DiscoverThe Atlas Obscura Podcast
The Atlas Obscura Podcast
Claim Ownership

The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Author: Stitcher Studios & Atlas Obscura

Subscribed: 29,354Played: 1,379,815
Share

Description

An audio guide to the world’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. Co-founder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters explore a new wonder every day, Monday through Thursday. In under 15 minutes, they’ll take you to an incredible place, and along the way, you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Our theme and end credit music is composed by Sam Tyndall.
895 Episodes
Reverse
The small mountain town of Spruce Pine provides nearly all of the ultra-pure quartz used to make the world’s semiconductors. When Hurricane Helene nearly wiped out the mines, it provided a stark wake-up call. Journalist Ed Conway joins Dylan to discuss what we can learn from this near-miss. Check out more of Ed Conway’s reporting and subscribe to his Substack here. To support disaster relief efforts in North Carolina, you can donate to vetted organizations here or here.
Screeching Like Seagulls

Screeching Like Seagulls

2024-10-0812:581

A group of seagull lovers in Belgium wants you to sympathize with these birds… by sounding just like them. 
After experiencing burn out, South Korean artist WoopsYang decides to take a rest and create an environment for others to space out… by having a competition.   
We want to know about places that give you the creeps. Places that get under your skin, give you that eerie feeling. And why? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Just so you know, our mailbox will cut you off after two minutes so please call back in  if you get disconnected. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com
In Myrtle Beach, mini-golf is not so mini. They’re hosting the Mini-Golf Masters, where titans of the tiny game will compete to see who rises to the top. This episode was produced in partnership with Visit Myrtle Beach. Whether you’re a golfer or just looking to relax, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is 60 miles where you belong. Learn more at VisitMyrtleBeach.com
We head to the cliffs of Balneario El Condor in Argentina to visit a parrot city… and the parrot suburbs. And we meet the biologist who risks his life to study them. Learn more about the parrot colony and Juan Masello’s work. 
The Diefenbunker

The Diefenbunker

2024-10-0215:081

How 78 toilets exposed a Cold War secret in Carp, Ontario.
The Goose Who Wore Nikes

The Goose Who Wore Nikes

2024-10-0119:021

In the late 1980s, a goose named Andy was born without webbed feet. A local Nebraskan inventor made him a pair of customized baby shoes and grew to care for the goose. But then – Andy was murdered. Twenty years later, the inventor's granddaughter picks up the pieces. To learn more information about Andy the Goose, check out Jessica’s website. You can also find information about attending Jessica’s one-woman show in Hastings on October 19th here. And check out Atlas Obscura reporter Cara Giaimo’s original story about Andy from 2016 which helped crack open this case.
This summer we learned about a 15,000-year-old oak tree in California that was facing a potential housing development. Today, we learn its fate. Listen to our original episode about the Jurupa Oak here. Read Shannon Osaka’s article about the recent decision here.
Carhenge (Classic)

Carhenge (Classic)

2024-09-2715:051

This experimental automotive replica of Stonehenge has become a symbol of the town of Alliance, Nebraska. But residents haven’t always been fans.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/carhenge
Every summer, more than 10,000 people flock to this Pennsylvania town for two weeks for the largest gathering of medieval arts and culture anywhere in the world. This episode was produced in partnership with GoUSATV based on a video series we do with them called Small Town Big Story. To see this massive battle for yourself, check out our video about Slippery Rock.  
We go to a central Wyoming town, just a couple hours from Yellowstone, that's appropriately named Thermopolis. City of Heat. It’s home to one of the largest mineral hot springs in the world. But it turns out this town of less than 3,000 is also home to so much more. It’s a literal melting pot — of boiling water, rich rock formations, bath robes and dinosaur bones. This episode was produced in partnership with GoUSATV based on a video series we do with them called Small Town Big Story.  To see some of the largest mineral hot springs in the world for yourself, check out our video about Thermopolis.
We’re visiting a town 150 miles west of New Orleans in the absolute heart of Cajun country, where every year, thousands of people come from across the country to march through the streets, play music, celebrate French culture, and cook up an absolutely enormous omelet. This episode was produced in partnership with GoUSATV based on a video series we do with them called Small Town Big Story. To see the giant omelet for yourself, check out our video about Abbeville. 
Every October, amateurs and professionals alike gather in this small town in the Appalachian Mountains to hone their storytelling chops and share them with crowds of thousands. In this episode, host Dylan Thuras takes his turn at the mic during the National Storytelling Festival.This episode was produced in partnership with GoUSATV based on a video series we do with them called Small Town Big Story. To check out the storytelling capital of the world for yourself, check out our video about Jonesborough. 
Steve and Amy Hartbauer have turned their home in residential Denver, CO into a massive mosaic and decade’s long expression of inner inspiration. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/enchanted-hart-haus
Dylan talks with journalist and author Ed Conway about three materials that our entire civilization depends on: salt, copper, and sand. They visit the biggest man-made hole on Earth, a salt mine large enough to fit the Eiffel Tower inside it, and a single mine in North Carolina that is essential to nearly all the world’s computer chips. If you want to learn more, check out Ed’s book: Material World: The Six Raw Materials That Shape Modern Civilization.
We asked you to send us stories about places you can no longer visit – and nearly everyone wrote in about a beloved closed restaurant. So today, we hear your stories of places you can no longer EAT.             We still want to hear your stories about other places you can no longer visit (beyond restaurants). Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Or, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.  
Smith Court

