star wars
For Sale: A Solid Gold Darth Vader Mask
May the gold be with us.
All Stories
crash site
The 1957 Rikers Island Plane Crash That Made Inmates Heroes
It was a frightening time for air travel.
lakes
The Great Salt Lake's Mercury Mystery
A bunch of toxic mercury is suddenly missing from the bottom.
map monday
Mapping Ireland's Mysterious Carvings of Old Women Exposing Their Genitals
Sheela-na-gigs can be found all over the country, but it's only recently that academics have been brave enough to study them.
obscura day 2017
How the Leatherdykes Helped Change Feminism
A brief history of lesbian sadomasochism, from the shadows to the front lines of the “Sex Wars.”
insects
Why Female Dragonflies Fake Death to Avoid Males
Sigh.
antarctic
In Antarctica, a Mysterious Igloo Slowly Appears
A couple of research base employees wanted to try something new.
napoleon bonaparte
Found: The Hoof of Napoleon’s Horse, Hiding in a Cottage Drawer in England
It was in a plastic bag.
loneliestroad
Announcing the Fellowship of the Loneliest Road
Atlas Obscura wants to send you on the trip of a lifetime across Nevada.
spies
One of the Earliest Industrial Spies Was a French Missionary Stationed in China
When he wasn't converting people, Father Francois Xavier d'Entrecolles was extracting trade secrets from porcelain producers.
planets
The Largest Centaur in the Solar System Has Rings
That's the minor planet, not the mythical creature.
cats
Who Is Shaving Virginia's Cats?
A mystery person is giving pets rogue haircuts.
feats
College Student Shotguns 13 Beers During Half-Marathon
He still averaged just under eight minutes a mile.
fleeting wonders
The Religious Feud in England Over Asparagus
Some say "Gus the Asparagus Man" doesn't belong in a British cathedral.
squirrel
When Squirrels Were One of America's Most Popular Pets
Benjamin Franklin even wrote an ode to a fallen one.
gentrification
In Fast-Changing Seattle, an Effort Not to Forget the Past
A new project gathers the collective memory of places that no longer exist.
money
Found: Mystery Safe Unopened for 40 Years
Who leaves a mystery safe unopened??
anatomy
The World Needs a Vagina Museum
One woman in London is dedicated to starting the world's first physical space wholly dedicated to vaginas.
