logo
episode-header-image
Yesterday
20m 49s

The Family That Tried To Escape History

SiriusXM and Atlas Obscura
About this episode
In 1978, a team of Soviet geologists working deep in the Siberian taiga came across something they never expected to see: a house. As it turned out, they had stumbled on a family that had lived in complete isolation for decades – they weren’t even aware of World War Two. Sophie Pinkham, author of the new book “The Oak and the Larch: A Forest History of Russ ... Show More
Up next
Mar 11
AO Mailbag: How Shlubby Is Too Shlubby On an Airplane?
Co-host Kelly McEvers and producers Jerome Campbell and Manolo Morales answer questions about places they could live permanently, how to navigate travel as a Type B person when all your friends are Type A, and appropriate airplane attire. If you have a question for our next mailb ... Show More
11m 13s
Mar 10
The Amargosa Opera House
Marta Becket was an artist from New York City. Then in 1967, when she was on a road trip with her husband, she discovered an abandoned social hall in the California desert town of Death Valley Junction. She left New York and moved there to transform this hall into the Amargosa Op ... Show More
16m 5s
Mar 9
Mr. Toilet House
In 2007, the beloved former mayor of Suwon, Korea, demolished the home he and his wife had lived in for 30 years and built them a new house shaped like a toilet: curved walls, a toilet seat roof, and a bowl-shaped courtyard in the middle. For many spouses, this might be grounds f ... Show More
15m 31s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2025
Surinder Gupta's Story
<p>In 1974, Surinder and his family came out of a pharmacy to discover their car was gone. Not knowing anyone else in town, he opened the phone book, and dialed a stranger with a familiar Indian last name. The man who answered not only helped them, but went on to play a surprisin ... Show More
4m 22s
Aug 2024
Mike Huddleston's Story
<p>Mike fell on the sidewalk, and wasn’t able to get up on his own. Then a kind stranger asked how he could help.</p><h2>Episode Notes</h2><p>When Leahruth began to cry at a tollbooth, the toll collector offered unexpected comfort.</p><p>Do you have your own story of an unsung he ... Show More
4m 11s
Oct 2025
Episode 137: The Devil's Errand
In 2001, a high school student named Danny skips class with two friends and meets a mysterious man on the train. Dressed in an expensive tailored suit and carrying a wallet stuffed with cash, the man claims that nobody else on the train can see him...and it seems to be true. Thin ... Show More
51m 48s
Jul 2025
Julie Ort's Story
<p>A favorite from 2022: After a mortifying fall in physics class, Julie remembers the unexpected gift she received from a fellow student.</p><p>Do you have your own story of an unsung hero? We'd love to hear it! Record a voice memo and email it to us at <a href="mailto:myunsungh ... Show More
5m 54s
Apr 2023
Amsterdam city centre, a dumbbell and some wig-glue
Stories from Amsterdam, very early on a blissfully quiet weekend morning, when the city’s bells were ringing.Where Are You Going? is a unique storytelling podcast in which Catherine Carr interrupts people as they go about their everyday lives and asks simply: “Where are you going ... Show More
14m 8s
Apr 2023
Ely's Riverside Park, a bike and an ambulance
Stories from a park in Ely, when the dogs were chasing birds and the river was high.Where Are You Going? is a unique storytelling podcast in which Catherine Carr interrupts people as they go about their everyday lives and asks simply: “Where are you going?” The conversations that ... Show More
6m 44s
Mar 2024
A Lunch Menu, Pushchair and a Birthday Candle.
Stories from strangers in Hong Kong celebrating motherhood at all stages. ---We’re actively seeking brand partners and sponsors for this podcast and would love to talk to you. Please email us at whereareyougoing@loftusmedia.co.uk---Where Are You Going? is a unique storytelling po ... Show More
8m 3s
May 2025
GECK IRL: another lovely day at the park
I went out to talk to people at the park as a gecko. Those people include a traveling videographer who just returned from El Salvador, a guy who grew up in NYC during the 70s, a rap genius, a lady from Norway, and other interesting people that are alive. Pick that up. I am a geck ... Show More
1h 34m
Jan 2024
In Search of a City
<p>This empty-nester tells Gethard about the year she and her husband spent driving around the Southwest looking for a new city to call home. She and Geth discuss the ways that traveling throughout the USA can make you a more connected, empathetic person. Then, she breaks down wh ... Show More
1h 18m
Jun 2024
Luxury Bags, a Baby + a Motorbike
Catherine meets two strangers with different missions for their afternoon. Catherine Carr stops strangers to ask them “Where Are You Going?” and uncovers unexpected stories about people’s lives.---Named 'Podcast of the Year' by Radio Times and picked as 'Best Podcasts of the Year ... Show More
15m 58s