Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Listener Mail: A Suspected Serial Killer on I-80, UFOs, and the Right to Repair

09 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is there a serial killer operating in Nevada? A caller shares their own experience with a UFO, and the guys explore the concept of the right to repair...

The Melungeon Mystery

08 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that the story of US history taught in school doesn't always match the reality of certain events -- and the deeper you dig, the strange...

Strange News: China's Internet Gaming Ban, Capybara and Classism, Humans are Evolving New Arteries

06 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

China seeks to crack down on 'video game addiction' with strict new laws on internet gaming. Capybaras prompt a conversation about class in South Amer...

What happened to Portlock, Alaska?

03 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you travel to the southern side of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula today, you'll find little more than ruins and wildlife. Almost a century ago, this plac...

Listener Mail: Legal Drugs in America, Drone Birds, and the Iron Law of Prohibition

02 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A listener writes in response to the Classic episode on legal drugs. A caller relates a story about drones built to look like birds. The guys dive int...

UFOs and Clubhouse, with Roderick Martin

01 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What do the world's foremost UFO investigators think of the latest revelations regarding UFOs (also known as UAP)? Join the guys as they speak with Ro...

CLASSIC: Are the police targeting minorities?

31 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that there's no systematic, comprehensive study of police shootings across the United States? Some blame a distaste for paperwork, while ...

Strange News: OnlyFans, A Hiking Murder Mystery, and The Real Reason Fast Food Ice Cream Machines Are a Pain

30 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

OnlyFans announces it will no longer allow explicit content on the platform, prompting a massive outcry. A family of hikers is found dead, with no dis...

The Death of Thomas Merton

27 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/f...

Listener Mail: Martians, Hand-written Letters and Grave Robbing

26 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Wernher von Braun wrote a curious story about encountering Martians. A listener explains the power of hand-written letters. An email inspires the guys...

STDWYTK: Live from Podcast Movement

25 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What makes people think 'conspiracy' is a bad word? How do we apply critical thinking in what has so often been called a post-truth world? In this epi...

CLASSIC: North Korea: Fact and Fiction

24 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In an age of global connectivity, North Korea remains one of the most isolated -- and enigmatic -- countries on Earth. How much do we really know abou...

Strange News: Embezzlement in Florida, Viral Police Videos, Crustaceans are Horny for Plastic

23 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A disgraced accountant affiliated with the University of South Florida pleads guilty to embezzling millions. A viral video from law enforcement create...

Fast Food Conspiracies, Part 2: A Frightening Combo of Money, Food and Scale

20 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Fast food restaurants have spread across the globe -- and this industry's effect goes far beyond convenient fries or refillable soda. In the second pa...

Listener Mail: Ben Disappears, the Lake Michigan Mothman, Strange Things in Sacramento's Water

19 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A listener asks for more information about the Lake Michigan Mothman. Luke is concerned about strange substances in the water of Sacramento. Ben has d...

Fast Food Conspiracies, Part 1: The Rise of Mass Production

18 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The idea of convenient snacks is as old as human civilization itself -- for example, excavations at ancient sites across the planet have recovered evi...

CLASSIC: Diamonds: The Conspiracy

17 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Diamonds: according to the ads, they're a girl's best friend, and the only thing worth picking for an engagement ring. But how did diamonds become so ...

Strange News: Cigarette Company Wants to Ban... Cigarettes? 2,000 Year-old Fast Food, Conspiracy Website Wants You To Change Its Mind

16 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Philip Morris has recently called for a total ban on cigarettes in the United Kingdom -- leading critics to wonder about its true motivations. A consp...

The Troubling Future of Advertising

13 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that the ad industry is huge. Advertisers spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year attempting to convince people they should buy...

Listener Mail: Insider Info on Private Hacking Software, Serial Killer Rumors in Atlanta

12 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A viral social media post claims recent homicides in Atlanta, GA are the work of a serial killer -- but do the claims in this post hold up? An anonymo...

The Rendlesham Forest Incident with Toby Ball

11 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Over a period of just a few days, multiple members of the military witnessed strange, unexplained events in the vicinity of the UK's Rendlesham Forest...

