Podcast Episodes

Weed Week: Dope Lake

In 1976, an airplane carrying 6,000 pounds of smuggled weed crashed into a remote lake in Yosemite. A group of climbers had a heyday. Read John Long’s account of the crash, and check out Greg Nichols…

Published on 1 year, 1 month ago

Weed Week: Get Inside the CannaVan

Cannabis is now legal in more than half of U.S. states, but it remains federally illegal – which makes doing research on the plant extremely difficult. Today, we meet a clever group of scientists who…

Published on 1 year, 1 month ago

Spooky Week: The Gray Man (Classic)

A South Carolina ghost story is a harbinger of hurricanes and a window into history. Read more in the Atlas: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/south-carolina-hurricane-ghost

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Spooky Week: The Story of the Mad Gasser with Colin Dickey

In 1944, a strange spate of “gas attacks” in a small Midwestern town reveals what was really lurking in mid-century America. Read Colin Dickey’s article about the mad gasser, and check out his Monste…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Spooky Week: Places That Give Us the Creeps

Listener stories about places that give off big creepy vibes – from an abandoned ice factory to a haunted university music building.

If you want to hear more about Luz Fleming’s ghost story, there’s a…

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Spooky Week: No More Scary Stories at Camp

To avoid traumatizing kids, many summer camps are banning scary stories. But can a little fun with fear be a good thing? 

Check out Roxanne Hoorn’s article about this fading tradition.

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Spooky Week: Elmer McCurdy’s Nine Lives

In 1976, a television crew filming an episode of the show “The Six Million Dollar Man” descended on a rundown funhouse in Long Beach, California. While filming, they accidentally broke the arm off a …

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

The Smallest Mollusk Museum (Classic)

The Smallest Mollusk Museum in New York City is part of a fleet of tiny museums that might just have a big impact on the world.

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

Living on Mars

Kelly and Zach Weinersmith walk Dylan through the practicalities of making a home on the red planet. 

Check out their book A City on Mars everywhere books are sold.

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago

The South's Hidden Confessional

Outside the French Quarter lies Hidden South, an antique shop like any other. And hidden amongst the oddities is a bathroom full of secrets.

Published on 1 year, 2 months ago