May 30, 2022

GASTRO OBSCURA  A Billion Pounds of Cheese  The year was 1981, and President Ronald Reagan had a cheese problem. Specifically, the federal government had 560 million pounds of cheese, most of it stored in vast subterranean storage facilities. Decades of propping up the dairy industry—by buying up surplus milk and turning it into processed commodity cheese—had backfired, hard. How in the world did the U.S. end up with a mountain of slowly molding cheese?  READ MORE → MUSICAL HISTORY Nonsense English There’s a long tradition of songs that “sound” like another language without meaning anything. Enter the Italian song “Prisencolinensinainciusol,” where the song’s lyrics sound phonetically like American English but are clearly total, utter, delightful nonsense. You really have to hear it to appreciate it. READ MORE → PORTLAND, MAINE Fort Gorges After the War of 1812, several fortifications were proposed to protect Portland’s harbor, the largest of which was Fort Gorges. The D-shaped granite fortress was constructed from 1858 to 1864, but by the time it was completed, the Civil War-era design was completely obsolete, as its cannon holds were far too small for modern guns. After a failed modernization attempt in the 1870s, the fort sat empty and unused for nearly 100 years. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES | STARTS 6/6 Soil Science In a handful of soil, there are more individual microbes than there are humans on Earth or visible stars in the sky. In this three-part lecture series with Annie Novak, you’ll dig into the composition, ecology, health, and restoration of soils. You'll learn hands-on skills to care for the soils around you, best practices and methods of composting, and how to improve your own soil landscape. ENROLL NOW → THAT’S BATTY Great Britain’s Loneliest Bat In a dank, disused railway tunnel in West Sussex hangs a brown, furry parcel, the sole known representative of Britain’s rarest mammal. Scientists don’t like to apply emotive adjectives to animals, but if ever there were a lonesome creature, it would be this greater mouse-eared bat. The bat’s reappearance in December for its 20th winter has astounded its guardians, not just because of the animal’s great age, but also because it was missing, assumed dead, for nearly two years. READ MORE → ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA Alameda Spite House Houses of spite are built when a landowner has the time, money, and just the right amount of malice to use construction as a weapon. In the case of the Alameda spite house in the San Francisco Bay Area, the aim was to harass the enemy on two fronts. The growing city of Alameda had commandeered a good chunk of land from a Mr. Charles Froling with the intention of building a street, with the support of an unsympathetic neighbor. In response, Froling built a house anyway: 20 ft. high, 54 ft. long… and 10 ft. wide. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS Hidden Traditions of Japan's Sado Island Experience the beautiful coastal scenery, a slow pace of life, and fascinating history of Sado Island. Encounter waterfalls, mist-shrouded mountains, expert craftsmen, geishas, and explore a fascinating island that through its history has sheltered political exiles, birthed a gold rush, and preserved thriving cultural traditions. BOOK TODAY → NOT A BAAAAAA-D IDEA Small Goat Stars Depending on who you ask, a Nigerian Dwarf goat is a better pet than a dog. (Opinions vary, obviously.) First imported from West Africa in the 1930s, the breed has become one of the most popular dairy goats in America, kept in all 50 states. They’re beloved for their docility, friendliness, intelligence, blue eyes, coats that vary widely in pattern and color, and more importantly—rich milk. For many urbanites and suburbanites with limited land, the breed brings the dream of backyard livestock within reach. READ MORE → GIVE YOUR DRINK A KICK Szechuan Button The experience of eating a Szechuan button, a nondescript, flowering herb, is revealed by its other names: buzz button and electric daisy. Spilanthol, a natural alkaloid in the plant, activates the salivary glands and causes an intense tingling sensation that eventually subsides to numbness. While the feeling of eating a Szechuan button is startling, the taste is mild and grassy, which makes them a great accompaniment to being served alongside cocktails or foods. READ MORE →