CLASSIC: Legal Drugs in America

10 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Each year, millions of US residents consume pharmaceutical products designed to somehow improve their lives. These drugs could tackle anything from AD...

Strange News: Ancient Viruses Reemerge From Glaciers, QAnon and Crisis Actor Conspiracies

09 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A disturbing study finds 33 ancient viruses have successfully reemerged from glaciers as rising temperatures accelerate a global meltdown -- prompting...

India and Sterilization

06 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The nation of India is home to over 1.3 billion people, making it both the world's largest democracy and second-most populous country. Since 1951, the...

Listener Mail: Bizarre Blood Experiments, The DuPonts and Devil's Road, Colorado and Facial Recognition

05 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A listener writes in with a bizarre story of experiments with blood substitutes in the US and Brazil. The DuPont family is rumored to own a mysterious...

The Legend of Duendes: A Latin American Cryptid

04 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the folklore of Spain, Latin America, the Philippines and more, a duende is a supernatural creature known for its mischievous (and at times siniste...

CLASSIC: The Prohibition Conspiracy

03 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why did the US practice prohibition? Do current prohibition policies really protect the public, or are they meant to do something else entirely? Learn...

Strange News: DNA Breakthrough in Atlanta Child Murders, Billionaires Aren't Yet Astronauts, and COVID-19 May Impair Long-term Intelligence

02 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A breakthrough in the case of the Atlanta Child Murders may lead to further revelations. The US Government clarifies that recent billionaires in space...

Lobbying, Part 2: Free Speech and Dark Money

30 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is money a form of free speech? This question has plagued US politics for decades, prompting frenzied debates about the role of big business and priva...

Listener Mail: Secret Scientists, Hidden Blackhawks, and the Mystery of Melungeons

29 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Why did the US government have a secret group of scientists known as the Jasons? Why would someone hide Blackhawk helicopters in an abandoned Walmart?...

Lobbying, Part 1: The Dirty Business of Democracy

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the US, voters elect officials to represent their concerns in local communities as well as in Washington. These officials, in theory, work to advan...

CLASSIC: Does Being Wealthy Make You A Bad Person?

27 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's often said money can't buy happiness -- but what exactly can it do? Could it change the way you think? ...could it make you a bad person? Listen ...

Strange News: The Pegasus Leak, AI and Bourdain, India Proposes Population Control

26 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Documentarian Morgan Neville stirs controversy with the decision to use computer-generated audio. In India, locals raise objections over Uttar Pradesh...

NASA Was In Bed With The CIA (And Everyone Else)

23 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is responsible for some of the most profound breakthroughs in the history of space exploration. Sinc...

Listener Mail: Oakville Blob, Dark Side of Twitch, and the Mystery of the Bosnian Pyramids

22 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What exactly were those blobs of gunk that fell in Oakville, Washington in 1994? Does the streaming platform Twitch have a dark side? Is Bosnia really...

The Mystery of Forgotten Religions

21 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The concept of religion predates civilization and the written word -- from its earliest days, the human species looked to religion to explain the inef...

CLASSIC: Is clairvoyance real?

20 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are psychic powers actually possible? Join Ben and Matt as they investigate the truth about clairvoyance in this classic episode. Learn more about yo...

Strange News: Haiti's President Assassinated, One Billion Sea Animals Cooked Alive, COVID-19 Scams in India

19 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Who ordered the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse? What does one billion sea animals being cooked alive by a heat wave in Western Nort...

The Life and Death of John McAfee

16 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

John McAfee lived a life of extremes, from working as a tech entrepreneur to becoming an international fugitive, Presidential candidate and more. As t...

Listener Mail: Exxon Lobbyist Goes Full Supervillain on Camera, Ray Gricar and Jerry Sandusky, an Unsolved Murder in Oregon

15 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

An Exxon lobbyist is caught on camera explaining the villainous logic he used to move members of Congress toward his company's side. Ray Gricar and Je...

Interview with Jeff Keating: Pee Wee Gaskins Was Not My Friend

14 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Born in 1933, Donald Henry "Pee Wee" Gaskins Jr was a prolific serial killer and rapist in South Carolina. Authorities still aren't sure how many peop...

