1. Sound ideas on the mechanisms underlying some phenomena can lead to the improvement of related techniques. Following the definition of molecular gastronomy as a scientific discipline in 1988, the development of new culinary techniques involving the use of hardware from chemical laboratories in the kitchen gave birth to a new art named ‘molecular cuisine’ (name given in 1999). While cooking remained a very traditional activity, laboratories were equipped with very efficient appliances. If one wants to make a foam, for example, why use a traditional tool that does not foam well? The same reasoning holds for emulsions, suspensions, and most physical systems.