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?
October 18, 2017
Episodes
August 27, 2026
Austin has 14 sister cities. What’s a sister city, anyway?
At Austin City Hall, a sign points to each of Austin’s international sister cities. The sister cities program dates back almost 60 years. Our question asker knows a lot about this, but she wants more people to know.
Listen
August 13, 2026
What’s the story behind the huge Adirondack chair in front of this Austin church?
Landmarks are everywhere for those with eyes to see.
Listen
July 30, 2026
BONUS: A live riff on our Master Pancake story at ATXplained Live in October 2025
John Erler from Master Pancake Theater joins us to riff on the story about him as it’s performed live. There’s also video of this story. It helps — especially during the snake part.
Listen
July 30, 2026
How did Austin’s ‘Master Pancake’ get started?
A fan of the movie-riffing show at the Alamo Drafthouse wanted to know more about how they got their start. Don’t miss the bonus episode after this one — a recording of the ATXplained Live where this story gets riffed on live!
Listen
July 16, 2026
What happened to all the fireflies in Austin?
The summer air is supposed to filled with magical, twinkling insects. But you might have noticed — depending on where you live in Austin — that there don’t seem to be as many of them lately. KUT’s Chelsey Zhu went on a bug hunt.
Listen
July 2, 2026
Is this Fourth of July tradition in Northwest Austin the work of some kind of cult?
Austin’s weirdest Independence Day parade has been going for decades. Now the husband of one participant wants answers: how did it begin and why do dozens of women (and a few men) do march like this every year? Watch this story at our May 21, 2026 ATXplained Live at Bass Concert Hall — including a […]
Listen
June 4, 2026
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?
Listen
May 7, 2026
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?
Listen
