Antarctic Accidents  What are scientists expecting to find when they drill through an Antarctic ice shelf? Sediment, surely. But certainly not animals. That’s what geologists and scientists accidentally discovered on a recent expedition, where they discovered a rock covered in a kind of film on the rock, likely a layer of bacteria known as a microbial mat, and lined with wispy filaments, perhaps a component of the bacterial mats, or perhaps a peculiar animal known as a hydroid. Our friends from Wired take a deep dive into this peculiar discovery for a Climate Desk collaboration.  READ MORE → Tent Toilets Japan’s lush Iriomote Island is a haven for those looking to escape from the hustle and bustle from cities. Located at the southern tip of Japan—closer to Taiwan than Tokyo—this paradise is cut off from the mainland by 650 miles of ocean. But being that removed has its pitfalls—the closest toilet is a 45-minute kayak paddle and a 50-minute hike away. Nature’s call must be answered in the rainforest. It’s an environmental hazard, not to mention an aesthetic one, and an influx of visitors will only make the issue worse. So one man came up with a simple solution: toilets in a tent. Only good in-tent-ions here. READ MORE → DEEPCAR, ENGLAND The Dragon of Wantley According to legends, a bat-winged dragon terrorized the villagers who lived near the region of Wantley (modern-day Wharncliffe Crags). The beast was massive and was nearly invincible to any weapons, save for one rather sensitive spot. It’s said that a knight named Moore battled the dragon, vanquishing it by delivering a fatal blow in what the original English ballad declares as, the “arse-gut.” Today, there’s a stone wall that commemorates the legend—which may have its roots in a true, legal dispute. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Secrets of the Soil There are a dozen recognized categories of soil in the U.S. alone, from the iron-streaked rainbow spodosols of hardwood forests to the soft mollisols of the great open prairie. Identifying the composition of soils tells a story of the landscape: what plants will grow, which animals will thrive, or how well the foundation of a building will stand over time. Join us for four sessions with Annie Novak, where we’ll cover soil identification, composition, and ecology, learning hands-on skills to understand, interact with, check in on, and care for the soils around you. ENROLL NOW → Istanbul’s Ancient Art Istanbul’s master of puppets is on a mission to save Turkish shadow theater. Cengiz Özek is one of the most influential contemporary Turkish puppeteers, having performed in more than 50 countries and 150 cities around the world. In his tiny studio in central Istanbul, Özek constantly grapples with the question: how do you reinvigorate one of the oldest forms of Turkish art for a younger audience? READ MORE → SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA The Lillipad Cafe This brunch and lunch spot is owned by Nyoka Hrabinsky, an ethnobotanist from the indigenous Yidinji nation, and her husband Laszio. Hrabinsky learned to cook “bush tucker,” or native Australian food, by observing her elders as a child in an indigenous community in rural Queensland. As an adult, she worked with native peoples in Queensland to document and preserve their plant knowledge and heritage, bringing that knowledge here, where she brings bush tucker to urban Sydney in the form of burgers and breakfast treats. READ MORE → GASTRO OBSCURA All Hail the Moka Pot The moka pot is a symbol of Italy: of postwar ingenuity and global culinary dominance. It is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s most popular coffee maker, and was for decades commonplace to the point of ubiquity not only in Italy but also in Cuba, Argentina, Australia, and the United States. It’s also widely misunderstood and maligned, with approval in the modern coffee world coming perhaps a bit too late, in only the past few years. Get one while you can. READ MORE →   SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 'Wake' Olympic Sculpture Park is nine acres filled with monumental artworks, amazing views of Elliott Bay, and a monolithic work entitled “Wake.” Designed to force people to confront their relationship to space, these forms were created by artist Richard Serra using computer imaging and machines that design ship hulls. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS Berlin’s Lesser-Known Sides Berlin is a city that has always drawn people who see the world differently, a magnet for creatives and visionaries. Underused mall parkades become beer gardens; public bathhouses become boutique hotels; wartime bunkers become art galleries; airport runways become picnicking and kite-surfing spots. Over the course of this carefully curated tour, we’ll visit sites that longtime residents may never have laid eyes on—and of course, enjoy plenty of delicious food and drink along the way. LEARN MORE →