Stories - Atlas Obscura

preserved specimens

A Pair of WWII Bunkers in New Orleans Contains 7 Million Fish

Meet the Royal D. Suttkus Collection.

September 12, 2018

The Upside of Freaking Out About Insects on Twitter

When people post about bugs and birds, ecologists can gain some solid data.

September 12, 2018

How Prague Nearly Lost Kafka’s Legacy

It took a headstrong friend and decades of cultural change before the city embraced its hometown hero.

The British Couldn’t Take India's Heat, So They Imported Ice From New England

Sailing frozen lake water across the world was big business.

September 12, 2018

Inside a 17th-Century 'Barbarian' Cookbook From Japan

It included Portuguese and Japanese recipes for caramel, cake, and an early tempura.

September 11, 2018

cloistered comestibles

Tell Us About Amazing Foods Made by Monasteries and Convents

What heavenly sweet, cheese, or beer have you tried?

September 11, 2018

Descend Into Great Britain’s Network of Secret Nuclear Bunkers

And meet the determined enthusiast bringing them back to life.

September 11, 2018

Behold, a Massive Knit Map of the Cosmos

Three colors of yarn, seven panels, and all 88 constellations.

September 11, 2018

What Happens When Your Country's Tallest Mountain Peak Shrinks?

The southern summit of Kebnekaise was the highest point in Sweden. Then it melted.

September 11, 2018

Winnipeg Doesn’t Know Who Erected This Amazing Sign on a Landfill-Turned-Park

It looked like the Hollywood Sign in Los Angeles.

September 11, 2018

How Survivors of Stalinism Created a New Korean-Fusion Cuisine

When the Koryo Saram were forcibly relocated, they forged new identities.

September 10, 2018

The Adventures of America's Most Well-Traveled Bookstore

Since 2015, Rita Collins has been taking her love of books on the road.

September 10, 2018

Meet the 'Radio Guy,' an Obsessive Collector of Old Tech

Steve Erenberg's passions include medical helmets and antique radios.

September 10, 2018

It's Rosh Hashanah, and a Ukrainian Town Is Bursting With Jewish Pilgrims

For the first time, Israel has opened a temporary consulate to help manage the chaos.

September 10, 2018

Here's What the Watermelon Was Up to Before It Tasted Good

Wild watermelons weren't sweet, but they were incredibly useful.

September 7, 2018

everyday wonder

How to Turn Plants Into Tinctures, Like an Ancient Alchemist

A beginner's guide to extracting flavors from herbs and flowers.

September 7, 2018

The World's First War Submarine Was Made of Wood, Tar, and a Bit of Metal

Underwater combat dates back to the American Revolution.

September 7, 2018

Found: A Coin That Stopped the Tsar's Police From Shaving You

It's one of the oldest ever found.

September 7, 2018