Mexico Turns Tequila Into Diamonds

Mom figured it out when 8-year-old complained about taste

(NEWSER) - Three kids in Colorado saw Fourth of July fireworks in a whole different light. A bartender at a Chili's restaurant accidentally served tequila to the children—ages 8, 6, and 1—before they went to a fireworks display, reports Huffington Post . Their mother ordered them a fruit smoothie to share, but when her 8-year-old complained about the taste, she discovered the alcohol. Police say the bartender—who says he feels terrible about the mishap—was overwhelmed on the busy night. More»

YouTube is like shots of tequila; Gmail is caffeine

(NEWSER) - We all have our favorite Internet time-wasters; now, Patrick Moberg gives us their equivalents in real-world vices:

• Twitter is crack cocaine: “Fucking ANYONE is your friend. Yuppies do it on their iPhone. Cheap. Short. Fruitless.”
• Tumblr is a bottle of wine: “A quiet night in with a couple friends … flipping through photo albums, singing favorite songs. … Emotions flow freely and without thought.”

Self-described 'tequila geeks' give pop star's creation thumbs-up

(NEWSER) - Tequila aficionados were shocked to discover Justin Timberlake’s 901 tequila is in fact quite drinkable, the New York Daily News reports. “It’s actually a really nice product,” said one bar owner. A bartender added, “I gotta admit, I’m a little surprised.” The experts described the $40 tequila as rich and full-bodied with some sweetness and a nice finish—and said it’s a good thing Timberlake didn’t name it after himself. More»

Mexican scientists push agave-to-ethanol project; resilient plant could far outstrip corn

(NEWSER) - A small group of Mexican scientists is working to create a massive agave-to-ethanol project that one says could supply the entire US need of 36 billion gallons by 2022, Renewable Energy World reports. The agave, used to make tequila and mescal, is high in sugar, resilient, and needs little cultivation, making it a prime candidate for ethanol production. More»

Lab-created diamonds get ever closer to nature's version—to chagrin of some

(NEWSER) - De Beers might like you to think a “diamond is forever,” but try this on for size: “A diamond is for everyone.” In a secret Massachusetts lab, Apollo Diamond is using novel technology to grow diamonds virtually indistinguishable from their mined cousins, the Smithsonian reports. Unfortunately for consumers, the synthetic gemstones cost about the same as Mother Earth's—for now. More»