Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
Episodes
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...
Strange News: The Love Has Won Cult, TikTok Troubles and a Scandal at the Post Office
03 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Could a relatively obscure US Cult (led by someone calling themselves Mother Love) be the next Heaven's Gate? A new lawsuit alleges TikTok is exploiti...
What is the Jersey Devil?
30 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
According to the legend, the Jersey Devil was born to a Quaker named Mother Leeds in 1735 -- a hideous, deformed thing with wings, hooves and horns, i...
Listener Mail: Ibogaine and Addiction, Bill Gates and COVID Conspiracies
29 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A listener details their experience with the controversial, powerful psychoactive substance known as ibogaine. The guys explore the ins and outs of th...
The Nuclear Black Market: AQ Khan and the Smiling Buddha
28 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As World War II drew to a close, nations across the planet scrambled to take stock, to recover, to rebuild and survive. But the looming spectre of nuc...
CLASSIC: Fire in the Sky: Tunguska
27 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
What triggered the massive explosion over Tunguska in 1908? Join Matt, Ben, and special guest Joe McCormick as they take a closer look at one of the m...
Strange News: Prince Philip Loved UFOS -- and What's Going On in Myanmar?
26 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It turns out the late Prince Philip was a huge UFO buff. The guys explore the deeply troubling, worsening situation in Myanmar following the recent mi...
Nevada's Corporate Innovation Zones: When You Job Becomes Your Government
23 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Nevada is currently considering new legislation that will allow businesses to create their own increasingly autonomous communities. Fans of the idea p...
Listener Mail: A White House Press Imposter, The Sinister Side of Childhood Games, and Hypnotherapy
22 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Did a child just successfully impersonate a White House reporter? Can hypnotherapy treat certain skin conditions through the power of the mind alone? ...
Project SUNSHINE
21 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The US experienced a massive economic boom in the years following the close of World War II. The country managed to avoid the destruction that laid wa...
CLASSIC: The Jesuits: Fact and Fiction
20 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The ascendance of Pope Francis in 2013 led to a revival of Jesuit conspiracy theories. But why? Who are the Jesuits, exactly? Find out in this classic...
Strange News: Disaster in Iran, Clearview AI, and the Cargo Cult of Prince Philip
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Clearview AI is back in the news with more reports of its facial recognition software being used for dodgy ends. An attack on an Iranian nuclear facil...
The Dark Side of Rehab
16 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Millions of people in the US struggle with substance abuse issues every single year -- experts work around the clock to help folks with substance abus...
Listener Mail: The Military Infiltrated Sports, Cary Grant did Acid, Weirdness Continues in Canada
15 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A listener from Canada assures the guys sinister weirdness continues up north. A voicemail dives into actor Cary Grant's experiences with LSD. Banks c...
India's Massive Farm Protests, Part 2
14 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As the protests over India's Farm Bills continues, multiple groups argue there's a conspiracy afoot. Many protestors believe the government is selling...
CLASSIC: Can you really be anonymous online?
13 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this classic episode, our friends at TechStuff join us for a closer look at the tricky business of staying anonymous on the internet, as well as th...
Strange News: The Race for the Arctic, National Debt and a Cocaine Submarine
12 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Investigations reveal a recently deceased, wealthy businessman had a double life as a drug dealer with an interest in submarines. What exactly is the ...
India's Massive Farm Protests, Part 1
09 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For several months, India has been in the grip of massive farm protests as millions gather to demonstrate against a series of controversial reforms co...
Listener Mail: GameStop Squeeze as an Inside Job, Astrology and Prediction, the Questionable Fate of the Tasmanian Tiger
08 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Over in Australia, Paul asks whether the Tasmanian Tiger, officially extinct in the 1930s, could survive in the dense, isolated bushland of Tasmania. ...
Can an Object be Haunted?
07 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
According to the authors of horror stories, haunting isn't just for houses. In countless works of fiction, all sorts of objects can become to a spirit...
CLASSIC: Are people really murdering scientists?
06 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From Iran to London, it seems that being a scientist has become an increasingly dangerous occupation. Learn why in this classic episode. Learn more a...
