jessieguyryan's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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urban planning

German City Experiments with Ground Lighting for Smartphone-Fixated Pedestrians

If they won't look up, maybe they'll at least look down.
April 24, 2016
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money

The Unexpected Individuals Featured on American Currency

Before presidents were the standard, a variety of American figures could be found on our banknotes.
April 24, 2016
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religion

Pastafarianism is Not a Legally Recognized Religion in the U.S.

The Nebraska ruling is a small setback as the movement expands its noodly reach.
April 17, 2016
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turtles

The Turtle-Centric Burial Practices of Ancient Turkey

Welcome to the best psychopomp.
April 17, 2016
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island castaways

The One Castaway Trick That You Need to Know to Be Rescued

The "giant makeshift sign" trick comes through again.
April 10, 2016
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austria

The Terrible Problem of Hitler's Earliest Home

The government's efforts to dissociate the building from its most notorious resident has become a 5-year battle against its landlord.
April 10, 2016
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knives

Texas Town Unveils the World's Largest Bowie Knife

When your town is named after the man who gave the Bowie knife its name, you embrace it.
April 9, 2016
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red sea

Will A Newly-Proposed Bridge Finally Connect the Red Sea?

We failed five years ago, but Saudi Arabia and Egypt are trying again.
April 9, 2016
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swarms

Celebrate Swarm Season with Photos of Mayflies Swarming a Medieval Bridge

Springtime for insects!
April 3, 2016
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xi jinping

The Hottest Music in China is About President Xi Jinping

Like "Hamilton" but...different.
April 3, 2016
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resorts

The Creepy Gas Station from 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' is Becoming a Resort

Because who wouldn't want to vacation there?
April 2, 2016
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news

A New Underground Art Installation in Paris Where the Nazis Hid Stolen Pianos

The artist JR, in collaboration with Os Gemeos, had made a permanent installation almost no one can see.
April 2, 2016
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sea lions

Oregon Solves Sea Lion Problem with Car Dealership Staple

Apparently, the bright "air dancers" scare the marine mammals.
March 20, 2016
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equinox

5 Ancient Sites Built to Align with the Spring Equinox

Architecture that works with astronomy.
March 20, 2016
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relics and reliquaries

The Gruesome Legend of Swedish King Might Actually Be True

Forensic evidence gives credence to mythic life (and death) of Erik the Lawgiver.
March 19, 2016
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animal cams

The Surprisingly Long History of Animal Cams

The internet is currently obsessed with an eagle's nest in D.C. But where did animal cams come from?
March 19, 2016
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computers

Finally, A Computer Beat a Human Champion in the Game of Go

For the past 40 years, programmers have been trying to train their computers on this deceptively-complex game.
March 13, 2016
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daylight savings time

The Extreme Daylight Savings Time of World War II

You think one hour is bad? Europe's clocks were in chaos during the 1940s.
March 13, 2016
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robots

What Kind of Legal Rights Should Robots Have?

A new paper argues that courts need to keep up with technology, or risk angering our future overlords.
March 12, 2016
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nazis

How the Nazi Salute Became the World's Most Offensive Gesture

Hitler invented German roots for the greeting—but its history was already filled with fraud.
March 12, 2016
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ice diving

Russian Team Sets New World Record for Deepest Ice Dive

It's a sport that is as terrifying as it is poetic.
March 6, 2016
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alcohol

Inside the Global Scotch Shortage

Who's to blame for this horrifying situation? Time itself.
March 6, 2016
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plagiarism

Plagiarism Scandal Leaves the Crossword Community Puzzled

New report alleges cheating from prominent crossword maker.
March 5, 2016
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shrines

Finally, Someone is on Trial Internationally for Destroying Precious Cultural Property

The International Criminal Court hears its first property case.
February 28, 2016