February 01, 2023

ICE AGE DISCOVERIES  America’s Ancient Abattoir  During the last Ice Age, wooly mammoths, bison, caribou, and herds of fuzzy, stocky horses roamed the tundra-like grasslands of Beringia—a now-inundated landmass that once connected Siberia to Alaska and Yukon. Humans were living and hunting in Beringia at this time, too. From the Bluefish Caves, three hollows in a remote limestone ridge in northern Yukon, archaeologists have unearthed some of the oldest known signs of human occupation in North America. Today, these caves are providing scientists with a glimpse into the lives of the Beringian hunters who used them nearly 24,000 years ago.  READ MORE →   GASTRO OBSCURA Dijon’s Last Mustard Maker On any afternoon in the heart of Dijon, you’re bound to find the Edmond Fallot shop bustling with activity. Tourists fill their baskets with local specialties such as gingerbread or crème de cassis, but they’re mainly here for the mustard. This boutique—a satellite of the nearly two-centuries-old Moutarderie Edmond Fallot—has been part of the effort to restore mustard-making to its rightful place in the heart of the historic city. READ MORE →   TORONTO, ONTARIO Berczy Park Dog Fountain Tucked behind Toronto’s Flatiron building is a whimsical, ornate fountain honoring humankind’s best friend. The three tiers of fountain include sculptures of beloved pooches, including a Great Dane puppy, a Bernese Mountain Dog, a giant Schnauzer, and a West Highland Terrier, gleefully spitting spurts of water. Keep an eye out for a cat, too. READ MORE →   ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Experimental Perfumery Led by Saskia Wilson-Brown, the founder and director of The Institute for Art and Olfaction, this course will provide an overview of perfumery—from the history and foundations of the craft to the contemporary industry and experimental perfume practices. Starting with the basics of lab safety for your at-home studio, Saskia will provide a humor-laced, facts-based introduction to the art and science of working with scent. Together, we'll explore fragrance families, materials of natural and synthetic origin, and lab work. ENROLL NOW →   POWERFUL ROYALTY The Queens of Ancient Nubia It’s 30 B.C., and Rome is beginning to eye the wealth of Nubia to the south. Enter Nubia’s queen, Amanirenas, who bested the Romans in battle and eventually negotiated a peace. Queens in ancient Nubia, or Kush, weren't unusual. For centuries, the Kushite kingdoms boasted of female power within its ancient history—but today, few people have heard of Nubia’s mighty queens. We spoke with scholar Solange Ashby about how the study of this incredible legacy of Nubian female power still holds weight in modern movements like Black Lives Matter. READ MORE →   MORRISVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA Fabius Page's Mule and Horse Graveyard Between a major highway and a new apartment development, there is a small patch of pine forest left over from a time when it was all farmland. There, between 1930 and 1946, tobacco farmer Fabius Haywood Page laid to rest his beloved horses and mules. There are 10 graves in all, all in memory of the mules Maud, Kate, Lulu, and Rose, as well as the horses Bessie, Nell, Prince, Starr, Ted, and Dan, named “Best of all” on a gravestone. READ MORE →   THE ATLAS OBSCURA PODCAST Galileo’s Middle Finger In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we go on a journey to examine the preserved middle finger of astronomer, physicist, and engineer Galileo Galilei.   MAPPING OUT HISTORY Modern Map, Ancient Roads Cartographer Sasha Trubetskoy didn’t set out to create a subway-style map of the Roman roads of Britain—not specifically. He had seen plenty of fantasy transit maps online—and thinking he could do better, he turned his sights to ancient Rome and its extensive network of roads across its vast empire. His first map covered the whole empire; then came the calls for an installment specific to the network in Britain. Guess it’s true what they say: all maps lead to Rome. Full map within. READ MORE →   YUNCHENG, CHINA Yuncheng Salt Lake Known as “China’s Dead Sea” for its salinity, Yuncheng Salt Lake has long been the focal point of Yuncheng’s culture and economy. Chinese historians estimate that locals have consciously harvested salt from the lake for 6,000 years, and ancient human remains found in the area suggest that people may have realized the water’s salty benefit even further back. But what turns the lake into such vibrant hues in summer? READ MORE →   LITERARY CLASSICS (MAYBE) An Adults-Only Children’s Book Uncle Shelby’s ABZ Book was the first book written by prolific author, musician, playwright and songwriter Shel Silverstein, then Playboy’s resident cartoonist. The material, a lot of which featured in an earlier issue of Playboy Magazine, has become a literary cult classic, unknown by most, but fiercely adored by ardent fans. Silverstein’s introductory work purports to be an educational tool, bearing the tagline, “A Primer For Tender Young Minds.” But upon the most cursory of inspections, it becomes clear that Uncle Shelby’s ABZ Book is a brazen work of satire. READ MORE →