Fargo, N.D. — Little-known facts about wine will be revealed during the December Science Café. Gregory Cook, professor and chair of chemistry at NDSU, will present “Deconstructing Wine from a Chemist’s Perspective,” on Tuesday, Dec. 13, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., in Stokers Basement, Hotel Donaldson.

Cook said consumption of wine in the U.S. has risen steadily for at least the past 15 years. This has been spurred partly by recent news reports touting the health benefits of wine. From heart disease to cancer to Alzheimer's, wine seems to be a magic elixir to cure all. But what is wine and is it as healthy as we are told? During the presentation, Cook will describe how wine is produced, what antioxidants are and how to tell if wine is “corked.” He also will tell attendees where the vanilla flavor in wine comes from and discuss if wine can prevent cancer.

Attendees must be 21 or older or accompanied by a parent or guardian. Science Café, sponsored by NDSU’s College of Science and Mathematics, features a presentation by a scientist and time for discussion with the scientist and other attendees.