15 places where borders get a little strange

A lookout tower with a history, how to make ‘cookies of joy,’ and more. It's Thursday! You're almost at the end of the week, so let's start wrapping this week up right. Come join us as we tap into [15 strange borders]( learn about the [trailblazing "only women"]( that broke barriers, and [try our hand at making "cookies of joy."]( Who doesn't need some of that, right? Scroll for more. 15 Strange Borders Borders are one of the defining geopolitical concepts of the modern world—separating countries and people, crafted through conflict and cooperation, disputed in every way possible. In some places, borders seem to take a life of their own, with each one containing its own story. From an easy way to cross the Arctic Circle to visit Santa, to a little lost bit of Michigan in Ohio, here are some of our favorite weird borders. [READ MORE →]( Places of the Day Devil’s Head Lookout Tower Sedalia, Colorado This Colorado fire station has been in continuous operation for more than a century, and was the first duty station in America to have a female fire lookout. [READ MORE →]( Stubentor Metro Station City Wall Remains Wien, Austria These are the remains of the city gate located in the area. Though it was destroyed in 1858, ruins of the city walls remain in the metro station. [READ MORE →]( 'Ancient' Catacombs Washington, D.C. Though these passages underneath Washington D.C. may look ancient, they were actually built at the turn of the 20th century by a well meaning group of Franciscan monks. [READ MORE →]( History’s ‘Only Women’ For several years, documentary filmmaker Immy Humes has been collecting photos of what she calls “only women”—photographs that depict lone women as they made their way into a man’s world, breaking barriers along the way. Her passion has culminated in her first book called The Only Woman, a compilation of one hundred photographs spanning time, space, race, cultures, and occupation. [READ MORE →]( Eat Like a Medieval Saint Hildegard of Bingen was a 12th-century nun, mystic, prophet, and healer. In a series of books, she relayed messages from God that ranged from the metaphysical to the practical, along with divinely inspired recipes said to cure everything from leprosy to lung disease to the common cold. For matters of melancholy, try her “cookies of joy” (or “nerve cookies”), wielding the key ingredients of spelt flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves to “calm all bitterness of the heart and mind, open your heart and impaired senses, and make your mind cheerful.” Worth a shot. [READ MORE →]( The Lost Boys of Robber’s Cave It’s a hot summer night in Oklahoma in 1954. Two groups of boys are on the property of a state park. One group is called the Rattlers; the other, the Eagles. These two boys thought they were going to summer camp in Robber’s Cave State Park. But what they didn’t know was that they’d been recruited for a different kind of summer experience: a psychological experiment. [LISTEN ON OUR SITE →]( [LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS →]( [LISTEN ON SPOTIFY →]( [LISTEN ON STITCHER →]( A Cheetah’s Emotional Support Dog Cheetahs and dogs weren’t always friends. And at first glance, the feline-and-canine couple seems an odd pairing—one that turns heads for its cuteness, if not its unconventionality. But the practice of rearing young cheetahs with a canine companion has become a major means of relaxing the notoriously nervous cats at U.S. zoos from New York to San Diego. [READ MORE →]( Engage With Us Explore Experimental Music In this course, Jamie Stewart of Xiu Xiu will guide us through approaches to creating and appreciating experimental music. We'll create new sounds, walk through experimental techniques, discuss musical philosophy, and enjoy some collective listening sessions together. [ENROLL IN THIS COURSE →]( Repairing Reptiles In this live, virtual experience with the Phoenix Herpetological Society, we'll learn all about limb regeneration, animal prosthesis, and other methods of caring for rescued reptiles! We'll also hear the story of Mr. Stubbs, the first and only alligator in the world with a prosthetic tail, and get to meet some of the other fascinating reptilian residents. Free for members. [SIGN UP TODAY →]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Link]( [Website]( Copyright © 2022 Atlas Obscura Inc., All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you once requested to be included on the Atlas Obscura Newsletter mailing list. You can unsubscribe at any time. Our mailing address is: Atlas Obscura Inc. 61 Greenpoint Ave Suite 210Brooklyn, NY 11222 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](.