3899 Items Tagged

History

Podcast: Galileo’s Middle Finger

Investigating a renowned scientist's iconic digit.

The Podcast Team January 31, 2023

Does This Silly-Looking Animal Have a Solution to Climate Change?

Beavers can reshape the North American ecosystem—if we let them.

Shoshi Parks January 31, 2023

During the last ice age, people moved across Beringia, a massive landform connecting Asia and North America. Seasonal hunters left behind a trove of valuable evidence of their presence at the northern Canadian site known as the Bluefish Caves.

Investigating Ice Age America’s Ancient Abattoir

Scientists know people were in Yukon 24,000 years ago. But what were they doing there?

Devon Bidal January 30, 2023

Podcast: Tangier American Legation Museum

In North Africa, the first American-owned property on foreign soil.

The Podcast Team January 30, 2023

<em>Sugo Marinetti</em> features capers, anchovies, fried artichokes, and pistachios.

The Sauce That Survived Italy's War on Pasta

The Futurists tried to abolish pasta and all they got was this delicious dish.

Sam Lin-Sommer January 27, 2023

A sign declares this the oldest bar in Nevada.

Genoa Bar & Saloon

Decor at “Nevada’s Oldest Thirst Parlor” includes Raquel Welch's brassiere hanging from a stuffed moose head.

Podcast: Empress Anna’s Ice Palace

The spectacle in St. Petersburg, Russia, was the site of an incredibly strange wedding.

The Podcast Team January 25, 2023

The Missouri State Penitentiary once housed infamous inmates like James Earl Ray.

The Bloody (and Haunted) History of the Missouri State Penitentiary

Time Magazine called the prison “the bloodiest 47 acres in America.”

Sponsored By Visit Missouri

Domrémy-la-Pucelle, France

Birthplace of Joan of Arc

The woman who helped save 15th-century France was born in this humble home.

All illustrations: John Mata for Atlas Obscura

Puzzle Monday: Historical Sammies Crossword

AO Puzzles January 23, 2023

Archaeologists believe that the Dholavira signboard hung above the northern entrance to the city thousands of years ago.

objects of intrigue

The Mystery of the World’s Oldest Billboard

No one knows what it says.

Harish Alagappa January 20, 2023

Podcast: The Lion House

A place where when people moved out, lions moved in.

The Podcast Team January 18, 2023

objects of intrigue

Can an Old Coin Solve the Mystery of a Lost Roman Emperor?

Examining whether a ruler slipped through the cracks of a tumultuous century.

Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing January 17, 2023

Beauly, Scotland

Wych Elm of Beauly Priory

After 800 years, Europe's oldest elm tree has met its end.

There is much to be learned about Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights movements beyond memorable public events such as this 1957 Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom in Washington, D.C.

4 Surprising Reads for Martin Luther King Jr. Day

He's a towering figure in history, but his story is far from complete.

April White January 13, 2023

In the 1970s and 80s, illicit cooking sessions known as "masak" were widespread in Singaporean prisons and rehabilitation centers.

The Underground Cooks of Singapore's Prisons

In the 1970s and 80s, when the guards stepped away, the pots and flames came out.

Sam Lin-Sommer January 12, 2023

Ringwood Mining Historical Site

Ringwood East, Australia

Ringwood Mining Historical Site

A monument commemorating the antimony mine that once operated in this Melbourne suburb.

Podcast: Berkeley South Asian Radical History Walking Tour

A unique Bay Area walking tour led by community historians.

The Podcast Team January 12, 2023