December 27, 2021

The Story of Mrs. Claus  Let’s face it: Mrs. Claus doesn’t always get the spotlight. That usually belongs to her jolly husband and occasionally his little helpers. But in the 19th century, there were poems and stories about Mrs. Claus that appeared in newspapers and popular periodicals, speaking to women’s central role in the Christmas holiday. The character also provided a canvas to explore contemporary debates about gender and politics. READ MORE → GASTRO OBSCURA The Appeal of Monk-Made Food For years, our friends at Gastro Obscura have catalogued creations made by religious orders, as well as the places in which these foods are made (a Japanese “grape temple” comes to mind). But why do these religious orders develop these foods? And what’s the secret, sacred sauce behind their appeal? An investigation. READ MORE → GLASGOW, SCOTLAND Glasgow Sherbet Factory Ruins Look closely and you’ll find a sign near these ruins, describing how this site was “one of the leading producers of sherbet in the world,” up until a young apprentice dropped a glass of Pinappleade in Powder Room B, resulting in a massive foam explosion that “was to rewrite the town planning rulebook on the placement of sherbet factories.” But how true is this story, really? READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Writing Your Own Murder Mystery Party Nothing brings people together quite like trying to solve an elaborate, fictional murder by framing friends and family. In this five-part online course, Abi Inman will walk you through researching, writing, and hosting your own murder mystery party. ENROLL NOW → FROM THE ARCHIVES How a Cartographer Maps Islands Islands are tricky things, since there is no single, constant, definitive number of islands in the world, and there never will be. That hasn’t stopped cartographer David Garcia from attempting to map the 100 largest islands on the planet, however. READ MORE → ROME, ITALY Pons Aemilius Originally preceded by a wooden bridge, the Pons Aemilius was the first of many stone bridges constructed in Rome. It was designed between 179 BC and 151 BC, connecting the central part of the city to the neighborhood of Trastevere, just south of Tiber Island. Today, only one arch remains, resting on the original 2nd-century-BC pylons. READ MORE → A Year in Podcasts You’ll want your sound on for this. Earlier this year, we launched our first, long-awaited podcast: a daily celebration of the world’s most wondrous, unexpected, even strange places. Now, more than 150 episodes and seven million downloads later, we’re remembering why we embarked on this project in the first place—some stories you just need to hear. Here are some of our favorites that make the most of the podcast format. Headphones recommended! READ MORE → KUMBAKONAM, INDIA Airavatesvara Temple’s Optical Illusion This temple contains what might be the world’s oldest optical illusion. Look at this bas-relief depicting two animal bodies. If you solely focus on the left-hand animal, you will see a complete bull, including horns; however, when you focus solely on the right-hand animal, you will see a complete elephant, including a trunk. READ MORE → SPONSORED BY LOUISIANA OFFICE OF TOURISM Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame This remarkably futuristic-looking building in Natchitoches is home to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame, offering a range of activities and levels from high school wrestling to Olympic rowers and everything in between. LEARN MORE →