ATXplained
KUT & KUTX Studios
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What happens to all the dead animals the city collects from roads in Austin?
Thousands of animals are picked up from the road around Austin every year. But where do these animals go when they die? The post What happens to all the dead animals the city collects from roads…
Was Austin’s Barton Springs sacred to Indigenous people before Europeans showed up?
The springs that feed Barton Springs were formed millions of years ago. So what have human relationships with Austin’s “Crown Jewel” been like in that time? The post Was Austin’s Barton Springs…
Are there wild elk lurking in southwest Austin?
Darren Smith swore the dark, antlered figure he saw in the early morning hours was an elk. No one believed him. This story was originally part of KUT’s ATXplained Live on Oct. 29, 2025. Tickets…
What’s the story behind this freaky sculpture hanging in the Barton Creek Greenbelt?
The story starts with a mysterious, long-nippled figure lurking among the tree tops, but it gets weirder from there. The post What’s the story behind this freaky sculpture hanging in the Barton…
Who’s the guy who dances and silently raps at the corner of Barton Springs and South First?
We’re back with a new season of ATXplained. Lots of great stories coming your way this year. We’ll start with one from our last ATXplained Live. It’s about a guy who’s whole thing is to stand…
Who was that guy who used to read psychedelic poems before big concerts in Austin?
We go in search of a poet who was a fixture in Austin more than a decade ago — but suddenly dropped off the map. The post Who was that guy who used to read psychedelic poems before big concerts in…
Is the Texas Capitol radioactive?
We’re not talking about politics. Is the capitol building itself literally radioactive? The post Is the Texas Capitol radioactive? appeared first on KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts.
Who made those giant sandwiches outside of Thundercloud Subs?
We go in search of the sandwich artist. But we find they’re behind a lot more iconic business art in Austin. The post Who made those giant sandwiches outside of Thundercloud Subs? appeared first…
How did Texas become the only state with its own toast? (archive episode)
Think of a food that reminds you of Austin or Texas. Tacos? Barbecue? How about a thick slice of bread, buttered on both sides and toasted to perfection? The post How did Texas become the only…
Who were the ‘Cedar Choppers’ of West Austin?
Shoeless children running around the land that would become Rollingwood and West Lake Hills. Bar fights ending in axe-chopped limbs. Illegal moonshine operations in caves. It’s the stuff of…
Did Travis County vote against secession before the Civil War?
Texas left the United States in 1861 and joined the Confederacy. But on the local level, the vote to leave the Union was more complicated. The post Did Travis County vote against secession before the…
Three Black Texans were lynched 130 years ago. How can Austin preserve their memory?
Like many lynching victims, their names are unknown, and details about their lives and deaths are scarce. Only foreign newspapers reported on the crimes. The post Three Black Texans were lynched…
Tickets are on sale now for our Oct. 29 ATXplained Live
Join us for our next ATXplained Live at Bass Concert Hall! Here’s a sample from one of our previous shows, where we answer a question about the space you’ll be sitting in at the show. Get your…
Why do sidewalks in Austin sometimes just end? (archive episode)
In this story, originally from our Sept. 2022 ATXplained Live show, KUT’s Audrey McGlinchy investigates why Austin sidewalks sometimes just kinda stop. In the middle of a block. And she does battle…
Who is the oldest World War II veteran in the Austin area?
Kathryn Stacer had a question about her grandfather. We try to find an answer, but also consider whether the answer even matters. If you like what we do on ATXplained, we need your financial…
Why was Austin once called ‘Waterloo’?
Talk about “Old Austin” — this was Austin before it was Austin. So why was it named after a city in Belgium? We try to find out. The post Why was Austin once called ‘Waterloo’? appeared first on KUT…
What’s the deal with Austin’s “Rain Dome”?
Inconsistent rain forecasts have led to conspiracies about a rain-blocking dome that covers the city. The truth lies in an age-old fault. The post What’s the deal with Austin’s “Rain Dome”? appeared…
What happened to Austin’s lesbian bars?
Only San Francisco and Portland, Oregon have more gay people per capita than Austin. So why don’t we have any lesbian bars? The post What happened to Austin’s lesbian bars? appeared first on KUT…
Who was Austin’s first female lifeguard?
Laurel Seymour’s grandmother, Binnie Ruth Seymour, says she was the first woman to become a city lifeguard in Austin. Audrey McGlinchy looks at the record to see if Grandma Binnie is telling the…
Who is the 94 year-old Texan who calls every state lawmaker?
94 year-old Reta Ward has been calling all the Texas state lawmakers for decades to weigh in on everything from water policy to school vouchers. One Capitol staffer wanted to know more about her. The…
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ATXplained has published 170 episodes since January 2016, covering topics in Daily News, History.
ATXplained is currently highly active with new episodes every 2 weeks. Average episode length is 9m.
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