On Luca's space lasagna and cultural transfer

Luca Parmitano, ESA astronaut, took delicious Italian dishes such as lasagna, tiramisù, risotto al pesto, and melanzane alla parmigiana to the International Space Station. One of the recipes even became "Luca's lasagna" in the media. A theory wants it that this most Italian lasagna is of English origin. The most Austrian/Viennese "Wiener Schnitzel" comes from the Italian city of Milan, the Dutch symbol of the tulip is a Persian flower, and, and, and. These examples illustrate cultural transfer, i.e., culture is not static but dynamic. Cultural Transfer Studies state that there is no culture without another one and that we take cultural elements from each other, shape them the way we need them, make them part of our own culture, absorb them. Culture is constantly moving, constantly being shaped. By the way, Luca Parmitano is having his first space walk today. (photos via and via)