April 12, 2022

FOOD SCIENCE  From Water Into Pie Step into our imaginary Hall of Beloved Pies. To your left, you’ll see the classic American apple pie; to the right, you might find pecan pie, flanked by pumpkin. There are likely a slew of other pie candidates that jumped to mind, but do any of them feature a science trick? That’s the hallmark of water pie, which sounds like a practical joke, but we assure you it’s real. The ingredient list is minimalistic—plain old H₂O forms the base of the filling, along with sugar, flour, butter, and a little vanilla. And yet, through a little alchemical magic, these ingredients transform into a wobbly, translucent custard. Tell us if you succeed in making this.  READ MORE → SAVING CULTURE Burkina Faso’s Equestrian Culture Madi Dermé is a French-Burinabè equestrian artist, one of the few black equestrian artists who has built a name for himself throughout Europe. He honed his skills at an equestrian school in France, but his grand ambition is to reimagine the equestrian scene he participated in in Burkina Faso, making it the meeting place for all African cavaliers. The first step: Reviving the old cavalier tradition. But even that produces its own trickiness. READ MORE → WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LEAVE A PLACE? 52 Abandoned Places Hidden deep in forests or in plain sight on the side of highways, the United States has its fair share of abandoned places. Ghost towns, forgotten theme parks, and overgrown hospitals can evoke a sense of mystery about what came before us. These 52 abandoned places will take you into the past no matter how far you travel. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS Forgotten Greece: Ghost Cities & Sinking Ships Delve into the hidden histories and oft-overlooked spaces scattered throughout the rugged region of Peloponnese. Learn about local myths, histories and legends at the charming Fairytale Castle in Kyparissa. Pass through the Arcadian Gate of Ancient Messene to explore the old Spartan territory alongside an archaeologist. And visit Methoni's well-hidden, and virtually unknown, early Christian catacombs. Save 10% on the May 30–June 7 departure when you book before April 15th. BOOK YOUR TRIP → SPACE HISTORY For Sale: Moon Dust The first thing Neil Armstrong did after setting foot on the moon on July 20, 1969, was defy orders. The entire point of the Apollo 11 mission was to collect lunar material, but it took eight minutes for Armstrong to get around to collect the first sample, known as the “contingency.” (Armstrong, perhaps understandably, was taking photos first.) Now more than 50 years later, Bonhams will be auctioning off a small amount of the lunar material Armstrong collected. NASA accidentally sold it, tried to take it back, lost it in a court battle—and now you can own it. READ MORE → BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Jamaica Pond Bench Um, have fun trying to sit on this bench. This curious bench is u-shaped, having no discernible front side; only two backs. Designed by Massachusetts College of Art & Design associate professor Matthew Hincman, it’s a “guerrilla” piece of public art, which didn’t originally have Parks Department approval. Hincman won them over, though, and today, you can sit on this piece of art. Or lie down. Maybe that would be easier. READ MORE → GASTRO OBSCURA SPARKED What Color is Dinner? To Jen Monroe, the color white is about commercialism and hygiene. Yellow? Fungus and rot. Pink? A mix of childhood nostalgia and horror. The chef and artist began hosting monochromatic dinner parties after reading about an all-black funeral dinner in a book. Now, she creates edible whimsy—from white iPhone sushi to aquarium gelatin molds—for all sorts of fantastical events. WATCH NOW → SETTING HISTORY RIGHT Returning Indigenous Ancestors “Nobody’s ancestors deserve to be taken and to be held away from the communities and from their families.” To the Maori people, the practice of preserving one’s head after death was an act of love and respect. For centuries, these mummified and tattooed Maori heads, called toi moko, have languished in European museums and institutions as a result of New Zealand’s dark colonial past. But today, efforts are finally underway to repatriate the toi moko back to their rightful homeland—though it will take a prolonged process. READ MORE → TOKYO, JAPAN Obake Kaidan In the Nezu District of Tokyo, there is a stone staircase infamous for its strange feature. Known as Obake Kaidan (“Ghost Stairs”), it has 40 steps on your way up—but 39 when you go down. Many urban legends surround the staircase, but the truth is quite simple, albeit scarcely known. READ MORE →