Aug 2020

Chelyabinsk Meteor

On February 15, 2013, a fireball streaked over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk and exploded. The residents below worried it was a missile—but really, it was a meteor that struck the earth with the force of multiple nuclear bombs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastcho ... Show More

37m 53s

Aug 2020

Chelyabinsk Meteor

On February 15, 2013, a fireball streaked over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk and exploded. The residents below worried it was a missile—but really, it was a meteor that struck the earth with the force of multiple nuclear bombs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastcho ... Show More

37m 53s

Jul 2020

Mann Gulch Wildfire Tragedy Pt. 2

The blow-up of the 1949 Mann Gulch Wildfire had tragic consequences for a team of wildland firefighters. The event catalyzed a new era in fire safety, and wildland firefighting techniques that continue to this day. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoi ... Show More

40m 34s

Apr 2023

The Deadliest Lake (Classic)

In 1986 an unknown natural disaster at Lake Nyos in Menchum, Cameroon left more than 1700 people dead in one night - and puzzled scientists. Listen to learn how they solved the mystery. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lake-nyos-the-d ... Show More

15 m

Jun 2023

Poisons and Perils on the Salton Sea

Toxic dust plagues marginalized communities on the shores of this disappearing salt lake. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11m 13s

Jun 2023

Poisons and Perils on the Salton Sea

Toxic dust plagues marginalized communities on the shores of this disappearing salt lake. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11m 13s

Mar 2024

BrainStuff Classics: What Makes Some Lakes Explode?

Given the right depth, temperature, and access to volcanic gases, lakes can explode and kill thousands in the process. Learn how these limnic eruptions happen in this classic episode of BrainStuff, based on this article: https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geoph ... Show More

6m 28s

Nov 2025

Eco-Disasters 101: The Salton Sea

In 1905, an engineering mistake created a brand new 400-square-mile sea (lake?) in the California desert. People made the most of it at first, but it didn’t take long to become a toxic brew that now threatens the health of anyone in breathing distance.See omnystudio.com/listener ... Show More

48m 9s

Mar 2021

Skeleton Lake

When scientists examined the DNA of ancient bones found near a Himalayan lake, they were forced to confront a seemingly impossible conclusion. *This episode has been updated. In the original version, we mixed up carbon isotopes with carbon isotope ratios. For further reading, go ... Show More

27m 21s

Jan 2024

Laguna Del Diamante (Winter Wonder Classic)

A toxic lake high in the Andes mountains in Argentina is home to microbes that provide a window to our planet’s past — and a key to securing its future.READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/laguna-del-diama ... Show More

15m 24s

Jul 2023

Krakatoa 1883 - The eruption heard around the world

The story behind one of the most deadly volcanic events in recorded history.

11m 56s

Dec 2019

The Shag Harbour Crash Pt. 2

The mystery of the Shag Harbour Crash haunted the small village for decades. But a 1985 revelation about certain government secrets finally started to point UFO investigators in a new—and alarming—direction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

41m 56s

May 2021

Nyiragongo Eruption

The latest Nyiragongo eruption was not entirely unexpected, the volcano’s lava lake inside the crater had been building up for years. Local volcanologists say it was only a matter of time before an eruption occurred. The big concern was where the flank of the volcano would be bre ... Show More

54m 56s

Lake Nyos Toxic Gas Cloud