Brazilian students win NASA robotics award with pepper-based gum

High school students from the Gametech Canaã team at SESI Vila Canaã in Goiânia, Brazil, have won a robotics tournament at a NASA university in the United States. The team developed a specialized edible gum designed to help astronauts regain their sense of taste and smell during space travel.

Research conducted by the students revealed that astronauts often lose the ability to perceive flavors after three weeks in space. To address this, the team created a gum containing capsaicin, a substance found in Mexican peppers. By chewing the gum ten minutes before a meal, the capsaicin stimulates the user's perception of flavor. The gum is entirely edible, allowing astronauts to swallow it to prevent waste in space environments.