It turns out that food could be in for a significant overhaul. No, we’re not talking about magical food-filled tablets or holographic meals – we mean insects. That’s right; it turns out that eating insects could save the planet.

On The Menu

Believe it or not, but it’s thought that more than 2 billion people already eat insects all around the world. In fact, they are a local delicacy in many countries, with everything from fried crickets to candied tarantulas on the menu. Now, it looks as though eating insects could be the answer to help save the planet.

Creating Their Experiment

The University of Teramo in Italy decided to investigate. They collected a range of edible insects and removed the stingers, paws, and wings from all their samples. Then, they ground down the creatures to study just what is found in these insects – and how they could become a part of our diet.

Their Findings

Amazingly, the team discovered that the vegetarian insects, the silkworms, crickets, and grasshoppers, were the stars of the show. In fact, the insects held more antioxidant levels than a glass of orange juice. The giant water bugs, scorpions, and tarantulas placed lower on the rankings.

Other Benefits

It turns out there are plenty of other benefits to eating insects. They are often packed full of vitamins and minerals as well as being a good source of protein. To top it off, industrial agriculture has been blamed as a leading contributor to climate change. Opting for insects could help to cut the world’s carbon footprint.

While eating insects might not be everyone’s idea of a good time, billions of people have been doing it for years, so it can’t be that bad, right? After all, adding these critters to our menu might soon be the best way to save the planet once and for all.

Some of film’s most iconic actors and characters from the 1980s have faded into the shadows. Where are they now?

While we are shedding light on Ryan’s classic character Sally Albright, there are so many others we could have focused on. However, her role in When Harry Met Sally strikes a chord with most fans. One of the ultimate rom-coms of the last 30 years, the movie tells the story of two star-crossed lovers who have a series of chance encounters.

With other classic roles in movies such as Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail, it seemed like Meg Ryan could do no wrong at the pinnacle of her powers. However, towards the end of the ’90s, everything came crashing down after Ryan’s highly publicized affair with Russell Crowe. Not only did it mark the end of her marriage to Dennis Quaid, but she also completely withdrew from the public eye. Despite this, it seems like Ryan is making a comeback in the show Picture Paris.

Before he got the chance to play an iconic version of Batman, Michael Keaton took everybody by surprise with his bizarre performance as Beetlejuice, a ghost who is hell-bent on scaring the living daylights out of the new residents of a haunted house. Although Tim Burton’s ’80s classic had an impressive cast, including the likes of Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, and Winona Ryder, it was Keaton’s Beetlejuice who will go down as one of the ’80s most iconic film characters.

Despite having a hot streak back in the late ’80s/early ’90s with his role as Batman, Michael Keaton struggled to stay relevant in Hollywood with a series of lackluster roles. However, class is permanent, and the actor eventually saw something of a renaissance in the last decade, especially after his groundbreaking role in 2015’s Best Picture Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance). Since then, Keaton has also starred in hit flicks such as 2016’s Best Picture Spotlight and Spider-Man: Homecoming.

There is no doubt that it was the role of Ellen Ripley that put Sigourney Weaver on the map all those years ago. Despite first starring in the Alien franchise at the end of the ’70s, Weaver continued to reprise the role of Ripley into the ’80s. A warrant officer on the Nostromo, Ripley goes through hell and back when the horrific Xenomorphs board her ship. Weaver was one of the first true heroines of modern cinema, earning an Academy Award nomination for her role.

Unlike other actors/actresses on this list who played iconic ’80s characters, Sigourney Weaver’s role as Ripley didn’t resort to her being typecast. She has managed to maintain a steady run of success in Hollywood, having starred in classic movies such as WALL-E, Avatar, The Cabin in the Woods, and Finding Dory. Weaver is reuniting with James Cameron for the sequel installments of the Avatar franchise. At 69 years of age, this actress does not seem like she’s slowing down anytime soon.

If there was ever an actor who was completely synonymous with his iconic ’80s character, then it has to be Ralph Macchio. When you see the actor’s face, there’s only one thing that comes to mind – The Karate Kid. Macchio played Daniel LaRusso all the way back in the ’80s; an ambitious young boy who is determined to stand up to his bullies. After falling under the tutelage of Mr. Miyagi, Daniel becomes a karate champion.

