The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Епизоди

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  Kelly's Picks: A Visit to the Museum of Broken Relationships 02.10.2026 15мин

  All week, host Kelly McEvers surfaces some of her favorite episodes from the archive. Here's today's story: This episode will break your heart. And that’s a good thing. PLUS: Do you have a favorite episode we should bring back to the top of the feed? Tell us what it was and why you picked it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call in if you get disconnected. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at [email protected]
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  Kelly's Picks: The Integratron 01.10.2026 16мин

  All week, host Kelly McEvers surfaces some of her favorite episodes from the archive. Here's today's story: 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… PLUS: Do you have a favorite episode we should bring back to the top of the feed? Tell us what it was and why you picked it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call in if you get disconnected. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at [email protected]
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  Kelly's Picks: Alone on the Alaskan Frontier 30.09.2026 28мин

  All week, host Kelly McEvers surfaces some of her favorite episodes from the archive. Here's today's story: What drives a person to live in isolation? Meet Sue Aikens, who thrives in the icy expanse of the Arctic. She shares stories of survival, self-discovery, and the wild encounters that continue to shape her life. Her memoir, "North of Ordinary," was just published. PLUS: Do you have a favorite episode we should bring back to the top of the feed? Tell us what it was and why you picked it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call in if you get disconnected. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at [email protected]
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  Kelly's Picks: The Last Baldwin House 29.09.2026 14мин

  All week, host Kelly McEvers surfaces some of her favorite episodes from the archive. Here's today's story: James Baldwin’s former home in the South of France is a site that many visit hoping to feel the essence of the great African-American writer. But should it be? PLUS: Do you have a favorite episode we should bring back to the top of the feed? Tell us what it was and why you picked it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call in if you get disconnected. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at [email protected]
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  Kelly's Picks: The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam 28.09.2026 16мин

  All week, host Kelly McEvers surfaces some of her favorite episodes from the archive. Here's today's story: One of the many objects that went down with the ship during the sinking of the Titanic was a beautiful, jewel-encrusted edition of a poetry book called the “Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.” The Rubaiyat was probably the most famous work of poetry in the English-speaking world at that time…which was somewhat unusual, as the book was written by a Persian mathematician 800 years before. For more information about Omar Khayyam and the Rubaiyat, check out the books “Persian Presence in Victorian Poetry” by Taher-Kermani Reza, “The Wine of Wisdom: The Life, Poetry and Philosophy of Omar Khayyam” by Mehdi Aminrazavi, and the BBC documentary “The Genius of Omar Khayyam.” PLUS: Do you have a favorite episode we should bring back to the top of the feed? Tell us what it was and why you picked it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call in if you get disconnected. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at [email protected]
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  Is Alton, Illinois America's Most Haunted Small Town? 26.09.2026 17мин

  Alton, Illinois has been called the most haunted small town in America. It’s a place where practically every building has its own ghost story, from an old penitentiary, an eroding island, and even an old 1920s resort. And bubbling underneath all this lore is the fascinating history of a town shaped by the wild and unpredictable waters of the Mississippi River. We’ll explore some places with their own ghostly lore …and we’ll learn how these stories (and the people who like to tell them) are helping to keep the town’s history alive. Visit EnjoyIllinois.com for more information on booking a hair-raising trip to America’s most haunted small town.
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  It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (Classic) 25.09.2026 13мин

  From opera singers to strange noises emitting from air conditioners, listeners share stories about their unusual neighbors.
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  Love Thy Neighbor (Classic) 24.09.2026 10мин

  We share stories about our neighbors – from an unusual pet in Maryland, to an out-of-place front yard in Brooklyn, to a beekeeper with a secret.
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  The Seed Huntress 23.09.2026 22мин

  Dive into the invisible world of seeds, Sefra Alexandra, the self-titled “Seed Huntress.” She tells us about her global mission to preserve our planet's diverse seeds and protect our future food security by uncovering the stories of culinary and cultural significance rooted in these tiny powerhouses.
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  The Mothman! 22.09.2026 17мин

