All Stories

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

crosswords

Puzzle Monday: War Heroes Crossword

Chef Damian Brockway and his wife, Kornpawee Brockway.

barbecue

Podcast: Distant Relatives

Tried and true barbecue favorites meet unexpected spices and flavor profiles.

This tribute to Manuela Beltrán stands in Socorro. It has long been believed that Beltrán, a town merchant, tore up a Spanish edict in the town square, sparking the Colombian Comuneros Revolt of 1781.

revolution

Manuela Beltrán Is a Colombian Hero. What If She Never Existed?

Historians have found little evidence of the revolutionary icon.

SS Warrimoo plied a trans-Pacific route from Canada to Australia, which means it crossed both the equator and the international date line on every trip.

strange maps

The Strange Tale of SS Warrimoo, the Ship That Existed in Two Centuries at Once

On New Year's Eve 1899, the captain of this Pacific liner steamed into history. Or did he?

beltane

Beltane Is About More Than Fire and Fertility

The ancient “Celtic” start of summer is rooted in animal husbandry—and it’s not on May 1.

A master of natural navigation noticed a feature found on nearly every tree can help us find our way.

wayfinding

Tree Eyes Can Help Us Find Our Way

Natural navigation expert Tristan Gooley made a surprise discovery exploring a rewilded WWII airfield.

Peaches and Chartreuse jelly, from Rayanne House.

titanic

Make the Jellied Delicacy Served Aboard the Titanic

For their last meal, first-class passengers dined on 11 courses, including Chartreuse jelly and peaches.

camouflage

How Are These Trees Floating Over a Finnish Road?

A photo archive reveals clever camouflage techniques, and highlights the strange position of NATO’s newest member, during World War II.

family

Podcast: Moose Boulder

How far would you go to find the largest island in the largest lake on the largest island in the largest lake on the largest island in the largest lake in the United States?

A brisket bento box at Kemuri Tatsu-Ya reconsiders barbecue’s most iconic cut of meat.

ethiopia

In Texas, Barbecue Has Gone Global

Across Texas, chefs and BBQ obsessives are stretching the limits of brisket, smoke, and sauce.

The Gloucester Cathedral–shaped lamprey pie for Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.

archive of wonder

5 of Our Favorite Odd Traditions of English Royalty

From a coronation pie made of lampreys to someone to chat with you in the loo.

apples

Podcast: The Last Wild Apple Groves

Granny Smiths and Fujis can both be traced back to Kazakhstan, where apples still grow wild.

opera

Gold, Ghosts, and Gin: The Curious Spirits and Elaborate History of Virginia City

This one-time boomtown still oozes with the spirit of the Wild West.

forest

Meet Nevada’s Bristlecone Pines, Some of the Oldest Trees on Earth

These ancient trees with a survivalist spirit inspire awe.

One of the founders of Israel's Tractor Museum, the late Gideon Grosman, restores a small Murray plow.

tractors

How Farmers Are Preserving Israel’s Disappearing Agricultural Legacy—One Tractor At a Time

At the Tractor Museum, every machine has a story.

The basket star (Gorgonocephalus eucnemis), on display at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, is a deep sea species related to the sea stars seen in more shallow waters.

invertebrates

How to Recreate the Deepest, Darkest Ocean

Revealing the unseen world under Monterey Bay.

foxes

Podcast: Caring for Canids

Spend a day hanging out with domesticated Russian foxes at a California conservation center.

Travelers along Highway 50 will be excited to stumble across Eureka after a long journey across the state.

saloons

The Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road

Eureka, Nevada is a must-see pitstop along the magnificent wide open road of Route 50, where travelers can immerse themselves in a bygone era and explore secret underground tunnels.

Popular Destinations