Atlas Obscura

@atlasobscura.com

The definitive guide to the world's hidden wonders 🗺️ Start exploring at atlasobscura.com

If you'd like something of a break from the news...I have a new column up at Atlas Obscura, on the Lost Colony of Roanoke, and how we use unsolved mysteries to, in the words of historian Robert Arner, to transform "unacceptable facts into at least minimally acceptable fictions.”

The Lingering Mystery of the 'Lost Colony' of Roanoke

From historians to horror writers to white nationalists, attempts to explain the settlement's fate reveal a great deal about our own attitudes.

atlasobscura.com

NEW: Have you ever wondered what lies beneath all of Antarctica's ice? Well, thanks to 70 years' worth of surveys, you can see! Take a look at this map: it reveals a hidden world of mountains and canyons not seen for 35 million years. Me @atlasobscura.com www.atlasobscura.com/articles/ant...

This Is the Most Detailed Map of Antarctica Ever Made

Scientists compiled decades of data to reveal the continent hiding beneath millions of miles of ice.

atlasobscura.com

In March 2024, Deb Manley, a volunteer in Big Bend National Park, Texas, uploaded photos of a small, low-lying plant covered in silvery fuzz to the species identification app iNaturalist. Not only was this the first recorded sighting on the app, it was the first sighting, period: buff.ly/h5dDfgt

BildBild

When springtime arrives in the Dutch town of Lisse, so do the vibrant blooms of more than seven million bulbs along Keukenhof Gardens' twisting pathways and serene ponds.⁠ Read the full story of its history here: buff.ly/B5pgnxT

BildBild

You're look at one of the "seven wonders" of Long Island, New York. Yup, it's a real big duck. This giant, duck-shaped poultry store was built in 1931 by an enterprising farmer, Martin Maurer, as a ploy to sell stuff. Read the full story: buff.ly/gYJvuqW

BildBild