Stories - Atlas Obscura

To Reduce Conflicts With Humans, Get Inside an Elephant's Head

Understanding how the giant mammals weigh risk and reward could help prevent clashes with people.

Podcast: Fairy Castle

A famous 1920s actress left the world a lasting piece of art: a remarkable miniature home.

Puzzle Monday: How Swede It Is! Crossword

11 Hyper-Local, Unique Summer Activities From Around the World

From trying a pawpaw fruit to attending Minnesota’s gopher count.

A 19th-Century Family Portrait of Comets

The thrills and horrors of strange heavenly bodies, condensed into one attractive snapshot.

secret lives of museums

One English Family Took Photos of Shipwrecks for More Than a Century

Now it's the negatives themselves that need to be saved from time and the elements.

Meet the Chef Reviving Royal Cambodian Recipes

Inspired by a trailblazing princess, Chef Nak's cookbook is a celebration of Khmer history.

The Last Days of Berlin's Gas Streetlamps

Looking at the German city in a different light.

archive of wonder

Kick Off Summer With 7 Unique Beach Reads About the Beach

Surprising stories from where land meets sea.

Podcast: Tonopah Mining Camp

The 'Queen of the Silver Camps' is 113 acres of history preserved.

In Nordic Countries, Pine Foods Have Evergreen Appeal

What was once famine food is now fine dining.

The Strawberry Moon Marks a Sweet Start to Summer

Here's why you should welcome this most lovely of full moons—and how to experience it.

Podcast: Koutammakou

Can the stunning earth-tower homes of Togo and Benin be saved?

Podcast: The Woman with the Handbag

How pocketbooks became a symbol of resistance in Sweden.

The Historic Grand Canyon Adventure Two Women Had For Science

Botanists Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter braved rapids and steep cliffs to catalog numerous plant species.

Kelp Seed Banks Save Biodiversity and Indigenous Traditions

In Washington State, a new preservation facility offers a back-up plan for an uncertain future.

Podcast: Tick Collection

What can we learn from these blood suckers?

Puzzle Monday: Cut Scene Crossword

Enjoy a challenge created by the students in Atlas Obscura's 'Creating Crossword Puzzles' course!