The Atlas Obscura Podcast

How a woman in her 70s inspired some of the biggest labor uprisings in American history. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This elaborate architecture throughout Iran served a very unique purpose - gathering pigeon guano. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/pigeon-towers-iran Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Travel writer Susan Orlean is an admitted terrible tourist. But she’s an expert at getting lost – with a purpose. Today, she takes us to some of the places that have shaped her life. And she talks about throwing out the guidebook – opening herself up to these experiences – and the art of getting lost. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Barry Enderwick has made and tasted more than 1000 sandwiches from across history. Today, he and Dylan make – and eat three sandwiches that each tell us something about history, culture, and ourselves. Pre-order Barry’s book, Sandwiches of History: The Cookbook, today!  We also have a new book coming  Pre-order a copy of Wild Life today! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For one day every July, the Assateague Channel on Virginia’s marshy eastern shore is filled with the bobbing heads of swimming ponies. These feral horses are celebrities in the area, but nobody actually knows exactly how they got there. Atlas Obscura senior editor Gemma Tarlach tells us the story and wrote about it here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Discover how researchers used sonar technology to uncover a 9,000-year-old caribou hunting site under Lake Huron. Learn about the challenges faced in underwater archaeology and how AI caribou helped uncover prehistoric structures. Dive into a virtual reality simulation of the ancient landscape and explore unique attractions in Missouri.

Listeners are invited to share their unusual road trip stories, whether it's a unique destination, a strange memory, or a surprising place. The host eagerly awaits submissions with contact details provided.

Discover the intriguing life of Anna Swan, a woman of extraordinary height, and her specially built house in Seville, Ohio. From her humble beginnings in Nova Scotia to her unique living arrangements, learn about her encounter with P.T. Barnum and her grand wedding in London. Explore the sanctuary she created with oversized furniture and special features like stilts for playing the piano.

Learn about a Revolutionary patriot, an enslaved woman who sued her owner, and Navajo code talkers who developed an unbreakable code during WWII, all in unlikely locations like a Colonial home museum and a Burger King in Arizona.

Explore the unique history of a duck-shaped architectural landmark, inspired by a coffee pot building, that became a symbol of duck farming and influenced buildings globally. Learn about the rise of duck farming, the success of a duck stand, and the community's efforts to preserve the iconic Big Duck house in Long Island.