map monday
Why Isochrone Maps Are Enjoying a Renaissance
As data sources keep improving, mapmakers keep finding more uses for the 19th-century invention.
All Stories
archive
Unseen 1960s Photos of London's East End
A hidden archive of glorious Kodachrome, rediscovered.
ice skating
Found: The Fastest-Spinning Animal in the World
Flattie spiders can do the equivalent of a triple axel in the blink of an eye.
economics
Why a Small Town in Washington State Is Still Printing Wooden Money
In Tenino, a Depression-era tradition lives on.
shakespeare
How Anti-Plagiarism Software Led Scholars to a New Shakespeare Source Text
A thoroughly modern literary excavation.
alchemy
Thank These Master Alchemists for the Magic of Alcohol
Two Muslim scholars invented stills that could make spirits.
records
What It's Like to Make the World's Largest Bagel and Lox
The 213-pounder will be evaluated for a Guinness World Record.
valentine's day
Atlas Obscura's Last-Minute 2018 Valentine's Day Gift Guide
Unusual ideas for the trickiest holiday.
russia
The Russian Train Stop That Serves One Schoolgirl
All aboard!
galapagos
Found: A Natural Egg-Incubator in the Deep Ocean
Who knew hydrothermal vents make such great nurseries?
strikes
The Forgotten History of New York’s Bagel Famines
Remembering Local 338 and the world's toughest bagel bakers.
new york city
The Gay Coffeehouse Where Off-Off Broadway Theater Was Born
Remembering the Caffe Cino of 31 Cornelia Street, New York.
mystery
Can You Identify This Mystery Jurist?
His portrait is in the headquarters of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, but no one knows who he is.
nasa
How to Find the Tesla Roadster in the Sky
NASA has listed the car as a celestial object.
sideshow
The Long, Strange Legacy of One of the World's Earliest Fake Mermaids
Jenny Hanivers date back to the 16th century, and are still collected today.
al capone
How the Capones Strong-Armed Their Way Into the Dairy Business
Al and Ralph may have influenced food safety labeling and your pizza’s cheese.
hip hop
Bwaaat! How the Air Horn Made Noise in Pop Music
Pay attention.
cave
Found: A Plant Bonanza Hidden in China's Caves
They may have served as a refuge for some species when the area was deforested.