  Today we venture (with flashlights on) into the TNT area, a vast abandoned munitions factory in Point Pleasant, West Virginia – where, in the 1960s, people started reporting sightings of a strange, winged creature with red glowing eyes. The creature became known as “the Mothman,” and these sightings generated a legend that has since inspired books, movies, an annual culture, and a thriving Mothman subculture in Point Pleasant. This episode is brought to you in partnership with West Virginia Tourism.
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  White Squirrels of Olney 21.09.2026 13мин

  Olney, Illinois is your quintessential Midwestern small town. It’s in the middle of farm country - a place you might drive right past. But people do stop, and they come for one thing: squirrels. But for how long?
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  Thompson’s Ice House (Classic) 18.09.2026 16мин

  Thompson’s Ice House in Bristol, Maine is one of the only places in the United States where people gather every winter to take part in the age-old process of harvesting ice from a frozen pond.
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  Pack Your Bag(pipes) with Ross Jennings (Classic) 17.09.2026 15мин

  Ross Jennings, aka the First Piper, has been on a world-spanning quest to play the bagpipes in every country of the world.
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  The Cats of Brooklyn 16.09.2026 18мин

  Producer Manolo Morales is not a fan of cats. But he may just change his mind after taking a walking tour in Brooklyn Heights dedicated to cat history called Cats About Town.
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  Where Animals Gather for A Meal 15.09.2026 12мин

  Producer Jerome Campbell shares two stories about how far animals will go for their meal.
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  The House of Albert Namatjira 14.09.2026 17мин

  Deep in the Australian Outback, on the bank of the Finke river, stands a modest two-room house. Albert Namatjira built it for his family as his fame grew, but their time there was cut short. Today, the rise, fall, and enduring legacy of one of Australia’s most important artists.
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  Back to School: Reed College Reactor 11.09.2026 13мин

  School is back in session for many. So all week, we're bringing you stories from our archive about schools with a little something extra -- unusual traditions, ceremonies and customs. Students at Reed College study things like philosophy, history and English. But for the past 50 years they’ve also had access to a scientific instrument many people have never seen. We visit the World's only nuclear reactor operated by liberal arts undergraduates. If you have stories about schools with strange, unusual or wondrous traditions or ceremonies tell us about it. Give us a call at (315) 992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Or better, you can record a voice memo and give it to us at [email protected].
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  Back to School: The Sul Ross Desk 10.09.2026 14мин

  School is back in session for many. So all week, we're bringing you stories from our archive about schools with a little something extra -- unusual traditions, ceremonies and customs. 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. If you have stories about schools with strange, unusual or wondrous traditions or ceremonies tell us about it. Give us a call at (315) 992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Or better, you can record a voice memo and give it to us at [email protected].
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  Back to School: Tina Turner Museum 09.09.2026 13мин

  School is back in session for many. So all week, we're bringing you stories from our archive about schools with a little something extra -- unusual traditions, ceremonies and customs. The Flagg Grove School in Brownsville, Tennessee has become a museum dedicated to its most famous student. If you have stories about schools with strange, unusual or wondrous traditions or ceremonies tell us about it. Give us a call at (315) 992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Or better, you can record a voice memo and give it to us at [email protected].
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  Back to School: Gunnar Schonbeck Exhibit 08.09.2026 13мин

  School is back in session for many. So all week, we're bringing you stories from our archive about schools with a little something extra -- unusual traditions, ceremonies and customs. For years, students at Bennington College snuck into a locked room for a glimpse of strange and magical instruments created by professor Gunnar Schonbeck. Today, we join his orchestra. If you have stories about schools with strange, unusual or wondrous traditions or ceremonies tell us about it. Give us a call at (315) 992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Or better, you can record a voice memo and give it to us at [email protected].