Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream and the Shocking Truth Revealed by Neil deGrasse Tyson

Renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson delves into an unexpected topic in his latest discussion: the potential dangers lurking in your favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream. According to Tyson, Ben & Jerry's once faced scrutiny when trace amounts of glyphosate, an herbicide produced by Monsanto, were detected in their ice cream. Glyphosate is typically used in agriculture to kill weeds, but its presence in food products has raised many eyebrows.

Tyson explains the concept of LD50, or lethal dose 50, which is the amount of a substance needed to cause death in 50% of a test population. Surprisingly, glyphosate's LD50 is comparable to that of salt. This means that while glyphosate can be harmful, one would have to consume an astronomical amount—30 million pints of ice cream—to reach a lethal dose. On the other hand, consuming just 30 pints of ice cream quickly could be fatal due to the sucrose content alone.

This eye-opening revelation underscores the importance of understanding the chemicals present in our food and their relative risks. Tyson's ability to simplify complex scientific concepts makes this an enlightening watch for anyone concerned with food safety and health.

For a deeper dive into this fascinating discussion, catch Neil deGrasse Tyson's full explanation in the video.