March 13, 2023

THE LAST OF US IRL  Cooking with Cordyceps If you’ve played the videogame or watched the recent dramatization of The Last of Us, you may have noticed that Cordyceps, or “zombie fungus”, is having a moment. Cordyceps is a genus, and its approximate 750 identified species across the world have been infecting a range of caterpillars, flies, and ants, for around 48 million years—but humans have likewise found ways to devour these ruthless mushrooms. Now, mycologists and citizen scientists are leading the newest cohort of mushroom enthusiasts in the uses of Cordyceps militaris as both a medicine and dinner. READ MORE →   UNTOLD HISTORY  The Women Who Led Slave Revolts In 1770, the slave ship The Unity faced three uprisings in less than a month, all involving female African captives. Historian Rebecca Hall, author of the graphic novel Wake: The Hidden History of Women-Led Slave Revolts, says that’s not an anomaly; enslaved women and female captives led numerous uprisings, such as those onboard The Unity. We spoke with Hall about why she’s drawn to these women, such as “the Negro Wench” who led a 1708 slave revolt in New York City, and their enduring legacy.  READ MORE →   UNUSUAL ITINERARIES Hidden Hollywood Hollywood Boulevard is world-famous—for the Oscars and the Walk of Fame, for schlocky souvenir shops and crowded tour buses. But beyond the terrazzo stars and the occasional celebrity sighting, there’s plenty left to discover, from a hidden forest to a classic camera collection.  READ MORE →   ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Recording Oral History At its core, oral history is about listening and connecting through a person’s lived experience. Oral history interviewing gives us a chance to slow down, listen, and spend time in deep conversation together, and we’ll cover how to do this in a four-week workshop led by oral historian Meral Agish. By the end of our time together, you’ll have a project plan in place and be well prepared to record your own oral history interviews. ENROLL NOW →   ART WORLD NEWS ‘Art Dropping’ Imagine while on your morning coffee run, you find a package on a bench wrapped in brown paper, with a note saying there’s art inside. Opening the package reveals an original piece of art—while it may be surprising, it’s sure to make your day. This is the spirit of International Art and Found Day, where artists around the world place free artworks around their cities, designed for local residents to take the art home. READ MORE →   MOGOLLON, NEW MEXICO Cosmic Campground Cosmic Campground International Dark Sky Sanctuary is the first International Dark Sky Sanctuary located on National Forest System lands and also in North America. It is also one of only 14 certified IDA Sanctuaries in the world, and is perfect for stargazers. READ MORE →   GASTRO OBSCURA Smuggling a Sandwich Into Space John Young, who passed away in early 2018 at the age of 87, was the longest-serving astronaut in NASA history. Since his first flight in 1965, Young spent 835 hours in space and walked on the Moon. By all accounts, he had a stellar career. But it was almost derailed by a corned beef sandwich. READ MORE →   NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA Rice Family Mausoleum While New Orleans might be known for its food and drink scene and party atmosphere, for fans of gothic literature it brings to mind one name: Anne Rice. The best-selling author was born and raised in the city, and would set many of her works there. She’s interred alongside her husband and daughter in a New Orleans cemetery. READ MORE →   ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS The Silk Road of Central Asia Join us on an epic, two-week, four-country road trip as we wind through Kazakh bazaars, wade in Kyrgyzstan’s glassy Issyk-kul lake, discover Soviet relics, explore a former Soviet military base in Tajikistan, and wander through Uzbekistan’s ancient Silk Road cities. Don't miss out! BOOK NOW →