Michael Maldonado

Author Archive

Michael Maldonado

Dr. Michael Maldonado is a neuroradiologist with more than sixteen years of experience in medicine, a Member National of the legendary Explorers Club, an entrepreneur, and an accomplished author. Widely published in academic medical literature, he has earned numerous honors within his field and has presented at national and international medical conferences, building a reputation for translating complex scientific ideas into engaging, accessible insights.

Driven by an insatiable scientific curiosity and a passion for discovery, Michael’s work extends beyond medicine into exploration and storytelling. His acceptance into the historic Explorers Club reflects his commitment to advancing field exploration and scientific inquiry. Blending professional expertise with a spirit of adventure, he is the author of Wanderlu$t: How to Make Money While Traveling, Haunted Hikes of the Great Smoky Mountains, and Secret Virginia: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. He also serves as producer and co-host of the unique adventure series Weird World Adventures, where he continues to explore the intersection of science, travel, and the extraordinary.

The Raft That Rewrote History: Honoring the Kon-Tiki and the Man Who Brought a Piece of It Home

There are moments at the Explorers Club events where history stops being something you read about and becomes something you can hold. Last month, I had one of those moments. At the Explorers Club Annual Dinner, I bid on — and won — a small fragment of the Kon-Tiki. The actual Kon-Tiki. A piece of…

This 400-Pound Crocodile Was the Most Cooperative Patient in CT Scan History

For those of you who haven’t heard some of our podcasts or seen Weird World Adventures (if not, check them out here and here), I am both a contributing writer and Malorie’s husband. In my day job, I am a physician who sub-specializes in neuroradiology, so suffice to say, I’ve seen a lot of imaging…

The Ancient Art of Backgammon: A 5,000-Year Journey Through History

As an avid gamer but admittedly poor backgammon player, I was astonished to learn that few games have endured as long or traveled as far as backgammon. Spanning cultures and continents, backgammon, or at least its predecessors, is among the oldest known board games with origins stretching back over 5,000 years. A game that has…

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The Dead Man’s Hand: Poker Meets Folklore

If you are a poker enthusiast, as I have been all of my adult life, you’ve probably heard of The Dead Man’s Hand. For those who don’t know, the Dead Man’s Hand, further popularized more recently by HBO’s Deadwood, is a poker hand that modernly consists of two-pair containing black aces and black eights. There…

Michael Maldonado