Wonders and Secrets

Jump to Travel Guide Deep within the snow-covered forests of northern Finland lies a place where Christmas is celebrated every day of the year, reindeer wander through Arctic landscapes, and the northern lights sometimes illuminate the winter sky in brilliant shades of green and violet. This is Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland , a remarkable destination situated near the Arctic Circle and internationally known as the official hometown of Santa Claus. But beyond the festive decorations, cheerful elves, and famous Santa Claus Village lies a fascinating world of ancient traditions, Arctic survival, Indigenous Sámi culture, mysterious winter folklore, and a surprisingly dramatic history. For centuries, the people of northern Finland have lived beneath skies that experience extraordinary seasonal changes. Here, winter brings long periods of darkness, summer brings nearly endless daylight, and reindeer have played an essential role in the lives of northern communities. The region's legends are...

Jump to Travel Guide Few places on Earth have inspired as much speculation as Area 51. Hidden within the Nevada desert, surrounded by restricted airspace and miles of empty landscape, the secretive military installation has been connected to everything from experimental aircraft and Cold War espionage to crashed UFOs, alien technology and government cover-ups. For decades, the mystery was strengthened by an extraordinary fact. The United States government barely acknowledged the place at all. Yet Area 51 was real. Behind the fences, warning signs and intense security, some of the most advanced aircraft ever created were secretly developed and tested. That much is documented. What remains far less clear is exactly what happens there today. Some of Area 51's greatest mysteries have eventually been explained through declassified documents. Others remain hidden behind national security restrictions. And around those gaps in the historical record has grown one of the most famous collect...