It seems that, more often than not, the more iconic your character is, the more likely you’ll end up being typecast. Ralph Macchio is a perfect example of this, having failed to recreate the magic he had previously established in The Karate Kid franchise. However, the actor has used this problem to his advantage, even poking fun at his iconic role in shows such as How I Met Your Mother. Macchio even reprised his role as Daniel in the hit series Cobra Kai.

The Goonies is, without a doubt, one of the greatest coming-of-age stories, not just of the ’80s, but of all time. With so many classic characters, Sean Astin’s Mikey seems to top them all. This is in no small part due to his optimistic ways, and in many ways, the story is told through his point of view. Of course, he leads his friends from the “Good Docks” to discover the treasure of the ancient pirate One-Eyed Willy.

Amazingly, Sean Astin has managed to have even more iconic roles since starring as Mikey all those years ago. Astin truly became a household name when he landed the role of Frodo Baggins’ sidekick Samwise Gamgee in the incredibly successful The Lord of the Rings film franchise. Although he might have never been able to eclipse the success of that particular role, Astin recently hit the headlines again when he joined the main cast of Stranger Things in its second season.

While it is often considered to be a ’90s classic, people forget that Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure came out in 1989. The bizarre movie sees Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves play the dopey duo of Bill and Ted, who are told that they will eventually save the human race with their music. Before that though, they embark on a wild adventure, recruiting historical figures for their school presentation. An undeniable cult classic, the movie was followed up with Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey.

Unlike his partner-in-crime, Keanu Reeves, who went onto become one of the biggest names in Hollywood, Alex Winter is a name that most casual moviegoers have never heard of. Winter has hardly starred in anything of note over the last 20 years, with his main success coming from music video cameos. Interestingly though, Winter will finally reprise his role as Bill, along with Reeves as Ted, in the long-awaited third installment of Bill & Ted franchise. Bill & Ted Face the Music is scheduled for a 2020 release.

Ever heard of the classic line “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die?” Well, it was Mandy Patinkin who made the line so iconic all those years ago when he played the sword-swinging Inigo Montoya in the Best Picture The Princess Bride. Despite being part of a star-laden cast, with the likes of Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, and Chris Sarandon, Patinkin still managed to steal the show with his enigmatic performance.

Mandy Patinkin is certainly an example of an actor who didn’t let his classic ’80s character dictate the rest of his career. The actor has managed to have an equally successful career in film, TV, and theater. There is no doubt though that casual viewers will recognize Patinkin the most for his key role as Saul Berenson in the hit political drama Homeland. In recent times, Patinkin has starred in movies such as Wish I Was Here and Wonder.

There is no doubt that one of the most prolific ’80s stars that comes to mind is Anthony Michael Hall. With so many ’80s movies under his belt such as Sixteen Candles and Weird Science, it’s impossible to have a conversation about this film decade without mentioning his name. Of course, many will remember him best for his role as Brian in The Breakfast Club. He played the stereotypical geek who joins forces with his other archetypal students during detention.

Anthony Michael Hall is one of the classic ’80s stars who has struggled to break out of the geeky typecast that Hollywood threw at him all those years ago. However, where there is a will, there’s a way, and Hall has managed to find success elsewhere. He was a big part of one of the highest-rated 2000s shows, The Dead Zone. He also appeared in the critically acclaimed movie Foxcatcher. In recent times, Hall was charged with a felony assault.

One of the classic members of the Brat Pack, Judd Nelson is the trouble-making kid that all the other kids despise – The Breakfast Club‘s John Bender. Despite giving his fellow students a tough time during detention, Molly Ringwald’s Claire soon develops feelings for him. Of course, The Breakfast Club is still considered until this day as one of the quintessential ’80s movies and Nelson has a big part to play in its success and longevity.

Unlike some of his co-stars from The Breakfast Club, Judd Nelson has maintained a fairly consistent career in the world of acting. In fact, he hasn’t been forced to play characters similar to the obnoxious John Bender. Over the years, Nelson has starred in TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Two and a Half Men, and most recently, Empire. He also played a pivotal role in the final season of the drama/thriller series Nikita.

It’s as if Molly Ringwald is the ultimate queen of the ’80s. One of the key figures of the Brat Pack, Ringwald had a part to play in some of the most iconic movies of that decade. These included the likes of Sixteen Candles and Pretty In Pink. She also had a key role in the series The Facts of Life. However, Ringwald will always be best remembered for her role as Claire Standish in The Breakfast Club.

