Atlas Obscura - Places Newsletter

Inside the dastardly Affair of the Poisons

06-13-2024

The spiciest places in the world, an occult imposter, and more.
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	June 13, 2024

Where Has the Spiciest Foods?

Trendlines don’t lie. As this chart shows, in warmer countries, people eat spicier food. Conversely, the colder the climate, the fewer spicy ingredients in your cuisine. (Which may explain why Denmark recently recalled a popular Korean instant ramen brand for being too spicy.) The three-pepper question is: Why do dishes in hotter climates use more spices?

Spice Is Nice →

The Affair of the Poisons

In the late 1660s and early 1670s, influential members of the French nobility began to die, unexpectedly and close upon one another. Autopsies showed their insides blackened and corroded. A fever for poisoning and witchcraft seemed to have infected the court. This was the “Affair of the Poisons,” a rather misleading name for one of the largest witch trials in modern history.

Kamiiso no Torii

Originally founded circa 856, Ōarai-Isosaki Shrine is dedicated to the deity Ōnamuchi-no-mikoto, one of the central figures in Japanese mythology, who is said to have once landed on a rock off the coast of Ōarai. Later, the rock was topped with a torii gate, marking the holy ground.

Sponsored by Lincoln

Panoramic Discoveries: Mono Lake

Embark on a journey to Mono Lake, an otherworldly destination set against the stunning backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Marvel at its epic pink sunsets, giant limestone tufa towers, and vibrant wildflower blooms that adorn its shores. Just as Mono Lake offers a glimpse into nature's wonders, the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus Hybrid® is crafted to immerse you in a world of exploration and discovery.

Unmasking a 19th Century Occult Imposter

Meet Madame Helena Blavatsky. In 1875, she launched a group with the grand title of the Theosophical Society. Members would search out a higher class of supernatural beings: the “Mahatmas,” whom Blavatsky had allegedly met in Tibet, who could ship their souls anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice through “astral projection.” Miracles abounded. Or did they?

Cambridge, Massachusetts

O'Reilly Spite House

When his neighbor refused to buy his investment parcel of land, Francis O’Reilly did what any even-minded, well-mannered, neighborly guy would do: he built a spite house. O’Reilly’s ire presented itself as a 308-square-foot home in West Cambridge. At 37 feet long, the property only allowed for the home to be 8 feet wide, and so it is.

Atlas Obscura Courses

Exploring the Aurora Borealis

In May 2024, we approached a solar maximum, a peak in one of the sun’s critical timecycles. Around the world, people looked up to marvel at the fluorescent beams of the northern lights, marking the strongest solar storm witnessed in over twenty years. Join us for these three sessions, where we’ll explore the history of solar storms, the science behind them, and what they mean for us here on Earth.

The Xbox Inventor Also Baked 4,500-Year-Old Bread

A trained physicist and video game producer credited with inventing the Xbox, Seamus Blackley is also an experienced baker and amateur Egyptologist. These two loves collided when Blackley extracted 4,500-year-old dormant yeast samples from ancient Egyptian baking vessels and revived them in his home kitchen, quite literally bringing history to life.

Sumida Hokusai Museum

Many people who are vaguely familiar with classical Japanese art have probably seen pictures of ukiyo-e, or Japanese woodblock prints. One of the most famous works that may come to mind is a print called The Great Wave off the Coast of Kanagawa, crafted by one of the great masters of ukiyo-e, Katsushika Hokusai. Seeking to honor his legacy, the local government of Sumida funded the construction of a museum dedicated to the artist’s work near his birthplace.

Sponsored by Visit NC

The Mystery of the Brown Mountain Lights

Amidst the majestic peaks of Brown Mountain in North Carolina lies a phenomenon that defies explanation. Join Dan Caton, an astronomer and astrophysicist at Appalachian State University, as he recounts his encounter with the elusive Brown Mountain Lights—a series of perplexing light orbs that have captivated imaginations for generations. Listen now to the latest episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast to uncover the secrets hidden in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

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