February 15, 2023

ENVIRONMENTAL EXPERIMENTS  Washington’s ‘Washaway Beach’  Just a few years ago, locals in North Cove, Washington, were staring down the possibility of losing their shoreline, so dubbed “Washaway Beach” for the fact that it was the fastest-eroding shoreline on the U.S. Pacific Coast. Faced with the possibility that the town was doomed, a local dropped $400 worth of rocks on the beach just to see what would happen. The result? The coastline has held, putting North Cove at the forefront of a global shift in how communities protect their coastlines as sea levels rise.  READ MORE →   ATLAS OBSCURA PUZZLES Be My AO Valentine Yes, we know, Valentine’s Day was yesterday. But love (and wonder) are all year round, as far as we’re concerned! See whether you can harness some of that evergreen love for a puzzle featuring spots for romance around the world. READ MORE →   FAIRBANKS, ALASKA Alaska Highway's Milepost 1523 Near the Cushman Street Bridge in Fairbanks, Alaska, a small mile marker denotes the unofficial end of the Alaska Highway. The highway was built to defend the United States from a Japanese invasion during World War II, as Alaska was seen as a key place to defend the continental USA from the threat of a Japanese mainland invasion. READ MORE →   SPONSORED BY VISIT ARIZONA Cathedral in the Desert The construction of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1956 was highly controversial. In damming the Colorado River, the project supplied a booming desert population with sufficient water and electricity while creating the endlessly recreational Lake Powell. These primarily human benefits, however, came at the cost of drowning important archaeological sites, plant and animal habitats, and unique geological formations upstream under hundreds of feet of water. The Cathedral in the Desert is one such geological formation that, as a result of aridification, has returned from the artificial depths. LEARN MORE →   SIGHT-SEEING 11 Places to See Real Hearts Across the globe, in tombs and churches, are the hearts of saints and others who will never be forgotten. From the remains of a famous composer to the heart of a legendary explorer, here are our favorite locations to visit hearts—whether you’d like to visit during next year’s Valentine’s Day, or beyond, is up to you. READ MORE →   YORK, ENGLAND Reliquary of St. Margaret Clitherow Pay a visit to the Bar Convent, located across the street from the Micklegate Bar in York, and you’ll discover how “the Pearl of York” became a martyr and was eventually canonized as a saint. Margaret, a recent convert to Catholicism, was fined and jailed for not attending Anglican services, and was eventually convicted on charges of harboring and concealing priests in her home. READ MORE →   LONG HAUL The Little Hare That Could The polar desert of Ellesmere Island’s northeast corner knows only two colors: frozen winter white and the dull brown of a short summer. There, at the world’s northernmost wildlife research station, scientists embarked on an unprecedented project. It began with an adorably fluffy, brilliantly white Arctic hare who traveled hundreds of miles, breaking records and shattering expectations. READ MORE →   PUEBLO, COLORADO Forgotten Grumman TLRV In downtown Pueblo, Colorado, two futuristic hovertrains sit idly next the road, looking absurdly out of place. One is a Grumman Tracked Levitation Research Vehicle (TLRV), an air-cushion transportation prototype that was intended to glide along the track without wheels on what was essentially a cushion of compressed air. It was meant to be a revolutionary form of rail travel, but never quite lived up to expectations. READ MORE →   ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Making Miniature Furniture Making miniatures is no small feat; crafting tiny worlds from scratch is both an art and a science, and it draws from a long history of reflecting realities and generating new ones. In this workshop designed for beginners, join Amanda Kelly of Panda Miniatures to learn how to create realistic, textured miniature furniture from scratch. There are no prerequisites to take this course; miniature makers of all levels are welcome! ENROLL NOW →