Stories - Atlas Obscura

The Emperor of Japan is Thinking of Abdicating

Akihito has reigned for over 27 years.

What It's Like To Watch a Volcano Collapse In Front Of You

The 190-day event was the largest caldera formation ever observed.

NASA Has Discovered a Massive Hole in the Sun

Nothing to see here.

The Case Against Honeybees

The buzz around America's favorite workers grows louder every year. Is it drowning out the real story of our food system?

People Are Going to Staten Island Museums Again Thanks to Pokémon Go

This is positive.

How Dirt Houses Became Beloved By The Tiny House Movement

Meet the wondrous cob.

Watch a Most Violent Dinner-Party Dance

It's okay, they're meant to be hitting and kicking each other.

France's Dumbest-Named Villages Are All In A Club Together

One name translates to "my nipple."

The Dark Secrets of This Now-Empty Island in Maine

Malaga Island was home to a fishing community. But in 1911, pseudoscience and greedy politicians changed all that.

Why Smart Clowns Immortalize Their Make-up Designs on Ceramic Eggs

A unique, egg-based system protects clowns' intellectual property rights.

Found: Vintage and Extremely Rare Version of a Nintendo 64 Console

It's a 64DD meant for English-speaking markets.

Uncovering the Dark Secrets of Small Town Indiana

Behind the smiling faces and quiet streets, all is not how it seems in Hawkins, Indiana.

The Bottomless Mystery of D.B. Cooper

Forty-four years ago, a man fell out of the sky. We may never know what happened next.

How James Baldwin Trolled the FBI

Leonardo Da Vinci Was a Wedding Planner

He really was a Renaissance man.

Half of This Italian Town's Staff Was Arrested for Skipping Work

It's having trouble operating now.

Watch These Mesmerizing Air Bubbles Flow Under Frozen Streams

It's the most relaxing five minutes ever.

You Can Only Play Pokémon Go in South Korea in This One Seaside Town

The "Pokémon Go holy land on the peninsula" is being mobbed.