Stories - Atlas Obscura

blue point brewing company

A Beer-Lover's Ultimate Summer Friday

Blue Point Brewing Company led guests through their brand new facilities in Patchogue and kept their cups full.

In the 1960s, the U.S. Government Set Off a Pair of Nukes Under Mississippi

It’s a nearly forgotten chapter of Cold War history that seems hard to fathom today—even for those who were there.

August 15, 2018

Science Can Now Break a Strand of Spaghetti Into Just Two Pieces

Also, you're not supposed to break spaghetti.

August 14, 2018

Why Are All These Vaseline Jars Showing Up on a Calgary Street?

It's a slippery situation.

August 14, 2018

Atlas Obscura Readers Imagine Their Future National Dishes

The food of 2050 includes crickets, plastic, and nothing at all.

August 14, 2018

architectural oddities

For Sale: A House With a Roof Made of Seaweed

Homes like this one only exist on Læsø, an island in Denmark.

August 14, 2018

The Fictional Foods We Wish Were Real

Atlas Obscura readers weigh in on the fake snacks they'd most like to try.

August 13, 2018

For Sale: A Hat Made of Woolly Mammoth Hair

An expert confirmed its authenticity.

August 13, 2018

Tattooing in the Civil War Was a Hedge Against Anonymous Death

Hidden tattoos captured soldiers' pride and patriotism, but also had a practical use.

August 13, 2018

What Is Walden Pond?

Its cultural meaning may be calcified—but off the page, it's changing fast.

August 10, 2018

The World's Newest, Most Gloriously Designed Maps

Cartographers, rejoice.

August 10, 2018

The People Keeping Bees on Paris's Most Famous Landmarks

Bees make honey on the rooftops of the Notre Dame and Musée d'Orsay.

August 10, 2018

Inside an Incredible Collection of Objects From Disneyland's Past

From Dumbo to the Haunted Mansion, and much much more.

August 10, 2018

Inside the 'Trend-Free' World of Wisconsin's Supper Clubs

Born out of Prohibition speakeasies, they're getting a second wind.

What Specific Smells Remind You of Home?

Tell us about all the alluring (or disgusting?) scents that always transport you.

The Evolving Ideologies of American Jewish Summer Camp

For decades, these retreats have offered so much more than outdoor fun.

Sometimes, Gas Stations Are Beautiful

A new book captures their strange appeal.

How England Got Its Curvy Cucumbers Straightened Out

The cucumber straightener was a marvel of British horticulture.