Erin Blakemore

Erin Blakemore

 

Erin Blakemore is a Boulder, Colorado-based journalist. Her work has appeared in publications like The Washington Post, TIME, mental_floss, Popular Science and JSTOR Daily. Learn more at erinblakemore.com.

How many curls can you count?

A Buddha in Japan Is Missing Half of Its Curls

What happened to the Buddha of Nara's famous 'do?

This 19th-century cartoon depicts a corpse brought back to life through the power of "galvanism."

How Twitching Frog Legs Helped Inspire 'Frankenstein'

Galvanism sought to reanimate the dead—and in doing so provided the impetus for one of literature's most famously frightful books

Visit Machu Picchu With Google Street View

Armed with a backpack and 15 high-res cameras, Google just tackled one of the world's wonders

Residents evacuate their homes in Chennai during catastrophic floods.

Five Things You Should Know about the Catastrophic Flooding in Chennai

Mass evacuations, a submerged airport and questions about the city's urban planning

Water gushes out of Aswan Dam in Egypt.

Humans Are Draining Even More of Earth's Freshwater Than We Thought

Ironically, building dams and irrigation systems may end up driving food and water shortages

Never fear—Swett, SD's town sign has been replaced with one that doesn't have bullet holes.

For Sale: A Haunted Ghost Town

Swett, South Dakota can be yours for just $250,000

Americans Used to Really Hate Tipping

Are gratuity's days numbered?

Male or female? Turns out there's no distinction.

There’s No Such Thing as a Male or Female Brain

When it comes to sex traits, brains are consistently inconsistent

A booking photo from Rosa Parks' arrest on December 1, 1955.

Sixty Years Later, Cities Celebrate Rosa Parks’ Legacy

Statues, streets and anti-bias education commemorate the civil rights activist's historic protest

Centurions drink from a fountain near Rome's Coliseum during a heat wave in summer 2014. A recent announcement that centurion reenactors will be banned from the Coliseum during 2016 has led to protests and public outcry.

Rome Just Banned Centurions

Officials stir up controversy by kicking impersonators out of the Colosseum

"History will be kind to me," wrote Winston Churchill, "for I intend to write it myself."

UNESCO Honors Winston Churchill's Writings With the Equivalent of World Heritage Status

Churchill's papers join the ranks of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, Anne Frank's diary and the Magna Carta

Clouds of smoke pour from a smokestack

Which Countries Are Most Open to Curbing Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

A new study shows large gaps between concern about climate change and the willingness to act

These soft maps highlight inspiring sites within nearly 50 cities.

Great Gifts for the Traveler in Your Life

From crumpled maps to clothing that helps national parks, there's never been a better time to spoil your favorite traveler

Fire tornadoes, or fire devils, often arise during wildfires.

Hypnotize Yourself With a Slow-Motion Fire Tornado

So hot, it's cool

A Brief History of Cranberries

Pucker up: Thanksgiving (and plenty of cranberry sauce) is almost here

Hello?

A Phone Booth Was Just Put on the National Register of Historic Places

Save your change for a telephonic trip to Prairie Grove, Arkansas

Tennessee Locals Spot Half-Mile-Long Spider Webs

Ballooning baby spiders are making some residents of North Memphis cringe

A New Rose Is Part Plant, Part Color-Changing Machine

Innovation has never looked so pretty

This Visualization of the World’s Carbon Emissions Is Chillingly Beautiful

A NASA simulation shows how carbon dioxide moves

A Hemingway Book Has Hit the Paris Bestseller List After Recent Attacks

<i>A Moveable Feast</i> declares that "there is never any end to Paris"

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