January 29, 2021

GASTRO OBSCURA Reconstructing a Pompeiian Pub Menu In December 2020, archaeologists at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii excavated an ancient food establishment, known as a thermopolium. The well-preserved thermopolium’s counter, ceramic storage containers (known as dolia), and wall art offer some of the most pristine and moving finds to be discovered in recent years at the site. Spaces like this thermopolium shine a bright light on the daily lives of classes of Roman society that are poorly represented in ancient literary sources: slaves and average, working Romans. But what did the food served there taste like? A classical archaeologist worked backwards by looking at the archaeological remains found inside. READ MORE → Drones and Space Exploration On February 18, 2021, if all goes to plan, NASA’s Perseverance rover will land on Mars. While it’s poking around, Ingenuity, a tiny, experimental solar-powered helicopter, will try to demonstrate the possibility of flight on another world for the very first time. But back here on Earth, others are already looking beyond Ingenuity. The Rover-Aerial Vehicle Exploration Network (or RAVEN) is about to be put through its paces in Iceland, pairing an autonomous rover with specialized drones and be sent across a 32-square-mile lava field in Iceland—an environment similar to what researchers hope to be able to identify on Mars. READ MORE → GLOUCESTERSHIRE, ENGLAND Lydney Camp Nodens is a Celtic deity associated with the sea, hunting, and healing, chiefly worshipped in ancient Britain. His name can be found in the Latin inscription on the ancient Roman temple complex in Lydney Park, Gloucestershire. Though Nodens is a relatively obscure deity to most of us, his name has become quite significant in literature over the years, possibly inspiring J. R. R. Tolkien and H. P. Lovecraft. READ MORE →   Why Are The Killer Whales Dying? Think about an orca, or killer whale. How would you describe it? Sleek? Legendary? Huge? These are all accurate descriptors, but add “extremely vulnerable” to that list. That is the picture emerging from new research on killer whales from California to British Columbia to Alaska. Revered by some indigenous cultures as guardians of the sea and reincarnations of chiefs, orcas may be apex predators, but their numbers are fast dwindling due to a variety of factors. A new study is one of the first in-depth examinations into the causes of their mortality, with the hope being that the data can help us understand the cumulative toll of human activity on the intricate web of life. READ MORE → SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA Berezovsky Mammoth Mammoths once roamed across the Northern Hemisphere and their remains are scattered across the region. The Zoological Museum in Saint Petersburg, Russia contains a large collection of mammoth remains, including some very exclusive specimens, such as the Berezovsky mammoth, discovered in 1900 near the Berezovka River in Russia. It had been inside the permafrost for about 44,000 years and was very well preserved. READ MORE → LERWICK, SCOTLAND Lerwick Public Sign Snail Considering that both the Shetland pony and Shetland sheepdog are named after their archipelago of origin, it makes perfect sense that they would somewhat be considered its animal symbols. But visit Lerwick, Shetland’s capital, and you’ll see a smaller, perhaps more under-the-radar mascot appearing on public signs across town: the Lerwick snail. READ MORE → MANHATTAN, NEW YORK New York Federal Gold Vault The largest accumulation of gold in human history is located deep underneath the heart of Manhattan’s financial district. Here lies 7,000 tons of glittering gold bars—around 5 percent of all of the gold ever mined. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS Searching for Russia’s Northern Lights In the snow-dusted forests of northern Russia, the night sky routinely transforms into a canvas for neon green-and-pink bands of light hovering just above the treetops. Widely known as the Northern Lights, this display of light from sun-borne particles has captivated people for centuries—and we’re journeying out to one of the best places in the world to watch it. We’ll visit frozen waterfalls, sleep in glass-roofed cabins, and learn from local experts about this stunning northern corner of the world before lifting our gaze to the sky in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the aurora's otherworldly glow. LEARN MORE →