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The Atlas Obscura Podcast podcast

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The Atlas Obscura Podcast

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  Stitcher Studios & Atlas Obscura  

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.

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.

 

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Duration

Release Date

#929

The Blue Whale of Catoosa (Classic)

Catoosa, Oklahoma is the cite of a massive landlocked whale - and possibly the greatest anniversary gift ever READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: [https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/catoosa-whale] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/catoosa-whale) ... Read more

22 Nov 2024

13 MINS

13:51

22 Nov 2024

#928

Bohemians, Bootleggers, and Bogus Bottles: A History of Absinthe

Journalist and food writer Evan Rail considers himself a beer guy, but when a mysterious bright green spirit started shaking up the scene in the Czech Republic (where he lives) in the 1990s, he knew he had to learn more.  His latest book “ [The Absinthe Forger: A True Story of Deception, Betrayal, and The World’s Most Dangerous Spirit] (https://www.amazon.com/Absinthe-Forger-Deception-Betrayal-Dangerous-ebook/dp/B0CTT5FJ5T) ” looks back at the history of absinthe, why it was banned across Europe almost 100 years ago, and how its return to the market has inspired collectors, connoisseurs…and even conmen. ... Read more

21 Nov 2024

20 MINS

20:40

21 Nov 2024

#927

The Integratron

In August 1953, airstrip operator George van Tassel claimed he was woken up in the middle of the night by an intelligent lifeform from outer space named Solganda. George says Solganda told him to build an energy rejuvenation machine – so that’s exactly what he spent the rest of his life doing… For more information on visiting the Integratron check out their [website] (https://www.integratron.com/) . Plus, take a look at some [photos from one of George van Tassel’s UFO conventions] (https://artsandculture.google.com/story/visit-the-1957-flying-saucer-convention/CAXh3kxi5wW_Mg?hl=en) .  If you want to learn more, George tells [his version of the “encounter with Solganda] (https://mabel.wwu.edu/do/d2f3f730-a37b-4850-ada5-6635524370cf) ” in a 1964 interview. ... Read more

20 Nov 2024

16 MINS

16:50

20 Nov 2024

#926

St. Paul Island vs. the Rat

On a remote island 200 miles off the coast of Alaska, a community hunts for a single, elusive rat.  Read Daniel Wu’s [original reporting] (https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2024/10/11/alaska-rat-hunt-st-paul-island/)  on the rat strike team.  Thanks to [Freesound user mmiron] (https://freesound.org/people/mmiron/sounds/130432/)  for the wave sounds in this episode.  ... Read more

19 Nov 2024

12 MINS

12:45

19 Nov 2024

#925

The Internet, IRL

Places editors Michelle Cassidy and Diana Hubbell tell us about two real-world places that have been shaped by the internet. ... Read more

18 Nov 2024

14 MINS

14:37

18 Nov 2024

#924

We want your stories of places you're grateful for!

Blame it on this time of year, but we've been ruminating a lot on the places we're thankful for. And we want to hear your thoughts for a future episode. What's a place that played a pivotal role in shaping your life? It can be a place you grew up, or a place you live in now. Maybe it's a park bench, or another place of community. Tell us about it, any stories behind it, and when and why you go there. 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 in again if you get disconnected. Or you can also record a voice memo and email it to us at [Hello@AtlasObscura.com] (mailto:Hello@AtlasObscura.com) ... Read more

16 Nov 2024

02 MINS

02:00

16 Nov 2024

#923

The Wren’s Nest (Classic)

[The Wren’s Nest] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-wrens-nest) in Atlanta is both a museum and former home of journalist Joel Chandler Harris and a hub for modern storytellers.   ... Read more

15 Nov 2024

13 MINS

13:50

15 Nov 2024

#922

Nate DiMeo’s Personal Memory Palace

Nate DiMeo, host and creator of The Memory Palace podcast, walks us through some of the rooms in his own personal memory palace. We visit his grandfather’s old nightclub outside Providence, a beloved family home, the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Visible Storage Unit, and a one-of-a-kind collection of glass flowers at Harvard University.   Preorder a copy of Nate’s new book, [The Memory Palace: True Short Stories of the Past] (https://www.amazon.com/Memory-Palace-True-Short-Stories/dp/0593446151) . Check out the [Memory Palace podcast] (https://thememorypalace.us/) , and listen to the episodes Nate made while he was [Artist-in-Residence at the Met] (https://www.metmuseum.org/events/programs/met-live-arts/memory-palace) . ... Read more

14 Nov 2024

20 MINS

20:51

14 Nov 2024

#921

Malaria Bat Roosts

During the early 20th century, malaria was ravaging the world. We hear the story of Dr. Charles Campbell, who had a plan to cure it. But as it turns out, his big idea was… rather batty. ... Read more

