Stories - Atlas Obscura

13 Beautiful Botanical Gardens Where It's Easy to Lose Yourself

Our readers shared some of their favorite collections of greenery in the world.

taste washington

Why Washington State’s Wine Scene Has Become So Experimental

Conditions there are ripe for trying out new techniques.

In Zambia, a Craze for a Traditional Treat Is Endangering Wild Orchids

Researchers are teaming up to save chikanda.

endangered animals

A Visual Guide to the Creatures That Could Disappear From Each U.S. State

If you're endangered, it helps to be famous and cute.

When Gorgeous Architectural Landmarks Are Also Monuments to Fascism

In Asmara, Eritrea, preservationists are grappling with the tricky task of celebrating Futurism.

The Italian Farmer Returning Chickens to the Wild

His chestnut forest is home to thousands of hens.

In Praise of Bate-Bola, Rio's Seductive, Scary Alternative Carnival

Garish costumes, masked clowns, and favela funk.

February 28, 2019

The Fall of Angkor Was More Than a Century in the Making

New research suggests that the city’s demise wasn’t related to a sudden catastrophe, but rather, a choice.

February 28, 2019

Found: The Oldest Tattoo Needles in Western North America

They could sharpen our understanding of Pueblo prehistory.

February 28, 2019

The Hidden History of the Nutmeg Island That Was Traded for Manhattan

Dutch colonists committed genocide to secure a spice monopoly. But there's more to the story.

February 28, 2019

The 1970s Movement to Reclaim Pretzels for God

"Pretzels for God" even took as its patron the first Native American saint.

February 28, 2019

Where Did All the Refugees From Vesuvius End Up?

Their quest for new lives wouldn't have been that different than that of refugees today.

February 27, 2019

Secrets of One of the Earliest Terrestrial Globes

The Hunt-Lenox Globe is significant in so many ways.

February 27, 2019

Found: A Giant Sloth Tooth in a 200-Foot-Deep Sinkhole

The bone helps to explain how the creature stuck around for more than 10,000 years.

February 27, 2019

Please Stop Stuffing Yorkshire Pudding Down the Drain

A bunch of them clogged a sewer in England, like little fatbergs made from flour and eggs.

February 27, 2019

In 1930s Tunisia, French Doctors Feared a 'Tea Craze' Would Destroy Society

It was seen as a threat to colonial rule.

February 27, 2019

Austin Just Sent Its Favorite Queso Recipe to the Moon

One small step for cheese, one giant leap for cheese.

February 26, 2019

What Is an 'Ice Shove'?

“This is an impressive display of the power of wind and water!”

February 26, 2019