Shows / ATXplained
Episodes
- ATXplained
Who’s That Krispy Kreme Employee Who’s So Positive All The Time?
In the first episode of our spin-off series, Hi, Who Are You?, we meet Sylvester Myers. This piece was produced by KUT’s Nathan Bernier. Source
- ATXplained
What’s The Real Story Behind Dan’s Hamburgers And Fran’s Hamburgers?
Their signs looked oddly similar. The names were pretty darn close, too. Is the origin of Dan’s and Fran’s an urban legend? Source
- ATXplained
People Keep Moving To Austin. But Where Are They Coming From?
About 145 people moved to Austin each day last year. Where did they move from? Source
- ATXplained
How Did Texas Become The Only State With Its Own Toast?
It started almost 80 years ago, with a restaurant and some too-thick bread. Source
- ATXplained
How Do Musicians Make The Cut For The Austin City Limits TV Series?
Go behind the scenes at KLRU’s Austin City Limits TV show to find out how they pick their artists — how little they get paid. MORE HERE. Source
- ATXplained
Who Is The Crossing Guard Who Waves To Everyone Near Mendez Middle School?
Are there people in your life that you see all the time, but have never stopped to meet? Source
- ATXplained
What Ever Happened To Austin’s ‘Spamarama’?
The spiced ham product was the centerpiece of this longtime festival. For a time, the event was insanely popular — so what why did it go away? Source
- ATXplained
So, About The Origin Of ‘The Live Music Capital Of The World’… We Were Wrong. Here’s The Real Story.
OK, now we have the definitive story of Austin’s official nickname (we think). Source
- ATXplained
The Last Man On Rainey Street
The families who once lived on Rainey Street all left. One man is still there. Source
- ATXplained
Who Were The Streets In This North Austin Neighborhood Named After?
Who were Miranda, Esther, Lisa and Rufus? Source
- ATXplained
Why Is MoPac Traffic So Much Worse In The Afternoon Than In The Morning?
Does it really take longer to get home in the afternoon than to get to work in the morning? Source
- ATXplained
When Can You Call Yourself A Real Austinite? Y’all Had Some Ideas.
Maybe being an Austinite is more than a checklist. SUBSCRIBE on iTunes or RSS… Source
- ATXplained
Who Are Those People Who Ride Horses Around Downtown Austin?
Sometimes you can find people riding horses on the streets of Austin. We went for a ride with one of them. SUBSCRIBE: iTunes RSS… Source
- ATXplained
Why Is Austin’s Foliage So Amazing This Fall?
Mose Buchele takes a walk with our question-asker to learn the science behind this fall’s colorful trees. Source
- ATXplained
TELL US: When Can You Call Yourself A “Real” Austinite?
What are the experiences that bind Austinites together? Send us your answer at ATXplained.org or call/text to 737-443-9466 or email us at austin@kut. Source
- ATXplained
Why Are There So Few Homes With Basements Around Austin?
Basements are common in other parts of the country. So why not here? Is it the rock? The flooding? Nope. Source
- ATXplained
What Ever Happened To Austin’s Long-Running Aqua Fest?
For decades, Aqua Fest was an annual celebration in Austin. Then, it stopped. One ATXplained listener wanted to know why. Source
- ATXplained
We’re Doing A Live Show! Come Be A Part Of It!
Join us on Friday, September 21 at 7 p.m. at the Texas Union Theater on the UT campus. Details and tickets (they’re free) are right here. Source
- ATXplained
How Did These Tropical Fish Wind Up Thriving In Austin’s Waller Creek? 🐠
An Austin creek is home to a wild population of platyfish, known worldwide as colorful, affordable pet-store species. But they jumped the tank as early as…
- ATXplained
Why Are You Not Allowed To Swim In Lady Bird Lake?
You can canoe, kayak, paddleboard — but don’t get in the water. Why not? Source
- ATXplained
Is It Bee Cave Or Bee Caves? And Where Are The Bees? 🐝
It’s a question that’s vexed people for years. But were there ever any bees? Source
- ATXplained
What’s The History Behind That Bell Tower On Cesar Chavez?
At the end of Colorado Street on the north bank of Lady Bird Lake stands a six-story brick tower. So what’s it there for? Source
- ATXplained
What’s That Weird-Looking Tower Up On 51st Street?
Water tower? Government conspiracy? KUT’s Joseph Leahy investigates. Source
- ATXplained
What’s The Difference Between Ranch-To-Market And Farm-To-Market Roads?
RM? FM? Do they even go to farms or ranches? You can read more here. Source
- ATXplained
What’s The Story With This Tiny Cemetery In The Highway Median?
Out by the Austin airport, there’s a tiny cemetery in a huge construction site. Who’s buried there? What will become of it? See more here. Source
- ATXplained
What’s The Story Behind The Different Tags On Trees Around Austin?
You can’t not notice the trees that line the paths on Austin’s many hike and bike trails. But have you ever noticed a fair amount of them are numbered? Source
- ATXplained
Why Do So Many Self-Storage Places Keep Popping Up In Austin?
It seems like they’re everywhere: Self-storage facilities. Why are there so many being built in Austin? Source
- ATXplained
Can You Get A Refund If The MoPac Toll Lanes Aren’t Moving At 45 MPH?
The operators of the MoPac tolls lanes say the “goal” is 45 mph — so what happens if it doesn’t meet that goal? Source
- ATXplained
Why Is The Map On The Floor Of The Austin Airport Full Of Misspellings?
It looks like Austin…but the streets are all spelled wrong. Why? Source
- ATXplained
Who’s That Distinctly Texan Voice Behind The Crosswalk Signals Around Austin?
