This site, and the enormous telescope that sits on it, is loved and lost to both scientists and everyday Puerto Ricans.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/arecibo-observatory

Friend of the show Amir Siraj tells us the wild tale of his search for an interstellar object – a journey that led the astrophysicist to the bottom of the ocean floor.

Today the story of how a street lamp, a tangle with municipal government, and a love of the stars led a man to Goblin Valley, Utah a “dark sky certified” place for lovers of the night sky.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/goblin-valley-state-park

Take a trip to a hostel in Iceland to visit the country’s last Big Mac, where the burger’s existence  unfolds a story about economics and national identity. 

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/iceland-mcdonalds

Atlas Obscura writer Roxanne Hoorn brings us the story of an extraordinary relationship between people and killer whales. And, through conversation with Dylan, we learn how to better cohabitate as species on this planet. 

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/killer-whales-work-with-humans

LeVar Burton presents SOUND DETECTIVES – a funny, engaging, and thought provoking podcast that invites elementary school-aged kids to explore the magic and mystery of sound.

Equal parts fun and informative, SOUND DETECTIVES encourages listeners to engage with the sound mysteries that surround us, while unlocking the door to people and cultures around the globe. Join the team on this semi-improvised comedy caper, and help return the mystery sounds before the world falls silent!

Listen to SOUND DETECTIVES on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

We go to Fayerweather Island, off the coast of Connecticut, and get the story of Kate Moore, one of the first recorded woman lighthouse keepers. Over several decades, she poured her heart and soul into a task and defied common expectations of what a keeper should be.

We go to Deep River, Connecticut – where the story of a botched bank robbery more than 100 years ago has taken on a life of its own as an urban legend.

MORE: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-grave-of-xyz-deep-river-connecticut

The largest theater pipe organ in the world lives in a restaurant in Mesa, Arizona. Phenomenal musicians play requests while diners feast on pizza.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/organ-stop-pizza

Dylan sits down with guest Blake Pfeil about what inspired him to begin exploring abandoned spots, what those spaces have taught him about escapism, sobriety and the sometimes blurry line between real and unreal that he finds there. 

MORE: Blake is an artist and adventurer. He’s also the creator and host of the podcast “Abandoned: All-American Ruins.” Check it out here.