August 26, 2021

Traffic Light Icons When German traffic psychologist Karl Peglau designed an easy-to-recognize symbol for pedestrian street crossings in East Berlin, he had no idea that it would eventually grow legs of its own. The German Democratic Republic’s Ampelmännchen, or “little street crossing man” has a flat-top cap and a confident stride, and is as iconic as he is eye-catching. Now, at age 60, the little street crossing man is the inspiration for a new generation of bespoke traffic symbols, including variations like the Elvis Presley Ampelmännchen, or the Pied Piper Ampelmännchen.  READ MORE → GASTRO OBSCURA Ghostly Plant Portraits For the last 13 years, Jimmy Fike has been photographing North America’s edible flora. But instead of snapping pictures in the field, he carefully harvests the plants and takes them home to photograph. During the editing process, he only leaves a few splashes of color in the image to identify edible parts of the plant. Plants, he says, are “locked in the cycle of death and rebirth,” and the portraits are meant to mirror that line between life and oblivion. READ MORE → MARBLE CANYON, ARIZONA Navajo Bridge Before 1929, in order to cross the mighty Colorado River, travelers between Utah and Arizona had to cross using Lee’s Ferry river crossing or trek hundreds of miles around the canyon to cross the Colorado River. Upon its construction in 1929, Navajo Bridge became the only place to cross the Colorado River for 600 miles. At the time, it was the highest steel arch bridge in the world and quite the engineering marvel. READ MORE → FROM THE ARCHIVES Treehouse Death In October 2019, the world’s largest treehouse—also known as the Minister’s Treehouse—in Crossville, Tennessee, went up in flames. Thousands of people around the world were shocked and devastated by the incident, but Horace Burgess, the treehouse’s architect, was unperturbed. After all, he was already well acquainted with how it feels to lose your own self-built treehouse in an angry conflagration. Heck, he’d already burned one down himself. READ MORE → THE ATLAS OBSCURA PODCAST The Tank Today, we’re going into The Tank—an industrial water tank–turned–concert hall in the high deserts of Colorado that is nothing less than a sonic wonder of the world. We’ll meet a man who’s dedicated the last 45 years of his life to The Tank, after he first found out through what some might call… an abduction. ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO Bow & Arrow Brewing Co. Owned by Native American women, this brewery is a celebration of indigenous culture in the American Southwest. The space is a love letter to the region, and that level of intentionality extends to the beer menu, which regularly showcases indigenous ingredients, including foraged wild sumac, prickly pears, Navajo tea leaves, and juniper berries. Virtually all ingredients, including the hops and barley grown on Billy Goat Hop Farm, are from the surrounding area. READ MORE → FROM THE ARCHIVES Forgotten Murals During the Great Depression, postal stations were used to inspire citizens. Public art in federal buildings, including post offices, was created by artists employed by the United States government to beautify the country. In one federal program, 1,400 post office murals were created in more than 1,300 cities and towns—but today, most of these murals go unnoticed. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA X UNCOMMON GOODS Cocktails Unmade Join cocktail expert, Tory Pratt, owner and creator of Pratt Standard Cocktail Company as she guides you through the historical and cultural journey that led to the creation of the iconic Sazerac. Then, learn to make the official mixed drink of New Orleans. LEARN MORE → PROVINCETOWN, MASSACHUSETTS Toys of Eros Nestled on Commercial Street is Toys of Eros, a sex toy museum that doubles as a sex toy emporium. Walking through the doors, visitors are greeted with a thorough and extensive exhibit that chronicles the history of sex toys, from modern times to before the common era, and offers a deeply interesting dive into the history of how humans have created and used sex toys throughout history. Where else in the world could you find an authentic vibrator from 1899, ancient penis rings made of goat eyelids, and actual coins used to pay prostitutes in ancient Rome? READ MORE → BRISTOL, ENGLAND Vale Street With a roughly 22-degree gradient incline, this residential road in the Totterdown area of Bristol is said to be England’s steepest street. Vale Street has such a dramatic incline that people park their cars perpendicular to the road to keep them from rolling downhill. Some residents even tie their vehicles to lampposts when the road gets icy to stop them from sliding all the way to the bottom. Talk about a slippery slope. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS Explore Ancient Egypt Egypt’s archaeological treasures have delighted and mystified visitors for thousands of years. Follow in the footsteps of explorers and royalty to experience the thrill of discovery while exploring the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Avenue of the Sphinxes, and King Tut’s tomb. LEARN MORE →