The Atlas Obscura Podcast

Dylan sits down with guest Blake Pfeil about what inspired him to begin exploring abandoned spots, what those spaces have taught him about escapism, sobriety and the sometimes blurry line between real and unreal that he finds there. MORE: Blake is an artist and adventurer. He’s also the creator and host of the podcast “Abandoned: All-American Ruins.” Check it out here.

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

An industrial water tank-turned-concert hall in the high deserts of Colorado is nothing less than a sonic wonder of the world. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-tank-rangely-colora

These documents highlight the intellectual legacy of an ancient civilization based in Timbuktu, Mali. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/timbuktu-manuscripts-mali

A small bit of news, and a request. To ask Dylan your question, send an email or voice memo to hello@atlasobscura.com. Or, give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message.

A map in the archives of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library in Portland, OR may be the key to finding buried treasure that has yet to be found. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/buried-treasure-portland-oregon

Today, we’re sharing an episode from our friends at Terrestrials, a Radiolab spinoff show for families that explores strangeness on Earth. In this episode, host Lulu Miller visits some of our planet’s most magical tree stumps – which are anything but dead. Plus: Cast your vote in Radiolab’s quasi-moon naming contest! Voting is open until January 1.

Writer and friend of the show Colin Dickey tries to destroy Dylan’s holiday cheer with arguments about why Christmas is actually full of monsters from around the world. (Just a note for parents listening with little ones, Dylan and Colin talk frankly about Santa and his surrounding lore.) Check out Colin’s Atlas Obscura column, Eerie Feeling.

Places editors Michelle Cassidy and Diana Hubbell take us on a tour of two mildly disturbing yet lovable works of art. Plus: If you have a piece of public art that you love to hate – or if you’ve created a work of public art that’s caused a stir – we want to hear from you. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.

Dylans answers a slew of questions from staff and listeners

Our first international trips can be hugely influential. We want to hear your stories about leaving your home country for the first time. Where did you go? How did you prepare? What memories do you have from the trip? Maybe you loved it… or maybe you hated it! Either way, we want to hear about it. And if you are about to take your first trip this coming year, we want to know how you’re feeling leading up to it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message, or better yet, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com

Larry Spring’s Museum of Common Sense Physics in Fort Bragg, California begs the question: what do you do with a science museum where the science preserved inside is a kind of folk art? READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/larry-spring-school-common-sense-physics

As the winter solstice and Yule are upon us, we are celebrating these Pagan holidays by talking about the iconic image of the witch, with Pam Grossman -- friend of the show, curator, writer and host of the podcast The Witch Wave.

How one man made someone else's trash into his own treasure ... and how it became a storied part of a New Jersey town.

Every year, hundreds of boats circle the waterways of the eastern United States on The Great Loop. But Mike Straub took a different approach, riding over 6,000 miles alone on a JetSki. Check out Mike’s YouTube channel and his book, Y WAIT: Experience America's Great Loop.

Listeners share stories of memorable encounters with strangers – for better or for worse. Plus: We want to hear your stories about your first international trip. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave us a message telling us about the first time you traveled abroad. Or better yet, record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.

This week, we’re presenting Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico. Rising singer-songwriter Andrea Cruz shares how she fell in love with folk music as a young girl in Aibonito. We hear about how the plants, birds and animals of Puerto Rico have shaped the fabric of her work, and the profound ways in which her art connects her to the island she calls home. Hollywood film director Miguel Arteta recalls his colorful childhood in Río Piedras, shares the Puerto Rican role model who inspired him to pursue a creative career, and teases his upcoming project, which is set on the island of birth. Subscribe to Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico wherever you get your podcasts.

This week, we’re presenting Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico. Oscar-nominated screenwriter and playwright José Rivera shares with us his rich memories, both old and new, of his time in Puerto Rico: of spiders, thunderstorms and a deep sense of community in his childhood town of Espino. We hear about the joy of watching one of his plays performed in Santurce alongside the family members who inspired it, and how the island has been a constant source of inspiration that has enriched so much of his work. Subscribe to Sound Influence: The Art and Soul of Puerto Rico wherever you get your podcasts.

Many people moved to Granbury, Texas for the peace and quiet. Then, a noisy neighbor moved in – and strange things began happening in town. Read Andrew’s original reporting about the bitcoin mine and Granbury, Texas.

The Ether Dome in Boston was once filled with the screams of patients undergoing painful surgeries. In 1846, everything changed with the first successful use of anesthesia, transforming medicine forever. Dylan explores the room where pain-free surgery began. The Ether Dome is part of the Innovation Trail, which highlights four centuries of world-changing breakthroughs from Boston.