Salon.com

"Freedom fries" and "native victuals": Why American politicians are so weird about French food

"In America it is politically disadvantageous to be known as a gourmet"

Salon.com

Crabs are intelligent, sensitive animals — and some scientists wish we didn't boil them alive

Crabs seem capable of sentience. This makes it difficult to kill them humanely for food

Salon.com

"Regrettable substitutions": Why it's hard to ban "forever" chemicals, according to experts

We're drowning in a soup of chemicals. Experts explain how these chemicals help in our daily lives — and pose heal

Salon.com

Why fake sugars may be bad for you

Erythritol, a popular alternative to sugar, may increase risk of stroke. Is any fake sugar safe?

Salon.com

Did the South assassinate this president to preserve slavery? Forensic scientists say it's possible

Zachary Taylor died in 1850 of food poisoning. Some experts think the culprit was arsenic — here's why

Salon.com

This ghost town is too dangerous for humans because an endless fire burns beneath it

The once-idyllic Pennsylvania town of Centralia is abandoned today because of the fires burning underneath it

Salon.com

When Hitchcockian horror came true: The 1960s killer bird swarm that inspired "The Birds"

In 1961, birds dive-bombed, tumbled through the air as if drunk, and drenched the town of Capitola in vomit

Salon.com

From Olive Garden to fine dining, how Andes Mints became part of eating out in America

The chocolate mints are found in diners, steakhouses and red sauce joints — all places that inspire nostalgia

Salon.com

Trial by impotence: When men had to copulate publicly or be served divorce papers

In the 1400s, French women who wanted a divorce could bring their husband to a humiliating public impotence trial

Salon.com

How this laughable sci-fi flick embarrassed Hollywood into doing better science

"This is the worst example of what Hollywood does to science," says one expert about this notoriously absurd movie

Salon.com

This medieval English king died from eating too much of this horrific, parasitic fish

Known for his ruthlessness, King Henry I's fatal weak spot proved to be his diet

Salon.com

Get to know collard greens: Why this leafy green vegetable is worth getting excited about

Did you know there are so many varieties to love?

Salon.com

If you give an AI a cookie, can it make a viral recipe?

Artificial intelligence has already shaken up art and writing. What does it mean for recipe development?

Salon.com

Thanks to inbreeding, bulldogs and pugs may not exist much longer, experts say

"The breed couldn't continue this way for another century. Its members wouldn't survive," one expert told Salon