13 Nov 2024

15 MINS

15:22

13 Nov 2024

#920

The Sul Ross Desk

In the 1980s, a group of friends on the track team at Sul Ross State University hauled a discarded dorm room desk to the top of a mountain. They left a notebook there to keep track of their run times and leave little notes for each other. Then… other people found it. And then… it started a tradition. Visit the [Atlas entry for the Sul Ross desk] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sul-ross-desk-alpine-texas) , and [learn more] (https://library.sulross.edu/archives/archival-collections/#1620833702481-b5fe49d1-f2b6)  about the archives containing the Sul Ross desk notebooks. ... Read more

12 Nov 2024

14 MINS

14:16

12 Nov 2024

#919

San Juan Sounds (Classic)

San Juan Sounds is an iconic studio where musicians, engineers, and quite possibly a music-loving ghost carry on the island’s musical traditions, which date back hundreds of years.  This episode is produced in partnership with Discover Puerto Rico.  ... Read more

11 Nov 2024

13 MINS

13:35

11 Nov 2024

#918

Weed Week: The International Church of Cannabis

Travel to Denver Colorado and meet Steve Berke who helped found the first International Church of Cannabis in 2015.  Learn more about it [here] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/international-church-of-cannabis) . ... Read more

08 Nov 2024

09 MINS

09:54

08 Nov 2024

#917

Weed Week: San Francisco Cannabis Buyers’ Club

The San Francisco Cannabis Buyers’ Club was one of the first marijuana dispensaries in the country. Its members were people with AIDS, cancer, and other serious illnesses, and inside the club had stages, TV lounges, puzzles, and other things that would bring people together. Today, we meet the unexpected mix of gay rights organizers and cannabis advocates behind the club, and we hear about their unorthodox route to opening it – including why they tried to get busted by the police. ... Read more

07 Nov 2024

20 MINS

20:58

07 Nov 2024

#916

Weed Week: Jirzankal Cemetery

An ancient cemetery in western China may hold the answer to a question asked by many a stoner: where on Earth did humans first smoke weed to get high?  Learn more about the cemetery in this [2019 paper] (https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aaw1391)  in Science Advances.  Keep up with Rob Spengler’s archaeobotany lab [here] (https://www.spenglerlab.com/) . ... Read more

06 Nov 2024

13 MINS

13:11

06 Nov 2024

#915

Weed Week: Dope Lake

In 1976, an airplane carrying 6,000 pounds of smuggled weed crashed into a remote lake in Yosemite. A group of climbers had a heyday. Read  [John Long’s account] (https://www.climbing.com/people/yosemite-dope-airplane-crash/)  of the crash, and check out  [Greg Nichols’ reporting] (https://www.mensjournal.com/adventure/the-legend-of-yosemites-dope-lake-w209503)  on the same subject.    Plus: Where is the weirdest place you’ve ever cast a vote? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and tell us about your local unusual polling location. Or, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com. ... Read more

05 Nov 2024

16 MINS

16:07

05 Nov 2024

#914

Weed Week: Get Inside the CannaVan

Cannabis is now legal in more than half of U.S. states, but it remains federally illegal – which makes doing research on the plant extremely difficult. Today, we meet a clever group of scientists who found their way around these laws… by literally driving around them.      [Learn more] (https://www.sciencefriday.com/articles/cannabis-research-federal-law-cannavan/)  about the CannaVan, and check out some of Rasha and Emma’s  [original reporting] (https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/cannavan-lab-cannabis-study/) . ... Read more

04 Nov 2024

16 MINS

16:07

04 Nov 2024

#913

Spooky Week: The Gray Man (Classic)

A South Carolina ghost story is a harbinger of hurricanes and a window into history. Read more in the Atlas: [https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/south-carolina-hurricane-ghost] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/south-carolina-hurricane-ghost) ... Read more

01 Nov 2024

12 MINS

12:17

01 Nov 2024

#912

Spooky Week: The Story of the Mad Gasser with Colin Dickey

In 1944, a strange spate of “gas attacks” in a small Midwestern town reveals what was really lurking in mid-century America. Read Colin Dickey’s [article] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/column-mad-gasser-of-mattoon)  about the mad gasser, and check out his [Monster of the Month ] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/experiences/monster-of-the-month-with-colin-dickey) series. ... Read more

31 Oct 2024

23 MINS

23:04

31 Oct 2024

#911

Spooky Week: Places That Give Us the Creeps

Listener stories about places that give off big creepy vibes – from an abandoned ice factory to a haunted university music building. If you want to hear more about Luz Fleming’s ghost story, there’s a whole episode about it called Bennington Ghost Stories on a podcast called [Yard Tales] (https://www.yardtales.live/home/benningtonghoststories) .  ... Read more

