July 27, 2022

BURNING QUESTIONS  World’s Biggest Bird  In 1983, a huge fossil was discovered in Charleston, South Carolina—and then languished in a museum for decades. In 2014, paleontologist David Ksepka took a look at what remained of the animal, and eventually named it Pelagornis sandersi. The ancient bird’s wingspan was an astounding 24 feet—without question the largest wingspan of any bird known. But is it truly the biggest bird ever? Depends on how we define the term.  READ MORE → THAT’S STAMINA FOR YA World’s Toughest Mountain Bike Race The Silk Road Mountain Bike Race is widely known among bikepackers as the toughest mountain bike race in the world. And that’s for good reason—the Silk Road race stretches about 1,155 miles across Kyrgyzstan’s mountains, with over 101,200 total feet of ascent over the week-plus race. There are no supporters, hospitals or mechanics, only grueling ascents and dangerous descents, unpredictable extreme weather, and of course, a rider’s own limits. READ MORE → KILMUN, SCOTLAND Elizabeth Blackwell's Grave This gravestone honors Elizabeth Blackwell, MD, who is known for being the first woman to receive a medical degree in American history, but also the first woman to be placed on the British Medical Register. Along with her sister, Emily Blackwell, she opened up the New York Infirmary for Women and Children in 1857, and was instrumental in organizing women as nurses in the American Civil War. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Color in Motion: Suminagashi & Ebru Marbling Discover the magic of marbling with artist Linh My Truong, creating colorful, psychedelic designs on paper and fabric. Traversing the globe, we’ll cover two main types of marbling: the delicate, flowy imagery of Japanese suminagashi marbling using inks and sumi brushes, and the vibrant patterns of Turkish ebru marbling with paint. ENROLL TODAY → GASTRO OBSCURA Egg Mayo Protection Association Oeuf mayonnaise is a wonderfully French dish that really only makes sense within the confines of a Vichy table-clothed bistro: a hard-boiled egg is cut in half and then dolloped with—you guessed it—mayonnaise. For food critic Claude Lebey, oeuf mayonnaise was central to the working-class bistro cuisine he sought to revive. So in the 1990s, he created the Egg Mayonnaise Protection Association to protect the beloved dish from extinction. READ MORE → CHINLE, ARIZONA Canyon de Chelly National Monument The red-orange cliff walls of Canyon de Chelly in northeastern Arizona are the result of millions of years of land uplifts and stream cutting. Located on Navajo tribal lands, these lands have long been home to the Indigenous people of this region. In fact, Canyon de Chelly is one of North America’s longest continuously-inhabited landscapes. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS Take Part in Greece's Annual Olive Harvest Join us this October for a unique and memorable adventure in Greece. You'll have a special opportunity to roll up your sleeves to help a local family with their annual olive harvest. You'll also get to visit all the most-see site from from the Acropolis to the Monasteries of Meteora to Ancient Olympia, dig into hyper-regional food culture, and enjoy spectacular scenery. BOOK TODAY → ROAD TRIP! Eat Across the Blue Ridge Parkway Today, the Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most beautiful drives in the country, connecting the Great Smoky Mountains to Shenandoah National Park. Indulge in its scenic overlooks, but also be sure to partake in its culinary scene. From elk burgers at a Native-owned diner to a foraged feast at an Afro-Appalachian restaurant, here’s a guide to the most incredible places to taste the flora and fauna of the Blue Ridge mountains. READ MORE → BUFFALO, NEW YORK Shark Girl A girl in a blue dress sits alone on a rock by the Buffalo River. Hands folded and legs crossed, she waits patiently for photo companions. Oh, and she has a shark’s head. As one does. READ MORE → SPONSORED BY THE MAINE OFFICE OF TOURISM Sweetgrass Winery What is wine made out of? Grapes, yes. That’s the traditional answer. But at this winery, husband-and-wife team Keith and Constance Bodine are hard at work experimenting with making wines, spirits, and ciders from unexpected fruits. To date, Sweetgrass Winery has produced a Cabernet Sauvignon made from Maine blueberries, an Apple Sangria, a rhubarb liqueur, a maple syrup brandy, and more. LEARN MORE →