Unexplained

Richard MacLean Smith has been quietly building one of the most atmospheric podcasts on the internet since 2015, and Unexplained now sits at over 400 episodes. Each installment examines a real-life event that stubbornly resists explanation -- from ghost sightings and poltergeist activity to strange disappearances and fringe science. Smith narrates solo, and his voice has this measured, almost literary quality that makes the show feel more like a well-crafted essay than a standard podcast. He pulls from historical records, eyewitness accounts, and academic research, weaving them together without ever insisting on a single interpretation. The production is cinematic, with original ambient music that sets a genuinely eerie tone without being over the top. Episodes run about 30 to 40 minutes, and they release biweekly through iHeartPodcasts. The show does lean British in its sensibility -- thoughtful pacing, dry observations, and a willingness to sit with ambiguity rather than rush toward neat conclusions. It has earned a 4.5-star rating from nearly 7,500 reviews on Apple Podcasts. If you appreciate mysteries told with restraint and genuine intellectual curiosity rather than breathless hype, this one rewards patient listening. Smith treats his subjects and his audience with equal respect, and that makes all the difference.