933 --> 00:44:31,000 I'm not sure. 980 00:44:31,033 --> 00:44:33,900 NARRATOR: Research is in its early days, 981 00:44:33,933 --> 00:44:36,300 {\an1}but Ebony's confidence is high. 982 00:44:36,333 --> 00:44:38,600 JENKINS: Once we have the findings, 983 00:44:38,633 --> 00:44:40,800 {\an1}I believe that it's going to take off, 984 00:44:40,833 --> 00:44:45,200 {\an1}because people want to know how they can become healthier. 985 00:44:45,233 --> 00:44:49,833 {\an1}And if we can make people's lives better, we did our job. 986 00:44:49,866 --> 00:44:54,566 ♪ ♪ 987 00:44:54,600 --> 00:44:55,900 NARRATOR: If Ebony is successful, 988 00:44:55,933 --> 00:44:59,300 {\an1}insects bred on the customized food could one day treat 989 00:44:59,333 --> 00:45:03,333 both your hunger and your health. 990 00:45:04,833 --> 00:45:06,633 {\an7}While some insects have discriminating tastes, 991 00:45:06,666 --> 00:45:10,866 {\an7}others will eat just about anything. 992 00:45:10,900 --> 00:45:14,833 {\an7}And that could help tackle another major problem: 993 00:45:14,866 --> 00:45:17,633 {\an8}food waste. 994 00:45:17,666 --> 00:45:21,466 {\an8}♪ ♪ 995 00:45:21,500 --> 00:45:25,400 {\an7}Each year, 1.8 billion tons of food, worth approximately 996 00:45:25,433 --> 00:45:30,100 {\an7}$1.2 trillion, is left to rot. 997 00:45:30,133 --> 00:45:32,633 But for some, 998 00:45:32,666 --> 00:45:37,233 {\an1}this toxic food dump is a golden opportunity. 999 00:45:37,266 --> 00:45:39,633 {\an1}The term "waste" is, um, a myth. 1000 00:45:39,666 --> 00:45:42,600 {\an1}This is just a really good resource that we have yet 1001 00:45:42,633 --> 00:45:44,166 {\an1}to learn how to utilize. 1002 00:45:44,200 --> 00:45:45,700 ♪ ♪ 1003 00:45:45,733 --> 00:45:47,176 NARRATOR: In the heart of London, England, 1004 00:45:47,200 --> 00:45:50,400 environmentalist Keiran Olivares Whitaker 1005 00:45:50,433 --> 00:45:52,800 {\an1}has a plan to turn rotting food waste 1006 00:45:52,833 --> 00:45:56,800 into an economic and environmental gold mine. 1007 00:45:56,833 --> 00:45:58,766 ♪ ♪ 1008 00:45:58,800 --> 00:46:01,533 {\an1}He's set up a company that is putting insects 1009 00:46:01,566 --> 00:46:04,600 on the front line of the ecological battle. 1010 00:46:04,633 --> 00:46:08,366 {\an1}Like Mohammed and Gabe, Keiran's initial focus 1011 00:46:08,400 --> 00:46:11,033 is on research. 1012 00:46:11,066 --> 00:46:15,366 But unlike them, he's not breeding crickets. 1013 00:46:15,400 --> 00:46:19,466 {\an1}This is the black soldier fly. 1014 00:46:19,500 --> 00:46:22,666 {\an1}It could be the ultimate ecowarrior. 1015 00:46:22,700 --> 00:46:25,533 {\an1}These bugs don't sting, don't damage crops, 1016 00:46:25,566 --> 00:46:27,933 {\an1}and don't carry disease. 1017 00:46:27,966 --> 00:46:30,200 {\an1}And their larvae have really caught the eye 1018 00:46:30,233 --> 00:46:32,933 {\an1}of prospective insect farmers 1019 00:46:32,966 --> 00:46:36,833 {\an1}because there's something very special about their stomachs. 1020 00:46:36,866 --> 00:46:38,166 {\an7}They are the least fussy eaters. 1021 00:46:38,200 --> 00:46:39,376 {\an7}They will eat almost anything. 1022 00:46:39,400 --> 00:46:40,700 {\an1}Because they are a fly species, 1023 00:46:40,733 --> 00:46:42,400 the larva eats the decaying matter, 1024 00:46:42,433 --> 00:46:44,666 {\an1}so the things that are already rotting or composting. 1025 00:46:44,700 --> 00:46:46,376 {\an1}So, we're not restricted to having to feed them on, 1026 00:46:46,400 --> 00:46:48,166 {\an1}you know, fruit and vegetables, 1027 00:46:48,200 --> 00:46:49,766 or wheat. 