meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

iHeartPodcasts

Society & Culture

4.310.7K Ratings

Overview

From UFOs to psychic powers and government cover-ups, history is riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or learn the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know ... an audio podcast from iHeartRadio.

1753 Episodes

Strange News: One Card To Rule Them All, Pop Culture and Space, Horrors of Kenyan Death Cults, and More

History's largest credit card merger looms on the horizon. Commentary on not-quite-space and a celebrity named Katy Perry. Ben takes the crew around the globe to learn more about wildlife piracy, the horrors of Kenyan cults, and the fascinating web of fentanyl, casinos, China and Mexican drug cartels. All this this and more in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2025

Introducing: Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien

Hello, Stuff They Don't Want You To Know listeners! We want to share a new podcast that we think you'll love - Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien About the show: One of America’s greatest unsolved mysteries, and the two women at its core; One black, one white. One poor, one rich. They never actually met. But their lives came to intersect through one tragic day when Mary Pinchot Meyer was mysteriously murdered on her daily walk in broad daylight in 1964. A black man stood accused, and a barrier-breaking civil rights lawyer, Dovey Roundtree, rose to his defense. Award-winning journalist Soledad O'Brien weaves a tale of crime and culture that still resonates with our socio-political climate today. Listen here and subscribe to Murder on the Towpath with Soledad O’Brien on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 April 2025

What is Shock Incarceration?

Picture this: you're a bad kid. You've made a serious mistake, and may be facing incarceration. Yet Lo, and Behold! The US court system decrees you may avoid years in lock-up by going to an "intermediate sanction" program modeled after the military. Proponents say this helps first-time offenders get back on the right path. Critics, with extensive evidence, argue "shock incarceration" is a political convenience aiding and abetting crime, corruption, and conspiracy. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel learn the dirty truth at play.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 April 2025

Listener Mail: Signal vs. Telegram, Supply Chain Raids, Everyone Hates EvilCore

Privacy Guy continues the conversation about encryption and state-level powers. Art Vandelay notes recent issues with tariffs and supply chains. Multiple Conspiracy Realists follow up with Ben and the gang on the actions of an insurance-adjacent business called Evicore. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025

Operation Ghost Stories

What if you had the perfect spy? Not some glitzy James Bond-type, but instead a person -- or an entire family -- spending decades in a hostile country, slowly acquiring information and status, while waiting for the right signal from command. It's one of the most fascinating stories in all of tradecraft: the "sleeper spy," a concept made famous in works of fiction like The Americans. As Ben and Noel discover in tonight's episode, it turns out the conspiracy is real - welcome to Operation Ghost Stories.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 April 2025

CLASSIC: What really happened to the "Lost Colony" of Roanoke?

It's one of the most enduring enigmas in American history -- how did an entire colony disappear from Roanoke island? Join the guys as they explore the facts, fiction and speculation surrounding the mysterious fate of the colonists, the clues they may have left behind and the search that continues in the modern day.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 April 2025

Strange News: US on The Brink, North Sentinel Island, a Monster in Maryland and More

Domestic and international tensions grow as US courts square off with the administration over the rendition of innocents. A hapless, would-be internet influencer finds himself in Indian incarceration after attempting to contact the people of North Sentinel island. Over in Maryland, multiple women accuse pharmacist Matthew Bathula of egregious spying and cyber-voyeurism. All this -- and much more -- in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 21 April 2025

STDWYTK Presents: A Conspiracy of Sound, Live in Brooklyn

True story - for years, Ben, Matt and Noel have wondered about the concept of sensory experience. Turns out On Air Fest was listening, and called them to New York. In tonight's episode, the guys present their live exploration: A Conspiracy of Sound, at Brooklyn's legendary National Sawdust.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 April 2025

CLASSIC: Was Samuel Little America's Most Prolific Serial Killer?

Born in 1940, Samuel Little was known in multiple states as a drifter, petty criminal and man occasionally capable of violence. Like many people living on the fringe of society, he seemed to slip through the fingers of justice despite numerous arrests. Yet intrepid investigators and improvements in DNA testing eventually proved Little was more than an itinerant drug addict and shoplifter -- according to the FBI, he is the most prolific serial killer in US history.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

What happened to Harold Holt?

