Explore 1266 Features Collections - Atlas Obscura
Places near me Random place

1266 Items Tagged

Features

Share
Library theft was made a criminal offense in 1982.
libraries

The Rare-Book Thief Who Looted College Libraries in the '80s

By passing as a professor, James Richard Shinn made off with over $100,000 worth of books.
Susan Falciani July 20, 2017
The model is an exact, scale replica of the damaged spillway.
science

To Fix a California Dam, Engineers Are Putting a Giant Scale Model to the Test

Oroville Dam's spillway crumbled in February, and now California is racing for a fix.
Kelsey Kennedy July 19, 2017
Yippies overtake the Disneyland attractions.
disney

How a Group of '70s Radicals Tried (and Failed) to Invade Disneyland

The Yippies' takeover did not quite go to plan.
Kristin Hunt July 19, 2017
Horton, IBM 360, and Walden, in a publicity shot.
politics

The Computer That Ran for School President

In 1975, the Pro-Apathy Party had an IBM 360 at the top of its ticket.
Sarah Laskow July 18, 2017
Two <em>kerusi rotan bulat</em>, Malaysia, 2017.
vietnam war

Tracing the Elusive History of Pier 1's Ubiquitous 'Papasan' Chair

The bowl-shaped seat's conflicted heritage incorporates the Vietnam War.
John Kelly July 17, 2017
Rover Environmental Monitoring Station (REMS) tools on NASA's Curiosity Mars.
space exploration

And Now, a Weather Report From Mars

Scientists in Spain are bringing Martian meteorology to the Earth-bound masses.
Santiago Saez July 17, 2017
Okay, okay, yes, CUTE.
animals

Your Votes Are In: Sloths Are Cute

Never mind the latrine thing, sloths are pretty darn amazing.
Sarah Laskow July 14, 2017
art

The Story of the 'Portofess,' the Prank Confessional Booth at the 1992 Democratic Convention

Artist Joey Skaggs fooled everyone and pedaled off.
Sarah Laskow July 14, 2017
Chauffeurs relaxing next to a Minerva, France.
cars

The Insolent Chauffeurs of America's Early Automobile Era

The media criticized drivers for off-the-clock joyrides, corruption, and running people over.
Joseph Hayes July 14, 2017
An English funeral scene, 1733.
food

The Worst Freelance Gig in History Was Being the Village Sin Eater

Sin eaters risked their souls to soak up the misdeeds of the dead.
Natalie Zarrelli July 14, 2017
<em>Iles Des Sourds. 1964. Coquilles de mer</em>, 1974, Donald Evans
stamps

The Subversive World of 'Cinderella Stamps'

These tiny artworks can't be used for postage, but they do send a message.
Emily Cleaver July 13, 2017
This Ursuline convent was the setting for an exposé and was torn down by an angry mob.
sacred spaces

Salacious Convent Exposés Were the Most Popular Books in Antebellum America

Protestant authors loved to imagine the secret sins of Catholics.
Sarah Laskow July 13, 2017
Apple pie with cheddar cheese and bacon bits.
food

The Long, Storied Controversy Over Cheese on Apple Pie

Some love it. Some hate it. Some have no idea what it is.
Michael Waters July 13, 2017
Print of Lincoln vs. print of a Calhoun engraving.
photography

The Great Lengths Taken to Make Abraham Lincoln Look Good in Portraits

One famous image of the president features a body that isn't his.
Michael Waters July 12, 2017
A 16th-century German woodcut depicting the uselessness of chastity belts. (They can have more than one key.)
medieval

Everything You've Heard About Chastity Belts Is a Lie

Including their very existence.
Sarah Laskow July 12, 2017
A sloth getting comfy in a tree.
animals

Sloths: Cute or Disgusting?

There are strong arguments both ways.
Sarah Laskow July 12, 2017
Photographer Frances Benjamin Johnston, holding a cigarette and a beer stein, in her <em>Self Portrait (as "New Woman")</em>, 1896.
history

Where the Cocktail Party Came From

It has surprisingly feminist origins.
Laura Carlson July 11, 2017
A 17th-century chef surrounded by foods of the day.
food

Competitive Eating Was Even More Gluttonous and Disgusting in the 17th Century

For the Great Eater of Kent, it was all ale-soaked bread and wheelbarrows of tripe.
Eric Grundhauser July 11, 2017