1028 00:46:49,800 --> 00:46:51,733 {\an1}We can use any type of food waste 1029 00:46:51,766 --> 00:46:54,033 {\an1}to feed black soldier flies. 1030 00:46:54,066 --> 00:46:56,500 NARRATOR: Researchers have discovered that the gut 1031 00:46:56,533 --> 00:47:02,066 {\an1}of the black soldier fly larva is filled with powerful enzymes. 1032 00:47:02,100 --> 00:47:08,500 {\an1}These are super-efficient at digesting rotting organic waste. 1033 00:47:08,533 --> 00:47:09,800 {\an7}I think there's huge potential 1034 00:47:09,833 --> 00:47:12,166 {\an8}to use insects as waste recyclers. 1035 00:47:12,200 --> 00:47:15,066 {\an7}It's kind of one of their underexplored superpowers. 1036 00:47:15,100 --> 00:47:17,400 WARE: Some insects really do prefer 1037 00:47:17,433 --> 00:47:19,100 decaying matter. 1038 00:47:19,133 --> 00:47:21,133 {\an1}They really do prefer organic waste. 1039 00:47:21,166 --> 00:47:25,766 {\an1}Why not harness the power of these voracious insects? 1040 00:47:25,800 --> 00:47:28,733 NARRATOR: Keiran's company, Entocycle, 1041 00:47:28,766 --> 00:47:29,933 {\an1}is already experimenting 1042 00:47:29,966 --> 00:47:33,833 {\an1}with a wide variety of different food waste. 1043 00:47:33,866 --> 00:47:35,433 WHITAKER: In this local area, 1044 00:47:35,466 --> 00:47:37,433 {\an1}we're using brewery grain waste, coffee waste, 1045 00:47:37,466 --> 00:47:39,700 {\an1}fruit and vegetable waste from the markets. 1046 00:47:39,733 --> 00:47:41,700 {\an1}And, you know, these are all fantastic inputs 1047 00:47:41,733 --> 00:47:43,900 {\an1}to feed black soldier fly. 1048 00:47:43,933 --> 00:47:45,800 NARRATOR: And once they've digested the waste, 1049 00:47:45,833 --> 00:47:51,700 {\an1}black soldier fly larvae become the ultimate natural fast food. 1050 00:47:51,733 --> 00:47:53,433 {\an8}WHITAKER: They grow incredibly fast, 1051 00:47:53,466 --> 00:47:55,000 {\an7}nearly 5,000 times their body weight. 1052 00:47:55,033 --> 00:47:59,066 {\an1}So it only takes nine to 12 days to turn what is a grain of sand 1053 00:47:59,100 --> 00:48:00,966 {\an1}into an inch-long protein bar. 1054 00:48:01,000 --> 00:48:03,100 {\an1}And that's why they're so fantastic. 1055 00:48:03,133 --> 00:48:05,600 {\an1}From an environmental point of view, 1056 00:48:05,633 --> 00:48:07,309 {\an1}the speed of production for black soldier fly 1057 00:48:07,333 --> 00:48:08,266 {\an1}and the fact that they can eat 1058 00:48:08,300 --> 00:48:09,800 {\an1}the widest range of input streams 1059 00:48:09,833 --> 00:48:11,009 {\an1}mean that for me, they're just simply the best insect 1060 00:48:11,033 --> 00:48:12,333 that we can farm. 1061 00:48:12,366 --> 00:48:15,200 NARRATOR: The company plans to concentrate initially 1062 00:48:15,233 --> 00:48:18,100 on powder for pet and animal feed. 1063 00:48:18,133 --> 00:48:21,600 {\an1}But in some parts of the world, black soldier fly protein 1064 00:48:21,633 --> 00:48:23,900 {\an1}may soon be on the dinner table. 1065 00:48:23,933 --> 00:48:26,166 WHITAKER: It's coming quicker than people think. 1066 00:48:26,200 --> 00:48:28,733 {\an1}The legislation for black soldier flies for humans 1067 00:48:28,766 --> 00:48:30,866 {\an1}in Europe is changing as we speak. 1068 00:48:30,900 --> 00:48:32,376 {\an1}I think you'll start seeing black soldier fly-based products 1069 00:48:32,400 --> 00:48:36,166 {\an1}entering the market kind of in 2021 onwards. 