The Naked Scientists Podcast Apple wins privacy row, and microbes dictate chocolate taste
Aug 22, 2025
Emma Feinstone, an Associate curator at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, dives into fascinating discussions. She unpacks a recent showdown between Apple and the UK government over privacy and encryption. The conversation segues into groundbreaking research revealing that microbes are crucial in determining chocolate flavors, shedding light on how these tiny organisms can drastically enhance cocoa delights. They also touch upon significant findings related to early human tool use, offering insights into our evolutionary past.
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Apple's Partial Win On UK Encryption Demand
- Apple refused to build an encryption backdoor and instead disabled Advanced Data Protection for UK users.
- That leaves UK accounts less protected while US users retain the top-tier encryption.
Privacy As A Strategic Differentiator
- Apple frames privacy as a core product differentiator and embeds privacy teams in product development.
- This focus helps Apple market privacy as a reason consumers choose its devices.
Microbes Drive Chocolate Flavor
- Microbes that ferment cacao mucilage drive the chemical transformations that create chocolate flavor.
- Nottingham researchers replicated high-end flavor profiles by inoculating beans with tailored microbial communities.