Johns Hopkins University

“Nole pongas demasiada sal!” My mom, anticipating a bitter taste from the soup, alarmed me. Yet curious like a five-year-old on a mission to discover the secrets behind the little white container in front of me. Standing still, making noise at a shake, it laid there to empty half the recipient, my mom and I laughed the second I tasted our alphabet soup. Composed of primarily sodium chloride, salt is a staple for food and culture. At the same time, the element is an equal symbol for preservation, and connection. Seen time and again in history, salt was a compensation for Roman Empire’s…