Strange News: Czech Billionaire Dies in Helicopter Crash, UFO Produces No Sonic Boom, A Darkness From Space is Eating Nearby Stars
05 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The wealthiest man in the Czech Republic just died in an Alaskan helicopter crash. Declassified files reveal a UFO appeared to break the sound barrier...
Boxing and Crime: The Kinahan Saga
02 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It's a match for the ages: Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, boxing heavyweight champions in their own right, will soon vie for the title of the world's ...
Listener Mail: UK Royalty and Mental Health, the Gulf Breeze Six, the Survivors of Romania's Cold War Orphanages
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Lean Bean Vegan Machine writes in about Oprah Winfrey's recent interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Buddy asks about the bizarre story o...
What the Heck is an NFT?
31 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A new player has entered the strange, often confusing world of Bitcoin -- the non-fungible token, or NFT. This digital token, which can be virtually a...
CLASSIC: Gabon's Ancient Nuclear Reactor(s)
30 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
File this under "stranger than fiction": In more than a dozen sites across Gabon, scientists have found evidence of ancient nuclear reactors. How anci...
Strange News: Deep Time, a Mice Plague and COVID Squatting
29 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
15 volunteers spend 40 days locked deep in a French cave, away from all light and time in a bizarre experiment. A plague of mice swarms across Austral...
The Episode Where We Ruin Sunscreen
26 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Since ancient times, human beings have known the sun can be dangerous. Too much exposure to its rays can burn and prematurely age the skin. In fact, t...
Listener Mail: Gut Tests, Personal Surveillance and Knighstscope
25 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A listener asks about the amazing, terrifying future of gut biome tests. Another audience member reveals first-hand knowledge of just how closely Siri...
Davos & The Great Reset, Part II
24 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the second part of this two-part episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the Great Reset. While it's sometimes called a conspiracy theory, the allegati...
CLASSIC: A Ghost Story
23 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
After an overwhelming wave of emails and messages from listeners, Matt and Ben finally present, in full, the the ghost story from their very first lis...
Strange News: Cheer Mom Makes Deep Fakes, North Korea Ghosts the US, Texas Rangers Promise to Stop Hypnotizing People
22 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A Cheer Mom creates deep fake photos in a revenge scheme targeting her daughter's rivals. The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ...
Davos & The Great Reset, Part I
19 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In June of 2020 the World Economic Forum held its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The city was on lockdown as the world's most powerful people m...
Listener Mail: Murders in Canada, MKULTRA and the Unabomber, Organized Crime and Boxing
18 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A caller reports possible cover-ups of murders in Canada. A listener asks about the rumoured relationship between MKULTRA and the Unabomber. A fellow ...
The Devil and The Rain: The Case of Don Decker
17 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Here's the story: When Don Decker went on furlough to attend his abusive Grandfather's funeral, he experienced something extraordinary -- water fell u...
CLASSIC: Banned Books of the Bible
16 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Although most people might assume that the Bible has always existed in its present state, that answer couldn't be any further from the truth. Tune in ...
Strange News: China's COVID Testing, Online Magic and the Sigil Engine, a Swarm of Icelandic Earthquakes
15 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Has the Chinese government been forcing officials from foreign countries to take an unexpectedly invasive anal swab COVID test? Can you really build m...
What is the Golden Dawn?
12 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the late 19th century, several friends and Freemasons embarked on a strange endeavor -- creating their own secret society for the purpose of studyi...
Listener Mail: The Minerva Research Initiative, India's Farming Protests, and the Hazards of Commercial Gene Mapping
11 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A caller asks about the true motivations of the Minerva Research Initiative. A listener living in India provides their perspective on a possible infor...
What is the Military-entertainment Complex?
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Eisenhower warned the public about the rise of the military-industrial complex back in his 1961 farewell address, and over the decades the public has ...
CLASSIC: Nazis, Lost Civilizations and Ancient Man: The Ahnenerbe
09 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Did Nazis really have a department for paranormal investigations? Find out in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.i...
The "State" of Hawaii: Union or Occupation?
08 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Today the far-flung Pacific archipelago of Hawaii remains the newest, most distant state in the United States. But not so long ago, it was an independ...
Who killed John Parsons Wheeler?
05 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
John Parsons Wheeler III -- Jack to his friends -- was a mover and shaker in the Defense industry. Over the course of his career he worked with three ...
