A mysterious religious community founded by an insurance agent-turned spiritual leader in northern Italy spent 15 years constructing an underground temple covered in intricate paintings, mosaics, trippy colors and images inspired by Roman, Greek and Egyptian mythology.
READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/temple-of-damanhur
Yesterday
The Untold Story of Alice Ball
In 1930, the King of Thailand gifted a tree to the University of Hawaii in Manoa for developing a treatment for leprosy. For decades, the tree has stood as a symbol of the groundbreaking scientific achievement. However, the woman who created the solution was missing from the stor ... Show More
15m 40s
Feb 3
The Piltdown Man: England’s Most Notorious Science Hoax
In 1912, Piltdown, England wasn’t known for much. It was a quiet rural area with farms, winding tree-lined roads, and a pub. But then, a lawyer announced he’d made an incredible discovery in a local gravel pit: a skull that was part ape, part man. England was enthralled. Was this ... Show More
17m 10s
Feb 2
The Great Venus Fly Trap Heist
This story is about a heist that took place back in 2013 – not at a museum, or a gallery, or a royal palace, but at a garden. What these thieves were after… were Venus Fly Traps. We visit the Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden in Wilmington, North Carolina to learn about pla ... Show More
13m 55s
Feb 2023
Hermeticism: The Ancient Wisdom of Hermes Trismegistus
<p>The legendary figure of Hermes Trismegistus (Hermes Thrice Great) is the inspiration for the spiritual teachings known as Hermeticism. He is a syncretism (joining) of the Greek deity Hermes, the winged messenger of the Gods, and his Egyptian counterpart, the Ibis-headed moon g ... Show More
53m 14s
Feb 2023
Mohamed Ibrahim: Egypt Before Written History
Egyptologist, Hieroglyphics Expert, Tour Guide and Director, Mohamed Ibrahim is inspired by a passionate desire to share his wisdom. He offers a wide spectrum of knowledge regarding the history, arts, literature, and culture of the ancient Egyptians. Mohamed was born in Memphis, ... Show More
1h 33m
Feb 2024
Dr. Kathleen Ball: A Grail Quest, the Knights Templar in Brazil
Grail Quests often begin with what seems like normal travel adventures, but then suddenly turn into divine synchronistic events that makes one feel as though they're being guided by the Universe. I was to find out, two years later, that many local people knew about this cave. Tee ... Show More
1h 23m