CLASSIC: Who hacked Sony? (Pt. II)

13 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Did North Korea really wage cyberwar to stop The Interview from airing? How did this happen -- and is there a conspiracy afoot? Join Ben and Matt as t...

Strange News: Ads in Your Dreams, Magic Mushrooms Physically Repair Your Brain, and the FaZe Clan's Crypto Scandal

12 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Companies are increasingly interested in infiltrating your dreams, science proves magic mushrooms physically repair parts of the brain, and a cryptocu...

UFO Files: Why is the Navy worried about releasing the secret UFO documents?

10 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After years of rumors, recent releases have confirmed the US government knew much more about UFOs than they'd originally let on. And, despite the rece...

UFO Files: Project 1794 - A Real-life Flying Saucer

10 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Flying saucers are perhaps the most iconic genre of UFO -- since the 1940s they've become the mainstay vehicles for extraterrestrials in all sorts of ...

UFO Files: How can you become a ufologist?

10 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

UFO researchers, also known as ufologists, make frequent appearances in pop culture, and many are professional, full-time experts in their field. But ...

UFO Files: Did Buzz Aldrin see a UFO?

10 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Over the course of his career with NASA, legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin changed the course of human history. From his groundbreaking work with EVA te...

UFO Files: What is "Skinwalker Ranch"?

10 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is there really a secret hotspot of paranormal and UFO activity just southeast of Ballard, Utah? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the fact (and ficti...

UFO Files: What are the Phoenix lights?

10 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On March 13th, 1997, thousands of people in Nevada, Arizona and Mexico reported seeing bizarre lights in the evening sky -- today, more than two decad...

UFO Files: Did aliens appear over Los Angeles?

10 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the wee hours of February 25th, 1942, air raid sirens resounded across LA. Anti-aircraft guns fired the better part of 1500 shells at something. To...

UFO Files: Betty and Barney Hill: The UFO Case that Changed Everything, with Toby Ball

10 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In September of 1961, on an empty country road in rural New Hampshire, Barney and Betty Hill experienced the most profound, bizarre night of their liv...

Disclosure: Uncle Sam Acknowledges UFOs

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's finally happened -- the long-awaited US report on UFOs (which the government calls Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, or UAPs) is public. Some observ...

Listener Mail: John McAfee is Dead, Newspaper Slogans and the Mystery of John Lang

08 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Multiple Conspiracy Realists write in to ask about the death of John McAfee. A listener wonders about the history of newspaper slogans, and a call ask...

Mengele and Twins: Rumors of Nazi Experiments in South America

07 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

At the close of World War II, infamous Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele fled in secret to South America, successfully evading justice for the rest of h...

CLASSIC: Who hacked Sony? (Pt. I)

06 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Did North Korea really wage cyberwar to stop The Interview from airing? How did this happen -- and is there a conspiracy afoot? Join Ben and Matt as t...

Strange News: Miami's Condo Collapse, Birds Aren't Real, and Mysterious Fossils Change Our Concepts of Early Humanity

05 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In Miami, the search continues for survivors of the Champlain Towers South collapse -- as well as the cause. A satirical campaign arguing that birds a...

The Devil Made Me Do It: Trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson

02 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

19-year-old Arne Cheyenne Johnson was, by most accounts, a good kid. He had a steady job, a girlfriend, and a future. Until, that is, he murdered his ...

Listener Mail: Backmasking, the Death of Thomas Merton and the Hideo Kojima Conspiracy

01 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Can backmasking really brainwash people who hear it? Did the CIA assassinate an American monk? Why are some gamers convinced legendary game creator Hi...

What happened to Willie McRae?

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When Scottish politician Willie McRae was found unconscious and on the edge of death in his car, the couple that discovered him rushed to contact emer...

CLASSIC: Big Oil: Conspiracies and You

29 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We always hear stories about Big Oil and other conspiracies, but are any of these true? Find out in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-ch...

