July 29, 2022

BRINGING HISTORY BACK TO LIFE  Inside the Virtual Record Treasury  On June 30, 1922, more than 700 years of Ireland’s history went up in flames when an explosion and fire tore through the Public Record Office in Dublin. It may have seemed unlikely that the truth could ever be wrested from the ashes. But thanks to international collaboration and 21st-century technology, a good portion of what was lost has finally been restored with an effort named Beyond 2022: Ireland’s Virtual Record Treasury. READ MORE → GASTRO OBSCURA Use Baking Soda Like a Scientist Ah, the humble baking soda: an integral ingredient in not just your cleaning supplies, but equally important in whipping up delicious baked goods. But how do you make the most use of an ingredient that’s the culinary equivalent of a Swiss Army Knife? Cookbook author and food writer Nik Sharma has a few ideas. Check them out here. READ MORE → ASWAN, EGYPT Nabta Playa Stone Circle In the sands of southern Egypt lies another stone complex that archeologists believe predates Stonehenge by almost 2,000 years: Nabta Playa. Located around 700 miles south of the Great Pyramid of Giza and some 60 miles west of the Nile, this North African stone complex is considered to be the oldest astronomical observatory on Earth. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Creating a Plant-Based Palette In this three-part online course, we’ll learn how to create natural dyes using everything from kitchen scraps to foraged plants. We’ll begin with the basics, learning the tools and terms needed to get started before setting up a dye bath and diving into the process. By the end of this workshop, you’ll walk away with a palette of fabrics, as well as a repeatable method for creating color from the contents of your compost bin. ENROLL NOW → UNTOLD HISTORY The Queer Suffragists Who Changed History From queer relationships known as Boston marriages to publishing radical newspapers about free love, the women’s suffrage movement was full of individuals “queering the norm,” as historian Wendy Rouse puts it—individuals history consciously deleted by proponents who claimed to want suffrage for all. We spoke with Rouse about these queer suffragists, the female cavalries they led, and why so many of their stories have gone untold. READ MORE → ERIE, MICHIGAN Michigan's Lost Peninsula Approximately 140 Michigan residents live on this small peninsula in Lake Erie. If they wanted to go to another part of the state, they would first have to travel south, across the state line into Ohio, before going north to return to Michigan. This small exclave known as the “Lost Peninsula” is part of Monroe County and is the southeastern-most corner of the state. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS Explore Bhutan This Fall Bhutan has reopened to tourists and there's never been a better time to visit. Join us this fall as we journey from bustling Thimphu to the Phobjikha Valley, lush with greenery and wildlife, and finally through the small village of Haa. You’ll witness an annual festival and visit ancient dzongs, art studios, incense factories, and nature preserves—meeting artisans, monks, and farmers along the way. Your adventure culminates with an ascent to the striking cliff side temple of Taktsang Lhakhang. PLAN YOUR TRIP → A WHEELY GOOD LIST 8 Fantastic Ferris Wheels Not many things recall the feeling of nostalgia like a ride on a massive Ferris wheel—a staple event for any first-time visit to the local carnival or major theme park. Since the first one was built in 1893, Ferris wheels have popped up around the world in larger and more impressive forms. From a solar-powered wheel of wonder to one that sits atop a skyscraper, these eight Ferris wheels offer spectacular views and unforgettable memories. READ MORE → GODALMING, ENGLAND Witley Wonder Underwater Ballroom Well… we only call it an “underwater ballroom.” In reality it was a subterranean smoking room built beneath a roof aquarium. Either way, it was spectacular, and like everything else on Whitaker Wright’s Lea Park estate, including the man who commissioned the room itself, it was doomed. READ MORE → SPONSORED BY THE MAINE OFFICE OF TOURISM Wyoming Sculpture With its dense forests, sandy coastlines, and deep-water bays, Bath, Maine had a reputation for building world-class wooden ships by the 18th century. It’s no surprise then, that in 1909, the town produced the Wyoming, one of the largest wooden ships ever built. Its dimensions are dizzying: 329 feet long and 50 feet wide, powered by six masts—each 134 feet tall—which caught wind in 12,000 square feet of sail. The ship’s monumental sculpture is today one of the largest works of public art in all of New England. LEARN MORE →