The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Trailblazing computer scientist Grace Hopper shaped the way people use and talk about computers. Her actual computer bug is preserved at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/grace-hoppers-bug

This San Francisco museum, curated by a super-fan of the Beats, is a shrine to an incredibly influential cultural movement and a destination for folks keeping it alive today. *An earlier version of this episode contained a mispronunciation and a misattributed quote. Both have been fixed and we regret the error. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/beat-museum

Filmmaker and writer Cheuk Kwan takes us for a round-the-world meal. Three courses, three incredible places. Three stories of Chinese immigration. LEARN MORE: Cheuk Kwan’s new book is called “Have You Eaten Yet?” You can also check out “Chinese Restaurants,” his documentary series that started it all, on youtube https://www.youtube.com/@cheukkwan/featured

Dylan chats with Rowan Jacobsen, a food journalist and host of the podcast called OBSESSION: Wild Chocolate. And he takes us on a journey that follows his multiyear quest into the Amazon rainforest to learn more about a mythical chocolate that has a dark history and the potential to save parts of the rainforest. LEARN MORE: Check out Rowan's podcast here.

Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy of the Atlas Places Team bring us stories about the biggest balls of twine. Plus, a special guest adds an additional tangle to the tale. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/world-s-largest-ball-of-twine

Tonopah, Nevada is home to the Clown Motel - an inn on the edge of the desert that’s packed with statues and figurines of Clowns. The eerie and fully-functioning inn is also a labor of love. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/clown-motel

The deep woods of Pennsylvania hold a phenomena that has drawn attention from scientists and people around the world, and was almost recently destroyed. To learn more about the Pennsylvania Firefly Festival visit https://www.pafireflyevents.org/.

We visit a park in Palo Alto, California, home of the world’s most famous donkey. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-donkeys-of-barron-park-palo-alto-california

A massive 19th-century reservoir under the city of Copenhagen has been repurposed as a contemporary art cave. We venture inside to learn more about its history, and bask in the incredible acoustics of the space. Visit Cisternerne and Frederiksberg Museerne: https://frederiksbergmuseerne.dk/da/ READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cisternerne

A swath of land in Northern France still bears scars of the destruction of World War I. Destruction so bad that, in some cases, humans have never been allowed to return. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/zone-rouge

As part of Women’s History Month, we're sharing some episodes from the archive including this story about mysterious doors scattered throughout Atlanta. They dare you to imagine what might be found on the other side. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tiny-doors-atl

Writer Stacy Horn tells us about a period in American history when the study of psychic phenomena and the paranormal was serious business at places like Stanford and Duke University. And she reveals the story of J.B. Rhine and Louisa Rhine, a scholarly couple who attempted to find the line where science ended and the unbelievable began. Horn is the author of Unbelievable: Investigations into Ghosts, Poltergeists, Telepathy, and Other Unseen Phenomena, from the Duke Parapsychology...

We go to Tokyo, to a particular place that is both nemesis and best friend to all those procrastinators out there. (Yes, we’re looking at you :) LEARN MORE: The Manuscript Writing Cafe is open Saturdays and Sundays and you can reserve your seat online. https://koenji-sankakuchitai.blog.jp/ManuscriptWritingCafe/

Producer Abigail Keel takes us on the most strange, wonderful and beautiful potty break. And tells us how – and where – you can do it too.

Writer Jessica Leigh Hester joins us on a deep dive into the sewer, the subject of her new book. We’ll talk about some of the interesting (and disgusting) things she found there … like fatbergs. FIND OUT MORE: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/sewer-9781501379505/

As part of Women’s History Month Atlas Obscura will be sharing some episodes from the archive, including this story about the origins of a Swedish holiday tradition which evolved from sinister pagan lore to a celebration of light, warmth and music.

Here the podcast team shares stories of wonder and curiosity that lies just outside your doorstep. Stories feature a troll bridge, a cemetery, natural methane vents, and more. Tell us about a wonder in your backyard. Record a voice memo and send it to hello@atlasobscura.com or leave a voicemail at 315-992-7902.

The Dedan Kimathi Post Office played a notable role in Kenya’s struggle for Independence.

The Ouija Board went from a tool for communicating with the dead to a sleepover party game. This trip through the Ouija Board’s past features a pit stop at the Ouija 7-Eleven. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ouija-7eleven

This restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi was a haven for Civil Rights leaders and has stood for four generations, 83 years, and a whole lotta pig ear sandwiches. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/big-apple-inn