Stories - Atlas Obscura

5 Familiar Items That Couldn’t Be Destroyed

Extraordinary survival stories of ordinary objects.

The Raunchy, Comical, Political Snowman Invasion of 1511

How a frozen festival helped Brussels survive the "Winter of Death."

December 13, 2018

For Sale: Relics From a Circus Musician’s Life on the Road

Outside the big top, this artist did a lot of sightseeing.

December 13, 2018

Why Scientists Are Studying 9,500-Year-Old Chewing Gum

Back then, it was used as adhesive for tools and weapons.

December 13, 2018

dynamic diasporas

The Burmese Restaurant at the Heart of 'Chindianapolis'

In Indiana, a restaurant and grocery store offers refugees a taste of home.

December 13, 2018

22 Places That Brought Atlas Obscura Readers to Tears

Does anyone have a tissue?

December 12, 2018

For Sale: A Boot That Almost Went to the Moon

If it hadn't been somehow considered unacceptable.

December 12, 2018

The True Story Behind America's Most 'Metal' Cemetery

Metallic gravestones, as it turns out, don't age well.

December 12, 2018

How Mumbai’s Dabbawalas Deliver 200,000 Homemade Meals a Day

The city's food delivery people run an impressive relay race, which relies heavily on the local railway network.

December 12, 2018

The Tiny Florida Butterfly That Refuses to Become Extinct

Miami blues have returned from the dead. Twice.

December 12, 2018

The Art of Protecting Japan's 'Perfect Orchid'

Once a favorite of the ruling class, this flower is now endangered.

December 11, 2018

Tell Us About the Best New Year's Traditions in Your Part of the World

How will you ring in 2019?

December 11, 2018

How Do You See a Familiar Place in a New Way?

Tell us about how you find wonder in spots you encounter all the time.

December 11, 2018

How to Find 2018’s Brightest Comet

Seeing it for yourself will take some planning and effort.

December 11, 2018

The Swiss Festival That Starts When the Cows Come Home

Six courses, eight hours, and foods you won’t find anywhere else.

December 11, 2018

The British Bake Off That's Resurrecting a Forgotten Medieval Cake

Competitors are baking soul cakes, a bygone Halloween treat.

December 10, 2018

For Sale: A 16th-Century Map of Iceland, Roamed by Fantastic Beasts

Meet the menagerie.

December 10, 2018

Urban Frogs Make More Attractive Mating Calls

Yo! The old tale of city-frog, country-frog now has a decisive winner.

December 10, 2018