Why scientists fall for precariously balanced rocks

Crop-growing monoliths, a glacier castle, and a very lit toilet. Email not displaying correctly? View in your browser. January 13, 2020 Falling for Rocks In a way, the mere existence of Balanced Rock—a 290-million-year-old red sandstone boulder naturally perched on a sloped ledge in Garden of the Gods Park—seems like a prank. But some scientists have devoted their lives to studying these enormous, silly rocks. Read More → Crop-Growing Monoliths Archaeologists have long theorized that the monoliths on Easter Island represented family lineage and prosperity, meanings they continue to carry for contemporary people. But recent evidence shows that their creation may have also contributed to agricultural abundance. Read more → Haverhill, Massachusetts Glacial Castle Inspired by the structures and castles in England, the chemist James Nichols built a castle with 35,000 cubic feet of glacial boulders. Read more → Atlas Obscura Trips Extraordinary Island: Puerto Rico's Hidden Wonders In spite of earthquakes and hurricanes, Puerto Rico continues to welcome travelers. The best way to visit and help its recovery: Travel with locals who are shaping the art, culture, and recovery of this extraordinary island. 85% of trip costs will support local businesses, and a portion of profits will support disaster relief in Puerto Rico. Learn more → Nellie Bly Monument In the late 1880s, the reporter Nellie Bly faked her way into an asylum on Blackwell’s Island, now known as Roosevelt Island, in New York’s East River. More than 130 years later, the writer is returning in the form of a monument to her work and the subjects she championed. Read more → This Shit Is Lit Books had a place in some 18th-century bathrooms, but they weren’t always just porcelain throne reading materials. Occasionally, they were highbrow camouflage. Read more → Tattingstone, England Cottages in Disguise An 18th-century estate owner thought these cottages were an eyesore, so he artfully disguised them as a church. Read more → Newport Beach, California Bunnyhenge Fourteen curious and controversial white bunnies are sitting in the municipal center of California’s Newport Beach. Read more → Visit AtlasObscura.com · View in Browser · Unsubscribe · See All Newsletters 61 Greenpoint Ave #622, Brooklyn, NY 11222