roxannehoorn's User Profile - Atlas Obscura

roxannehoorn

https://www.roxannehoorn.com/

2023
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7 Stories of Ghosts in Weird Places

From a Norwegian grocery store to a town hall in Spain, hauntings can happen where we least expect them.

October 25, 2024

Mexico's Vampire Witch Has a Twisted Origin Story

The terrifying teyollohcuani is a shape-shifter of ancient indigenous lore, dark colonial history, and pop culture.

October 23, 2024

Inside the Weird World of Corn Mazes

The a-maize-ing history of getting lost among the stalks.

October 8, 2024

7 Stories That Show Just How Metal the Nordics Are

From Viking werewolves to snacking on pickled ram's testicles, Europe's northernmost countries are badass.

September 27, 2024

This Mummy Cheese Is Full of Ancient Secrets

The world's oldest known cheese holds the key to kefir's mysterious origins.

September 25, 2024

5 Stories to Make You Fall in Love With Autumn

It's the season of harvest-guarding stones and cities of squash.

September 19, 2024

Can You Outsmart a Raccoon?

Recent studies show just how tricky these trash pandas can be, from opening locks to nabbing DoorDash orders.

August 30, 2024

Stonehenge Has a Scottish Heart

Long thought to be from Wales, the monument's Altar Stone is from northern Scotland, nearly 500 miles away.

August 14, 2024

The Return of the Ojibwe Pony, the Midwest's Native Horse

A rare breed once on the brink of extinction is making a comeback on their ancestral lands.

Whipping Up Pad Thai (and More) in the Wilderness

Dehydrating tasty food at home is easier than you think.

The Tale of the Vanishing Summer Camp Ghost Story

To avoid traumatizing children, many camps are banning scary stories. But can a little fun with fear be a good thing?

How to Consult an Onion Oracle

From the Midwest to a tiny town in Italy, the tradition of weather-predicting onions lives on.

rites of spring

Have You Seen a Dark Watcher?

Cryptic characters lurk in California's mountains. Or maybe it's just the weather.

rites of spring

Meet the Creatures and Creators Behind Bali’s Parade for Banishing Evil Spirits

On the night before the Balinese New Year, villagers bring monsters to life—and then burn them.

Meet the Giant Salmon With a Weaponized Mustache

Spike-toothed salmon grew nearly nine feet long and sported tusk-like teeth.

Decoding the Sacred Genetics of Japan's Sika Deer

The deer of Nara Park are part of a millennium-old genetic lineage—does that make them more deserving of protection?

Why Clouds Vanish During Solar Eclipses

New research explains the science behind the sudden disappearance of fluffy cumulus clouds during a solar eclipse.

countdown to the eclipse 2024

Indigenous Solar Eclipse Stories From Across Turtle Island

From rodents of unusual size to flaming arrows, communities across North America share solar eclipse traditions.

Baby Sea Stars Are Voracious Predators That Might Just Save an Ecosystem

Along the Pacific Coast, fast and furious sunflower sea stars are vicious hunters as adults—and they're even hungrier when young.

February 27, 2024

The Weird and Wonderful World of Sex Under the Sea

From penis dueling to pee potions to switching sexes, there’s no one right way of getting it on in the ocean.

February 21, 2024

Could Fish Sex Be Keeping Floridians Up at Night?

The mating calls of black drum fish might be the source of Tampa's mysterious thumping bass.

February 2, 2024

This Team of Indigenous Women Sculpts Stories in Snow

Team Kwe honors their Anishinaabe roots in the art and sport of snow sculpting.

February 1, 2024

For Sale: A Mouse-Infested Roman Helmet That's Stumping Historians

Are the mysterious mice adorning this 1,800-year-old helmet part of an ancient joke?

January 31, 2024

New Species of Octopus Thrives in Deep Sea Nurseries

At warm, deep sea springs off Costa Rica's Pacific Coast, throngs of octopus "balls" gather to tend their brood.

January 16, 2024