On 17 December 1967, Harold Holt, the immensely popular prime minister of Australia, went for a swim -- and vanished. In the decades since, his family and the public still have questions about what exactly happened. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore a mystery that remains unsolved in the modern day, along with a meditation on empathy, and a bevy of increasingly bizarre conspiracy theories.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2025

CLASSIC: The Afghanistan Papers

The United States invaded Afghanistan on October 7th, 2001 and remains embroiled in the conflict almost two decades later, making this the longest war in US history. Leaders from both of the dominant political parties continually argued that this was a winnable war, proposing new strategies, more troops, and more surges. Yet documents obtained by The Washington Post show that the long-running internal conversations painted a different -- and vastly more disturbing -- picture. Tune in to learn more about the Afghanistan Papers in tonight's Classic episode.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 April 2025

CLASSIC: What happened to Jimmy Hoffa?

In his day, American labor union leader James "Jimmy" Riddle Hoffa was one of the most well-known figures in the US. On July 30th, 1975, Hoffa disappeared. He has not been seen, living or dead, since that day. In the decades following his death numerous investigators have tried (and failed) to figure out what exactly happened to this infamous American icon. So what actually happened to Jimmy Hoffa? Tune in to learn more in tonight's Classic episode.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2025

Introducing: Bone Valley Season 2

In 1987, 18-year-old Michelle Schofield was found dead in a phosphate pit in Florida. Two years later, her husband Leo was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Fifteen years later, previously unidentified fingerprints matched Jeremy Scott--a violent teenager who lived nearby. Jeremy has since confessed to Michelle’s murder. Yet, Leo Schofield remains behind bars. In season 2 of Bone Valley, host Gilbert King turns his focus on Jeremy Scott. He attempts to find out what turned Jeremy into a cold-blooded killer and who else may have suffered his wrath. King is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, "Devil in the Grove," which led to the exonerations of four innocent men. Listen here or on the iHeartRadio app. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 April 2025

Interview: Up and Vanished Weekly, with Maggie Freleng

Alien abductions. Unexplained disappearances. Unsolved murders. In tonight's interview, the guys join the legendary, award-winning journalist Maggie Freleng to learn more about her newest podcast, Up and Vanished Weekly.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025

Listener Mail: Science and Astrology, Secrets of the Pyramids, and "Chicken Tax"

Astrolojon prompts an exploration of a possible scientific basis to astrology. Flea asks for more information about the viral claims concerning purported pillars deep beneath the Pyramids of Giza. AngryBizkitz inspires an investigation into the weird, conspiratorial world of tariff loopholes and the infamous "Chicken Tax." All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 April 2025

The Prior Authorizations Conspiracy: EviCore

It's a story sadly all-too familiar with so many people in the United States: you're on the cusp of receiving medication, surgery or treatment that could save your life -- only for your insurance company to deny the treatment you've paid for. Through the practice of "prior authorization," private insurance companies bypass doctors to decide whether or not a patient is allowed to receive medical treatment. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the controversy surrounding the nation's largest manufacturer of "prior approvals" -- and learn the nuts and bolts of a conspiracy built on endangering innocent people in pursuit of profit.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 9 April 2025

CLASSIC: Interview: Dark Waters: Corporations, Corruption and Pollution with Rob Bilott

When corporate defense lawyer Rob Bilott first learned about Wilbur Tennant's dying livestock, the frustrated West Virginian farmer was at his wits' end. He'd sought help from numerous local authorities to no avail, but he was certain DuPont was poisoning his livestock, as well as the surrounding area. Bilott's investigation led him down the rabbithole, deep into a web of contamination, chemical pollution and corporate cover-ups. Join the guys as they speak with Mr. Bilott to learn more about his first-hand experience bringing this mighty company to justice.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 8 April 2025

Strange News: The Massive Tennessee Meat Heist, Roblox and Privacy, the CIA and the Ark of Covenant, Chemicals in Your Food and More

A massive meat heist in Tennessee leaves Ben, Matt and Dylan asking: "Who needs 80,000 pounds of off-the-books meat?" A babysitter learns there really is a monster under the bed. Back in the day, the CIA seemed genuinely convinced they discovered the Ark of the Covenant. Sucralose conspires against you! The US abducts an innocent US resident and sends him to a prison in El Salvador. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 7 April 2025

Big Chicken: A Fowl Conspiracy

Chicken! It's one of the world's most popular food stuffs, and nowadays it's a global, multibillion dollar industry. But a dark side comes with all that success -- including problems that, one day, may threaten civilization as we know it. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they explore the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know about Big Chicken.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 4 April 2025

CLASSIC: The Far-out World of Deep Fakes

For centuries, it was often understood that "seeing was believing" -- while people might embellish a story, and write whatever falsehoods they wished, visually witnessing an event was solid proof of what actually happened in any given situation. Yet this no longer holds true in the modern age. Photographs have been faked since, well, the invention of photography, and video followed shortly thereafter. However, new technology is enabling the creation of fake video with an unprecedented level of sophistication and believability. So what happens when we can no longer believe our own eyes? How will the world react to the rise of the Deep Fake?They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 April 2025

What is the Disposition Matrix?