There is no denying that Mollie Ringwald is one of the classic ’80s characters to have suffered the most due to typecasting. With a notoriously quiet spell during the ’90s, Ringwald has only recently managed to find noteworthy work once again. Her most recent role came in the hit Netflix series Riverdale. Funnily enough, when she was having twins back in 2009, Ringwald’s pregnancy was written into the show she starred in at the time: The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

While she might not qualify as a traditional scream queen, there is no doubt that Linda Hamilton will always be remembered as the damsel in distress with her iconic role as Sarah Connor. The young lady discovers that she will be the mother of the world’s savior in the ’80s sci-fi hit The Terminator. Despite reprising her role for the sequel Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Hamilton struggled to become a prolific Hollywood star. However, she was married to James Cameron for two years.

After many years of low-profile movie roles, Linda Hamilton is finally returning to the big time. It seems like a lot of actors/actresses who are best known for an iconic character are reprising them many years after first playing them. With the likes of Mark Hammil, Harrison Ford, and Arnold Schwarzenegger all returning to classic characters, Hamilton is also joining the list. She has recently finished filming the sixth installment of the Terminator franchise, playing an older version of Sarah Connor.

When you hear the phrase “Yippie-ki-yay mother f…” you know exactly where it came from. It was Bruce Willis who yelled the iconic line when he played John Maclane in the ’80s action classic Die Hard. Maclane is a cop who gets stuck in an LA skyscraper after it gets held up by Alan Rickman’s nefarious Hans Gruber. Of course, our hero Maclane steps up to plate and after a series of audacious action sequences, he defeats Hans and saves the day.

Of course, Bruce Willis has made a living from playing characters similar to John Maclane; cocky anti-heroes who eventually win our hearts. Despite starring in some of the highest grossing movies of all time, Willis has been accused in recent times of “phoning it in.” Basically, critics believe he doesn’t give 100% anymore in movies and is simply looking for that paycheck at the end of production. However, Willis has hit back with big roles in movies such as Looper and Glass.

If there was ever an ’80s character with more catchphrases than B.A. Baracus, then we’d like to know. OK, maybe the Terminator beats him to it. Nevertheless, Mr. T’s classic character from The A-Team will never be forgotten. The man with the bizarre hairstyle, hundreds of gold chains, and a bravado that only an ’80s show can bring is synonymous with the decade in which it aired. Mr. T virtually played the same character in everything he was in, including in Rocky III.

Despite nearing 70, Mr. T still dons the mohawk. However, the A-Team star ditched the gold chains after becoming a born-again Christian, as well as during the events of Hurricane Katrina. “As a Christian, when I saw other people lose their lives and lose their land and property…I felt that it would be a sin before God for me to continue wearing my gold,” he said. This hasn’t stopped Mr. T from staying in the world of showbiz, most recently competing in Dancing with the Stars.

While there is no denying that Ferris Bueller is a classic ’80s character in his own right, his girlfriend Sloane is also pretty unforgettable. Ferris helps get Mia Sara’s character out of school by convincing the staff that her grandmother had died. When the coast is clear, the high school sweethearts, along with Ferris’s best friend, embark on an awesome adventure around Chicago. Despite the many twists and turns, Sloane is always there by Ferris’s side.

Another actress who struggled to build on the success of her classic ’80s character, Mia Sara saw minor success in the ’90s when she starred in the Jean-Claude Van Damme-led Timecop. With her role as Melissa Walker, Sara won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. Interestingly, Sara was actually married to Jason Connery, the son of James Bond himself, Sean Connery. She also tied the knot with Muppets creator Jim Henson’s son Brian Henson. Sara hasn’t had a film/TV role since 2013.

It’s amazing how many classic movies were inspired by Flashdance. Without this quintessential ’80s movie, other hit flicks such as Footloose, Purple Rain, and Top Gun would never have happened. The star of Flashdance is Jennifer Beals, who plays the protagonist Alex Owens, a young lady from Pittsburgh who balances two jobs as a welder and an exotic dancer. Ultimately, it is her dream to be a professional ballet dancer. With a hit soundtrack and some luck, she made her dream come true.

While she may have never had a more iconic role than Alex Owens, Jennifer Beals has always managed to find work in the world of acting, in both film and TV. She has starred in movies such as Devil in a Blue Dress, The Grudge 2, and The Book of Eli, to name a few. As for TV, Beals has managed to hold down a number of roles in shows such as Lie to Me, Frasier, Law & Order, The L Word, and Taken.