The Canadian Arctic was once warm, humid, and swampy

How to mudlark, Phillip II’s chair, and Sydney’s surprising salty wastewater. Email not displaying correctly? View in your browser. January 06, 2020 From Swamp to Arctic Ellesmere Island, in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago just north and west of Greenland, is an icy, snowy polar desert. It's often barren, except for a few animals, grasses, and small plants, but millions of years ago, it most likely resembled the humid, murky swamps of Florida or the temperate rainforests of British Columbia. Read More → Finding History With London’s Mudlarks Today’s mudlarks are hobbyists, in pursuit of old pilgrimage badges, bits of Saxon pottery, or ancient coins. But back in centuries past, it was a profession of sorts for some of the city’s destitute, who wandered around the festering, open sewer of the Thames in search of anything they could sell to survive. Read more → San Lorenzo de el Escorial, Spain Phillip II’s Chair According to tradition, King Phillip II supervised construction of the seat of his empire from this seat carved into rock. Read more → Atlas Obscura Trips Jordan: Ancient Ruins and Legendary Landmarks Explore magnificent Petra, float in the Dead Sea, and ride a camel across the desert. For 13 days, we'll uncover the fascinating past of this ancient country. And we'll see Biblical landmarks, spectacular mosques, and Roman ruins. Join us in May or October to learn why "Lawrence of Arabia" was so drawn to these rugged desert landscapes. Learn more → Fish Flock to Sydney’s Super-Salty Wastewater In 2019, Australia ushered in the new year by shooting off fireworks and restarting the Sydney Desalination Plant, which converts seawater into clean drinking water using reverse osmosis. But the salty discharge from this solution for drought is having unexpected effects on nearby fish. Read more → From the archives ‘Horn OK Please’ The phrase ‘Horn OK Please,’ is ubiquitous to driving in India. However, it’s intriguing for two reasons: the first being that it doesn’t seem to make grammatical sense, and the second for the question it raises—why would Indian trucks be encouraging drivers to honk their horns? Read more → 12 Easy-to-Access Natural Wonders Many of the buses and trains that we take to work can lead to some incredible sights. From a brightly colored salt lake to a retreating glacier, these are 12 natural wonders that are accessible by public transportation. Read more → Rsovci, Serbia Bald Jesus Fresco In a small village in the Balkan Mountains there is a church with a peculiar fresco. The church of St. Peter and Paul is home to “Jesus the Bridegroom,” a depiction of Jesus that is notable for his bald head. Read more → Visit AtlasObscura.com · View in Browser · Unsubscribe · See All Newsletters 61 Greenpoint Ave #622, Brooklyn, NY 11222