Carbon dating catching whisky cheats

• From Scientific American magazine

Carbon dating, a valuable tool for placing ancient archaeological finds in context, is now being applied to date more modern treasures: pricey bottles of Scotch.

... 20th-century nuclear tests ... left their mark in the isotope record, significantly boosting levels of atmospheric carbon 14, the radioactive form of the element that researchers measure in carbon dating. ...

Stakes are high in the antique whiskey business -- a bottle of 1926 Macallan fetched $54,000 at Christie's New York in 2007 -- and forgeries appear to be commonplace.

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20-gallon cocktail a Vegas fundraiser

Introducing The Opportunitini.

The 20-gallon, gin-based martini was created at the Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas as a fundraiser for Opportunity Village, a local not-for-profit that provides vocational training, job placement and respite to people with intellectual disabilities.

Proceeds from sale of individual drinks made from the giant cocktail were raised Tuesday with Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman pouring in the final bottle of gin.

The Opportunitini, in standard size, was created by bartenders at the Hard Rock and will be on the menu all summer.

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