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

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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?

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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.

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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

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Does this sprawling mansion in San Jose, California live up to its reputation as one of the most haunted places in the world?

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/winchester-mystery-house

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The oldest operating pet cemetery in the world is just north of NYC, and it’s where dearly departed four-legged friends come to rest – and sometimes, even their owners. Grab your tissues. 

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/hartsdale-pet-cemetery

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We visit a museum in Georgetown, SC that’s dedicated to preserving and prioritizing the rich and historic Gullah Geechee culture.

READ MORE: http://www.gullahmuseumsc.com/

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An incomplete luxury housing development in Turkey is a mashup of fairy tale and ghost town, and almost everyone has an opinion of (or wants to see) this place.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/turkey-castle-ghost-town

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Producer Johanna Mayer and Atlas Obscura associate editor Sarah Durn tell us the story of a fort in Hawaii with two names – and how those names both preserve and erase its history.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/hawaiian-history-russian-fort-elizabeth

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We follow a long set of wooden stairs deep underground to a sea cave with a mysterious and colorful past, and take in a spectacular, hidden view of the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla. 

Learn more about The Cave Store: https://www.cavestore.com/

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/sunny-jim-cave-store

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We go to the Caribbean island of Dominica and hear the story of Jacko, a formerly enslaved man who became a national hero for his ingenious escape and emancipation efforts 

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/jacko-steps

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An archeological site in the country of Georgia, which features the oldest human skull fossils found outside of Africa, challenges what we think we know about our deep past.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/dmanisi-hominins-brain-shape

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Today we're headed just a couple hours south of Albuquerque to Hatch, New Mexico, a town where the heat doesn’t just come from the sun. It also comes from the signature crop: Hatch, New Mexico chiles. This Small Town, Big Story episode is produced in partnership with Go USA TV. 

Learn more about New Mexico here.

Learn more about this story here.

 

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In the Soviet Union, x-rays didn’t just give you a look inside the human body. They also gave you a glimpse of the outside world, thanks to music that was imprinted onto this unassuming medical tool.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/soviet-scenesters-used-xrays-to-record-their-rock-and-roll

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Grab your pickaxes, your shovels, and your code breaking supercomputers because today we’re going on a treasure hunt.

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The family behind this farm relies on itsy bitsy helpers to produce one-of-a-kind art. 

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/knight-s-spider-web-farm

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Hear how a trip to the jungle, and a series of nighttime hikes, cured producer Chris Naka’s bug-phobia, once and for all.

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Places editors Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy bring us two stories about two particular places whose histories intersect with real world American espionage. 

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: Check out our entry on the FBI House here and on the Wertheim Study in the NY Public Library here.

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For decades, a one of a kind travel guide opened up the world for gay travelers. Today, historians are using them to create an interactive map of LGBTQ spaces in midcentury America.

LEARN MORE: https://www.mappingthegayguides.org/

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A trip to Sweden prompts former show producer Sarah Wyman to dig into a superstitious story passed through generations about the Red Stone Man

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Our show often focuses on interesting people and places. But in this episode, the team shares memorable encounters they’ve had with animals – everything from parakeets to a very special opossum. 

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 your own animal encounter. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com. Looking forward to hearing from you.

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An infamous break in the road that links North and South America has been in and out the news for more than 100 years – for good reason. This stretch of jungle has been a magnet for adventure junkies, but also is the site of a growing humanitarian and migration crisis. ...

Author Dave Eggers has an enduring affinity for Idaho. In this episode, he chats with Dylan about a unique family that undertook what is perhaps one of the strangest, slowest moves in history. The fascinating tale provided inspiration for the writer’s new children’s book, Moving the Millers’ Minnie Moore Mine Mansion. Get the book here and learn more about Eggers' work here.

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