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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Smith Court

September 17, 2024 00:15:41 15.05 MB Downloads: 0

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.

The Hidden History of Eyeliner with Zahra Hankir

September 16, 2024 00:15:49 15.18 MB Downloads: 0

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.

Roger Williams Root (Classic)

September 13, 2024 00:13:03 12.53 MB Downloads: 0

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.

A Pasta Tour of Italy with Dan Pashman

September 12, 2024 00:23:16 22.33 MB Downloads: 0

Cookbook author and Sporkful host Dan Pashman sets out on a research trip across Italy in search of highly regional pasta dishes that he can’t find anywhere else. Along the way, he learns a shocking truth about Italy and pasta, and ponders innovation and authenticity in one of the world’s most popular cuisines.  Check out Dan’s new cookbook, Anything's Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People. 

The Day the Tractors Stood Still

September 11, 2024 00:18:10 17.44 MB Downloads: 0

In May 2024, tractors across the American Midwest stalled. But that was only the first piece of a much larger story. Journalist Jason Koebler takes us to Nebraska and Illinois to find out what is going on with American tractors – and what Ukrainian hackers have to do with it. Read more of Jason’s reporting on John Deere and the Right to Repair movement.

Wood Island Lighthouse

September 10, 2024 00:17:06 16.41 MB Downloads: 0

Over the course of its 200 year history, the lighthouse on Wood Island in Maine has been home to a celebrity dog, a grisly murder, some mischievous ghosts, and a monster storm that may or may not have been brought on by a pickpocket’s curse.Learn more about Wood Island Lighthouse on their website (here’s Richard’s book.)Want to hear more stories of mega storms, heroic sea rescues, and maybe even some more lighthouse ghosts? Here’s some information about Maine’s 60 historic lighthouses. This episode was brought to you in partnership with the Maine Office of Tourism

The Wave Organ

September 09, 2024 00:17:34 16.86 MB Downloads: 0

Producer Luz Fleming takes his son to revisit a special childhood spot that just happens to be a San Fransisco gem hiding in plain sight ... in the middle of the bay!

Wild Life Week: Rae Wynn-Grant and the Bear (Classic)

September 06, 2024 00:17:02 16.35 MB Downloads: 0

Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant, Ph.D. is a wildlife ecologist specializing in large carnivores. And in this episode she unfolds a mystery for listeners.

Wild Life Week: Why Would a Researcher Pull a Lion’s Tail?

September 05, 2024 00:25:19 24.3 MB Downloads: 0

Producer Abbey Perrault takes a trip into the Kenyan savanna, where she meets researchers who are studying how people share space with unlikely neighbors: lions. Along the way, she learns why a researcher would possibly pull the tail of a lion, and gets *extremely* up close and personal with two massive lionesses. For more information, check out Lucrecia Aguilar's website, Sam Kiuna’s Twitter and Instagram, and Lion Landscapes. Preorder your copy of Wild Life today! 

Wild Life Week: Celery Makes A Nature Documentary

September 04, 2024 00:17:01 16.33 MB Downloads: 0

We all love to zone out to a soothing nature documentary. But what you’ll learn about them in this episode will make you watch – and listen! – a lot more carefully. Reporter Abigail Keel tells Dylan about her conversation with sound designer and mixer Graham Wild about the not-as-real-as-you-may-think sounds that bring nature documentaries to life.Preorder your copy of our new book, Wild Life, today!

The Female Alphas of Yellowstone

September 03, 2024 00:18:24 17.66 MB Downloads: 0

Decades after eradicating its wolves, Yellowstone National Park decided to reintroduce them. In the 1990s, the wolves were thriving—until one wolf decided to make life hell for everyone around her. Our guest in this episode, Rick McIntyre, has written several books about the wolves of Yellowstone. His latest is Thinking Like a Wolf, which will be out in late October 2024.Preorder your copy of Wild Life today!

Wild Life Week: Exploring Our Alien Planet with Cara Giaimo

September 02, 2024 00:15:00 14.4 MB Downloads: 0

The natural world is weird. Dylan talks with Cara Giaimo, co-author of our forthcoming book Wild Life, about the world’s tiniest chameleon, an acrobatic fog catching beetle, and how shellfish hold the keys to Poland’s water supply.Preorder your copy of Wild Life today, and get a free luggage tag!

Ottoman Bird Palaces (Classic)

August 30, 2024 00:10:08 9.73 MB Downloads: 0

These miniature mansions and luxurious homes were built for the feathered residents of Istanbul. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ottoman-bird-palaces

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

August 29, 2024 00:23:18 22.37 MB Downloads: 0

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is dedicated to telling the stories of league’s greatest players, its impact on communities, and the game-changing innovations it brought to baseball.

Auctioning off Roadside America

August 28, 2024 00:12:39 12.14 MB Downloads: 0

Pegged as the “world’s greatest indoor miniature village,” Roadside America was a beloved roadside attraction in Shartlesville, Pennsylvania. The creator Laurence Gieringer and his family ran the business for 85 years until its closure in 2021. Today, the pieces of this miniature village have been auctioned off to past visitors all over the country. And there may yet be more auctions this year.