The Atlas Obscura Podcast

CANADALAND host Jesse Brown introduces Dylan to a strange and decaying Quebecois fast food institution… housed inside a giant orange sphere. Today, the orange is a relic of a bygone era. But decades ago, this odd establishment was on track to become the McDonalds of Canada. We hear about the rise and fall of Montreal’s Orange Julep, and how its eccentric founder envisioned a Canada scattered with glowing orange spheres.    This week, we’re celebrating Canada’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. This is the third story in our collaboration with CANADALAND. If you want to hear more stories from their great show, we recommend starting here: Crimes Against NatureThe True Story of SasquatchThis episode was produced by Kevin Sexton.

Host Dylan Thuras brings us to a remote island off the coast of Nova Scotia. On Sable Island, we learn how – against all odds – a group of beloved feral horses have not only survived, but thrived. There’s only one problem: Some people want them gone. This week, we’re celebrating Canada’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. This is the second story in our collaboration with CANADALAND. If you want to hear more stories from their great show, we recommend starting here: The Truth About PolkarooWTF, Marc Maron is Moving to Canada?This episode was produced by Kevin Sexton.

CANADALAND host Jesse Brown tells Dylan the story of a Canadian man who adopted a black bear in the woods of Winnipeg – and how that bear became the inspiration for one of the most beloved children’s characters of all time.This week, we’re celebrating Canada’s strange, incredible, and wondrous places. This is the first story in our collaboration with CANADALAND. If you want to hear more stories from their great show, we recommend starting here: An Oral History of Just for Laughs GagsThe Newfoundlander Who's Behind a Fake Trudeau Sex ScandalThis episode was produced by Kevin Sexton.

This mechanical boy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was a mystery - until it began to write. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/maillardets-automaton

Historian and author Edda L. Fields-Black tells us the fascinating and action-packed story of one of the most daring spy operations and raids of the entire Civil War – led by Harriet Tubman. 

We catch up with Amir Siraj – friend of the show, scientist and world wanderer – who visited a new observatory in a Chilean desert that could help his search for rogue planets Check out other episodes we’ve done Amir here and here.

Earlier this spring we shared the story of the city of Melbourne’s program to track trees, which morphed into a love fest. In this episode, we hear from YOU and your love letters to trees that play a special role in your life. MORE: Want to be in an upcoming Atlas Obscura episode? We’re collecting listener stories right now about traveling with your parents. Tell us about a place you went with your parents that was special to you. Maybe it was the annual trip to Niagara Falls or a national park. Or maybe it was just a one time thing but had an outsized impact. Call and tell us at 315-992-7902 or email us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com.

Explore the tragic events of the Ludlow Massacre in early 1900s Colorado, revealing the harsh realities faced by coal miners, the violent clash between striking workers and mine operators, and the heartbreaking loss of over 25 lives, including women and children. Reflect on the aftermath of the massacre, highlighting the miners' struggles for justice and the enduring impact of commemorating the tragedy with a memorial sculpture.

Exploring the quirky tale of a 2006 shipwreck that left a town marked by thousands of Doritos bags. Delving into the history of treacherous shipwrecks on the Outer Banks, with a focus on community resilience and salvaging goods. Witness how a community turned a cargo of Doritos into a museum exhibit, adding a unique twist to a beach litter aftermath.

Author and columnist at Atlas Obscura, Colin Dickey, discusses the bizarre events in Hopkinsville, Kentucky in 1955 where a family faced off against small, glowing-eyed creatures believed to be aliens. He explores the legacy of the Hopkinsville goblins incident, Steven Spielberg's adaptation of the story into 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind,' and the cultural evolution of extraterrestrial beings intertwined with American culture.