The Atlas Obscura Podcast

On Fridays this October, we're surfacing strange, incredible and sometimes spooky stories. This episode centers on cakes with a particular ingredient that some believe protected them from witchery - and sparked one of the best-known witch hunts in United States history.

There’s an organ in Halberstadt, Germany that began to play in 2001 and will continue to play until the year 2640. This is the John Cage Organ Project Halberstadt.

The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago has a very unusual artifact in its collection: an object that’s been called “the world’s most dangerous toy.” It’s a science kit from the 1950s, designed to teach kids about the atom and atomic energy, but the twist is…it contains real samples of uranium. We explore the kit’s contents, and the context in which it was made. Did you have one of these Atomic Energy Lab kits or other atomic toys? Or how about toys that would be considered dangerous today? We want to hear from you: Drop us a line at [email protected] or call us 315-992-7902 and leave a message.

Telescope tourist, rocket scientist and STEAM educator Summer Ash gives us the nitty gritty on the V.L.A. - a 22-mile telescope in New Mexico whose formal name is literally “Very Large Array.” We talk about how this observatory works and what cosmic wonders it’s detected.

Christina Staton is a tour guide of the 9/11 Memorial. And today, she guides us to tell us about the overlooked places, memorials and sculptures of the memorial.

All week, host Kelly McEvers surfaces some of her favorite episodes from the archive. Here's today's story: This episode will break your heart. And that’s a good thing. PLUS: Do you have a favorite episode we should bring back to the top of the feed? Tell us what it was and why you picked it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call in if you get disconnected. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at [email protected]

All week, host Kelly McEvers surfaces some of her favorite episodes from the archive. Here's today's story: What drives a person to live in isolation? Meet Sue Aikens, who thrives in the icy expanse of the Arctic. She shares stories of survival, self-discovery, and the wild encounters that continue to shape her life. Her memoir, "North of Ordinary," was just published. PLUS: Do you have a favorite episode we should bring back to the top of the feed? Tell us what it was and why you picked it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call in if you get disconnected. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at [email protected]

All week, host Kelly McEvers surfaces some of her favorite episodes from the archive. Here's today's story: One of the many objects that went down with the ship during the sinking of the Titanic was a beautiful, jewel-encrusted edition of a poetry book called the “Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.” The Rubaiyat was probably the most famous work of poetry in the English-speaking world at that time…which was somewhat unusual, as the book was written by a Persian mathematician 800 years before. For more information about Omar Khayyam and the Rubaiyat, check out the books “Persian Presence in Victorian Poetry” by Taher-Kermani Reza, “The Wine of Wisdom: The Life, Poetry and Philosophy of Omar Khayyam” by Mehdi Aminrazavi, and the BBC documentary “The Genius of Omar Khayyam.” PLUS: Do you have a favorite episode we should bring back to the top of the feed? Tell us what it was and why you picked it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call in if you get disconnected. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at [email protected]

From opera singers to strange noises emitting from air conditioners, listeners share stories about their unusual neighbors.

Dive into the invisible world of seeds, Sefra Alexandra, the self-titled “Seed Huntress.” She tells us about her global mission to preserve our planet's diverse seeds and protect our future food security by uncovering the stories of culinary and cultural significance rooted in these tiny powerhouses.

Olney, Illinois is your quintessential Midwestern small town. It’s in the middle of farm country - a place you might drive right past. But people do stop, and they come for one thing: squirrels. But for how long?

Ross Jennings, aka the First Piper, has been on a world-spanning quest to play the bagpipes in every country of the world.

Producer Jerome Campbell shares two stories about how far animals will go for their meal.