January 05, 2023

NEW YEAR, NEW BATTLE  The ‘Witches of the Sea’  Each holiday season, children around Italy eagerly await the Feast of the Epiphany, celebrated on January 6. That’s when the Befana, an old lady riding a broomstick, fills up stockings with candy (for well-behaved children) or charcoal (for naughty ones). But children in the northeastern town of Grado, have their own dramatic, even frightening version to get excited about: the Varvuole, the witches that come from the sea.  READ MORE → MESMERIZING IMAGES Our Favorite Abstract Wonders It’s not hard to imagine what drove our Paleolithic ancestors to begin creating art on cave walls back in 39,000 BCE. After all, the world around us is often shockingly, even hauntingly beautiful. In our series Abstract Wonder, we explore the stories of 2022 that featured unexpected moments of beauty, captured by photographers all over the world. READ MORE → KOLKATA, INDIA Pen Hospital Mohammad Imtiaz is a third-generation doctor who operates a small hospital in India. He is quite good at healing his patients—which happen to be fountain pens. For decades, Imtiaz has been repairing and selling fountain pens at his Pen Hospital in Kolkata. Situated in a narrow alleyway of Chowringhee Road in Esplanade, this one-of-a-kind hospital has been treating broken nibs and pen pistons since before India gained its independence in 1947. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Explore the Mysteries of Earth's Oceans Not only do we humans find the ocean majestic and mysterious, we also rely on it to live; nearly three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity to make a living. In this course led by marine biologist Melissa Cristina Márquez, we’ll explore Earth’s ever-evolving oceans, the ecological interactions that sustain its biodiversity, and what we can do to protect them. ENROLL TODAY → NEW DISCOVERIES Journey to Micronesia Sea levels in Micronesia rose much faster over the past 5,000 years than previously thought, according to a new study published recently in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This sea level rise is shown by the accumulation of mangrove sediments on the islands of Pohnpei and Kosrae. The finding may change how we think about when people migrated into Remote Oceania, and where they might have voyaged from. READ MORE → CZECHIA Mlíko Residents of Czechia drink the most beer per capita of any nation on Earth. Its residents gave the world pilsner. And when beer fans in Prague order a cold one, they aren’t just tasked with choosing a favorite brew—they can select their preferred pouring method, as well. Mlìko, or milk beer, is a style that renders a whole beer white and foamy, resembling a tall glass of milk. With its sweet, creamy profile and lack of usual bitterness, the fearless drinker can chug one much faster than their companions sipping more standard styles. READ MORE → A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW The Art of Science Perhaps one of the most salient marks of human ingenuity is our ability to peer into places our eyes were never designed to see. We can now glimpse the birth of distant galaxies with the Webb telescope, or spot structures hidden deep inside the human cell through electron cryomicroscopy. And for decades, scientists have been using remote sensing technologies to monitor the planet. Through an artist’s eye, such technological tools can transcend their scientific purpose to deliver insights about our fast-warming planet that are more likely to resonate with the public. READ MORE → UNION, ILLINOIS Illinois Railway Museum Who doesn’t want to ride in a life-sized Thomas the Tank Engine? That’s one of the many items you might see at the Illinois Railway Museum, located 50 miles northwest of Chicago in Union, Illinois. The museum was founded in 1953 by 10 men who each contributed $100 to purchase Indiana Railroad 65, a recently retired interurban car that was on the verge of being scrapped. Since then, it has grown into the largest collection of historical railway equipment in the United States, filled with working trains including steam, diesel, and electric models. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS The Ancient Legends of Iceland If Iceland is on your bucket list of places to go this year, let us show you the mythical side of the Land of Fire and Ice. On this tour, we’ll traverse the paths of ancient legends and discover the natural secrets of this astonishing land, guided by experts who will reveal the geologic, human, and mystical history of this land. LEARN MORE →