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Suborbital space tourism finally arrives | FCC prepares to run public C-band auction | The big four in the U.S. launch industry — United Launch Alliance, SpaceX, Blue Origin and Northrop Grumman — hope to be one of two providers that will receive five-year contracts later this year to launch national security payloads starting in 2022. | China’s launch rate stays high | The International Space Station is the largest ever crewed object in space.

 
Grave of World’s Largest Twins in Hendersonville,...
The McCrary Twins, better known by their stage name, McGuire Twins, became iconic Guinness Book of World Record holders of the title of World’s Heaviest Twins. Both Benny and Billy McCrary were known for posing on their trademark mini-motorcycles and for their professional wrestling careers. Their formidable size earned them a photo in LIFE magazine, as well as a regular preforming slot in Las Vegas. In life, the twins each weighed more than 700 pounds—the result of a rubella...

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Malakeh in Berlin, Germany
There’s no shortage of standout dining in Berlin’s flourishing culinary scene, but one restaurant shines with an extraordinary origin story and home-cooked, traditional dishes. Syrian eatery Malakeh is not just about heartfelt food; it showcases the resilience of its chef-owner Malakeh Jazmati. Before coming to Berlin in 2015, Malakeh fled war-torn Syria and hosted a cooking show on Orient TV (an anti-government station broadcasting across the Middle East from Jordan). Determined to introduce cherished cultural flavors to her newfound community,...

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Mount Scenery in Saba, Caribbean Netherlands
One of the most rigorous climbs in the Caribbean is to the top of Mount Scenery, Saba, at 887 meters or nearly 3,000 feet above sea level. The national park trail takes climbers to the highest point of the island, which is also the highest point in the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The steep, and sometimes slippery path due to tropical moisture, is a challenging 1000-step ascent to the top with views on clear days of neighboring St. Barts,...

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Cowboy Ruckus in Vaughn, New Mexico
Two giant cowboys, each 18 feet high each to be exact, have been locked in a standoff since 2016. One cowboy points accusingly at the other who shrugs in confusion. Each stands facing each other across Highway US-285 in New Mexico, about 300 feet apart. The cutouts are based on Mike and Mark Marley, the ranchers who own these plots of land.  The wooden cutout figures were created by artist, John Cerney, best known for his larger-than-life plywood cut-out...

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The Intan in Singapore
The Intan is a one-of-a-kind boutique museum with over 5,000 Peranakan artifacts, a unique culture that came to be in the 15th century in Southeast Asia. In a relatively young Singapore, which became an independent sovereign country in 1965, this is quite a rare treat.  The Intan is also nestled in the charming precinct of Joo Chiat which has been designated as Singapore’s first Heritage Town by the government.  The Intan’s curator and owner, Alvin Yapp, lives in the museum....

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Padaliai-Čiobiškis Ferry in Čiobiškis, Lithuania
While most ferries used to carry vehicles or pedestrians across a river are powered by a motor or paddles, the Padaliai-Čiobiškis ferry is one of only a handful of its kind in Lithuania that harnesses only the river current. Historical sources mention a ferry used to cross the river Neris at this location as far back as the 19th century. In 1912, the occupying Tsarist Government decided to construct a bridge at this spot instead. However, as the First...

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St. Bridget's Church in Gdańsk, Poland
Despite being nearly obliterated during World War II, St. Bridget’s Church in central Gdańsk was reconstructed in the 1970s based on the original designs dating back to the late 14th and early 15th centuries. Legend has it that this grand church was erected on the grounds of a small chapel where the remains of the 14th-century saint and mystic, Bridget of Sweden, lay for a few days, as they were carried from Rome to Sweden in 1374. This event...

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The Mountain Submarine in Central City, Colorado
No one is sure why, but in 1898 Rufus T. Owens of Central City, Colorado (elevation 9,000 feet) decided to build a submarine, which he named the Nautilus. He and a few friends launched it on nearby Missouri Lake. They ballasted it with three tons of rocks. Owens intended to captain the maiden voyage himself, but fortunately for him, the submarine sank before he had a chance to climb inside. For nearly 50 years, the submarine lay on the...

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Podcast: The Golem
Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we peek into the life and work of the artist Niki de Saint Phalle, who was behind a strange but wildly popular playground sculpture in Jerusalem. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating...

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Moving Stones Has a Magical Effect at...
Eight large stones sit in a field outside a hut in Scotland. The biggest one is as tall as Norman Haddow’s knee, yet he lifts it with ease and brings it inside the small turf-roofed building. He then goes back outside to collect the remaining rocks, which are ready to return to their stone shrine. No one knows exactly how many there were when the tradition started, but the small boulder selection today comes in all different shapes and...

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USS Salem in Quincy, Massachusetts
Docked within the Weymouth Fore River is one of the last remnants of the old Fore River Shipyard owned and operated by General Dynamics. The USS Salem (CA-139) was one of three heavy cruisers built for the U.S. Navy and is currently the only surviving example of that class of ship anywhere in the world. Like all museum ships, the Salem carries a unique story about its service and preservation. However, it also has a reputation only a handful of other preserved...

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Path of Peace in Stavanger, Norway
The plaques are the footprints of several Noble Peace Laureates and peace advocates that form a short trail around Vågen Bay. This path is referred to as the Path of Peace and is an ongoing project by the Point of Peace Foundation, a human rights organization based in Stavanger. The footprints include those of Desmond Tutu, Aung San Suu Kyi, Al Gore, Dr Ime John, and the 14th Dalai Lama. Desmond Tutu got his Noble Peace recognition for his...

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At a Haunted Grocery Store, Trying to...
Deep in a forest, near Norway’s eastern border with Sweden, lies a small village. Researchers studying the unexplained, disturbing phenomena here—and their effect on locals—have asked that we not name it. The main drag, such as it is, is lined with trees and well-spaced houses. There’s a gas station, and a church with a tall steeple. One of the largest buildings, a quaint-looking old white farmhouse, contains the town’s grocery store. Ghostbusters and supernatural enthusiasts have flocked to the...

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Communication and Laptop Museum in Mustahamba, Estonia
This place is probably one of the most remote museums that you can find in Estonia. While getting there, you’ll have to get off the tarmac and enjoy the unpaved and curvy roads of Võru County. Just follow the signs and you’ll be fine. It’s not a very big museum, but every available inch of space is used to showcase the history of telecommunications in Estonia. It starts from the Soviet occupation era and covers the transition over the...

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Little Lost Cemetery in Parsippany-Troy Hills,...
Little Lost Cemetery, Parsippany, New Jersey, is home to just 14 headstones, this small cemetery is thought to have once served an orphanage known as the Morris County Childrens’ Home, prior to the children’s transfer to Ailanthus Hall. When the hall burned, all that remained as a reminder was this burial ground. Once forgotten, it has, in recent times been revived through the efforts of passionate locals.

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