1070 00:48:36,200 --> 00:48:38,633 WARE: On a scientific level, I think it's terrific. 1071 00:48:38,666 --> 00:48:40,600 {\an1}I think it makes a lot of sense. 1072 00:48:40,633 --> 00:48:43,100 {\an1}I think it's probably economical and it's probably better 1073 00:48:43,133 --> 00:48:46,066 {\an1}for the planet in the long run. 1074 00:48:46,100 --> 00:48:48,433 {\an1}I do feel a little bit squeamish about it, 1075 00:48:48,466 --> 00:48:50,433 {\an1}but I'd be game to try it. 1076 00:48:50,466 --> 00:48:54,566 {\an1}If they were cooked well. (laughs) 1077 00:48:54,600 --> 00:48:56,733 ♪ ♪ 1078 00:48:56,766 --> 00:48:58,266 NARRATOR: Many experts now believe 1079 00:48:58,300 --> 00:49:00,433 {\an1}that the age of the insect meal is upon us. 1080 00:49:00,466 --> 00:49:03,000 ♪ ♪ 1081 00:49:03,033 --> 00:49:05,333 {\an1}The unconstrained expansion of livestock farming 1082 00:49:05,366 --> 00:49:09,800 {\an1}still threatens widespread ecological devastation. 1083 00:49:09,833 --> 00:49:11,076 {\an1}But scientific and technological 1084 00:49:11,100 --> 00:49:13,966 {\an1}progress in the field of insect farming 1085 00:49:14,000 --> 00:49:17,200 {\an1}mean edible bugs might provide a way out. 1086 00:49:17,233 --> 00:49:19,333 {\an1}There are still problems to solve 1087 00:49:19,366 --> 00:49:21,800 {\an1}and attitudes to overcome. 1088 00:49:21,833 --> 00:49:24,633 But ready or not, insects could soon be back 1089 00:49:24,666 --> 00:49:27,500 {\an1}on a lot more menus. 1090 00:49:27,533 --> 00:49:29,809 LESNIK: I don't recommend that we're going to stop eating meat 1091 00:49:29,833 --> 00:49:31,766 {\an7}altogether, and everybody's all of a sudden 1092 00:49:31,800 --> 00:49:33,133 {\an7}going to eat insects. 1093 00:49:33,166 --> 00:49:35,600 {\an7}Instead, what we're trying to do is expand our diets. 1094 00:49:35,633 --> 00:49:39,333 STULL: My hope is that anyone 1095 00:49:39,366 --> 00:49:40,966 {\an1}who would be watching this 1096 00:49:41,000 --> 00:49:42,400 {\an1}would at least take a moment 1097 00:49:42,433 --> 00:49:45,133 {\an1}to think differently about insects as food. 1098 00:49:45,166 --> 00:49:48,966 {\an1}Because they are a totally awesome, underexplored 1099 00:49:49,000 --> 00:49:53,766 {\an1}food resource that has a ton of potential to improve the world. 1100 00:49:53,800 --> 00:49:55,666 {\an7}Oh, I love the idea of eating insects. 1101 00:49:55,700 --> 00:49:57,966 {\an7}I think it's a really good step in the right direction. 1102 00:49:58,000 --> 00:50:00,600 {\an1}Insects are really sustainable 1103 00:50:00,633 --> 00:50:01,833 {\an1}and they taste great. 1104 00:50:01,866 --> 00:50:03,376 {\an1}I mean, there's such a huge variety of insects 1105 00:50:03,400 --> 00:50:05,566 {\an1}that we're going to be able to find some that we like. 1106 00:50:05,600 --> 00:50:09,500 YOON: People often ask, like, "What's the best bug 1107 00:50:09,533 --> 00:50:11,566 {\an1}or best dish to get people to try it?" 1108 00:50:11,600 --> 00:50:13,666 {\an1}There's no silver bullet. 1109 00:50:13,700 --> 00:50:16,133 {\an8}I think diversity is going to be key. 1110 00:50:16,166 --> 00:50:17,933 ♪ ♪ 1111 00:50:17,966 --> 00:50:20,366 NARRATOR: So what would the experts suggest? 1112 00:50:20,400 --> 00:50:21,566 ♪ ♪ 1113 00:50:21,600 --> 00:50:23,433 WHITAKER: Black soldier fly larvae. 1114 00:50:23,466 --> 00:50:25,333 {\an1}They taste like macadamia nuts. 1115 00:50:25,366 --> 00:50:28,166 {\an1}A little bit nutty, a little bit oily... really quite nice. 1116 00:50:28,200 --> 00:50:30,433 ♪ ♪ 1117 00:50:30,466 --> 00:50:31,776 {\an1}Grasshoppers kind of taste like shrimp. 