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Alarms in the cockpit can conflict with one another.

hospitals

An Alarm Designer on How to Annoy People in the Most Effective Ways

There's an art and science to making one sound seem more urgent than another.

Ella Morton
Atlas Obscura
November 15, 2016
A gramophone burglar alarm.

objects of intrigue

How Gramophones Helped Fight Crime in 1940s Britain

Vinyl to thwart criminals? Believe it.

Mariana Zapata
Atlas Obscura
November 15, 2016
Watch How Globes Were Made in 1955 in This North London Workshop

globes

Watch How Globes Were Made in 1955 in This North London Workshop

It's a tedious task to build the "world in miniature."

Lauren Young
Atlas Obscura
November 15, 2016
FAA Chorale John Hanks, Director 1983-1990, in action.

aviation

There's Only One Government Agency With Its Own Special Anthem

The 1980s-era ditty is strangely catchy.

George Pendle
Atlas Obscura
November 15, 2016
The sun sets on America.

politics

Why Is Inauguration Day on January 20?

Until the Great Depression, lame duck presidents stewed for much longer.

Eric Grundhauser
Atlas Obscura
November 15, 2016
Found: Two Moose Frozen Together in a Final Battle

ice

Found: Two Moose Frozen Together in a Final Battle

They died fighting.

Sarah Laskow
Atlas Obscura
November 15, 2016
To help preserve the meridian line—but also to draw more attention to it—the  church has roped the line off from the feet of daily visitors. Just visible here, in a  plaque in the marble floor, are the zodiac signs of Pisces and Scorpio. Both  appear near the spring and autumn equinoxes, respectively.

astronomical clocks

Why Catholics Built Secret Astronomical Features Into Churches to Help Save Souls

After centuries of war, Catholicism and science reconciled over meridian lines.

Geoff Manaugh
Atlas Obscura
November 15, 2016
25 & B

codes

How to Decode the Hidden Secrets of Havana's Streets

Hand signals, street signs, color-coded uniforms, and more.

Sarah Laskow
Atlas Obscura
November 15, 2016
Shanghai, a diorama map comprised of tiny contact print photographs.

dioramas

These Maps Capture the Spirit of Cities By Collaging Their Hidden Details

This photographer weaves intimate scenes into monochromatic panoramas of massive metropolises.

Lauren Young
Atlas Obscura
November 14, 2016
Cheetos, the brand that took cheese curls mainstream.

tedium

A Brief History of the Cheese Curl, Junk Food’s Happiest Accident

It's more or less repurposed horse feed.

Ernie Smith
Atlas Obscura
November 14, 2016
The panorama of the Lost City.  The round clearings, where houses once sat, extend down the sides of the mountains.  Many believe that only a small portion of the Lost City has been excavated at this point.

visual

A Visual Tour Through Colombia's Ancient Lost City

It's 650 years older than Machu Picchu.

Gena Steffens
Atlas Obscura
November 14, 2016
Watch What Camp Life is Like for Children Who are Allergic to the Sun

allergies

Watch What Camp Life is Like for Children Who are Allergic to the Sun

Life is more fun under the stars, anyway.

Mariana Zapata
Atlas Obscura
May 27, 2024
Selected plates from Margaret Gatty's "British Sea-Weeds."

victorian

The Forgotten Victorian Craze for Collecting Seaweed

Victorian women were excellent at it.

Cara Giaimo
Atlas Obscura
November 14, 2016
The end of the line – the final fort on the eastern end, near Kaser-e Pishkamar, hugs the foothills of the eastern Alborz.

iran

Iran's Great Wall Is Now Buried and Forgotten

The Great Wall of Gorgan, once the world's largest fortification, was mysteriously abandoned.

Stuart Denison
Atlas Obscura
November 14, 2016
Australian Cow Swims to Freedom, Stays on the Lam for 24 Hours

news

Australian Cow Swims to Freedom, Stays on the Lam for 24 Hours

It was headed for export.

Eric Grundhauser
Atlas Obscura
November 14, 2016
Watch This Orange-Mustached LEGO Robot Solve a Rubik's Cube

rubik's cubes

Watch This Orange-Mustached LEGO Robot Solve a Rubik's Cube

It's all in the spin.

Lauren Young
Atlas Obscura
November 11, 2016
Minority women in southern China were accused of poisoning northern men with a special poison made of venomous creatures.

poison

The Legendary Chinese Poison Made by Forcing Snakes, Scorpions, and Centipedes to Fight

"Gu" was a mythological substance born from fear, with a dramatic backstory.

Lauren Young
Atlas Obscura
November 11, 2016
The opening scene of the Bond film Spectre, showing a Day of the Dead parade in Mexico City.

parades

Mexico City’s New Day of the Dead Parade is Based on a James Bond Film

The cultural event first appeared in "Spectre."

Simon Schatzberg
Atlas Obscura
November 11, 2016
Previous Page 557 of 846 Next

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