January 04, 2023

UNRAVELING TRADITIONS  Auld Lang Syne Origins  “Should auld acquaintance be forgot/And never brought to mind?/Should auld acquaintance be forgot/And the days of auld lang syne?” The recognizable lyrics of “Auld Lang Syne” often drift through the air at parties during New Year’s Eve, but when the song first went out over the radio waves in 1930, it was not yet a New Year’s Eve staple throughout the United States. In fact, it may never have become one, if not for a promised cigar company sponsorship and a raucous University of Virginia frat party.  READ MORE → YEAR IN WONDER A Year With AO Puzzles Puzzles are everywhere these days—on our phones and in our hands and in the corners of our brains. And we think maybe we know why: Puzzles are safe mysteries, solvable problems, if we apply enough wisdom, logic, and patience. So each Monday, we offered themed crosswords, logic puzzles from Japan, and linguistic stumpers from all over the world. Here are a few of our favorites from the year—check back with us every Monday for a new installment! READ MORE → NATURAL BRIDGE, VIRGINIA Hidden J.R.R. Tolkien Quote Virginia’s Natural Bridge is a wonder in and of itself. It’s no surprise that North America’s largest natural land bridge has been drawing people to it for centuries. On your next visit to Natural Bridge State Park, head to Cedar Creek, and you’ll find a literary surprise. There, etched into the side of a large rock, is a J.R.R. Tolkien quote, which displays lines from Upon The Hearth the Fire is Red, a walking song—a poem in the style of a song—written by Bilbo Baggins. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Horror Story Writing In this seminar, award-winning author and lifelong horror fan Nino Cipri will guide students through the process of writing horror, from generating ideas to the final revision and submission process. Along the way, we’ll talk about horror’s roots in oral traditions, embracing and subverting tropes, and why we keep coming back to horror. All writers welcome! ENROLL NOW → YEAR IN WONDER 2022’s Natural Wonders A ruthless parasite sprouting from the exoskeleton of an unfortunate fly. An egg-laying mammal—not a platypus—that uses “jazz hands” as a defensive tactic. Iguanas that have evolved to ride the waves—meriguanas, if you will. These are just a few of the fascinating organisms we shared with readers in 2022. Here are some of our favorite stories of living things that made us say “Wow,” “Whoa,” and, occasionally, “Nope.” READ MORE → ASHMORE, ILLINOIS St. Omer Cemetery Witch Grave Driving along one of many county roads in the miles of Illinois cornfields, a gravel road will lead you to the town of St. Omer, or what’s left of it at least: its cemetery. The ghost town might have been forgotten if not for the strange Barnes monument, the subject of a local witch legend. Four people are buried underneath the monument: Marcus Barnes, his parents Granville and Sarah, and his wife, Caroline, whose stated date of death could never have happened: February 31, 1882. READ MORE → YEAR IN WONDER All The Best Food Art Food can be equally as appetizing for the eyes as it can be for the stomach. In 2022, Gastro Obscuraexplored some of the culinary world’s most visually-striking creations. In the hands of the right chef, raw meat can become an adorable little hedgehog, butter can be sculpted into a person’s face, and gingerbread can be transformed into New York City’s skyline. Sometimes delightful, other times disturbing, 2022 was a feast of food art. READ MORE → ZAVIKON ISLAND, ONTARIO Zavikon Island This island is home to a bridge that, at only 32 feet in length, is considered the shortest international bridge in the world. It connects a Canadian island with an American island in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River. It just so happens that these two islands were joined by a bridge because the smaller island is owned by the same person who owns the house on the larger, Canadian island (at left in the accompanying photographs). They use the smaller island as a backyard. However, the truth of this has been questioned as a tourist ploy since the 1880s. READ MORE →