1118 00:50:31,800 --> 00:50:35,566 {\an1}They have this seafood quality to them. 1119 00:50:35,600 --> 00:50:38,900 JENKINS: The cricket has, like, a mild flavor. 1120 00:50:38,933 --> 00:50:40,533 {\an1}It's not really overbearing. 1121 00:50:40,566 --> 00:50:44,366 {\an1}It kind of reminds you of, like, a Frito or a chip, 1122 00:50:44,400 --> 00:50:46,966 {\an1}of something of that nature. 1123 00:50:47,000 --> 00:50:50,100 {\an1}I think the best way I've ever had them was mealworms 1124 00:50:50,133 --> 00:50:52,700 {\an1}in garlic butter sauce... Those were tasty. 1125 00:50:52,733 --> 00:50:55,000 WARE: It would be a dragonfly, for sure, 1126 00:50:55,033 --> 00:50:56,866 {\an1}because their, their thorax 1127 00:50:56,900 --> 00:50:58,400 is just muscle. 1128 00:50:58,433 --> 00:51:01,100 {\an1}Get rid of the wings and get rid of the abdomen, 1129 00:51:01,133 --> 00:51:03,300 {\an1}and then go right for the thorax. 1130 00:51:03,333 --> 00:51:05,966 {\an1}It's meaty and it's, it's really delicious. 1131 00:51:06,000 --> 00:51:08,633 {\an1}What I would say to anyone that's nervous is, 1132 00:51:08,666 --> 00:51:10,333 {\an1}I'm right there with you still. 1133 00:51:10,366 --> 00:51:11,866 {\an1}I'm right there with you still. 1134 00:51:11,900 --> 00:51:14,900 STULL: My favorite are the flying ants. 1135 00:51:14,933 --> 00:51:17,300 {\an1}They taste like popcorn. 1136 00:51:17,333 --> 00:51:18,700 {\an1}I mean, they're just, like, crunchy 1137 00:51:18,733 --> 00:51:21,300 and a little oily and a little salty, 1138 00:51:21,333 --> 00:51:22,866 {\an1}and, like, they're really delicious. 1139 00:51:22,900 --> 00:51:26,033 YOON: There is one all-time favorite, 1140 00:51:26,066 --> 00:51:27,800 {\an1}hands down, no question, 1141 00:51:27,833 --> 00:51:29,800 {\an1}and that is the cicada. 1142 00:51:29,833 --> 00:51:33,266 {\an1}They have a little exoskeleton 1143 00:51:33,300 --> 00:51:38,300 {\an1}and then they're full of this meaty flesh. 1144 00:51:38,333 --> 00:51:41,766 Amazing. 1145 00:51:41,800 --> 00:51:43,500 This is kismet. 1146 00:51:43,533 --> 00:51:45,533 This is romance. 1147 00:51:45,566 --> 00:51:46,900 This is poetry. 1148 00:51:46,933 --> 00:51:48,333 It's music. 1149 00:51:48,366 --> 00:51:52,100 {\an1}And it is gastronomy in the highest form. 1150 00:51:52,133 --> 00:51:53,933 Amen. 1151 00:51:53,966 --> 00:51:59,100 JENKINS: My least favorite insect that I have tried is the sago worm. 1152 00:52:01,000 --> 00:52:02,242 I don't even want to talk about it. 1153 00:52:02,266 --> 00:52:04,400 (laughs) 1154 00:52:04,433 --> 00:52:08,766 ♪ ♪ 1155 00:52:29,733 --> 00:52:34,666 {\an8}♪ ♪ 1156 00:52:34,700 --> 00:52:36,409 {\an8}ALOK PATEL: Discover the science behind the news 1157 00:52:36,433 --> 00:52:38,333 {\an7}with the "NOVA Now" podcast. 1158 00:52:38,366 --> 00:52:41,800 {\an7}Listen at pbs.org/novanowpodcast 1159 00:52:41,833 --> 00:52:44,933 {\an7}or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. 1160 00:52:44,966 --> 00:52:49,033 {\an8}ANNOUNCER: To order this program on DVD, visit ShopPBS 1161 00:52:49,066 --> 00:52:52,000 {\an7}or call 1-800-PLAY-PBS. 1162 00:52:52,033 --> 00:52:54,866 {\an7}Episodes of "NOVA" are available with Passport. 1163 00:52:54,900 --> 00:52:58,966 {\an7}"NOVA" is also available on Amazon Prime Video. 1164 00:52:59,000 --> 00:53:04,300 {\an8}♪ ♪ 1165 00:53:18,500 --> 00:53:23,600 {\an8}♪ ♪