What legendary beasts might we discover to be not so legendary after all?
atlas obscura
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Elusive, Maddening Mystery of the Bell Witch
“A classic ghost story has something to say about America—200 years ago, 100 years ago, and today.”
Posted inEditor's Pick
The Farmer Trying to Save Italy’s Ancient Olive Trees
“A fast-spreading bacteria could cause an olive-oil apocalypse.”
Posted inNonfiction
Before Donating Your Body Was a Choice
Whose nervous system is stretched out in a glass case at Drexel University’s medical campus?
Posted inHighlight, Quotes, Science & Nature
Life Under (Water) Pressure
Welcome to the dangerous, cramped world of the saturation diver, and the extraordinary strangeness of working 500 feet under the sea.
Posted inNonfiction, Top 5
The Top 5 Longreads of the Week
This week, we’re sharing stories from Jennifer Gonnerman, Evan Allen, Britni de la Cretaz, Jen Banbury, and Gordon Edgar.
Posted inNonfiction, Story
In China, Searching for Mysterious Gaps in the Family Tree
China’s revolution made it difficult for Chinese abroad to stay in contact with their families. Now many in the diaspora are searching for their roots.
Posted inNonfiction
Catholic Churches Built Secret Astronomical Features Into Churches to Help Save Souls
After centuries of war, Catholicism and science reconciled over meridian lines.
Posted inNonfiction, Story
Catholic Churches Built Secret Astronomical Features Into Churches to Help Save Souls
After centuries of war, Catholicism and science reconciled over meridian lines.
Posted inNonfiction, Reading List
A Reading List About Utopias
Here are five stories about utopian societies.