surgery
Railyards Were Once So Dangerous They Needed Their Own Railway Surgeons
Feet, hands, and lives were at risk.
All Stories
landmarks week
For Centuries, People Took Chunks of Stonehenge Home as Souvenirs
During the Victorian era, such behavior was not only common but expected.
gentrification
An Ever-Shifting Austin Art Space Makes Its Biggest Move Yet
HOPE Outdoor Gallery is a local landmark. Will its spirit follow it to its new location?
landmarks week
Charting the Succession of the 'True Church' Through History
Landmark Baptists believed that an unbroken chain of Christians kept alive the true teachings of the New Testament.
landmarks week
Famous Landmarks, Before They Were Finished
Revealing photos of works-in-progress.
plastic
Trawling Through the Murky World of Microplastics
In waterways around the globe, the teeny tiny shreds are a big problem.
cryptids
Found: One Very Big Foot
Paleontologists describe the largest dinosaur footprint ever found.
maps
Indigenous Geographies Overlap in This Colorful Online Map
Native Land highlights territories, treaties, and languages across the U.S., Canada, and beyond.
landmarks
L.A.'s Famed Magic Castle Has an Unlikely Twin
One blueprint gave California two totally different landmarks.
landmarks week
We're Looking for Great Old Signs That Became Local Landmarks
Think Citgo in Boston or Amoco in St. Louis—tell us about your favorites!
vegetables
The Family That's Sold New York Mock Meats for Decades
May Wah Vegetarian Market in Chinatown has everything from squid to beef.
paper
The Man With 15,000 Pieces of Chopstick-Wrapper Origami
A restaurant job turned into a collecting passion.
protest
How the Mesmerizing 'Sibiu Eyes' Became a Protest Symbol in Romania
The eerie windows of one Romanian town are watching for political corruption.
sugar
This Bowl Contained Sugar 'Not Made by Slaves'
An early version of ethical consumption.
linguistics
This Language Is Only Used When Collecting Nuts in New Guinea
Pandanus talk is believed to shoo away spirits and keep the harvest from harm.
treasure
Found: A Newly Discovered Shipwreck, Rumored to Be Full of Gold
In 1905, the Dmitri Donskoi sank off the coast of a South Korean island.
show & tell
The Best Notes Atlas Obscura Readers Found in Used Books
From painful spoilers to such trenchant criticism as "P.S. This book blows!"
gear
Tell Us About the Items You Never Go Exploring Without
What's in your adventuring kit?
