Shellac is a natural resin that comes from tiny insects harvested off tree branches in India. Indians have valued the bug for 3,000 years for its versatility.

Aphids can reproduce incredibly fast: they can make 20 new generations within a single season. And that means lots of poop. Some aphid populations can produce hundreds of kilograms of poop per acre— making them some of the most prolific poopers on the pla...

Cochineals are tiny bugs that live on prickly pear cactuses. The acid in their guts makes a red dye used in textiles, cosmetics, and foods like M&Ms and Yoplait yogurt. Indigenous people across Latin America traded it for thousands of years. It can be...

For many people, the powerful smell of eucalyptus in Vicks VapoRub, brings back memories of childhood and being tucked up in bed with a cold. But Don’t leave vicks gathering dust in your medicine cabinet. there are plenty of clever uses for VapoRub that...

If being a home cook in the age of the Internet has taught us anything, it’s that kitchens can hide revolting revelations, such as bugs tucked away in a semi-hidden part of our Instant Pots or in our coffee.