Smith Court

2024-09-1717:381

In Boston’s Beacon Hill neighborhood, there was once a revolutionary community for African Americans willing to do whatever it took to maintain their own freedom – and help others achieve theirs. Learn more about planning a trip to Smith Court via the Black Heritage Trail.
Zahra Hankir is the author of the book Eyeliner: A Cultural History. She brings Dylan to three places across the globe where eyeliner plays a key cultural role: Egypt, Chad, and Los Angeles.
The hunt to memorialize Rhode Island’s founder created one of the state’s strangest and most enduring myths. Learn more about Roger Williams relationship to local indigenous tribes here.
loading
Comments (28)

Jejj

🎃🔮🕷️🕸️

Oct 6th
Reply

Pætrïck Lėő Dåvīd

mackenzie BC has the world's largest Tree Crusher. look it up. road is paved. lots of vacancies. bring your fishing rod.

Sep 27th
Reply

Jejj

Love this concept, but all the submissions sound like the audio is off, which was sadly distracting from the content. 🙁

Sep 19th
Reply

Jejj

I've loved this series, and today's essays transported me to two entirely different places. I'm always astounded by how satisfying the art of vicarious travel can be when there just isn't a way to be there yourself. 🧠✈️

Aug 28th
Reply

Jejj

The world is amazing, so much to discover. I'd never heard of Centralia before today!

Aug 19th
Reply

Jejj

How wholesome, free potatoes for all!

Aug 12th
Reply

Pætrïck Lėő Dåvīd

excellent episode. we'll worth waking up to. Northern BC here. No one wants to come see the world's largest tree crusher built in Longview Texas and trucked up here in 1966 and now sitting as municipal lawn furniture. I see an Atlas Obscura episode in this one. we got some Magenta Kush up here too.

Apr 11th
Reply

Pætrïck Lėő Dåvīd

very moving episode. I am not sad the rain and snow showed up where I am 55n 124w because we need to keep the fires to a minimum.

Apr 9th
Reply

Lori C.

interesting to hear these findings. I've listened to a fair number of other podcasts, not mentioning these theories about Dyatlov (these make sense to me, at least).

Nov 26th
Reply

MaPepa

"she ans her husband" not "her and her husband"...

Oct 9th
Reply

Maria Cangi

It wouldn't have taken a lot of research to find out how to correctly pronounce the name of the building the episode is about. I'm Italian and the mispronunciation annoyed me so much I had to stop listening. You can do better!

Aug 30th
Reply

Goeden Dale

So Kool and relaxxing

Jun 14th
Reply

Ken Kavanaugh

holy shit until Bob started talking I thought live clowns inhabited the motel

Mar 25th
Reply

MaPepa

is this taken from Radio Ambulante's report? https://radioambulante.org/audio/los-gigantes-del-lago-hipopotamos-colombia

Nov 3rd
Reply

ncooty

So the email address is hullo@atlasobscura.com?

Oct 21st
Reply

ncooty

@10:46 & 11:06: Cavalry, not Calvary.

Oct 21st
Reply

MaPepa

"normal" people"... as well-intentioned as this comment may have been, normalcy is a concept full of assumptions, more so when thinking creating a space such as Libre is even possible for the "average Joe".

Sep 23rd
Reply

Steve Murray

Really like Atlas Obscura. Enjoy most episodes. What I don't like is Yohana Mayer narration. The text is good but the drop voice and rappyness at the end of every sentence. When she speaks with someone during an interview , her voice is pleasing and without the rasp and fall off. I will continue listening but not her broadcasts.

Sep 6th
Reply

Robyn Carolina

hognose snake hognose snake for sale black pastel ball python black ball python super pastel ball python red eared slider turtle Aladdin miner antminer z11 antminer d7 antminer l7 buy mdma ecstasy drug xtc drug gel lsd tabs lsd gel tabs lsd for sale 1plsd 1p lsd buy 1p lsd kratom for anxiety buy 5 meo dmt best place to buy psilocybe cubensis spores buy microdose mushrooms neuro blend buy magic mushrooms online buy 1p lsd usa lsd gel tabs buy liquid lsd 1p lsd blotter buy ketamine online canada 380 ammo for sale blackhorn 209 imr 4064 h4831sc alliant powder trail boss powder desert eagle 1911 9mm rip ammo 300 blackout 220 gr hpbt beretta 92fs compact h4831sc 9mm rip ammo ramshot tac Kimber pro carry 2 labradar chronograph for sale

Jul 3rd
Reply

Brandy C.

Mesa, baby! Where stepford wives, bikers, and meth heads live side by side. 💗

Jan 11th
Reply