Cara Giaimo's User Profile - Atlas Obscura

Cara Giaimo

former staff writer, forever fan // @cjgiaimo // caragiaimo (at) gmail (dot) com

2015
joined atlas
obscura

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places
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Leaderboard Highlights

Cara Giaimo's activity rankings

1^st

Places visited in Jonesport, Maine

1^st

Places added to Manteo, North Carolina

1^st

Places visited in United States / Canada

2^nd

Places added to Outer Hebrides, Scotland

2^nd

Places edited in Nye County, Nevada

2^nd

Places edited in Visby, Sweden

3^rd

Places added to Quito, Ecuador

3^rd

Places edited in Vanuatu

3^rd

Places edited in Pacifica, California

The Long, Weird Half-Life of Trinitite

The synthetic material—forged in the blast of the first nuclear bomb test—has been buried, sold, collected, displayed, and even made into jewelry.

fleeting wonders

Sony's Vinyl Comeback After Nearly 30 Years

It's back in demand.

Don't Put Your Popcorn Under an Automatic Hand Dryer

Patrons of one Philadelphia movie theater are learning this the hard way.

For Sale: A Button That Helped Change World War II

Bomber release buttons were the final push—literally—in the 1943 Dambusters raid.

The Enduring Legacy of the Worcester Whirlwind

Cyclist Marshall W. "Major" Taylor was the first internationally famous African-American athlete.

Meet the Belfast 'Fatberg,' the Grossest Thing You'll See All Day

The mass of grease and baby wipes has been slowly amassing beneath the streets.

All the Animals That Love Touchscreens

From wolves to penguins to tortoises, creatures of all stripes are discovering the joys of computing. Could it improve their lives?

Red-Winged Blackbirds Are Attacking People in Chicago

Someone just sued over it.

America's Oldest Log Cabin Is For Sale

"Nothnagle Log Home," a registered National Historic Site, could be yours for $2.9 million.

This Ikea Bowl Has Been Setting Things on Fire

The innocent-looking "Blanda blank" is a pyromaniac.

The Mysterious Dolphins of the Potomac

Almost nothing is known about the hundreds of bottlenoses who spend their summers near D.C.—but a group of researchers is trying to change that.

crime and punishment

Stolen: An Amputated Toe Used to Make Cocktails

The Downtown Hotel's famous "Sourtoe Cocktail" is now missing its garnish.

The Lion-Shaped Maps That United a Nation

Back in the 16th century, the "Leo Belgicus" helped the Netherlands win a long war for independence.

It's Really, Really Hot in the Southwest United States

In some cities, temperatures may breach 120°F this week.

Beavers Are Back in Cornwall

After a 500-year absence, two of the toothy mammals are now sniffing around a local pond.

Beatrix Potter's Greatest Work Was a Secret, Coded Journal She Kept as a Teen

It took a dedicated superfan 13 years to translate it.

Algae Are Painting the Black Sea With a Huge, Turquoise Swirl

You can see it from space.

Trout Are Eating Mice in Nova Scotia

children's literature week

The ATU Fable Index: Like the Dewey Decimal System, But With More Ogres

"The Wolf Dives Into the Water for Reflected Cheese," and other highlights of folktale categorization.

children's literature week

The Unlikely Story of the Folly Cove Guild, the Best Designers You've Never Heard Of

Led by beloved children's author Virginia Lee Burton, this group of mostly untrained women created immortal designs.

Strawberry-Flavored Potato Chips Are Real Now

Give the people what they want!

Keep Your Eye Out for Canada's New Glow-in-the-Dark Toonie

The special-edition release is the first photoluminescent coin to ever enter circulation.

The Pig Who Tours the U.S. Reading to Children

The world's least likely literacy ambassador is big and bristly and loves to kiss authority figures.

fleeting wonders

Two Bald Eagles Have 'Adopted' a Young Red-Tailed Hawk

Fake it 'til you make it.