It's no secret that all powerful countries have used assassination as an aspect of statecraft. Yet in the wake of 9/11, the United States sought to bend — and, later, break — foundational principles of democracy in pursuit of a "Greater Good." In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore a conspiracy institutionalizing the practice of state-sponsored, targeted murder, asking: What is the Disposition Matrix?Would you know if you were on the list?They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2025

CLASSIC: What really happened to Amelia Earhart?

Amelia Earhart was a living legend -- this high-flying aviation pioneer garnered international acclaim and accolades for her daring flights across the planet. On July 2nd, 1937, midway through a flight around the world, Earhart's plane disappeared. Although she was declared legally dead on January 5th, 1939, theories about the true story of her disappearance linger in the public consciousness today. So what really happened to Amelia Earhart? Why do some people believe she didn't actually die on that fateful flight?They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2025

Strange News: Signal Leaks Worse than 23andMe, Bird Jokes, Japan Bans Moonies

Birds are fighting. A pilot loses a passport. Boeing scores a big win with a contract that will surely work out great. Let's hang out on Signal. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 31 March 2025

Introducing: SNAFU Season 3: Formula 6

Hi, Stuff They Don't Want You To Know Fans! We want to share a new season of SNAFU with Ed Helms.    About the show: This is the story of Prohibition you haven't heard. Sure, Prohibition was a gigantic SNAFU to begin with. But it turns out Prohibition was actually darker than any of us could have imagined. Flappers and jazz? Not the full picture. Season 3 of SNAFU follows an unlikely pair of sleuths trying to uncover what was behind a mass wave of deadly poisonings that killed thousands of people during Prohibition. Why were so many people dying when they imbibed? And what do gun-slinging Prohibition agents, Washington politicians, and a raging culture war have to do with it? Find out on SNAFU Season 3: Formula 6.  Listen here and subscribe to SNAFU with Ed Helms on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 March 2025

Interview: OBSCURUM, with Gabe Lenners

Beginning in 2019, locals in rural areas of Nebraska and Colorado were astonished to witness multiple mysterious lights and objects in the sky. Everyone agreed something was up there, but no one seemed to know what this stuff could be. In this interview segment, Ben, Matt and Noel welcome Gabe Lenners, the creator of OBSCURUM, to learn more about his continuing investigation into a "circus in the sky."They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 March 2025

Listener Mail: The Piasa Bird, Bots and the Post Office, and Horoscopes for AI

The guys explore the legend of the mysterious Piasa Bird. A Conspiracy Realist at the US Post Office inspires an exploration of post-human automation. Uncle Sam writes in with thoughts on discovering a possible scientific basis behind astrology. The guys crack up reading infamous Australian town names. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2025

Why are so many spies getting busted?

Forget pretty much everything you've heard about James Bond. While loosely based on espionage tactics of yesteryear, actual human-based tradecraft is far less glamorous -- around the globe, intelligence organizations make long-term investments in games that run for decades, carefully cultivating assets with such secrecy that, true story, some folks genuinely don't know who they're working for. In recent years, an extraordinary amount of these individuals have been arrested, tortured, murdered, or simply... disappeared. So what's going on? Why are so many spies getting busted? Tonight, Ben, Matt and Noel aim to find out.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 March 2025

CLASSIC: What are "Black Sites"?

In the United States, people accused of crimes are entitled to certain well-known protections under the law. And, in the international sphere, global agreements theoretically guarantee certain rights to prisoners of war. However, in the wake of 9/11 elements of the US government felt these protections were preventing them from obtaining justice. They needed locations off the books. Places where the normal rules didn't apply -- places that, officially speaking, did not exist. Tune in to learn more about the rise of black sites.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2025

Strange News: "Freedom Cities" are the New Company Towns, Sackler Family Doesn't Go To Jail

A phenomenally powerful international lobbying group -- Freedom Cities -- pushes the idea of US communities run by corporations. An opioid update reveals the Sackler family will pay money rather than prison time. A threat in Antarctica, while astronauts finally return home. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 March 2025

