THANKSGIVING: how to cook the perfect bird

Science may never produce the perfect turkey. But it might add a dose of insight into your Thanksgiving meal. At the very least, it can be a good conversation starter.

"I'm a scientist who cooks by understanding what happens," Barnham said. "I don't see how it could make it any worse to understand what’s happening."

"Basically," he added, "the best way of cooking a turkey is the way you cooked it last year."

Turkey Science: Achieving a Perfect Bird