You might have heard that twang beckoning you across the street. Meet the real-life person behind the walk signal. Source
- ATXplained
Raiders of the Lost Archive: Is This Building Off Shoal Creek A Top-Secret Warehouse?
What really happens inside this government facility in Central Austin? Source
- ATXplained
Is It Really Legal To Walk Down The Street With A Beer In Austin Neighborhoods?
Colter Sonneville had a hunch that it might be legal to walk down the street with an open beer in most of Austin’s residential neighborhoods. It started when…
- ATXplained
Dan Is Moving To Austin. He Asked Us For Book Recommendations. You Had Plenty.
We got almost 200 recommendations when we asked for your favorite books about Austin and/or Texas. Here are but a few of the ones you sent in. Source
- ATXplained
What Are Capitol View Corridors?
State and city efforts to preserve views of the Texas Capitol have led to some oddly-shaped buildings in downtown Austin. Source
- ATXplained
How Do Emergency Alert Systems Work In Austin?
The story behind that annoying weekly test of the Emergency Alert System. Source
- ATXplained
Why Was I-35 Designed As A Double-Decker Through Central Austin?
Interstate Highway 35 is many things to many people. It is a vital thoroughfare for commerce and shipping. It is also an economic and social barrier through…
- ATXplained
Who Started Decorating The Loop 360 Christmas Trees? 🎄
People have strong opinions about the custom. Some say it’s a heartwarming expression of holiday spirit; others consider it a flagrant violation of Texas’…
- ATXplained
What’s Up With The ‘Doors To Nowhere’ At Austin’s New Central Library?
There’s a new building in Austin that’s drawing a lot of attention. And there are a couple of doors — yes, doors — in that building that are getting some funny…
- ATXplained
Why Does This Big Metal Flower In Patterson Park Open And Close?
This is a story about feelings. And how you translate those feelings into something real. Read more. Source
- ATXplained
What’s The Deal With The Abandoned Home Depot On St. John’s?
The city bought this property 8 years ago, but since then, it’s just been vacant. Source
- ATXplained
Is It Legal To Post Homemade ‘No Parking’ Signs In Front Of Your House?
They’re all over town: printed or painted signs in someone’s yard, telling drivers not to park in front of a house. But do they mean anything? Source
- ATXplained
Why Aren’t West Lake Hills, Sunset Valley And Rollingwood Part Of Austin?
There’s a bunch of island cities in South Austin. How did it get that way? Source
- ATXplained
What Happened to First Street?
There’s no First Street where you’d think it would be. But there is one where you wouldn’t think. Source
- ATXplained
Why Are There So Many Mattress Stores In Austin? 🛏
You’re standing in a mattress store. Right across the street are two more mattress stores. Source
- ATXplained
Why Is Hippie Hollow Clothing-Optional?
Everyone knows you go to Hippie Hollow to skinny dip. But how did it get that way? Source
- ATXplained
What The Heck Are Those Blue Panels Along The Lamar Underpass?
When you’re driving down Lamar Boulevard between Lady Bird Lake and Fifth Street, do you ever look at the walls of the underpass beneath the train bridge? Do…
- ATXplained
What’s Up With Those Handmade ‘We Buy Houses’ Signs Around Austin?
You’ve probably seen them while driving around town –- those handwritten signs next to the road with messages like: “We buy houses for cash! Call now!” What…
- ATXplained
Were There Convicts On Convict Hill?
In 1881, the first Texas Capitol building burned to the ground, and leaders set about building a new one. They wanted to use local materials, including…
- ATXplained
The History, Mystery and Misery of MoPac
The glorified parking lot known, at least officially, as Loop 1 has given many a driver plenty of time to ponder its quirks while stuck in traffic. Source
- ATXplained
Why Are There So Many Crickets Around Austin This Time of Year?
Every year they invade Austin in loud swarms – eating, drinking, mating. No, it’s not the throngs of ACL or South by Southwest. We’re talking about the…
- ATXplained
Why Does It Take So Long to Get Anything Built in Austin?
Austin residents are no strangers to orange cones dotting the highways or construction cranes in the sky. But one KUT listener wondered: Why does it take so…
- ATXplained
🎼How Did Austin Become the ‘Live Music Capital of the World’? 🎶
Regardless of what you think of Austin calling itself the “Live Music Capital of the World,” you’ve got to admit it is pretty effective branding. Even people…
- ATXplained
Why Are Grocery Stores So Hot for Hatch Chile Peppers? 🌶
Austin’s love affair with Hatch chile peppers comes and goes every August. Did you ever wonder why grocery stores get so excited about Hatch? Source
- ATXplained
Is Austin Still Keeping It Weird?
“Keep Austin Weird.” The phrase is printed on T-shirts, bumper stickers, posters; it’s part of Austin’s national reputation. But, it seems that for every…
- ATXplained
What Happens To Austin’s Recycling? ♻️
Many people think of recycling as somehow both mundane and mysterious. So, we followed a 12-ounce can of Coke. Source
- ATXplained
Everything You Wanted To Know About Grackles
They’re annoying. They’re mean. They’re filthy. But we love to hate them. Source
- ATXplained
What’s the Story Behind the ‘Fair Sailing Tall Boy’ Memorial?
You’ve probably seen this memorial if you’ve ever driven on Lamar Blvd in Austin. It’s right there, on the pillar holding up the train bridge where Third…
- ATXplained
Why Aren’t Austin’s Stoplights Synchronized? Actually, They Are. 😕
Imagine you’re cruising in a sea of green. Source
- ATXplained
Why Is Austin’s African-American Population Declining?
In the first episode of our ATXplained podcast, we explore the factors behind Austin’s declining African-American population. Source