In the years after the 2010 BP oil spill, the number of fish in the deeper parts of the Gulf of Mexico dramatically declined. According to a major multi-year study published Monday, fish populations dropped by about 60%, while krill that whales and others eat plummeted 72%. Researchers said there’s no other cause they could find for the drop except the BP oil spill. Dispersants used after the spill caused many problems, and new studies show that in future accidents, it would be better to avoid those chemicals and instead add agents that increase oil-munching microbes.

It’s an icon, the small white receptacle made from a single piece of cardboard folded into a trapezoid-shaped box. Sometimes there’s a wire handle, sometimes a bright red graphic of a Chinese-style pagoda on the side. And inside, culinary deliciousness. The Chinese takeout container - it’s actually about as American as it gets, with its mix of ingenuity, immigrant cultures becoming homegrown staples, and the desire for convenience. These days, takeout cartons come in a variety of shapes, and the food landscape has expanded to include a range of cuisines that might show up in the former oyster pail. Even so, it IS still an icon - check your emojis for “takeout.”

Wontons hold a special place in my heart. Sitting around our kitchen table making wontons is something I loved doing with my mother as a child.