30 Oct 2024

12 MINS

12:25

30 Oct 2024

#910

Spooky Week: No More Scary Stories at Camp

To avoid traumatizing kids, many summer camps are banning scary stories. But can a little fun with fear be a good thing?  Check out Roxanne Hoorn’s [article] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/summer-camp-ghost-story-disappearing)  about this fading tradition. ... Read more

29 Oct 2024

17 MINS

17:26

29 Oct 2024

#909

Spooky Week: Elmer McCurdy’s Nine Lives

In 1976, a television crew filming an episode of the show “The Six Million Dollar Man” descended on a rundown funhouse in Long Beach, California. While filming, they accidentally broke the arm off a wax dummy. Except...it wasn't a wax dummy. It was a real body. The body of a notorious train robber from the early 1900s, named Elmer McCurdy. Check out the Atlas entry for [Elmer McCurdy’s grave] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/grave-elmer-mccurdy-skb) .   For more information on Elmer, we recommend Mark Svenvold’s book [“Elmer McCurdy: The Misadventures in Life and Afterlife of an American Outlaw.” ] (https://www.amazon.com/Elmer-McCurdy-Misadventures-Afterlife-American/dp/046508348X) ... Read more

28 Oct 2024

17 MINS

17:20

28 Oct 2024

#908

The Smallest Mollusk Museum (Classic)

The Smallest Mollusk Museum in New York City is part of a fleet of tiny museums that might just have a big impact on the world. ... Read more

25 Oct 2024

14 MINS

14:58

25 Oct 2024

#907

Living on Mars

Kelly and Zach Weinersmith walk Dylan through the practicalities of making a home on the red planet.  Check out their book [A City on Mars] (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/639449/a-city-on-mars-by-kelly-and-zach-weinersmith/)  everywhere books are sold. ... Read more

24 Oct 2024

20 MINS

20:52

24 Oct 2024

#906

The South's Hidden Confessional

Outside the French Quarter lies [Hidden South] (https://thehiddensouth.com/) , an antique shop like any other. And hidden amongst the oddities is a bathroom full of [secrets] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hidden-south-confessional) . ... Read more

23 Oct 2024

10 MINS

10:32

23 Oct 2024

#905

Aftel Archive of Curious Scents

Producer Alexa Lim visits a collection of natural aromas in Berkeley, California. She gets a whiff of some of the world’s lesser known smells, and stumbles down the rabbit hole of the hidden world of scents. ... Read more

22 Oct 2024

14 MINS

14:46

22 Oct 2024

#904

Bessie Stringfield, Motorcycle Queen of Miami

In the 1930s and 1940s, a young Black woman named Bessie Stringfield decided she’d strike out on her own and hit the road – and ended up crisscrossing the United States eight times, and becoming the first Black woman to ride a motorcycle through each of the lower 48 states. If she ran out of money, she’d join a circus. If she couldn’t find a place to stay, she’d sleep out under the stars. Read more about Bessie Stringfield [in this Atlas Obscura article by Natalie Zarrelli.] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/bessie-stringfield-motorcycle-queen)   Check out the work of cartoonist [Joel Christian Gill] (https://www.joelchristiangill.com/)  online. ... Read more

21 Oct 2024

13 MINS

13:12

21 Oct 2024

#903

The Divorce Colony (Classic)

For a brief period the small frontier city of Sioux Falls, South Dakota drew in socialites and celebrities who were desperate to end their marriages. For more stories from the Divorce Colony, check out April White's [book:] (https://thedivorcecolony.com) The Divorce Colony: How Women Revolutionized Marriage and Found Freedom on the American Frontier. ... Read more

18 Oct 2024

16 MINS

16:06

18 Oct 2024

#902

The Hogs of Ossabaw Island

Reporter Diana Hubbell brings us to an island off the coast of Georgia, and tells Dylan the story of ​​an eccentric heiress, a daring mission, and the fight for North America’s most unusual pig. Read Diana’s James Beard Award-winning article called [“Saving the Hogs of Ossabaw Island.”] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/ossabaw-hogs-island) ... Read more

17 Oct 2024

22 MINS

22:12

17 Oct 2024

#901

Skinny Houses

Producer Talon Stradley takes us on a tour of three skinny houses – each with a big story inside. Do these skinny houses have you curious about spite houses?  Check out that episode [here] (https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/podcast-spite-houses) .  ... Read more

16 Oct 2024

15 MINS

15:55

16 Oct 2024