In Memory of 9/11 In a quiet, remote garden in Kinsale, Ireland, stand 343 trees. They are dedicated to New York City firefighters and a chaplain who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Each tree holds a marker with a name, and in some cases is decorated with personal items left by loved ones. This is just one expression of the way that 9/11 changed the world. From a glass sculpture in Boston’s Logan Airport to an abandoned quarry in Italy, here is a collection of places that honor the victims of that day.  READ MORE → FLORENCE, ITALY Secret Art In 1530, to escape the wrath of the Pope, Michelangelo holed up in a tiny secret room under the Medici Chapel of the Basilica di San Lorenzo. The artist had been working on the lavish tomb when all hell broke loose in Florence, and he was forced into hiding. With nothing but time and a little charcoal on his hands, he covered the bare walls with some prisoner graffiti. READ MORE → GASTRO OBSCURA The Resistance of Enslaved Cooks A historical archaeologist at the University of Glasgow, Peggy Brunache is investigating the meals that enslaved African people created in the French Caribbean, food that she calls “slave cuisine.” Through excavations, Brunache and her colleagues work to understand the ingredients and types of food enslaved people cooked for themselves. These studies, along with the work of many other scholars, provide a window into the day-to-day experiences of people who lived in slavery. Brunache’s use of the word “cuisine” is an intentional homage to the skill and creativity of enslaved cooks, typically Black women, who made these foods that are still celebrated today. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA EXPERIENCES A Rare Look Inside the Space Shuttle Enterprise Our space shuttle experience with the Intrepid Museum is returning—back by popular demand! During this special event, you'll get to virtually step inside the Space Shuttle Enterprise. NASA Astronaut Mario Runco Jr. will also be joining to tell us firsthand what life on a space shuttle is like. The interior of the Enterprise is not open to the public, so don't miss this incredible opportunity. LEARN MORE → Fish and Light A swirl of sunlight-dappled jack fish, spinning as a single entity, symbolizes peril and promise, according to Kristen Brown, a scientist who captured the award-winning image one summer morning. The photo is also a nod to the researcher’s perseverance, as she spent four weeks obsessing over the perfect shot of this school of fish. For Brown, however, the photo is much more than a good snap—it is a visual metaphor for the crisis unfolding in the oceans. READ MORE → GREECE Pythagorean Cup When you think of the ancient Greeks, practical jokes might not be the first thing that comes to mind. But along with art, architecture, and philosophy, you can add trick cups—like the Pythagorean cup—to their list of accomplishments. It doesn’t look like much, but when an unsuspecting drinker fills it past a designated level, the liquid mysteriously drains out. READ MORE → THE ATLAS OBSCURA PODCAST World’s Loneliest Tree One is the loneliest number. And that’s probably true for this one lone tree, a Sitka spruce that stands on the subantarctic Campbell Island / Motu Ihupuku, 400 miles south of New Zealand. It turns out, though, that the lonely tree is much more than just a sad story. It might hold an answer to a really big question about human existence and the moment we all find ourselves in. Tune in. FROM THE ARCHIVES A Not-So-Underground Nuclear Test At 7:30 a.m. on December 18, 1970, the Baneberry test began at the Nevada Test Site. A nuclear bomb had been lowered into a hole a little more than seven feet in diameter. More than 900 feet underground, the device—relatively small for a nuclear bomb—was detonated. But the test didn’t go as planned. READ MORE → GOLDVEIN, VIRGINIA Hornet Balls Few realize that Virginia was one of the first states in which gold was discovered. Monroe Park and the Gold Mining Camp Museum aims to preserve that history. Stroll through the museum to see unusual mining artifacts, including these two Hornet Balls, which remain somewhat of a mystery regarding their use. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Drawing Portraits With Character Behind every portrait is a story. In this 3-part course with Vacation With An Artist you'll learn how to use posture, expression, and details to depict the complexity of your subject and create well-developed characters. LEARN MORE →