Sarah Laskow's User Profile - Atlas Obscura

Sarah Laskow

Former Atlas Obscura staff writer

2015
joined atlas
obscura

countries
I've visited

places
I've been

places
I want to go

places
published

foods
I've tried

foods
I want to try

A Volcano Helped Iceland Convert to Christianity

The 10th-century Eldgjá eruption looked a lot like the end of the world.

Thomas Edison Was an Early Adopter of the Word ‘Bug’

In an 1878 letter, he uses the term to refer to a technological glitch.

No One Has Been Able to Visit Wisconsin's Spectacular Ice Caves This Year

Another winter has passed without a safe route.

The Forgotten History of the Controversial Sister Serpents

A feminist art collective stirred up trouble in the 1990s before fading from view.

Sold: Isaac Newton's Notes on the Philosopher's Stone

The famous physicist's interest in alchemy was hidden until the 1930s.

Book Towns Are Made for Book Lovers

Around the world, tiny towns have made bookstores their speciality.

The Unique 'Sea Tractor' That Carries Passengers Over the Waves

When the tide comes in, this unusual vehicle brings visitors to Burgh Island in England.

After the Last Great Auks Died, We Lost Their Remains

Before they went extinct, great auks were some of the world's most fascinating creatures.

The Hidden Problems With Puerto Rico's Water Supply

Hurricane Maria exacerbated long-term issues, and researchers are only just starting to understand how.

The Struggle of Keeping a Roadside Attraction Alive

After the death of its founder, the future of Wild Bill's Nostalgia is cloudy.

A 10-Foot Long, 11,000-Year-Old Sponge Skeleton Has a Hidden Use

The "sponge record" can tell scientists about the climate of the past.

An 1888 Road Trip Sparked Germany's Romance With Cars

But now diesel models, at least, could be banned in city centers.

February 28, 2018

What a Chart of Urine Tells Us About the History of Color Printing

A 1506 medical text included a diagnostic guide, but it was best used with caution.

February 27, 2018

An Incredible Collection of Marian Anderson's Life Is Getting Digitized

The famous singer's archive includes performances, diaries, and scrapbooks.

February 26, 2018

The Mystery of the Fog Holes That Form Over Cities

Satellites captured a strange phenomenon in foggy places across the world.

February 23, 2018

America's Secret Ice Base Won't Stay Frozen Forever

Climate change is turning a Cold War project into an environmental hazard.

February 22, 2018

conspiracy theories

Russia's Most Popular Conspiracy Theory Is All But Unknown in the U.S.

It implicates American intelligence in undermining Russian culture.

February 20, 2018

Reimagining How Plants Began to Take Over the Planet

A series of studies takes a new look at the evolution of early land plants.

February 19, 2018

What Are Snow Rollers?

Understanding a rare phenomenon.

February 15, 2018

The Best Things Found Between the Pages of Old Books

Atlas Obscura readers shared hundreds of stories about their surprising discoveries.

February 15, 2018

How to Find the Tesla Roadster in the Sky

NASA has listed the car as a celestial object.

February 9, 2018

Where Old, Unreadable Documents Go to Be Understood

A transcriber on the Isle of Man can decipher almost anything.

February 8, 2018

Tell Us About the Most Amazing Things You've Found in Old Books

What fascinating artifacts have you discovered while reading?

February 7, 2018

Find the Goat in This U.S. Military Parade

In 1898, Thomas Edison Inc. filmed 300 Marines, the Marine band, and one ruminant on the march.

February 7, 2018