Stories - Atlas Obscura

The Bat-Loving Naturalists Translating the Silent Language of the Night

Listen in as they swat away mosquitoes and brave a dark forest to eavesdrop on echolocation.

August 20, 2018

How a Football Team Became Mascots for Vegetarianism

In 1907, a championship squad changed what it meant to eat meat-free.

August 20, 2018

The Secret Meanings Behind the Beasts in a Medieval Menagerie

In Middle Age Europe, animals were popular storytellers.

August 17, 2018

For Centuries, Alewives Dominated the Brewing Industry

The Church and anti-witch propaganda may have contributed to beermaking becoming a boys' club.

August 17, 2018

All the Sweet and Surprising Smells That Remind Us of Home

We asked our readers to describe the scent of childhood, and their answers didn't stink.

August 17, 2018

After a Century in the Ice, Maud Has Returned Home to Norway

The polar exploration ship survived freezing, sinking, and seizure by creditors.

August 17, 2018

'Batnadoes' Can Protect California’s Crops

Bats are farmers' new best friends.

August 16, 2018

Tracing the Overlooked Legacy of the Silk Road's Fruits and Nuts

A new archaeobotanical study is helping shift the historical record.

August 16, 2018

Found: A Mummification Recipe From Prehistoric Egypt

New research shows ancient embalmers were using resins and gums far earlier than we thought.

August 16, 2018

No One Knows the Exact Year of the Largest Volcanic Eruption of Our Age

Scientists are hoping archaeology, carbon dating, and tree rings together can help solve the mystery.

August 16, 2018

explore asheville

How a Nature Lover Spends 3 Obscure Days in Asheville

Field biologist Josh Kelly shares his perfect long weekend in the verdant North Carolina city.

How a Heat Wave Revealed the Outlines of a Hidden Garden and Ghost Village

At an English estate, the ground still remembers its past.

August 16, 2018

For Centuries, People Thought Lambs Grew on Trees

The Vegetable Lamb of Tartary puzzled scientists and philosophers.

August 15, 2018

The Ups and Downs of Being a Canal Lockmaster

Keeping a 170-year-old tradition alive on the mighty Muskingum.

August 15, 2018

blue point brewing company

A Beer-Lover's Ultimate Summer Friday

Blue Point Brewing Company led guests through their brand new facilities in Patchogue and kept their cups full.

In the 1960s, the U.S. Government Set Off a Pair of Nukes Under Mississippi

It’s a nearly forgotten chapter of Cold War history that seems hard to fathom today—even for those who were there.

August 15, 2018

Science Can Now Break a Strand of Spaghetti Into Just Two Pieces

Also, you're not supposed to break spaghetti.

August 14, 2018

Why Are All These Vaseline Jars Showing Up on a Calgary Street?

It's a slippery situation.

August 14, 2018