843 Items Tagged

Islands

The Rongorongo tablets may be older than previously thought.

Mysterious Writing System From Easter Island May Be Completely Unique

New radiocarbon dating reveals astonishing insights.

Colleen Kelly February 15, 2024

Vrykolakonisia (Vampire Islands)

The alleged vampires after which these islets are named may have actually been plague victims.

El Nido, Philippines

Snake Island of Palawan

This unusual island has a winding sand bridge that only appears at low tide.

In the waters beyond La Palma's Cumbre Nueva mountains (shown here), San Borondón is said to appear to the west of the Canary Islands archipelago.

In the Canary Islands, a Mysterious Phantom Isle Haunts Local Imagination

The legend of San Borondón all started with an Irish saint.

Cat Rainsford February 9, 2024

An Arctic tern in flight; the seabirds were a critical source of food for the Beothuk people of Newfoundland, and also likely inspired some of their funerary traditions.

In Newfoundland, a Bird Spirit May Have Guided a Lost Culture's Dead

For centuries, the Beothuk people relied on seabirds to survive—and likely to find their way to the afterlife.

Nicky Nielsen February 7, 2024

Podcast: Taquile Island

On a tiny island in Lake Titicaca, a knitted hat symbolizes a man’s code of honor, marital status, and love for life.

The Podcast Team February 5, 2024

Jamestown, Saint Helena

Jacob's Ladder

A grueling 699-step stairway to a heavenly view of the island of Saint Helena.

Belvedere, Sint Maarten

Concordia Monument

Where Saint-Martin ends and Sint Maarten begins (or vice versa).

Mafra Palace Library is home to a colony of itty-bitty bats that keep its many historic volumes safe from pests.

5 of Our Favorite Podcast Episodes About Wildlife in Unexpected Places

Life finds a way, from the bats that haunt and hunt in a majestic library to a bird sanctuary in one of the most dangerous places in the world.

The Podcast Team January 12, 2024

Tierra Verde, Florida

Fort De Soto Park

Fascinating military history, awe-inspiring wildlife encounters, and endless outdoor adventures draw people to this sprawling park.

Newfoundland, known for its thick fog and beautifully stark landscape, seems a fitting locale for the mysterious 'Isle of Demons,' said to exist just off Newfoundland's northern tip.

The Phantom Island That Haunted 16th-Century Newfoundland

The ‘Isle of Demons' was said to be overrun with ghosts and ghouls.

Shoshi Parks December 7, 2023

Oranjestad, Caribbean Netherlands

Honen Dalim

On one of the tiniest islands in the Caribbean lies a nearly 300-year-old syangogue.

Isle of Anglesey, Wales

South Stack Lighthouse

The lighthouse is on a island which is connected to another island, which is connected to another island, which is connected to one of the largest islands in the world.

Cubagua Island

This island in Venezuela is known for its significance in early Spanish colonization and pearl trade.

A late 16th-century map notes the territory of "Calos" near the southern tip of Florida, but the Calusa actually controlled most of the peninsula's southwest.

Long Before the First Thanksgiving, an Artificial Island in Florida Hosted a Cross-Cultural Feast

Decades before the Wampanoag and Pilgrims shared a meal, the powerful Calusa and their Spanish guests celebrated their new alliance. Spoiler alert: It didn't last.

Karuna Eberl November 15, 2023

Estero, Florida

Mound Key Archaeological State Park

Long before Europeans arrived, Native Americans built an artificial island out of shells that has withstood a millennia of hurricanes.

Enklinge, Finland

Hermas Homestead Museum

This archipelago homestead-turned-museum has remained the same since its last resident, born in 1897, died in 1973.

The contorted trees of Hoia-Baciu Forest in Romania.

Five of Our Favorite Terrifying Podcast Episodes

Listen to these tales from our archives—if you dare.

Kit Sudol November 3, 2023