In Maine

Oct 17, 2024 | atlasobscura.com | In Maine |A Thread

Portland’s creative scene has always been characterized by resilience and grit: a scrappiness and openness to push boundaries, whether it comes to visual art, food, or design. This artist couple is no exception and their unique works prove that there is so much more to Maine than ocean scenes and lighthouses. Rachel’s artistic style draws upon the whimsical and nostalgic charm of Portland’s West End, and she employs the use of quilting in her design-centric works.

Sep 17, 2024 | atlasobscura.com | In Maine |A Thread |Cara Giaimo

Over the past few months, we’ve run excerpts from our new book, Wild Life: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Living Wonders, which publishes today. This last excerpt is from the introduction, which tries to situate our own species within the web of life. About 7 million years ago, a new twig sprouted on the tree of life. Over time, different animals within this lineage arose and adapted. Just one of these—our own species, Homo sapiens—survives to the present day.

Sep 13, 2024 | atlasobscura.com | In Maine |A Thread |Maggie Downs

Each week, Atlas Obscura is providing a new short excerpt from our upcoming book, Wild Life: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Living Wonders (September 17, 2024). Imagine an Easter egg hunt in the dark—except the eggs can run away from you. That’s what the puffling season is like on Heimaey, a volcanic island in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago along the southern coast of Iceland. Every year in mid-September, lost and confused baby puffins wander the streets at night.

Sep 12, 2024 | atlasobscura.com | In Maine |A Thread |Anne Ewbank

A 15th-century Iranian manuscript of the Shahnama ("The Book of Kings)" depicts a lavish banquet. Among the hundreds of objects at an upcoming exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts Museum, there’s one that stands out: a lovely turquoise-tinted pitcher, shaped like a rooster. Curator Katherine E. Kasdorf calls it “fabulous.” The ewer, she explains, dates back to 13th-century Iran.

Sep 6, 2024 | atlasobscura.com | In Maine |A Thread |Cara Giaimo

Each week, Atlas Obscura is providing a new short excerpt from our upcoming book, Wild Life: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Living Wonders (September 17, 2024). Vultures are not always the most visually appealing birds. But bearded vultures, or lammergeiers, are beautifully done up, with glossy dark wings, long thin goatees, and KISS-worthy eye masks. Their chests, heads, and legs are especially impressive, colored the rich red brown of polished mahogany.