Karen Chernick's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Gastro Obscura
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passover

This Challah Is Key to Good Fortune After Passover

Shlissel challah is a centuries-old Jewish tradition.
April 20, 2022
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printing

The Puzzling Provenance of Historic Hebrew Type

It's hard to match the letters with their creators.
April 9, 2021
Gastro Obscura
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cookies

For Sale: Two Cookie Jars From Andy Warhol's Massive Collection

They sat on top of a fridge for decades.
February 16, 2021
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buildings

Philadelphia's 'Building Ghosts' Have a Lot to Say

Meet a duo on the hunt for remains of demolished rowhouses.
February 2, 2021
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construction

Inside the World of British Brickophiles

To devoted collectors, the humble building materials are full of stories—and well worth stockpiling.
January 5, 2021
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earthworks

How Drones Help Archaeologists Peer Into the Earth

A late-night drone flight spotted a large, circular earthwork beneath a field in Kansas.
October 9, 2020
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satellite

The Archaeologists Who Unlocked Cold War Spy Photos of Israel

Their efforts convinced the U.S. to declassify CIA images from America's first satellite program.
September 28, 2020
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black history

The Hidden Histories of Black Americans in Paris

Follow in the footsteps of James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, and Langston Hughes.
August 21, 2020
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ceramics

A $9 Million Chinese Vase Turned Up in a Central European Cupboard

It may have been crafted for the Qianlong emperor more than 275 years ago.
July 24, 2020
Gastro Obscura
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fruit

Around Italy in Vintage Citrus-Growing Technology

A photography project is capturing the age-old ingenuity of fruit farmers.
June 29, 2020
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paper

The Delightful Doodles and Hidden Scribbles on the Backs of Artworks

George Eksts has digitized 200,000 works on paper. Several hundred had writings or drawings on the back.
May 27, 2020
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slavery

Philadelphia Will Finally Memorialize an Enslaved Woman Freed in 1776

Dinah is a local legend for saving Stenton House—but she should be remembered for much more.
April 30, 2020
Gastro Obscura
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coffee

How a Coffee Blend Defined an Era of Israeli Politics

Israel's only female prime minister favored a potent roast that carries her name.
November 20, 2019
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nuns

A Nun's 450-Year-Old 'Last Supper' Makes Its Museum Debut in Florence

Plautilla Nelli was likely the first woman in history to paint the iconic biblical scene.
October 17, 2019