The Atlas obscura explorer's guide to inventing the world

The Atlas Obscura team promotes not only travel but also wonder, and in this guide, armchair travelers explore 94 locations around the world to learn about 50 inventions, from fire to AI, that changed the course of human life. Like any good travel manual, it starts with a packing list. Suggestions such as a time machine, a heat-resistant suit, and laser safety glasses set a clever tone and pose invention hints. The inventions are grouped in related, chronological chunks--such as timekeepers, clockwork, robots, programmable machines, computers, and the internet--to help readers understand how inventions build on previous technology. Double-page spreads introduce each invention by spotlighting two locations: one is the first known or an early iteration of the invention and, occasionally, the second is a modern interpretation. For instance, the invention of the train features the world's oldest steam locomotive at London's Science Museum and today's ultrafast maglev trains at Tokyo's Shinagawa Station. Conversational paragraphs describe each site's importance and travel appeal, while illustrations reminiscent of the Belgian Adventures of Tintin comics reinforce the guide's playfulness.