Articles by Mark Hay

To help people quit smoking, Puzant Torigian put his life savings (and lungs) on the line.

The classic creepy story—a driver offers a lift to a stranger who is not of this world—has deep roots and a long reach.

Some say the true death worm has already been found—slithering beneath the sands of the Gobi.

Kiviaq, a mainstay on many "weird foods" lists, is an incredible feat of fermentation and cultural touchstone.

From draining slain gladiators to modern-day "sangs," people have long looked to blood as a panacea.

This ceremonial headwear was a cultural touchstone before it became a colonial curiosity.

In Southern California, the popularity of white sage threatens its survival.

Selling dairy products helped the brewery survive Prohibition.

Gangs and mafiosos have a long history with food crime.

The leafy green once foretold the future.

Appeals to patriotism helped it become the country’s signature flavor.

Celebrity chefs served molded jelly dishes to monarchs and royalty.

Dutch colonists committed genocide to secure a spice monopoly. But there's more to the story.

When the Koryo Saram were forcibly relocated, they forged new identities.

Rulers throughout Europe and the Middle East once tried to ban the black brew.

Both Native Americans and colonists enjoyed fried cicadas, grasshopper flour, and insect fruitcakes.

A unique system turns moose killed in collisions into meals.

Many Indian dishes can be traced back, indirectly, to a 16th-century, food-obsessed ruler named Babur.