Latest dispatches
Curious stories and events from around the world.
← Latest dispatchesHistoric Mysteries
On an August afternoon in 1901, two Oxford academics went looking for the Petit Trianon and came back convinced they had seen Marie Antoinette. Were they walking in 1789, or did memory do the rest? The post The Versailles Time Slip: A…
Read at Historic MysteriesAtlas Obscura
Winter brings out the best of Anchorage. Under a blanket of snow, the city comes alive with festivals exploring regional history, lively tributes to Indigenous culture, decades-old sled dog races, and comfort food best enjoyed with…
Read at Atlas ObscuraAtlas Obscura
In Anchorage, exploring nature isn’t only for a rare free day or a well-planned vacation; it’s a part of daily life, as integral to the city as its infrastructure and cultural offerings. A day here may start with a morning walk on any of…
Read at Atlas ObscuraThe Public Domain Review
A book more or less responsible for the revival of Flat Earth theories in the modern period.
Read at The Public Domain ReviewSkeptical Inquirer
On May 8, 2026, Tim Gallaudet, a retired U.S. Navy rear admiral, was doing the rounds of the UFO circuit. It was a day of great excitement in the UFO community because the Department of War had finally released the first set of what they…
Read at Skeptical InquirerSkeptical Inquirer
Editor’s note: This article provides spoilers about the movie Disclosure Day. Does the truth belong to all of us? Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day (2026) argues that it does. How far could that extend? Do we have a right to every piece…
Read at Skeptical InquirerSkeptical Inquirer
Editor’s note: This article includes major spoilers for season one of the series Pluribus. In the science fiction series Pluribus, humanity does not fall to invasion, nuclear war, or artificial intelligence. Instead, it succumbs to…
Read at Skeptical InquirerSkeptical Inquirer
Neil DeGrasse Tyson’s new book, Take Me to Your Leader, has attracted controversy in the skeptical community. Some believe that Tyson has abandoned his previous skeptical attitude toward flying saucers. Perhaps this idea was caused by the…
Read at Skeptical InquirerSkeptical Inquirer
Potentially abusive parenting and treatment practices related to “holding therapy” were rejected in 2006 by a joint task force between American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) and the American Psychological…
Read at Skeptical InquirerSkeptical Inquirer
Martin Gardner (1914–2010) was a writer, magician, and mathematician who helped found the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (then called the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, CSICOP) in 1976. Longtime…
Read at Skeptical InquirerSkeptical Inquirer
In 2021, I witnessed a long string of lights moving across the sky together. I’d never seen anything like that before. Seeking an answer, I made this social media post: “I think I just saw a #meteor or #UFO in Edwardsville, Illinois.…
Read at Skeptical InquirerSkeptical Inquirer
In the late nineteenth century, Germany was at the forefront of chemical research and it was an ideal place for Purdue University chemistry professor Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley to spend a sabbatical to broaden his horizons. After…
Read at Skeptical InquirerSkeptical Inquirer
The tagline for the fiftieth-anniversary CSICon said it all: “Celebrate Our History … Chart Our Future.” From June 11–14, the City of Buffalo was filled with skeptics representing every (habitable) continent. It was my first CSICon as the…
Read at Skeptical InquirerSkeptical Inquirer
Note: I started writing fund drive letters last year as part of becoming the executive director of CSI. These letters haven’t previously been published in the magazine, but the following (adapted) letter involves an especially important…
Read at Skeptical InquirerThe National Archives
Over 100 MI5 files are released at The National Archives today. In this blog, Mark Dunton explores some of the notable names and stories found within.
Read at The National ArchivesThe National Archives
Latest release of files from MI5
Read at The National ArchivesThe National Archives
Some of our services are unavailable to due to a potential vulnerability with PHP.
Read at The National ArchivesThe Public Domain Review
Indian images that grapple with the unbearable fact that lover and beloved are not one.
Read at The Public Domain ReviewThe National Archives
Our researchers and specialists have written a series of themed articles exploring public health emergencies, weather and climate, and colonial histories.
Read at The National ArchivesAtlas Obscura
Sure, you’ve seen a dead body before, but have you ever seen a thumb preserved in salt? How about a saint’s heart shrouded in gold? Beyond the normal displays of skeletons in medical museums and holy leaders’ bodies in churches and…
Read at Atlas Obscura
