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Food

Humans overwhelmingly rely on only a few crops like wheat, making our food supplies vulnerable to climate change

Just a Few Species Make Up Most of Earth’s Food Supply. And That’s a Problem

The looming threat of extinction from climate change makes the lack of diversity in the world’s food supplies a dangerous prospect

Rock lobster tail at a Red Lobster

Rock Lobster From a Farm Could Soon Be Coming To a Menu Near You

Rock lobster isn’t just a B52’s song, it’s a beloved meal around the world. And now scientists have figured out how to raise them on a farm

Toad bones

Cool Finds

Jar of Headless Toads Found in Bronze Age Tomb

Found in Jerusalem, the little hoppers could have been an afterlife snack or a symbol of rejuvenation

Easter Island's famed statues could be remnants of a populous civilization

Lots of Sweet Potatoes Could’ve Made Easter Island a Bustling Place

A new agricultural analysis of the island finds that the crop could have supported more than 17,000 people

The ice cream cone came to the attention of American audiences at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

The Amazing, Portable, Edible Ice Cream Cone

Unlike foods that came before it, ice cream in a cone could be eaten on the go–without a spoon

A Honey Badger Barrels Through a Sharp Thorn Tree for Lunch

A rock rat is hiding from his predator, a honey badger, in the midst of a Namibian sweet thorn tree. But he doesn’t count on his opponent’s determination

The recipes in late 19th-century American cookbooks—precise and detailed—met the needs of cooks in a highly mobile and modern country. Image from "Recipes: cards with text; depicting a woman in a kitchen reading, a server, meat, fish and a scale."

The Making of the Modern American Recipe

Scientific methods, rising literacy and an increasingly mobile society were key ingredients for a culinary revolution

The weight of record-setting giant pumpkins has ballooned nearly 500 percent since 1975.

Why Is America Losing Ground in the Contest to Grow the World’s Biggest Pumpkin?

Our most symbolic squash is now taking over the world

How Agriculture Came to Be a Political Weapon—And What That Means for Farmers

In his new book, Ted Genoways follows a family farm and the ways they’re impacted by geopolitics

Chocolate was in North America as early as 900-1200 A.D.

A Brief History of Chocolate in the United States

Eating chocolate is a relatively new innovation

Tuna isn't always what it claims to be.

What’s Really in That Tuna Roll? DNA Testing Can Help You Find Out

This rapidly evolving tech aims to empower consumers and shine a light on the food industry

A new startup is making it easy for customers to shop their local family farmers—right from their homes.

New Startup WildKale Lets Farmers Sell Directly to Customers Through an App

Yes, it’s like “Uber for farmer’s markets.”

Koalas eat 200 to 500 grams of eucalyptus a day. So when all shipping routes go down, what's an animal nutritionist to do?

When Disaster Strikes, the Zoo Must Go On

Zoo nutritionists have the Herculean task of feeding thousands of charges, come hurricane, tornado or terrorist attack

This Honey Badger Endures Bee Stings for His Favorite Treat

Grit the honey badger is on a mission to taste honey for the first time. To do so, he must break into a hive and withstand the fury of a bee horde

Sandwiches ready for tasting at Feast Portland.

12 of the Best Food Festivals Happening This Fall

Where to eat, drink and play across the U.S. this autumn

Trending Today

Swiss Chocolatiers Introduce New Type of Chocolate—Pink

Called ‘ruby chocolate,’ its creators claim the concoction contains no red coloring

Aftermath of the fire at Imperial Foods processing plant in Hamlet, North Carolina

History of Now

The Deadly 1991 Hamlet Fire Exposed the High Cost of “Cheap”

A new book argues that more than emergency unpreparedness and locked doors led to the deaths of 25 workers in the chicken factory blaze

Happy National Salami Day!

There Are Museums For Everything–Even Salami

Take a tour of a few places showcasing this international favorite

Pharmacists once used chocolate syrup to mask the bitter flavor of their remedies—and make a little money on the side.

The Unlikely Medical History of Chocolate Syrup

How the sundae staple went from treatment to just treat

A Piggly Wiggly in 1939.

The Innovative Spirit fy17

The Bizarre Story of Piggly Wiggly, the First Self-Service Grocery Store

What’s in a name?

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