Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Is 'witchcraft' on the rise?

27 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays, the word 'witch' conjures a few common images for most people: a crone, clad in all black, perhaps wearing a pointed hat, astride a broomsti...

CLASSIC: Who killed Robert Kennedy?

26 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Assassins murdered President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Five years later, his brother Robert was assassinated. Coincidence? On the anniversary of RFK's ...

Strange News: Robo-dog Snipers, New Zealand Just Fired Their Wizard

25 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

New Zealand has officially fired its state wizard after the 88 year-old made a series of controversial comments that finally crossed the line. Over in...

Spies and Spying Part II: The Present and the Future

22 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How do people become spies -- and why do some people end spying against their will? In the second part of this two-part series, Ben and Matt dive into...

Listener Mail: Planned Obsolescence, the Cow Urine Surplus and Ghosts

21 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A caller asks for more information about the infamous Phoebus cartel. Road Dog asks about what people are supposed to do with all that urine collected...

Spies and Spying Part I: The Past and Present

20 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Most people know the life of a real-life spy bears little resemblance to the stories of fictional agents like James Bond -- but what exactly is spying...

CLASSIC: The Deep Web With Alex Winter

19 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What's the future of online privacy? Filmmaker Alex Winter joins Matt and Ben to talk about his new documentary "Deep Web", following the story of the...

Strange News: Spies and Sandwiches, a Principal's T-shirt, NY Gasses the Subway

18 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A would-by spy is caught by the FBI, attempting to trade nuclear secrets for cryptocurrency via a peanut butter sandwich. A Canadian principal sparks ...

The Death of Leah Freeman

15 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

15-year-old Leah Freeman's body was discovered near her hometown of Coquille, Oregon, in 2000, and her former high school boyfriend Nick McGuffin was ...

Listener Mail: Mysterious Handprints, the death of Winston Smith, Ghost Stories

14 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Nick asks his fellow Conspiracy Realists for help explaining mysterious handprints. Becky asks why more people aren't talking about the death of Winst...

Luxottica: One Sunglass Company to Rule Them All?

13 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sunglasses are enormously popular these days, and even prescription spectacles have evolved into fashion accessories -- people routinely spend hundred...

CLASSIC: Is there a real-life warp drive?

12 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The news about the so-called "EM Drive" was all over the headlines in 2015... but was it true? Join Matt and Ben to learn more in this classic episode...

Strange News: The Pandora Papers, YouTube and Anti-vax, a French Serial Killer

11 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Reporters reveal a new, massive leak detailing a shadowy international network the rich and powerful use to squirrel away billions -- but will this in...

CLASSIC: The Rise and Fall of the Comics Code

08 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays comics are considered anything from light-hearted entertainment to a unique art form and genre of literature all their own. Yet for decades t...

Listener Mail: The Looming IATSE Strike, a Sunglasses Cartel -- and why do UFOs need lights?

07 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Multiple listeners in the entertainment industry write in about a looming, massive strike as TV/Film professionals fight for better working conditions...

The True Story of the Men in Black

06 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine you've just seen a UFO. A few days later, mysterious men appear on your doorstep in anachronistic black suits, cryptically warning you: if you...

CLASSIC: What is genocide?

05 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Modern historians generally mark the beginning of the Armenian Genocide as 24 April, 1915. However, people and nations still can't seem to agree on wh...

Strange News: Rolls Royce Wants To Nuke The Moon, Creepy Clowns and the Rush To Mine The Ocean Depths

04 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Rolls Royce is considering using nuclear power to mine the moon. A Singaporean academy comes under fire for hiring clowns to promote classes to childr...

Seismic Anomalies, with Sarah Wayne Callies

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you ever experienced an earthquake, you remember the terrifying feeling of the ground beneath you shifting, shaking, and trembling. Scientists stil...

Listener Mail: Guan Yu, the Tytler Cycle, and a Ghost Story

30 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A listener with experience in China breaks down the cultural context of the Guan Yu statue. A caller asks to learn more about the Tytler cycle, which ...

Majestic 12: An Origin Story

29 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When the US government confirmed it had been secretly monitoring reports of UFOs for years, the news caught many people by surprise. However, for some...

CLASSIC: False Flag Attacks

28 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine if a government disguised its operatives as members of some other organization -- and then attacked itself. While this might sound crazy, seve...

Strange News: Gabby Petito, Potty-training Cows and Google's Bizarre Time Crystals

27 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Authorities discover a body they believe to be the remains of Gabby Petito. Scientists wonder whether toilet training cattle may help the environment....

ABCs in Europe: Abnormally Big Cats

24 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

For decades, people across the United Kingdom have been reporting something strange: enormous, cat-like beasts popping up on the edges of cities, only...

Listener Mail: Big Almond, Fitbit and the Nature of Addiction

23 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What makes California's almond industry so controversial? Is Fitbit gamifying physical fitness? What more can people learn about video game addiction ...

Guantanamo Bay, Part Two: The Future

22 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What will happen to one of the world's most infamous modern prisons? How long can a person be held without trial -- and what happens when the governme...

CLASSIC: Big Data and You

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We hear about "big data" more and more these days - but how much of it is sensationalism, and how much is true? The answers may surprise you. Learn m...

Strange News: The US vs. Prince Andrew, China Moves World's Largest Guan Yu Statue, Facebook Makes Ray-Bans

20 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the UK, Prince Andrew's legal team attempts to dodge US rulings regarding Virginia Giuffre. In China, local protests trigger the relocation of a ma...

Guantanamo Bay, Part One: An Origin Story

17 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today, the word "Guantánamo" is, for most people, synonymous with one of the world's most infamous prisons -- but, as it turns out, the troubled stor...

CLASSIC: Operation Gladio: Invisible Armies and The Secret War

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

At the close of WWII, US allies created secret, "stay-behind" armies, designed to protect the population in the event of a Communist invasion. So why ...

A Cartel Runs the Maple Syrup Game

15 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Most people are aware of maple syrup -- it's a welcome addition to pancakes and waffles on breakfast tables across the planet. Other than that, you mi...

CLASSIC: Did a UFO crash in Kecksburg, PA?

14 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On December 9th, 1965, multiple witnesses saw a bright object shoot through the sky and - allegedly - land in Kecksburg, Pennsylvania. So what actuall...

Strange News: The Satanic Temple Vs. Texas, President Calls For 9/11 Transparency, the World Ignores the Coup in Guinea

13 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Satanic Temple challenges the controversial new abortion law in Texas. The Biden administration pushes to release still-classified documents conce...

Are video games addictive?

10 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the span of just a few decades, video games have moved from a niche pursuit to the mainstream, growing into a multibillion dollar, continually-evol...

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...