Archive - The Atavist Magazine

Archive

2025

The Two Faces of Lummie Jenkins

The people of Wilcox County, Alabama, remember the longtime sheriff as a god or a monster—it just depends on who you ask. (Originally published by ‘Topic’ magazine in 2018)

by Alexandra Marvar

14,445 and Counting

Inside a Texas nurse’s quest to document the life and death of every woman killed by a man in America.

by Christa Hillstrom

The ‘Social Register’ was a who’s who of America’s rich and powerful—the heirs of robber barons, scions of political dynasties, and descendants of ‘Mayflower’ passengers. It was also the perfect hit list for the country’s…

by Jack Rodolico

I’ve Gone to Look for America

Conversations and revelations about an ailing nation along Interstate 95.

by Masha Hamilton

American Hindenburg

In the early days of flight, airships were hailed as the future of war. Then disaster struck the USS Akron.

by Robert Weintraub

The Talented Mr. Bruseaux

Sheridan Bruseaux made his name in Chicago investigating race riots, solving crimes, and exposing corruption. But America’s first Black private detective was hiding secrets of his own.

by Matthew Wolfe

Conversations with a Hit Man

A former FBI agent traveled to Louisiana to ask a hired killer about a murder that haunted him. Then Larry Thompson started talking about a different case altogether.

by David Howard

The Longest Journey

Lena Rowat skied 1,600 grueling miles across the Coast Range to quiet her demons. But she didn’t begin to silence them until tragedy struck.

by Cassidy Randall

All That Glitters

His alleged victims say he bribed New York Police Department officials, stole millions in diamonds, and persuaded Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Kim Kardashian to shill for a scam cryptocurrency. So why is Jona Rechnitz still…

by Miranda Green

The Eagle Hunters of Kyrgyzstan

In the mountains of Central Asia, a small group of outdoorsmen are keeping an ancient tradition alive.

by Yam G-Jun

The Balloon that Fell from the Sky

Fifteen teams lifted off from Switzerland in gas ballooning’s most audacious race. Three days later, two of them drifted into Belarusian airspace—but only one would survive.

by Nick Davidson

From Antarctica with Love

Captain Robert Falcon Scott’s doomed journey to Antarctica captivated the world. But hiding within the legend was a story that has never been told—a love affair between two of the crew who survived.

by Allegra Rosenberg

“There Will Be No Mercy”

When Ethiopia’s government launched a brutal two-year war in Tigray, the region’s largest hospital was overrun with victims. The medical staff risked everything to treat the wounded—and believe the world ignored a genocide.

by Drew Philp

© 2025 The Atavist Magazine. Proudly powered by Newspack by Automattic.
Privacy Policy • Opt-out preferences • Privacy Notice for California Users