Sarah Durn's User Profile - Atlas Obscura

Sarah Durn

Sarah Durn is an associate editor at Atlas Obscura. Previously, she worked at Atlas as the 2021-22 editorial fellow. Based in New Orleans, LA, Sarah has also written for National Geographic, Smithsonian, Gizmodo, among others. Her first book, The Beginner's Guide to Alchemy, was published by Callisto and Rockridge Press in May 2020. Before Atlas, Sarah worked as Culture Trip's New Orleans writer, where she wrote and edited pieces about her adopted home.
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Beyond her journalism work, Sarah is also a professional film and TV actor. She can be seen on Where The Crawdads Sing, NBC’s Chicago PD, Universal’s upcoming Renfield (2023), Ava Duvernay's Queen Sugar, among others.
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When not typing away at her computer, Sarah can often be found on the trails in City Park listening to her favorite audiobook (something by Sophia Money-Coutts) or podcast (interviews with Dolly Alderton). ⁣
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Say hi at sarah.durn@atlasobscura.com⁣ or on Twitter @sarah_durn

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2021
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Uncovering the Secrets of a Forgotten Viking Town

The remnants of Borgund were buried in the dirt for centuries and then sat in museum storage for decades.

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.

7 Puzzles That Perplexed People for Centuries

From the secrets of Venice’s codebreakers to China’s intricately carved puzzle balls, these historical ciphers will inspire your curiosity.

The Real Women Behind Art’s Masterpieces

History’s best-known muses were artists in their own right.

Monkeys Love Their Alcohol

But proving the “drunken monkey” hypothesis has been an exhausting—and messy—endeavor.

Saving the Sounds of the Early 20th Century

Some recordings in the New York Public Library’s wax cylinder collection haven’t been heard in generations—until now.

You Can Own 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.

The Female Spies Who Helped Win World War II

The women of England’s SOE fought on the beaches of Normandy, sabotaged the Nazis within France, and turned the tides of the war.

6 Epic Female Warriors You Don’t Want to Mess With

From California’s mythic warrior queen to the swole women of Sparta to female hunters in ancient Peru.

Why Is Scotland Apologizing Now for Witch Trials 300 Years Ago?

The gender politics of attempting to right a historic wrong.

monster mythology

6 Legends That Manifest Fears of Powerful Women

From German witches to vampiric Malaysian spirits to a real-life poisoner.

Rediscovering Rome’s Female Merchants

As queens or captains, women deftly operated ships across the Red Sea and Mediterranean 2,000 years ago.

women empowerment

6 Groundbreaking Women You Didn’t Learn About in History Class

Meet the painter, the pilot, the author, and other "firsts" who paved the way.

female explorers

Returning to the Valley of the Assassins in the Footsteps of Explorer Freya Stark

British adventurer Elise Wortley is about to retrace a historic journey through Iran.

female explorers

9 Female Adventurers Who Journeyed Into the Unknown

From the Inupiat seamstress who killed polar bears to the Black motorcycle queen of Miami, these daring women lived life on their own terms.

The Multicultural Legacy of Ukraine’s Forgotten Region

Remnants of the nation’s diverse history are littered throughout the historical region known as Galicia.

women empowerment

14 Women Activists Whose Names You Should Know

These feminist editors, swimming suffragists, and renegade cooks reshaped the world.

The Forgotten Female Revolutionaries Behind Latin American Independence

Perhaps fiercest of all was Manuela Sáenz—spy, archivist, prankster, and companion of Simón Bolívar.

Could 'Monsters' Exist in the Modern World?

Cryptozoologist Richard Freeman on why we should still believe in unseen animals.

February 28, 2022

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.

February 25, 2022

The World Has Two New Flying Dinosaurs

Or at least it used to. What can these recently identified dino-birds teach us about extinction?

February 18, 2022

The Most Lavish Mesopotamian Tomb Ever Found Belongs to a Woman

And her clothing tells an important story, says archeologist Rita Wright.

February 10, 2022

The Tricky Business of Saving a Baby Beluga

For the first time, scientists were able to save a young whale stranded in Cook Inlet. What should happen next?

February 7, 2022

How Do You Care for One of the World's Oldest Aquarium Fish?

It requires lots of figs and belly rubs to keep Methuselah happy and healthy.

February 1, 2022