What they believe: 22. Ancel Keys The man who knew it all, and other stories

Column - Here I stand

  • Geoffrey Cannon

Abstract

Geoffrey Cannon writes: Most ambitious scientists climb to the top of their profession because of being in the right place at the right time, or else on the basis of one great sustained achievement. Ancel Keys (above, left and right) scored four triumphs. One was his invention of the K for Keys rations that sustained US GI soldiers in World War 2 (second from left). Two was his mammoth 'starvation experiment' that should have proved finally that dieting makes you fat (second from right). Three was his insistence on cholesterol being the key dietary determinant of coronary heart disease, which scored him a Life magazine cover (right). Four was his discovery - or rather invention - of the unique protective properties of 'the Mediterranean diet'. He 'knew it all', and was a 'wise guy'. But was he right?

Also. Commemorating Sidney Mintz and his great book Sweetness and Power whose frontispiece by William Blake, 'Europe supported by Africa and America' is above, left.. Plus, why Darwinists are wrong and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck is at least partly right. Plus working out why to work out (also above)

Published
2016-01-07

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