Say WOW

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.

 
Crkva Sv. Vida (Church of St. Vitus)...
The Ottoman Empire’s conquest and occupation of most of the Balkans was in full swing by the 16th century, and would collapse by the late 1700s. While the inland portions of the peninsula were under almost complete control, the coastlines had more fluidity based on geographic factors (large mountain ranges that made access difficult) and the presence of other major powers such as the Italian Maritime Republics. Modern-day Croatia occupies most of the Balkans’ Adriatic coast, so it was...

Read More

Moskee van Naarden in Naarden, Netherlands
The 19th and 20th centuries saw a wave of Islamic-inspired architecture across Europe and North America. Known as Neo-Moorish or Moorish Revival, the style borrowed the arches, domes, and ornamentation often seen in Middle Eastern architecture. You can see this style in Dresden, where the former Yenidze Cigarette Factory is often mistaken for a mosque. The Dutch city of Naarden is also home to a former cigarette factory built in the Neo-Moorish Style, which has been nicknamed the “Mosque of...

Read More

The Long, Surprising Legacy of the Hopkinsville...
One main theme of Steven Spielberg’s 1993 classic Jurassic Park may be that amusement parks are incredibly hard to operate, but an equally important lesson of that film (and the Michael Crichton book on which it is based) is that monsters bring families together. Alan Grant has no interest in having children with Ellie Satler, at least until he has to rescue the grandchildren of the park’s founder. They form a makeshift family and the rest is cinema history....

Read More

 
Salt Cave in Fallon, Nevada
Pleistocene Lake Lahontan covered much of western Nevada, with a peak level around 15,000 years ago. As the lake level dropped over the ensuing millennia, wave action along the shore caused substantial erosion, as the lake was still large enough to generate surf. In some cases, the wave action carved out overhangs along the shore, as the surf dug into the material at the shoreline. In addition, due to the chemistry of Lake Lahontan, tufa, a freshwater limestone, was...

Read More

Water of Life Spring in Pernik, Bulgaria
In the southern part of the Vitosha Mountain near Sofia, the green forests hide a little treat for the occasional traveler: A dragon-shaped stone set on a pile of rocks that starts spitting water when you least expect it. The history of the spring is almost unknown, although documented human presence dates back to at least the 12th century when a hermit monk stayed in a nearby cave. The spring itself was first mentioned in the 17th century in...

Read More

Podcast: Kam Wah Chung & Co. Museum
Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we visit a museum in John Day, Oregon, that was once a Chinese general store and medicine shop that dates back to the 1800s. These days it’s a perfectly preserved time capsule, down to the fruit its former owner left on the counter in the 1950s. Tours of the shop are offered seasonally, but you can get a...

Read More

 
Key Features to Evaluate in a Booking...
As the hospitality sector undergoes swift transformations, prioritizing convenience and tailored experiences for all travelers, the pivotal role played by Internet Booking Engines (IBEs) becomes undeniably vital. These digital tools have revolutionized hotels’ operations, helping them achieve the dual goals of maximizing occupancy and revenue. 11 Most Important Booking Engine Features The hotel’s success heavily The post Key Features to Evaluate in a Booking Engine to Maximize Revenue appeared first on Revfine.com.

Read More

'The Major' in Ipswich, England
The public toilets on Ipswich’s Majors Corner have a giant guardian known as the Major. Armed with a flyswatter, the army major, complete with a monocle, mustache, and medals, leans over the building upon which he is perched and aims at the pests below. Like a protector of public convenience, the Major guards toilet users from the giant steel fly that crawls across the restroom’s outer walls.  The public art piece, by artist and sculptor Paul Richardson, was added...

Read More

In Newfoundland, a Bird Spirit May Have...
The harsh winds of the North Atlantic roll ceaselessly across rocky islets off the north coast of Newfoundland. These outcroppings of rock, crowned only in mosses and lichens, serve as cemeteries for people of a lost culture. For centuries, the Beothuk people came to these islands in 18-foot birchbark canoes bearing the bodies of friends and family. The dead were placed in graves dug in the meager soil, or under rocky overhangs, wrapped or covered in birchbark. Bark containers,...

Read More

 
Cottontail on the Trail in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Although its official name may be Cottontail on the Trail, this 1,500-pound bronze sculpture is often referred to affectionately as the “Minnehaha Bunny. It resides just south of the creek of the same name which runs west to east through some of the toniest neighborhoods of south Minneapolis, and parallel to a popular bike path.  Did artist Jeff Barber of Cannon Falls, Minnesota ever imagine that his sculpture would become a seasonal icon, thanks to decorations bestowed upon the giant...

Read More

The World's Largest Chocolate Fountain in Kilchberg,...
Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has caused views of chocolate factories to become rather fantastical, with visions of chocolate rivers, sugar-spun landscapes, and perhaps a rogue oompa-loompa. Most real-life confectionaries are decidedly lower on whimsy, but there are a few noteworthy exceptions. One of these is the Lindt Home of Chocolate, a part of the Kilchberg chocolate factory just outside of Zurich.  Switzerland’s famous chocolate-producer set up the visitor center and museum in 2020 with the hope of...

Read More

OutKast Mural in Atlanta, Georgia
Greenboro, North Carolina street artist JEKS created this tribute to the Grammy-winning, genre-defying Atlanta natives and hip hop legends OutKast. Andre 3000 and Big Boi tower 30 feet over a parking lot of Little Five Points, a streetwear boutique.  The mural references a picture by Jonathan Mannion, a legendary hip-hop photographer. JEKS painted the entire mural freehand in 2019 and it quickly became a prominent local landmark. 

Read More

 
Moai Statue in Wellington, New Zealand
Moai are monolithic sculptures carved by the Rapa Nui people indigenous to an island of the same name (also known as Easter Island). The 3.2-ton moai, gifted by Chile in 2004, symbolizes the friendship between Chile and New Zealand. It also celebrates the connection between the Rapa Nui and New Zealand’s Maori. Located on the south Wellington coast, in Lyall Bay, this moai stands alone, gazing out to sea. The moai primarily serve as living faces representing deified ancestors (aringa...

Read More

Old Sarum Castle in Salisbury, England
Situated in the heart of Wiltshire, Old Sarum represents centuries of history and civilizations layered on top of one another. The site offers a glimpse into eras that have left lasting marks on the landscape.  Although the castle itself dates back to the 11th century, construction on other parts of Old Sarum started around 400 BC. The site evolved from being an Iron Age hillfort, once named Sorviodunum, to a bustling hub of early hunters and farming communities. Archaeological...

Read More

Pioneer Park Aviary in Walla Walla, Washington
Close to the center of Walla Walla is the city’s oldest park, Pioneer Park, which has trails, ponds, record-holding old-growth trees, monuments, and a historic bandstand. What is most astonishing about this park is that in the southwest corner, near the rose garden, you will find a brilliant array of colorful feathers adorning around 200 birds of 30-35 different species, including waterfowl, in enclosed spaces that include incubation and rearing facilities with a care and quarantine area for birds. ...

Read More