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Some 60 years ago, an ancient Olmec sculpture known as the "Earth Monster" was stolen. Last week, it went home to Mexico.
ghost towns

Wonder Is Everywhere: Buying a Ghost Town, Finding the Earth Monster, and More From Around the Web

Get a peek into what we’re obsessed with right now.
April White May 26, 2023
When it comes to meteorite hunting, Vargas says, “I love it. I love all this stuff.”
meteorites

Meet the Meteorite Hunters Who Rush In When Space Rocks Crash to Earth

For this community of “space cowboys,” entrepreneurs, and enthusiasts, a fireball streaming across the sky offers big risks and bigger rewards—and new tech is heating up the competition.
Sarah Durn September 29, 2022
A 40-foot column supports the entrance to New Hampshire's Ruggles Mine, a beloved rockhounding site for decades.
tunnels

Could This Be The End of a Historic New Hampshire Rockhound Paradise?

When Ruggles Mine went up for auction, mineral collectors feared it would never reopen to the public. After a last-minute reprieve, its future is still uncertain.
Sarah Durn July 1, 2022
Even though Dorothy and the Wicked Witch of the West played enemies on screen, off screen Judy Garland and Margaret Hamilton became close friends.
film

A Once-Lost Dress from 'The Wizard of Oz' Goes to Auction—Maybe

Dorothy wore the disputed blue-and-white frock when she faced down the Wicked Witch.
Sarah Durn May 6, 2022
After a 22-hour stay on the moon, Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. returned to space in the lunar module to rendezvous with the Apollo command module crewed by Michael Collins.
objects of intrigue

For Sale: Moon Dust Collected by Neil Armstrong

NASA accidentally sold it, tried to take it back, lost it in a court battle—and now you can own it.
Sarah Durn April 8, 2022
Rocky's doghouse was carefully dismantled after meteorite hunters purchased it in 2019. Though Rocky was sad to see his house go, it was soon replaced with a much nicer one.
objects of intrigue

Sold: A $44,000 Doghouse With a Hole in Its Roof

Rocky's home was struck by a rare meteorite, but don't worry, he's okay.
Sarah Durn February 25, 2022
A ghoulish 1915 poster from Jay's collection advertising a seance with the magician Howard Thurston.
rare books

For Sale: Ricky Jay's One-of-a-Kind Collection of Magic, Mystery, and Masterpieces

The late, legendary magician and actor always followed his curiosity.
Matthew Taub October 14, 2021
Edward Jenner's letter to John Glover Loy.
objects of intrigue

Vaccination Could Easily Have Been Called 'Equination'

A recently sold letter from medical pioneer Edward Jenner provides some insight as to why.
Matthew Taub June 24, 2021
A young Bob Dylan, not long after leaving Minnesota.
music

For Sale: A Hidden Trove of Correspondence With Bob Dylan

The papers of Tony Glover, "musician's musician" and journalist, include many other luminaries as well.
Matthew Taub November 18, 2020
Stan sold for a thunderous sum.
dinosaurs

The Fossils That Get Away (From Scientists)

A high-profile T. rex sale is a reminder that paleontologists get stressed when fossils vanish into private hands.
Jessica Leigh Hester November 13, 2020
Is a fly is an odd decoration for a purse? Not when it hides the lens of a camera.
museums

For Sale: The Entire Spycraft Collection of New York's KGB Museum

If you ever needed a lipstick gun or a heartbeat detector, you could be in luck.
Matthew Taub October 29, 2020
Wallis turned all of this code into written sentences.
mathematics

Sold: 53 Letters Deciphered by a Groundbreaking English Codebreaker

Cagey about his methods, John Wallis was a bit of a cipher himself.
Matthew Taub October 7, 2020
history

For Sale: One of the First and Most Valuable Dollars in U.S. History

You’ll need a lot of pretty pennies to buy it.
Isaac Schultz August 28, 2020
The full auction lot includes original bricks from the ship and a diving helmet.
shipwrecks

For Sale: Shipwrecked Whisky That Spent Decades Underwater

Winning bidder take note: It is not safe to drink.
Matthew Taub August 5, 2020
This style of "vase within a vase" was crafted for just two years in the early 1740s (left). The Qianlong emperor ruled from 1735 to 1796 (right).
art

A $9 Million Chinese Vase Turned Up in a Central European Cupboard

It may have been crafted for the Qianlong emperor more than 275 years ago.
Karen Chernick July 24, 2020
Stephen Hawking's personal <I>The Simpsons</i> figurine.
science

For Sale: Proof That Legendary Scientists Were Real People, Too

Letters and trinkets show off the personal sides of Einstein, Hawking, and Schrödinger.
Matthew Taub July 1, 2020
Video • Wonder From Home

Show & Tell With a Master Magic Auctioneer

10:02
Ever a dutiful student, Isaac Newton took notes to learn about the plague.
plague

Sold: Isaac Newton’s Notes About the Bubonic Plague

His scribbles—which mention the curative power of toad vomit—sold for $81,000.
Jessica Leigh Hester June 15, 2020