Fresh figs are irresistible from late summer through early fall, when trees droop from the weight of these luscious, caramelly fruits. Nothing stands between fig lovers and this bounty, except … wasps ...

If you love figs, you may have heard some unsettling lore about them: that every fig hides a wasp, because these insects need to crawl inside and die in order for the fruit to grow. But are there ...

Are there really dead wasps in figs? You’ve likely heard the rumors, and it turns out that it’s (sometimes) true. Sure, it sounds kind of gross and a little sad. But when you find out about the whole ...

If you don’t believe in soulmates, then the closest thing is the scientific notion of codependent evolution. (Very different from plain ol’ codependency.) This evolutionary kismet takes millions of ...

An example of "fallen fig fauna": a beetle larvae which feeds on the fig from the inside, then migrate to the soil when the ripe fruit falls to the ground. Credit: Luciano Palmieri An example of ...

Textbooks that marvel over an extreme example of the buddy system–fig species that supposedly each pair up with a lone pollinating wasp species–may need rewriting, according to a new genetic analysis.

Removal of an offender's hand, tongue or ear: punishments described in Babylon's Hammurabi Code, depended on the nature of the crime. Published in 1771 B.C., the code set the first formal standards ...

Nils Bernstein is a food, drink, and travel editor and writer based in Mexico City. He is the food editor for Wine Enthusiast and has written for such publications as Bon Appétit, Epicurious, Food & ...