The Trouble With Tariffs: the Smoot-Hawley Act

Tariffs! If you're like most people in the US, you probably didn't think much about the concept until recently -- it's always been one of those historical footnotes. However, the current news about proposed tariffs has the United States and the world overall in a tizzy. So what are tariffs? Why do some people love them, why do some people hate them -- and what can history teach us about the future? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel separate the fact from fiction.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 21 March 2025

Listener Mail: (non-human) Cognition, Diplomatic Immunity, the Cops Tell Us About The Manchester Pusher

Dognition asks for a nickname. Big Randy checks in. Multiple folks in the Greater Manchester area follow up with their opinions on murder. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

China Hacked The US Treasury -- And This Is Only The Beginning

With global impact and domestic dissent, the U.S. Treasury remains one of the world's most impactful institutions. What happens when this institution is compromised? In tonight's episode, the guys explore the harsh reality of successful conspiracies against the United States.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

CLASSIC: Film Conspiracies -- an Interview with Chuck Bryant, From Earlier

Did someone really hang themselves on camera in the Wizard of Oz? Did Stanley Kubrick hide a secret message in Eyes Wide Shut? It's no secret that the world of film is fraught with conspiracy -- both on and off the screen. But do any of these strange rumors and urban myths hold any sand? Join the guys with their special guest and long-time friend, Charles W. "Chuck" Bryant, cohost of Stuff You Should Know and creator of the Movie Crush podcast, as they separate fact from fiction in the world of conspiracies and film in tonight's Classic episode.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2025

Strange News: Love on the Train, Space Updates, AI as G-d, Pre-crime Targeting of Protestors, and More

Updates on space exploration. A seemingly-symbolic quarrel between an eagle and a goose. Large language models try out religion and pre-crime, all as a recent graduate gets deported for his political views. In other news, light becomes solid, prompting Ben and the gang to call for input from a physicist. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 March 2025

Astrology and the Government, Chapter Two: Fortune-telling in the White House

While astrology is often portrayed as a belief system of ancient empires and ages past, the popular assumption could not be further from the truth. In the second episode of this series, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the times U.S. Presidents looked for guidance from the stars.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 March 2025

Listener Mail: The Prophecy of the Popes, Canada vs. the US, Sovereign Wealth Funds and More

Is the world genuinely witnessing the unfolding Prophecy of the Popes? The Wondering Wizard wants to know. Alpha Flight comments on the growing tension between the United States and Canada. Aaron A Aaronson inspires a future episode on sovereign wealth funds. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 March 2025

Astrology and the Government, Chapter One: The Myanmar Move

Astrology! To true believers, this genre of divination provides deep inside to the secret mechanicisms of the Heavens and the Earth. To skeptics, it's bunk -- another mistaken set of beliefs best left to benighted empires of old. And yet, as Ben, Matt and Noel discover in the first part of this special two-part series, astrology still can play a massive role in the modern world. In Chapter One, the guys explore the origins of astrology before traveling to Myanmar, where multiple rulers made extreme decisions based on what they believed was guidance from the stars.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 March 2025

CLASSIC: Can weather make you "crazy"?

For thousands of years, people have been convinced that the weather and the position of the moon can wreak profound havoc on human behavior. This belief continues in the modern day, with numerous law enforcement officers, medical professionals and more swearing people act strangely during the full moon. Additionally, science shows certain environmental factors, such as an extended lack of sunlight, can spark measurable changes in mood. So what's the truth here? Can the weather really make people go crazy? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they dive into the fact, fiction, and alleged ancient meteorological conspiracies in tonight's Classic Episode.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 March 2025

Strange News: Wooly Mice, Severed Hands, and Space Updates (Spacedates?)

The race toward de-extincting mammoths (and other creatures) continues apace, here at what Ben calls "the end of history." The newest step toward this furry resurrection? WOOLY MICE. An unidentified bird drops a severed hand at a school. Also schoolteachers are getting in trouble for "pretending" to sell pills, and forcing kids to fight each other in Juvie. Hoping to end on a positive note, the guys come through with some fantastic space updates (side note: spacedates?) -- anyhow, all this and more in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 March 2025

Scam Factory, with Denise Chan

It's a harrowing story, often untold in the West: while everyone's tired of scam calls and texts, we rarely ask about the lives of people on the other side of the call. While it's devilishly easy to make light of the scammers and the con artists, the harsh reality is that thousands of people pushing scams are being forced to do so, often held against their will in what amounts to modern-day slavery. Following up on their earlier episode investigating the terrifying scam compounds in Myanmar, Ben, Matt and Noel welcome special guest, the award-winning journalist Dennis Chan, to learn more about the continuing catastrophe in her newest project, Scam Factory, by Wondery.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 7 March 2025

