exploration
The 19th-Century Charts That Put the World's Waterfalls on One Impossible Landscape
Imagine the roar.
All Stories
industrial revolution
Australia's First Published Dictionary Was Dedicated to 'Convict Slang'
The "flash" language reflected the makeup of the British penal colony at the time.
lenin
Russia's Retro Lenin Museum Still Runs on Decades-Old Apple II Computers
The same machine that popularized "The Oregon Trail" was secretly imported just a few years before the USSR collapsed.
gum
How a Mexican General's Exile in Staten Island Led to Modern Chewing Gum
He captured the Alamo, lost Texas, and helped invent Tutti Frutti.
advertising
Meet California's Nerds of Neon
These photo-taking, model-making obsessives are documenting the state’s vintage signs before they vanish.
evolution
Eurasia's Oldest Tiny Tools Were Essential for Living in the Rain Forest
And perfectly sized for small, Sri Lankan jungle prey.
mud volcanoes
Baby Alaskan Fur Seals Are Thriving Atop a Bubbling Undersea Volcano
They don't seem to mind the eruptions of Bogoslof Island, as long as there's squid and smoothtongue to eat.
pastry
This Fraternity of Frenchmen Is Reviving the Beloved Pâté-Croûte
A foodie brotherhood launched a world competition dedicated to their favorite meaty pastry.
tribes
The Restaurant Putting India's Disappearing Tribal Cuisine Back on the Menu
In a Ranchi kitchen, local women fight to save indigenous food, one bowl of fish curry at a time.
pigs
Londoners Once Wondered If Feral Hogs Roamed Victorian-Era Sewers
Lots of legends seem to start underground.
from our readers
20 Beautiful Carousels That Aren't Horsing Around
Atlas Obscura readers share their favorite vintage and retro amusement rides.
cookbooks
A New Cookbook Traces the Surprising Histories of Famous Dishes
Some signature dishes changed the culinary world.
drones
Drone-Piloting Scientists 'Weighed' Whales From 130 Feet in the Air
In Argentina, aerial imagery helps researchers get a close look at southern right whales from a distance.
phrenology
How Profit and Prejudice Built a Family's Human Skull Collection
Fowler & Wells created a "Phrenological Cabinet" on the racist belief that skulls held secrets about human nature.
babies
Found: Milk Residue That Proves Ancient Europeans Used Cute-as-Heck Baby Bottles
The clay vessels are shaped like mythical animals.
rice
Found: 588 Carp Teeth From China's Oldest-Known Fish Farm
Chinese farmers domesticated the common carp as early as 6200 BC, researchers say.
vikings
Found: An Elaborate Viking Graveyard at the End of a Fjord
They buried people, boats, and even a house.
dynamic diasporas
In Greenland, Thai Restaurants Serve Whale Skin Sushi and Reindeer Pad Krapow
A large immigrant community has made their cuisine popular.
