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Extraordinary people, discoveries, and places

PHOTOGRAPH BY OSCAR NILSSON

This 4,000-year-old woman just received a new face

She lived during the Stone Age, roaming the forests of what's now northern Sweden. When she died in her 30s of an unknown cause, she was buried with a boy, perhaps her son, estimated to have been around 7 years old. Here's how archaeologists were able to reconstruct her face.

BRIDGEMAN/ACI

The Orient Express was more than just a 'mystery' train

With the belle epoque about to bloom, the founder of the posh railway sensed an untapped demand for a new kind of travel—one that would eventually became synonymous with glamour and intrigue.

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PHOTOGRAPH BY DOUG WECHSLER, NATURE PICTURE LIBRARY

The curious case of a Staten Island frog—and what it means for science

Over the past two decades, the increasing sophistication of genetic sequencing has allowed scientists to re-examine species we thought we knew. Often, what they've found is not one species, but two or more. These "cryptic species" look identical but are genetically or otherwise distinct—and the look-alikes are everywhere, even among the most intensely studied life-forms.

HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

PHOTOGRAPH BY UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER VIA CORBIS

Once upon a time, 'talking' corpses were used to solve murders

Modern forensic science has seen its troubles. But there’s still plenty to be thankful for in the ways courts today gather evidence of a crime: Just a few centuries ago, people were convicted of murder based on the idea that a corpse would spontaneously bleed in its killer's presence. Yet even in death, women's testimony was considered less credible than men's.

QUOTE

I need to bring the face alive, so you actually get the impression there's someone looking at you within those eyes.

Oscar Nilsson, archaeologist

From: This 4,000-year-old skull just received a new face

PHOTOGRAPH BY HARRIS DRO, LOOP IMAGES/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/GETTY IMAGES

This river to the 'underworld' was once cursed by Zeus. Locals fear a new threat.

Back in the days of gods and monsters, the Titans fought the Olympians for control of the universe. During this period, the Titans gained strength by drinking from the Acheron, the mythical waterway to Hades. Angered by the move, Zeus cursed the river, turning it black and bitter. Nowadays, it's teeming with life—and tourists.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY KENNETH INGHAM

How volcanic eruptions help nourish the world

Many people see volcanic eruptions solely as forces of death and destruction, and their capricious blasts certainly can wreak havoc. But eruptions also create a blank canvas that gives way to a rainbow of life.

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MORE GREAT READS

This actress's greatest role was as a real Civil War spy (Atlas Obscura) ››

Finding a retirement home for 466 frozen flatworm fragments (NYT) ››

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