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A coat of arms from the turn of the 17th century, featuring a plague doctor and, presumably, the Swiss physician Theodore Zwinger III.

epidemics

European Plague Doctor Garb Was Black, Beaked, and Very Bleak

These haunting uniforms make today's masks look tame.

Isaac Schultz
Atlas Obscura
April 2, 2020
Welcome, neighbor!

citizen science

This Is a Great Time to Busy Yourself With Bees

You can invite them over by planting some native plants on your deck or fire escape.

Jessica Leigh Hester
Atlas Obscura
April 2, 2020
The ancient yeast could only be revived with Emmer, an older, less common varietal of wheat likely used by ancient Egyptians.

egyptian collections

How the Man Who Invented Xbox Baked a 4,500-Year-Old Egyptian Sourdough

It took three experts, two museums, and one clay pot to bake a truly ancient loaf.

Luke Fater
Atlas Obscura
April 2, 2020
Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee.

politics

A Look Back at Franklin, America's Lost State

It existed for a brief and treasonous four years.

Madelyn Brown
Atlas Obscura
April 2, 2020
The modern town of Fira, on the Greek island of Santorini, is built on the cusp of the ancient volcano's caldera.

ancient greece

The Date of an Ancient Mediterranean Eruption Is Hidden in Dead Trees

Specifically, in the wood of a royal Phrygian tomb.

Isaac Schultz
Atlas Obscura
April 1, 2020
Astronauts aboard the International Space Station took this image of the southern lights with Nikon D3S digital camera in September 2011.

satellite

Escape Into NASA's Most Incredible Images of Our Planet

And don't forget to cast your vote in "Tournament Earth."

Jessica Leigh Hester
Atlas Obscura
April 1, 2020
Elegant so was probably not eaten with crackers in ancient Japan.

epidemics

The Coronavirus Is Bringing Back a 1,000-Year-Old 'Cheese' in Japan

Once, it was considered fit for the emperor.

Makiko Itoh
Atlas Obscura
April 1, 2020
Many people don't know that classical statues were once painted with bright colors. The Acropolis Museum designed a game to help children imagine what they looked like.

obscura academy

10 Cultural Craft Projects to Calm Your Cooped-Up Kids

Museums around the world have created new ways to play from home.

plumcot
Atlas Obscura
April 1, 2020
Point Alones was once home to the state's largest Chinatown. This photograph of Chinese fisherman was taken in 1875.

dynamic diasporas

A Chinese Fishing Village Regains Its Rightful Place in California History

A shipwreck brought Chinese immigrants to the Monterey area. Discrimination forced them to start over.

Claire Wang
Atlas Obscura
March 31, 2020
A detail of the dreamy map of Rye Beach, New York.

travel

Let Your Mind Wander With These Gloriously Detailed Maps

Satisfy your urge to roam and while away some time with these picks from cartographic collectors, curators, and scholars.

Jessica Leigh Hester
Atlas Obscura
March 31, 2020
A 14th-century painting of Saint Corona by the Master of Palazzo Venezia Madonna.

epidemics

Is Saint Corona a Guardian Against Epidemics?

Well, she might be now, at least.

Matthew Taub
Atlas Obscura
March 31, 2020
Insect farming could serve an important role in alleviating food insecurity in Madagascar, where almost half of all children under five are malnourished.

farming

To Save Madagascar’s Wildlife, an Entomologist Is Helping Revive a Bug-Based Cuisine

Local insect farms could save lemurs, baobabs, and more.

Andy Isaacson
Atlas Obscura
March 31, 2020
You probably have the ingredients for sugar cream pie in your kitchen.

great depression foods

7 Historic Dishes Born From Tough Times That You Can Make at Home

Use every last crumb with these feats of culinary creativity.

Sam O'Brien
Atlas Obscura
March 30, 2020
West Coast sea otters are picking up Sarcocystis neurona from opossums via clams—a complex transmission chain exacerbated by human-induced "pathogen pollution."

natural history

What Do California Otters and Virginia Opossums Have In Common?

A pathogen that doesn't care about social-distancing rules.

Jennifer S. Holland
Atlas Obscura
March 30, 2020
Honeyland is full of amber-hued shots.

silent film

3 Transportive Documentaries That Can Take You Away

Around the world and back in time from the comfort of your couch.

Jessica Leigh Hester
Atlas Obscura
March 30, 2020
Lose Yourself in a Mesmerizing, Meticulous Map of the Met

obscura academy

Lose Yourself in a Mesmerizing, Meticulous Map of the Met

The beloved New York museum comes alive in this massive and mysterious illustration.

plumcot
Atlas Obscura
March 30, 2020
Yellowstone National Park recently closed to all visitors.

coronavirus

Are the Great Outdoors Off-Limits During a Pandemic?

"Obey the f***ing law and do what public health authorities tell you to do."

Erin Beresini
Atlas Obscura
March 27, 2020
The shoebox lunch has become a symbol of resilience.

moveable feasts

How 'Shoebox Lunches' Made Black Travel Possible During Jim Crow

Humble shoeboxes allowed African Americans to dine with dignity.

Nicole Taylor
Atlas Obscura
March 27, 2020
Previous Page 248 of 846 Next

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