The Atlas Obscura Podcast

How an MIT fraternity pledge instituted a new, unique unit of measurement.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:  https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/harvard-bridge-smoot-measurements Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How do we determine the time? Believe it or not, there is an official clock. It’s located in Boulder, Colorado at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and we go there to visit. LEARN MORE: NIST  doesn’t give public tours. But if you want to watch the seconds go by as precisely as humanly possible, dial (303) 499-7111. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for...

We go to the Allegany territory of the Onödowá'ga people to learn about "The Creator's Game” – which evolved into the sport now known as lacrosse – and their constant fight to be recognized. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/onohsagwe-de-cultural-center Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal d...

We explore the power of myth and folklore through the story of an Irish woman, whose husband murdered her because he believed she’d become a fairy.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/bridget-cleary-changeling-murder-ireland Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One of the last remaining World War II Victory Gardens in the U.S is quietly growing across from Boston’s Fenway Park .  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

School is back in session. So for this episode, Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring two stories - one from the campus of Gallaudet University and the other from Cornell University to tell us about usual traditions that take place in these universities. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of person...

In Myrtle Beach, mini golf is not so mini. It’s over the top! This episode was produced in partnership with Visit Myrtle Beach, and to find a list of all mini golf courses, go to VisitMyrtleBeach.com . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Our team has shared memorable encounters they’ve had with animals, and some were very unexpected. So this time we asked YOU about those experiences – and some of them are wild!  TELL US YOUR STORY We want to hear your stories too! Give us a call at (315) 992-7902, and leave a message telling us your name, and about the places you've visited that far exceeded--or failed to meet your expectations. Y...

Just an hour west of Philadelphia, there’s a charming town in Pennsylvania that produces about two thirds of all the mushrooms sold in the US. We visit during the town’s annual festival and check out the mycelium madness. This Small Town, Big Story episode is produced in partnership with Go USA TV. Check out our video series featuring Kennett Square here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company....

A music box given to Scott Harrison while he served in Vietnam inspired him to hand-carve all the animals for the Carousel of Happiness in Nederland, Colorado.   READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/carousel-of-happiness Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We go back in time to another era of travel and take a trip on the oldest commercial sailing vessel in the United States. Click here  to learn more about windjammers and here  to book a trip with Captain Becky. This episode was made in partnership with the Maine Office of Tourism . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of persona...

The story of the white deer on Mount Madonna, the two robber barons who put them there, and the last survivor of the herd. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Back in 2020, a lot of people moved to faraway places to escape urban life amid a global pandemic. Brent Underwood bought and moved to an abandoned town. We check in, three years later. To learn more about Brent Underwood and Cerro Gordo, you can check out their instagram @brentunderwood and their youtube channel named Ghost Town Living. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.co...

Let’s all go to hell. Seriously. Hell, Michigan, that is :) READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hell-michigan Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

An abandoned mansion in Italy has become the source of rumors about ghost activity that some believe is justified by its very real gothic past.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/villa-de-vecchi Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We nearly stump host Dylan Thuras with a seemingly simple question: Who are the top five dead people he would like to go on a road trip with? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The New Deal is known for ushering a string of social safety net programs. But in this episode, we tell the saga of an ambitious, government-backed homestead project in West Virginia that never quite lived up to its hype.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/arthurdale-historic-district-west-virginia Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for informat...

One family’s regular day of exploring some sand dunes at the edge of Lake Michigan turned into a wild tale of a little boy being sucked into a sinkhole, and the discovery of underground tunnels. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/mysterious-sinkholes-of-mt-baldy Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pe...

A tiny town in West Virginia takes “living lift to the fullest” to a different level, with its embrace of extreme adventure activities. Like, for instance, a day where people sign up to jump off a bridge.  This Small Town, Big Story episode is produced in partnership with Go USA TV. Learn more about Bridge Day here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information abou...

We chat with writer Daniel Kraus, who let his imagination run deep into the ocean after hearing a wild news story about an encounter between kayakers and a whale. And we get the backstory to Kraus’ new novel Whalefall, about a man who finds himself in the belly of a sperm whale. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal d...

Where does space stuff go after it dies? To this spot deep, deep in the Pacific ocean. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/spacecraft-cemetery Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A small church in a village in Norway is home to an unusual and perplexing mural that’s become known for its demonic illustrations.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/demon-wall-norway Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode may have you reconsidering what you think about rats. That’s because at this training and research center in Tanzania, African Giant Pouched Rats are being raised up to sniff out landmines and disease, proving to be the heroes we all need.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-best-secret-weapon-against-landmines-and-tuberculosis-is-a-rat Hosted by Simplec...

A series of churches in Texas that look unassuming from the outside in fact have some of the most intricately painted interiors. And for one of our listeners, these churches mean home – religiously and culturally. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A tiny island off the coast of Brazil is known for being a dangerous place … purely because its inhabitants are, well, snakes. But we speak to a researcher who’s seen it up close and says it’s time for this place to shed its reputation.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/snake-island-ilha-de-queimada-grande Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for...