February 23, 2021 GASTRO OBSCURA For the Love of Lobsters Human life on the tiny volcanic island of Tristan da Cunha is intimately tied to the populations of spiny lobsters that populate its surrounding waters. No one knows this better than Tristanians themselves, which is why they recently joined the United Kingdom’s Blue Belt Programme and established what is now the fourth largest Marine Protected Zone (MPZ) in the world. The zone covers some 700,000 square kilometers of Tristan’s surrounding waters, making it a wildlife sanctuary, off-limits to any extractive activities. READ MORE → Found: Lost Fort In 1804, indigenous Tlingit people living near the Alaskan town of Sitka went to war with Russian fur traders. Their battle would have far reaching consequences—not just for the Tlingit, but also for the future of Alaska, by setting the stage for it to become part of the United States. The battleground where this took place is now part of the Sitka National Historic Park, but the precise location of the Tlingit fort had been debated. Until now. READ MORE → GLASGOW, SCOTLAND Ibrox Stadium This stadium is home to the Rangers FC, considered the most successful team in Scottish football history with 54 league titles. Its first match was played in 1899, but the spirit of fierce competition continues to live on today. Be sure to visit the trophy room to admire memorabilia from football rivals across the world. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA EXPERIENCES How to Rescue Your Clothes Before the rise of fast fashion, clothes were carefully cared for and tended to for years, with darning methods and stitches helping clothing last as long as possible. In recent years, that trend has seen a resurgence with visible mending, a technique that turns imperfections into wearable DIY art. In this episode of Nina Nightingale’s Charm School, we’ll dive into some home economic skills you can use to keep your wardrobe sustainable—and artistic!—and discuss the many fascinating cultures of repair throughout history. GET TICKETS → FROM THE ARCHIVES Compton’s Cowboys Richland Farms has long fostered a vibrant equestrian community. In 1988, Mayisha Akbar created a horseback riding club for local Black youth to keep them away from gangs and violence. As members grew up, many kept riding, continuing a long and rich history of Black cowboys in the American West. READ MORE → What Is a Biocrust, Anyway? A few decades ago, a team of scientists reported in Nature that life on land is possibly over a billion years older than previously demonstrated. Their evidence came in the form of a chunk of ancient soil, or paleosol, that contained what they believed were once “mats” of microbial life. These could be interpreted as a “biocrust,” made up of cyanobacteria, algae, other bacteria, lichens, fungi, mosses, and microarthropods. Over time these easily overlooked patches of life—a kind of “living skin” of the planet—have come to be recognized as critical to healthy ecosystems, and new research is illuminating just how distinct and diverse they are. READ MORE → RAPLA, ESTONIA Okta Centrum AS This abandoned building is a lasting example of Soviet-era architecture. Designed by architect Toomas Rein, the building was crafted as an octagonal space that rises up a central construction. Although the building appears to have many levels, it’s actually just three floors. The building was built for a state-owned collective organization, but once Estonia regained independence in 1991 from Soviet rule, this type of organization ceased to exist, and the building was eventually abandoned. READ MORE → PERTH AND KINROSS, SCOTLAND Tomnadashan Mine This mine was built in the 19th century, but attempts to glean copper, gold, and sulphur from its depths ultimately proved unsuccessful. Today, it’s more famous as an iconic Monty Python location, where King Arthur and his knights confront the killer bunny that guards the Cave of Caerbannog. READ MORE →