Short Takes

* CHOCOLATE CLEANSER

Good news for chocolate lovers: your daily fix could help prevent tooth decay. Researchers at Japan's Osaka University found the husk (outer shell) of the cocoa bean--which usually goes to waste in making chocolate--kills teeth-rotting bacteria (single-celled organisms). Researchers plan to put the husk back into sweets.

* PICKLE POWER

What's the sports drink of choice for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles? Not Gatorade, but pickle juice! The team was looking for new ways to stay hydrated (retain water in the body) during scorching summer practices. Pickle juice contains large quantities of salt, a chemical compound that helps the body retain water.

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