February 06, 2023

SAVING HISTORY  Ireland’s Fairy Forts  If you come across a medieval ring fort, maybe proceed with caution. There are some 32,000 ring forts, or “fairy forts,” scattered across Ireland, and their origin stories usually involve folktales around fairies. Many of the stories share a similar plot: Someone disrupts a fairy fort and then falls ill, loses a limb, or dies. Archaeologists know, of course, that fairies didn’t build these ring forts—people did. So how did these tales take on such a supernatural bent? READ MORE →   WILDLIFE Can Beavers Solve Climate Change? When Europeans first arrived in North America, they found a landscape dense with hardwood forests, braided with abundant waterways and teeming with one of the world’s most valuable species: the beaver (Castor canadensis), which was immediately hunted for its fur. By the mid-19th century, North America’s beavers were almost extinct, which spelled disaster for the continent. Without beavers to build dams and shape waterways, North America became drier, less ecologically resilient, and more vulnerable to destruction from intense storms and wildfires. READ MORE →   GASTRO OBSCURA Deliciously Decadent Carnival Traditions Nothing says “feast” like “impending fast.” Every February and March, in preparation for a month-plus of abstention and prayer for Lent, Catholics and Eastern Orthodox Christians from Brazil to Poland get their fleshly desires out of their systems in carnivals showcasing dancing, dress-up, and delicious food. From potato doughnuts to a cake with a baby Jesus inside, here are 11 indulgences to, well, indulge in. READ MORE →   ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Think Like A Museum Museums tell deliberate stories. The decisions that shape those stories, who tells them, what’s exhibited, and what’s omitted, often unfold outside of the purview of museum-goers. But what if we could bring museum-making into our own homes and worlds? In this course, the Director of the Museum of Broken Relationships in Los Angeles will help you explore what museums and collections really are, how they take shape, and how to responsibly curate one of your own. STARTS TOMORROW—ENROLL NOW →   LOCAL SPECIALITIES The ‘Boston Cooler’ In August 1924, a reader contributed a recipe to the Detroit Free Press for “a nectar that the Olympians pined for but didn’t know how to make.” The name of this sweet, godly elixir? The Boston Cooler. It makes sense that a Detroiter would wax poetic about the Boston Cooler, since Motown has become synonymous with the sweet treat. Though the Boston Cooler—originally a cocktail of rum, lime, and soda water—was born in Massachusetts in the late 1800s, its final form is here in Detroit: vanilla ice cream stirred in a glass of Vernors ginger ale until smooth. READ MORE →   SAVANNAH, GEORGIA Plant Riverside There’s a lot to love about Plant Riverside, a former groundbreaking power plant turned hotel. The shimmering hotel incorporates elements of the power plant, like the iconic smokestacks, but also includes a colossal chrome dinosaur skeleton, a museum of sorts showcasing dozens of dazzling geological wonders, and some of the largest chunks of meteorite on display in the United States. READ MORE →   SPONSORED BY VISIT MISSOURI The Haunting of Missouri State Penitentiary Nearly a hundred years before Alcatraz, there was the Missouri State Penitentiary. Opened in 1836, this was the oldest operating prison west of the Mississippi River until it closed in 2004. Countless injuries, deaths and a major inmate riot led Time Magazine to call the prison “the bloodiest 47 acres in America.” Today, guides and guests alike attest to the apparitions, unusual sounds, and eerie vibes filling the storied halls. LEARN MORE →   WILDLIFE Mumbai’s Coastal Subjects Mumbai-born photographer Sarang Naik’s surprising, wondrous images of terrestrial wildlife have earned him accolades. But his favorite subjects are found on Mumbai’s shores in its tidal pools. As a member of Marine Life of Mumbai, a volunteer-run collective, Naik has helped document dozens of species in this intertidal zone, hoping to highlight both the city’s rich coastal biodiversity and the desperate race to protect it from development. READ MORE →   ROME, ITALY The Dome Illusion The Jesuit church of Saint Ignazio was supposed to have a glorious dome, but when the money ran out in 1642, the plans were scrapped. This setback, however, did nothing to deter the painter and Jesuit brother, Andrea Pozzo. He proposed that he paint a life-sized illusion of a dome that would fool the eyes of visitors (as long as they looked up from the proper angle). His masterpiece, painted between 1685 and 1694, still deceives the eye today. READ MORE →   ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS Iceland in Summer Looking to kick off your summer of wonder? Why not start with Iceland’s mythical side? While Iceland is renowned worldwide for its sensational scenery and extraordinary natural wonders, beneath the surface lies a unique history waiting to be discovered. On this tour, we’ll join expert guides, who will lead us on a circumnavigation of Iceland with a focus on storytelling as they reveal the geologic, human, and mystical history of this land. Space on spring and summer dates won’t last long—book soon for May and June! BOOK NOW →