91 Items Tagged

Cryptids

Today the giant Pacific octopus, or <em>Enteroctopus dofleini</em>, is a beloved cephalopod, but in the early 20th century, some mistook these friendly giants as terrifying man-eaters.

How the World’s Largest Octopus Went From Cryptid to Protected

Turns out some monsters are real—and pretty cute.

Sam Fletcher May 1, 2024

The fearsome cryptid is said to grow up to six-feet-long and spit deadly poison.

Inside the Decades Long Hunt for the Mongolian Death Worm

Some say the true death worm has already been found—slithering beneath the sands of the Gobi.

Mark Hay April 30, 2024

The horse-headed visage of La Siguanaba may just be your last sight.

Beware La Siguanaba, Latin America's Murderous, Horse-Headed Beauty

Do not follow the woman in white.

April White April 30, 2024

A dingonek has seemingly impenetrable, armadillo-like scales, a powerful tail, and very sharp teeth.

The Man-Eating Dingonek Lurks Beneath East Africa’s Rivers

The 18-foot-long, dog-headed beast-fish didn't seem so unbelievable to Africa's early white colonizers.

April White April 29, 2024

Keystone, South Dakota

World's Largest Bigfoot

This towering wooden Sasquatch was carved with a chainsaw.

An 18th-century depiction of the <em>tsuchinoko</em>, also called <em>bachi hebi</em>, a snake-like Japanese cryptid.

Wonder Is Everywhere: A Jumping Japanese Cryptid, Ancient Amazonian Cities, and More From Around the Web

Get a peek into what we’re obsessed with right now.

April White February 2, 2024

13 Places to Find Little Legends and Compact Cryptids

From grumpy water goblins to tiny trolls.

Jonathan Carey January 26, 2024

The mysterious Bigfoot

10 Places to Visit If You Want to Believe in Bigfoot

Even if you’re not convinced cryptids exist, these spots will offer a fascinating look into the minds of those who are.

Atlas Obscura January 18, 2024

A 1912 postcard depicts a Lake Erie at night.

Toward a Unifying Theory of Lake Monsters

From Champ to Bessie to lake sturgeon, these cryptids represent what lies beneath the surface of the familiar.

Colin Dickey January 17, 2024

Anna Sorokina for Atlas Obscura

In 2023, We Illustrated the Darkest Corners of the Human Imagination

Sometimes, especially for unusual subjects, photos just don't get the job done.

Winnie Lee December 28, 2023

The Christmas Goblins of Greece Play Devious Tricks All the Way Till January

But don’t worry—polar plunges and putting children in ovens helps banish them.

Vittoria Traverso December 22, 2023

Lake Imba Monster

Lake Imba Monster

The strange “kaiju” of Lake Imba that allegedly killed over a dozen men with a single strike of lightning.

Shirley, Massachusetts

Head of the Egopantis

The head of a legendary creature allegedly killed during colonial times is now on display at a local restaurant.

The legend of the Snallygaster appears to have been an invention of local newspapers, but one that carried a dark threat.

The Unsettling Legend of Maryland's Native Cryptid, the Snallygaster

A strange, scary farce that brought together Old World legends and racist scare tactics.

Colin Dickey October 27, 2023

Whitehall, New York

Golf-Squatch

An impressive Sasquatch statue marks the spot of a fated Bigfoot encounter that changed a community.

Blood Falls seeps from the end of the Taylor Glacier into Lake Bonney.

Wonder Is Everywhere: The Mystery of Blood Falls, a Carrier Pigeon Comeback, and More from Around the Web

Get a peek into what we’re obsessed with right now.

April White July 7, 2023

Wander into our forest of blood-chilling spring tales—if you dare.

Spring Is for Monsters, Ancient Rituals, and Scary Stories

From haunting tales of the Bell Witch to child-eating swamp monsters, the season is full of frights.

Sarah Durn May 8, 2023

Miniwashitu is described as a frightening-looking creature with an important job: breaking up the ice on the Missouri River with its saw-like backbone.

In North Dakota, the Hideous Miniwashitu Ushers in Spring

The Madan people knew the Missouri River could bring both salvation and destruction.

April White May 5, 2023