July 16, 2021

GASTRO OBSCURA Eat Like Jane Austen What did Jane Austen eat? To answer that question, we need only turn to a cookbook, written by Martha Lloyd, a friend to the Austen sisters, Jane and Cassandra, and later their relative through marriage. The book first began in 1806 as a record of the family’s favorite recipes, including “snow cheese,” cowheel soup, and cowslip wine. Now, Austen lovers can read and cook from the same recipes Jane once enjoyed.  READ MORE → Psychedelic Sea Urchins Is this the site of the latest Blade Runner movie? No, just a cross-section of a juvenile purple sea urchin. It’s a microscopic image created through a method called immunofluorescence, allowing researchers to stain molecules with fluorescent dyes, illuminating and differentiating the various networks within an animal so they can follow that nerve network through the animal’s body. This kaleidoscopic effect is useful for learning how organisms develop, both as individuals and as a species—and it could give researchers insights into how our own species evolved. READ MORE → LOS ALAMOS, CALIFORNIA The Victorian Mansion In the tiny town of Los Alamos sits the Victorian Mansion Bed and Breakfast. But this is no ordinary inn or hotel—the Victorian Mansion, or “the Vick” as it is commonly called, houses six unique theme suites that range from pirate to Egyptian themes. Music, fragrance, hand-painted murals, and tiles immerse visitors. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA EXPERIENCES Learning the Language of Art Have you ever gone to a museum and felt overwhelmed by multi-sensory artwork? Or wondered why a piano or broken record is in an art context? Like sometimes, you just don’t “get” works where sound or even silence is part of the central theme. Fret not—visual artist and art lecturer Regina Mamou (Art Muse Los Angeles) is here to guide you on a journey to explore sound in art from the 16th century to the present. LEARN MORE → Historic Shark Attack In Okayama Prefecture, near the coast of the Seto Inland Sea, is a shell-mound cemetery called Tsukumo. There, archaeologists came across the 3,000-year-old bones of a man, who was missing his right leg and left hand, with his bones covered in lacerations, scratches, and gouges. Detective work suggests that the culprit was likely a great white shark—making this the oldest known shark attack—but even though the culprit appears named, mysteries still remain. READ MORE → WAMEGO, KANSAS Wamego LSD Missile Silo Originally installed by the Air Force as part of a missile system in the Topeka area, this site was decommissioned and abandoned in 1965. Following three decades of decay, the building was purchased by Gordon Todd Skinner, who along with William Leonard Pickard, is estimated to have produced up to 90% of the LSD circulating in the United States during the latter half of the 1990s. READ MORE → THE ATLAS OBSCURA PODCAST Sputnik IV Crash Site Yesterday, we told you about a spacecraft cemetery in the Pacific Ocean. But in some cases, the satellite misses the mark a little, and instead crashes a little closer to home. Like in September 1962, for instance, when a Soviet satellite crash-landed in the middle of the road in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. LISTEN ON OUR SITE →    LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS →    LISTEN ON SPOTIFY →    LISTEN ON STITCHER → FROM THE ARCHIVES I Would Walk 1,000 Miles In 1815, George Wilson vowed that he would walk 500 miles, and then walk 500 more. On September 11, he took his first steps on a 1,000-mile walk, one of several feats of long-distance walking called “pedestrianism” that enthralled Britain in the early 19th century. Unfortunately, this ambition came to a screeching halt on September 26 when he was arrested… for walking. READ MORE → GOLDFIELD, NEVADA Paste Eater's Grave This unusual grave is topped with a headstone that reads, “UNKNOWN MAN DIED EATING LIBRARY PASTE JULY 14 1908.” Is it a genuine epitaph or just a prank? Either way, the grave serves as a cautionary tale: don’t eat glue. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS Iceland Wonders and Ancient Legends Between strange encounters with peculiar elves and supernatural creatures, Icelanders have their fair share of mythical tales. On this winter tour, we’ll traverse the paths of ancient legends, with our expert guides for company. Together, we'll explore the snow-covered landscapes of Iceland in winter, with a focus on storytelling as we search for the geologic, human, and mystical history of this land, a journey made even more magical with the appearance of the otherworldly glow of the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights). LEARN MORE →