August 01, 2022

GASTRO OBSCURA  For the Mango Lover The tiny village of Kannapuram, located in India’s Kannur district in the southern state of Kerala, contains a plethora of native mango varieties. With 207 indigenous varieties and counting, it rains mangoes in Kannapuram. In fact, Kuruvakkavu, a small area within Kannapuram, boasts a whopping 102 varieties among 382 trees, growing on a plot of just 300 square meters (3,230 square feet). The Kerala State Biodiversity Board declared Kuruvakkavu an Indigenous Mango Heritage Area—a reflection of the tireless efforts of Kannapuram locals.  READ MORE → BIG QUESTIONS Is This The World’s Oldest Tree? Deep in a ravine that cuts through the coastal mountains of Chile’s Alerce Costero National Park, there is a behemoth of a tree. Cloaked in moss and lichens, the Patagonian cypress known as the Alerce Milenario rises 196 feet through layers of mist and thick, humid air. This towering giant may be more than 5,000 years old, but hold your horses on crowning it just yet—it’s just one of several contenders for the title. READ MORE → MANHATTAN, NEW YORK Physical Graffiti Building Led Zeppelin’s 1975 album Physical Graffiti is considered one of their best, featuring such fan-favorite songs as “Kashmir” and “Trampled Under Foot.” Its release saw a delay due to the complexity of its cover design: an iconic die-cut artwork portraying a symmetrical brownstone tenement block, with each letter of the album’s title written on its window. The building it was modeled after is a real tenement in Manhattan, still standing at 96 and 98 St. Mark’s Place. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Live Courses Our Live Courses offer deep and dynamic learning in under-explored disciplines—from natural dyes and unusual geology to unrecovered art from WWII and paper marbling. Designed and taught by subject-matter experts and experienced educators like chef and outspoken edible insect advocate, Joseph Yoon, and expert herpetologist Dr. Earyn McGee, these interactive online courses provide opportunities to explore your curiosities while expanding your mind. FIND YOUR COURSE → OMINOUS HOLES ‘Well of Hell’ This sinkhole—known as the Well of Barhout, or the “Well of Hell,” is located on the far eastern edge of Yemen, and for centuries, sinister legends have swirled around it. It’s said that visiting or even talking about it can bring bad luck. It’s also said to be a prison for uncontrollable jinn, a range of spirits that haunt Islamic mythology. That didn’t scare a team of researchers, who recently descended to investigate. READ MORE → TOKYO, JAPAN Public Utility Conduits of Ginza Ginza is Tokyo’s first shopping district, home to numerous flagship department stores, luxury brand boutiques, and old-school cafes. Its tidiness is in part thanks to the so-called Public Utility Conduits of Ginza, located on either side of Central Street. Curious explorers can take a rare look into these secret lifeline tunnels by peering through a window at the underground entrance of the ritzy Matsuya department store. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS Chiloé & the Fjords of Northern Patagonia Join us this fall to unravel the mysteries of Chiloé Island and trek through the stunning fern-laden scenery of Northern Patagonia. You'll experience local culinary traditions, glimpse adorable penguins, and learn about rewilding projects, all while surrounded by lakes, volcanoes, fjords and mountains. BOOK YOUR TRIP → SOMEONE CALL THE OCEANS CREW Ireland’s Greatest Unsolved Heist In the early 20th century, the Irish Crown Jewels were the talk of the town. The jewels sat in Dublin Castle, which was considered one of the most impregnable buildings on the island. All was well until 1907, when the jewels went missing. The story of this theft would eventually involve a sex scandal, conspiracies accusing both sides of the political spectrum, the occult, drunken pranks, bankrupt celebrities, sham trials, and an incredibly effective hush campaign from the top rung of the political ladder. READ MORE → VAADHOO, MALDIVES Sea of Stars Feast your eyes on a beautiful phenomenon that occurs during late summer in the reefs of the Maldives. This effect is caused by bioluminescent phytoplankton which fill the water; as the water moves, it creates an incredible shimmering effect that looks like the sea is full of stars.