A Roman Feast… of Death!
The banquet hall was painted black from ceiling to floor. By the pale flicker of grave lamps, the invited senators coud make out a row of tombstones.
Did Humans Once Live by Beer Alone? An Oktoberfest Tale
Some scholars have suggested that humans first started growing domesticated grains in order to make not bread, but beer.
The Occult Remedy the Puritans Embraced
Why did the Puritans embrace a medical treatment that looked suspiciously like black magic?
The Strange Case of Daniel Defoe’s Civet Scheme
In the 17th century, these animals were prized for their musk. So when the not-yet-famous writer Daniel Defoe needed quick cash, he turned to civets.
The Buggy Truth about Natural Red Dye
The slightly disgusting secret ingredient that has historically made food dye, lipstick, and even the cloaks of Roman Catholic cardinals so vibrant.
The Afterlife of Royal Hair
Whether worn as a lovelock or set in elaborate jewelry, the clipped-off hair of Kings and Queens outlived the monarchs themselves.
Was It Really a Mummy’s Curse?
A slew of mysterious deaths following the opening of King Tut's tomb prompted one epidemiologist to investigate.
Pssst, Crop Circles Were a Hoax
In the late 1970s, mysterious circular patterns started showing up in farm fields.
The Invention of Dessert
The English word “dessert” emerged in the seventeenth century, derived from the French verb “desservir.” But the concept has changed a lot since then.