Strange News: Public Tells Jeff Bezos to Stay in Space, the Makeup Industry Scandal, and the Hazard of Fake Resumes

28 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

More than a hundred thousand people sign a petition arguing that, once Jeff Bezos visits space, he shouldn't bother returning. A new study reveals num...

Mexico's Own Bermuda Triangle: The Zone of Silence

25 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

According to the legend, there's a spot in Durango, Mexico where radio signals fail -- where compasses spin wildly and strange, giant figures appear f...

Listener Mail: The Big Hole, In-Q-Tel and a Real-life Jonah

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Thomas writes in for more information on the mysterious 'Big Hole' in North Carolina. Notta Sockpuppet gives a first-hand account of their time workin...

STDWYTK: Cheesepiracy!

23 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that Americans love cheese. It's everywhere -- in fact, some restaurants specialize entirely in cheese products, like mac and cheese or...

CLASSIC: What is the TPP?

22 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sure, the Trans-Pacific Partnership sounds like a snoozefest... but why does it matter? Why should you care about this secretive international agreeme...

Strange News: El Salvador Gets into Bitcoin, Watermelons on Mars and Sabotage on Trains

21 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

El Salvador may become the first country on the planet to accept Bitcoin as legal tender, prompting massive speculation about the future of currency a...

Wilderness Therapy Nightmare: Anneewakee with Josh Thane

18 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that the 'wilderness therapy' and 'troubled teen' industry has been accused of unethical and illegal behavior, but just how much do we ...

Listener Mail: Cheese Conspiracies, A Close Brush with a Cult, and How Your Phone Spies on You

17 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A caller reports her first-hand experience with a cult. A listener asks for more information on the bizarre rumors about a cheese conspiracy throughou...

STDWYTK Goes to the Dentist

16 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Few people look forward to visiting the dentist -- it can be an uncomfortable, but necessary, process. In the US, many people end up putting off their...

CLASSIC: What the heck is Stonehenge?

15 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's ancient, it's huge, and it's cited in all sorts of fringe theories, from stories of lost civilizations to ley lines and more. But what is Stonehe...

Strange News: Canada's Residential Schools, US COVID Investigations, and a Mysterious Death in Japan

14 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The discovery of a mass grave at the site of a Canadian Residential School leads to calls for further investigation as the country comes to grips with...

In-Q-Tel: The CIA Gets Into Venture Capital

11 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's true -- back in 1999, the CIA founded its own venture capital investment firm. Unlike other, similar businesses, In-Q-Tel doesn't really need to ...

Listener Mail: UFOs in South Georgia, a Cheese Photo Arrest, and the Horror of Assault Kit Backlogs

10 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A caller inspires the guys to look into explanations for a strange UFO sighting in south Georgia. Investigators use a photograph of a man holding chee...

Is war an economic necessity?

09 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Conflict has decided the course of human civilization since the dawn of recorded history, and war has evolved in step with our species. Numerous count...

CLASSIC: Who's winning the War on Drugs?

08 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From the Opium Wars to prohibition and the modern drug trade, human civilization has been irreversibly influenced by wars over drugs. Has it worked? C...

Strange News: China Monitors Uyghur Emotions with AI, Privacy Experts Break Down Social Media Stalking

07 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It appears the government of China is testing a camera system that uses AI and facial recognition to reveal unspoken emotional states in the oppressed...

The World's Strangest Restricted Areas

04 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From the "Employees Only" doors of local businesses to vast swathes of ocean and secret labs in some of the world's most remote locations, planet Eart...

Listener Mail: The Hidden Folk, Electroconvulsive Therapy and Resistentialism

03 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Just how many people have spotted unusual, faerie-like creatures on the frontier? Why do some medical institutions still use electroconvulsive therapy...

The Rainbow Warrior: When France Bombed Greenpeace

02 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In July of 1985, Greenpeace sent a ship named the Rainbow Warrior to New Zealand, then to Moruroa to monitor controversial French nuclear tests in the...

CLASSIC: Are there real devil worshippers?

01 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Could there really be groups of people conducting Satanic rites -- not philosophical stances, but actual devil worship via ritual or even sacrifice? W...

