Sarah Laskow's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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volcanoes

A Volcano Helped Iceland Convert to Christianity

The 10th-century Eldgjá eruption looked a lot like the end of the world.
March 19, 2018
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language

Thomas Edison Was an Early Adopter of the Word ‘Bug’

In an 1878 letter, he uses the term to refer to a technological glitch.
March 16, 2018
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winter

No One Has Been Able to Visit Wisconsin's Spectacular Ice Caves This Year

Another winter has passed without a safe route.
March 15, 2018
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feminism

The Forgotten History of the Controversial Sister Serpents

A feminist art collective stirred up trouble in the 1990s before fading from view.
March 14, 2018
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alchemy

Sold: Isaac Newton's Notes on the Philosopher's Stone

The famous physicist's interest in alchemy was hidden until the 1930s.
March 13, 2018
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bookstores

Book Towns Are Made for Book Lovers

Around the world, tiny towns have made bookstores their speciality.
March 12, 2018
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islands week

The Unique 'Sea Tractor' That Carries Passengers Over the Waves

When the tide comes in, this unusual vehicle brings visitors to Burgh Island in England.
March 9, 2018
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islands week

After the Last Great Auks Died, We Lost Their Remains

Before they went extinct, great auks were some of the world's most fascinating creatures.
March 8, 2018
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superfund site

The Hidden Problems With Puerto Rico's Water Supply

Hurricane Maria exacerbated long-term issues, and researchers are only just starting to understand how.
March 5, 2018
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oddities

The Struggle of Keeping a Roadside Attraction Alive

After the death of its founder, the future of Wild Bill's Nostalgia is cloudy.
March 1, 2018
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climate change

A 10-Foot Long, 11,000-Year-Old Sponge Skeleton Has a Hidden Use

The "sponge record" can tell scientists about the climate of the past.
March 1, 2018
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cars

An 1888 Road Trip Sparked Germany's Romance With Cars

But now diesel models, at least, could be banned in city centers.
February 28, 2018
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manuscripts

What a Chart of Urine Tells Us About the History of Color Printing

A 1506 medical text included a diagnostic guide, but it was best used with caution.
February 27, 2018
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archive

An Incredible Collection of Marian Anderson's Life Is Getting Digitized

The famous singer's archive includes performances, diaries, and scrapbooks.
February 26, 2018
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weather

The Mystery of the Fog Holes That Form Over Cities

Satellites captured a strange phenomenon in foggy places across the world.
February 23, 2018
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ice

America's Secret Ice Base Won't Stay Frozen Forever

Climate change is turning a Cold War project into an environmental hazard.
February 22, 2018
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conspiracy theories

Russia's Most Popular Conspiracy Theory Is All But Unknown in the U.S.

It implicates American intelligence in undermining Russian culture.
February 20, 2018
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evolution

Reimagining How Plants Began to Take Over the Planet

A series of studies takes a new look at the evolution of early land plants.
February 19, 2018
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snow

What Are Snow Rollers?

Understanding a rare phenomenon.
February 15, 2018
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books

The Best Things Found Between the Pages of Old Books

Atlas Obscura readers shared hundreds of stories about their surprising discoveries.
February 15, 2018
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nasa

How to Find the Tesla Roadster in the Sky

NASA has listed the car as a celestial object.
February 9, 2018
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codes

Where Old, Unreadable Documents Go to Be Understood

A transcriber on the Isle of Man can decipher almost anything.
February 8, 2018
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show & tell

Tell Us About the Most Amazing Things You've Found in Old Books

What fascinating artifacts have you discovered while reading?
February 7, 2018
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parades

Find the Goat in This U.S. Military Parade

In 1898, Thomas Edison Inc. filmed 300 Marines, the Marine band, and one ruminant on the march.
February 7, 2018