Taquile Island

The story of a stork, a spear and a scientific mystery that led to breakthroughs in the way we understand bird migration.All week, we’re featuring the stories behind a few of our favorite things – from ancient hams to mummified fingers. Want to tell us about your own favorite unu ... Show More

Atlas Obscura’s resident food and death reporter Sam O’Brien takes us to Smithfield, Virginia, where we meet a 120-year-old ham, and the people who love it. All week, we’re featuring the stories behind a few of our favorite things – from ancient hams to mummified fingers. Want to ... Show More

We visit the world’s oldest rose, which is so tough that it survived being bombed in World War II. All week, we’re featuring the stories behind a few of our favorite things – from ancient hams to mummified fingers. Want to tell us about your own favorite unusual object? Give us a ... Show More

Lace covers and uncovers, is delicate and sensual. Its creation requires so much time, patience and skill that it was once considered a jewel or a treasure. The fashion historian Florence Müller talks about all of this, while the Sicilian writer Nadia Terranova takes us with her ... Show More

Kim Chakanetsa meets two women looking after remarkable historical objects and artworks. Kristiane Strætkvern is a Norwegian conservator with the National Museum of Denmark. She’s specialised in the preservation of waterlogged archaeological wooden objects and has worked on one o ... Show More

This week we are rebroadcasting our interview with K’asheechtlaa (Louise Brady) originally aired in April of 2021. Many of us have access to more choices than we ever thought imaginable, in fact, it is quite easy to find ourselves amidst an abundance of products, eating foods cul ... Show More

Hidden in wilderness off the coast of Vancouver Island, Canada sits the magical home of Catherine King and Wayne Adams. 45-minutes by boat to the nearest town, this couple’s sustainable fortress is complete with a dance floor, art galleries, and gardens galore. Every single build ... Show More

Clare crosses the famous ‘Bridge over the Atlantic’ for a ramble on the island of Seil. Her guide is the writer, educator, and director of the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics, Norrie Bissell. Geopoetics is described as “creatively expressing the earth” and is critical of the weste ... Show More

For the last episode of 2021, we are headed to the Hawaiian island of Molokai, home to one of the most remote peninsulas in the world. For over a century, thousands of people suffering from ma'i ho'oka'awale, or the “separating sickness” were ripped from their families and forced ... Show More

Liz Waid and Luke Haley look at places around the world that are protected by UNESCO. They are special World Heritage Sites. 

Elodie Lauret yearned to discover what was beyond the island of La Réunion. But when she set off to Europe in search of better opportunity, she realized over time that the island would always be her place to call home. Study materials and a transcript of this episode are availabl ... Show More