Strange News: A Serial Killer in El Salvador, Cicadas and Parasites, and an Organized Crime Boss is Rocking Turkey's Government

31 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Authorities in El Salvador are excavating a clandestine cemetery at the house of a former detective which is believed to contain as many as 40 bodies ...

The Rise of Ghost Guns

28 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Firearms are banned in many countries across the world, and it is highly difficult to acquire one. That is changing. The combination of 3D printing te...

Listener Mail: Gobekli Tepe, College Police and Disappearing Objects

27 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Will we ever know the true purpose of the ancient, mysterious Gobekli Tepe? Are campus police using their authority to protect students -- or to prote...

Conspiracies, Community and Critical Thinking: An Interview with Langston Kerman

26 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How can we navigate conspiracies in a post-truth environment? Is it true that many conspiracy theories do, in fact, have a grain of truth at their hea...

CLASSIC: Do intelligence agencies run cults?

25 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sure, cults are weird. The doomsday prophecies, claims of superpowers and tendency toward brainwashing are all strange, but what if the situation got ...

Strange News: A Real Estate Conspiracy, Would-be Superheroes and the Pentagon's Weird Promise to Talk about UFOs

24 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Real estate appraisers exhibit nation-wide, currently legal discrimination against homeowners based on the perceived skin color of the owners. People ...

The Strange Story of Jeffrey Alan Lash, Part II

21 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As authorities continue to unravel the enigmatic, at-times disturbing life of Jeffrey Alan Lash, they dig into what little is known about his past, se...

Listener Mail: Mink and COVID, Masonic Lodge Burnings, and Elon Musk is Building a Company Town

20 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Could fur farms be responsible for COVID-19? Why are people burning down Masonic lodges? And over in Texas, in turns out Tesla may be building a real-...

The Strange Story of Jeffrey Alan Lash, Part I

19 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In some ways, Jeffrey Alan Lash's story begins after his death, when his body was found decomposing in a parked SUV on Palisades Drive -- but as inves...

CLASSIC: Is the middle class going extinct?

18 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that inequality is rising in countries around the world, but what does this mean for the future? What is the middle class, exactly -- a...

Strange News: Iraqi Prank Shows, The East Valley Rapist and the Colonial Pipeline Hack

17 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After decades without leads, investigators use DNA evidence to finally arrest John Daly III, the infamous East Valley Rapist. An Iraqi prank show spar...

Beatles Conspiracies with Brian Ray

14 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As one of the biggest bands in human history, it's no surprise that The Beatles are the subject of numerous conspiracy theories. Is the real Paul McCa...

Listener Mail: NCIC Security Problems, TikTok Cults, and Stories of Haunted Objects

13 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How easy is it to use the National Crime Information Center for nefarious ends? Is the musician Blueface running a reality show, or a TikTok cult -- a...

Remote Viewing Session: May 22, 1984

12 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What if future explorers never have to physically travel anywhere? It's an odd question, but according to proponents of remote viewing, government-pai...

CLASSIC: Could robots really run the world?

11 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible that one day all the world's decisions will be made by AI? Find out in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https...

Strange News: The Rise of Ghost Guns and Mysterious Death of Aviva Okeson-Haberman

10 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Should people be allowed to order, print and assemble guns at home? The rise of so-called ghost guns has resulted in a glut of firearms with no serial...

Haunted Houses: What's Going on at the Emily Morgan Hotel?

07 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Most people associate San Antonio, Texas with the Alamo -- yet ghost hunters look across the street, where the structure currently known as the Emily ...

Listener Mail: White House IP Addresses, Abandoned Soldiers in Vietnam, and the Mysteries of Parasomnia

06 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Multiple dormant White House IP addresses went active moments before Donald Trump left office. A listener details the strange behavior of his daughter...

What was Operation Outside the Box?

05 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As the guys continue exploring the strange, silent war over who gets to own nuclear weapons, they stumble across the little known story of Operation O...

CLASSIC: Can people purposefully collapse the stock market?

04 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Is it possible that someone has been playing both sides of the financial fence, seeking to destabilize markets for their own purposes? Find out in thi...