February 14, 2023

I LOVE YOU *THIS* MUCH  How Do You Measure Love?  Ever heard of the Cupidoscope? The electrical device, invented on the campus of the University of Toledo in Ohio, promised to reveal with scientific precision if a couple was truly in love. It was one experiment in a serious, decades-long quest to quantify love, and garnered the attention of leading scientists across the United States and in Europe in the early years of the 20th century. Here’s the journey of the “Love Tester,” from serious-seeming science to the penny-arcade amusements.  READ MORE →   ANIMAL COURTSHIP The Extremes of Mating Season In the animal world, the quest to find love can get a little wild. What are you envisioning? Battle royales where males duke it out for the honor of mating with the female of the species? You’d be half right, but let us add a little bit more color—these extreme mating rituals can also sometimes involve detachable penises, urine-based perfumes, and ear-splitting declarations of love. (Perhaps obvious, but we do not recommend doing this at home.) READ MORE →   WARSAW, POLAND Chopin's Heart During his final days, famed Polish composer Frédéric Chopin made the request that his heart be taken from his corpse and sent back to his home country, knowing full well that his body would never leave Paris. When he passed, his eldest sister, Ludwika Jędrzejewicz, complied with his request, taking the heart before his body could be buried. READ MORE →   VALENTINE’S DAY FACTS Unexpected Ways to Confess Going on a first date? Need something to open the conversation with? Boy, do we have stories for you. V-Day isn’t just about greeting cards, red roses, and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. (Though we do have ideas for unique chocolates further on in this email.) From the many parts of Saint Valentine scattered around the world to the unique gift of ‘meat juice’, these Atlas Obscura favorites reveal the many sides of the holiday—some more sour than sweet. READ MORE →   ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Reading the Urban Landscape Living in a city doesn’t mean living apart from the natural world. The urban environment is full of secret (and not-so-secret) ecologies of its own, with opportunities to connect to nature in surprising and enriching ways. In this three-part intensive led by Annie Novak, learn how to explore the astonishing ecosystems tucked away in the concrete jungle using skills drawn from botany, ecology, phenology, and more. ENROLL NOW →   NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA The Faerie Playhouse This pink Creole cottage became the home of Stewart Butler and Alfred Doolittle in 1979 and was the site of many organizing meetings in the LGBT civil rights movement during the late 20th century and early 21st century. The garden behind the home also contains the cremains of many significant leaders in the struggle for equality, including Charlene Schneider, John Ognibene and Cliff Howard, as well as artist J.B. Harter. READ MORE →   IF FOOD BE THE LANGUAGE OF LOVE 10 Unique Chocolates Okay, show of hands: how many of us think that receiving plain old chocolates every Valentine’s Day may be a little boring? (We promise we won’t tell.) Luckily, confectioners the world over have come up with countless outside-the-box ways to turn cocoa beans into a sweet treat. Here are ten unusual ways to tell someone “I love you” with chocolate. READ MORE →   PACIFIC GROVE, CALIFORNIA Pacific Grove Butterfly House If you’re looking for a love story, look no further than this vibrant house in Pacific Grove, California, which was built by Army vet and proprietor “J” as a dream cottage for his muse and true love, Sonja. When Sonja slowly started losing her eyesight, J covered the house in bright butterflies, since Sonja could still see the vibrant colors, if little else. Talk about giving someone butterflies. READ MORE →