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fire

At Sea on Taiwan's Last Fire-Fishing Boats

Generations of nocturnal fishermen have lured their catch with fire.
July 31, 2018
Gastro Obscura
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corn

Saving Mexico's Heirloom Corn With Gorgeous Furniture

Corn husks get the star treatment.
July 31, 2018
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bacteria

How Microbes Commute on the Hong Kong Subway

Meet the smallest straphangers.
July 31, 2018
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beaches

What's the Most Surprising Thing You've Ever Found Washed Up on the Beach?

Every piece of flotsam has a story to tell.
July 31, 2018
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travelnevada

We Asked Nevada Insiders to Share Their Best Hometown Stories

Answers included ghostly encounters, unforgettable hikes, and Bing Crosby.
Sponsored by Travel Nevada
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plastic

Found: The Last Traces of Unspoiled Ocean

They're few and far between.
July 30, 2018
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ice

Siberian Worms Survived More Than 30,000 Years Stuck in Permafrost

The worms, all female, thawed out and started eating.
July 30, 2018
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travelnevada

5 Amazing State Parks That Las Vegas Visitors Often Miss

Each one is unique, though they share a common locale.
Sponsored by Travel Nevada
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world war ii

40 Years Ago, Okinawans Returned to Driving on the Left

A stone monument marks this symbolic last moment of post-WWII repatriation.
July 30, 2018
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map monday

In Early Maps of Virginia, West Was at the Top

But why?
July 30, 2018
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landmarks week

In a Historic Building, Your Feet Might as Well Be Jackhammers

Museums want visitors, but many must also grapple with the vibrations they cause.
July 27, 2018
Gastro Obscura
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mint

The Plant Breeder Who Minted a New World of Flavor

Jim Westerfield created dozens of new culinary mints in his Illinois garden.
July 27, 2018
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landmarks week

Atlas Obscura Readers' Favorite Landmark Signs

Old advertisements that have become icons.
July 27, 2018
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landmarks week

The Second Death of Long-Submerged Shipwrecks

Climate change is coming for underwater archaeological sites.
July 27, 2018
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landfills

How a California Landfill Became a Landmark

Getting historical recognition for a dump can be a messy process.
July 27, 2018
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landmarks week

How Bad Karma and Bad Engineering Doomed an Ancient Cambodian Capital

Never doubt the power of the monsoon.
July 27, 2018
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landmarks week

A Photographer’s Journey Through the Heart of UFO Country

From Area 51 to Roswell, a believer's-eye view of the desert.
Sponsored by Travel Nevada
Gastro Obscura
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greenhouses

Journey Into the World’s First Underwater Farm

A team of Italian divers is growing basil, tomatoes, and strawberries.
July 27, 2018