This is the first in a two-part series on the past and present of the areca, better known as the betel nut. When you think of the frequently addictive substances so many of us use to make it through ...

Ancient rituals and customs often leave behind obvious archaeological evidence. From the impeccably preserved mummies of Egypt to psychoactive substance residue that remained at the bottom of a clay ...

In 2022, it remains legal to sell an addictive carcinogen without a warning label in much of the world. The fibrous seed of the areca palm, most commonly known as “betel nut,” has been cultivated ...

Scientists analyzed preserved dental plaque from a woman at a 4,000-year-old burial site and said they found evidence of betel nut use. Outside researchers say more evidence is needed to establish ...

A groundbreaking study published in Frontiers in Environmental Archaeology has revealed that ancient Southeast Asian civilizations were using psychoactive betel nuts as early as 4,000 years ago. This ...

This is the second in a two-part series on the past and present of the areca, better known as the betel nut. Part one can be found here. In my last article, I analyzed how the betel nut missed its ...

For the first time, archaeologists have used advanced scientific techniques on 4,000-year-old dental plaque to confirm traces of betel nut chewing in ancient Thai communities. Betel nuts are usually ...

Mong Shuan was just 16 when she turned to an unconventional source of income: selling betel nuts from a little stall in northern Taiwan. The stimulant, a small, oblong fruit derived from areca palms, ...