CLASSIC: The Wide World of Shipping Conspiracies

Look around you as you listen to tonight's episode -- how far did these objects travel to meet you here? In centuries past, the average person would be surrounded by local objects. Today, the most mundane of possessions may have traveled more than halfway across the world to become your fabrics, your electronic components, your favorite snacks. Make no mistake: The world as we know it will collapse if our species stops shipping things across the planet. Global trade is dangerously close to a religion -- literally every nation has a set of laws applying to the passage of goods. So why are these laws so easily broken? Why do the same nations and conglomerates touting 'rule of law' seem to obey another set of rules?They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 March 2025

The Mysterious Star-Shaped Towers of Sichuan Province

True story: throughout China's Sichuan province right along the border with Tibet, the land is riddled with ancient towers of unknown origin. No one knows who built them, nor why. In tonight's episode, Ben and Noel explore the fascinating hidden history of architecture that withstood millennia of chaos -- and how an ancient series of towers survived the rise and fall of empires into the modern day.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2025

CLASSIC: Closed Cities: Secret Towns Kept Off Your Maps

The majority of human beings currently live in urban areas -- and this trend seems set to continue. According to the most recent estimates, two-thirds of humanity will live in urban areas by 2050. However, not all cities are created equally. In fact, countries throughout the world are home to cities that, in one sense or another, do not officially exist. So what exactly are these secret, closed cities. What goes on there? Why are these areas hotbeds of the stuff they don't want you to know? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they unravel the mystery in today's Classic episode from 2019.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2025

CLASSIC STDWYTK, Live: Real-life Covens

True story: Ben, Matt and Noel know 'witches.' We’re all familiar with the spooky, stereotypical witch depicted in film, fiction and folklore – a creepy crone with a pointy hat, riding a broom through the sky and cackling at the moon, often accompanied by her animal sidekick. But how accurate are these depictions? Were there ever really any covens, any infernal Black Masses and secret rituals dedicated to the powers of darkness? Join Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know as the guys explore fact, fiction and controversy around the real-life stories of witches and covens. (Spoiler, this is a live show, which means the thing they call Ben is required to stay on the rails.)They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 March 2025

CLASSIC: Cryptids You've Never Heard Of

Everyone's heard of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster -- but what about the hundreds of other cryptids rumored to exist around the world? Join the guys as they delve into the stories of cryptids you may have never heard of.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 February 2025

CLASSIC: Conspiracy and the Cure: People Who Believe They've Cured Cancer

Each year, millions of people across the planet grapple with some form of cancer. Doctors work around the clock to create better treatments methods, early diagnosis techniques and more, but for many people these innovations will sadly come too late. With so many lives on the line, it’s no surprise that multiple, unrelated individuals have claimed that they possess the cure for cancer — and that powerful forces are conspiring to keep this cure hidden from the masses.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2025

CLASSIC: The Disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370

On March 8th, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished during a routine flight from Kuala Lumpaur to Beijing. While public -- and, later, private -- entities from across the region searched for signs of the craft, no one was able to figure out what exactly happened. Join the guys as they delve into a mystery that remains largely unsolved three years later -- the disappearance of MH370, and why some people claim there's a conspiracy afoot.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 February 2025

CLASSIC: The Bizarre Clown Panic of 2016

It began in August -- five photographs of what appeared to be a sinister figure dressed as a clown loitering in a Green Bay, Wisconsin parking lot went viral. Eight days later, a local filmmaker admitted this was just an attempt to garner PR for an upcoming indie film... but the clowns kept coming. In the space of just a few months numerous people around the world reported being attacked or stalked by clowns. So what exactly was going on?They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 February 2025

Yes, The CIA Hired Magicians, Chapter Two: The Hidden Hands

While it might sound weird to think of the CIA conspiring to hire magicians, tradecraft and stage magic actually have a lot in common: sleight-of-hand, misdirection, performance -- you name it. With all this in mind, the CIA hired globetrotting magician John Mulholland to teach the world's most dangerous spies the hidden strategies for magic, and how to translate these entertainment skills to real world theft, smuggling, and homicide. The catch? Mulholland could never breathe a word about this for the rest of his life.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 21 February 2025

Listener Mail: Exploding Headsets, Firefighters, Attention Spans and Elon

Multiple Conspiracy Realists reach out regarding firefighters. Sacremento responds to the exploration of social media and attention spans. A Combustable (and stoned) Coyote ask for more information on the earlier story about exploding headsets. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 February 2025

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from iHeartPodcasts, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.