Listener Mail: Wolves of Idaho, Cartels and Meth, Why You Should Be Aware of Private Intelligence Agencies
04 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A listener relates a strange story about wolves in Idaho. Has US meth been outsourced to cartels, exploiting Native communities? A Conspiracy Realist ...
Power, Water and Texas: What happened?
03 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When an unprecedented series of winter storms left millions of people throughout Texas struggling to survive without electricity or clean water, local...
CLASSIC: The Future of Drones
02 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Will your future online purchases, delivery food and more be delivered by drones? Will law enforcement fly them continuously over your city, town or n...
Strange News: Massive Protests in India, Hidden Messages in Art, and Airplane Engines Falling From the Sky
01 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Massive protests continue across India as farmers fear the government has betrayed them in the service of large corporations. It appears Edvard Munch ...
Ancient Flying Machines
26 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tales of ancient, advanced technologies have flourished in the last few decades. Is it possible that the stories of flying gods and machines contained...
Listener Mail: Ancient Mercury, Flu or COVID, Why the Marshall Islands Matter
25 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's Listener Mail, Ben and Matt explore the mystery of ancient liquid mercury in burial sites across the planet. A listener asks about infl...
Contaminants in Baby Food
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From formula to pureed carrots, baby food is a massive -- and necessary -- industry. Each year millions upon millions of families search for the best,...
CLASSIC: What are you actually eating?
23 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you're sipping a soda, grabbing some fast food or eating ready-made snacks from the local grocery store, chances are that you're ingesting a n...
Strange News: The Pentagon May Have Experimented with UFO Wreckage, The Skelecaster Hoax, and the Collapse of the Texas Power Grid
22 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Did the Pentagon just admit it's been secretly experimenting with wreckage from UFOs for decades? Did a Florida man really build an electric guitar fr...
What's Going On with the Falun Gong?
19 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The movement known as Falun Dafa or Falun Gong began in China in the 1990s, and today people across the planet consider themselves practitioners. Adhe...
Listener Mail: Parler and Social Media, Mattress Firm Update, the (Potentially Terrifying) Future of Augmented Reality
18 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A caller asks the gang to explore more of the larger dilemmas posed by social media censorship. A listener writes in to shed more light on the ongoing...
What is Adrenochrome?
17 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Adrenochrome-- it's a real substance, and one sold openly online to labs with the proper paperwork. It's also mentioned in numerous works of literatur...
CLASSIC: When the Police Become Your Army
16 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
No, not the band featuring Sting. What if the actual, local law enforcement in the your neck of the global woods started using military-grade weaponry...
Strange News: Hacking into Your Water, Naked Mole Rat Accents and the Cop who Hired a Hitman
15 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The small town of Oldsmar, Florida barely escapes disaster when a hacker remotely compromises the system, creating dangerous levels of chemicals in th...
The Philadelphia Experiment
12 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Here's the story: In October of 1943, hundreds of people watched a top secret experiment go horribly wrong. The US Navy, attempting to create a kind o...
Listener Mail: Radioactive Brine, Australia's Stolen Generation, and an Inside Scoop on Fracking
11 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why are there billboards warning about radioactive brine in parts of the US? What exactly is Australia's Stolen Generation? What's the insider scoop o...
Mystery, Mayhem and Nukes: The Story of the Marshall Islands
10 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Republic of the Marshall Islands is a relatively tiny, remote place -- it's about halfway between Hawaii and Australia, with nothing but ocean on ...
CLASSIC: Was Thomas Henry Moray the Next Nikola Tesla?
09 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You've probably heard about Nikola Tesla, but what about Thomas Henry Moray? Join Ben and Matt to learn why some people believe this little-known elec...
Strange News: The Myanmar Coup, Solving the Mystery of Dyatlov Pass and Saying Goodbye to Adobe Flash
08 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The military of Myanmar institutes a coup (and later internet blackout). Scientists believe they may have finally solved the mystery of Dyatlov Pass -...
What is the Latitude Society?
05 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
For many, the story began with the receipt of a mysterious card, which led them to a nondescript address in San Francisco. From there, new members of ...
Listener Mail: How to Talk About QAnon, The Mattress Store Conspiracy, Private Contractors and the Military
04 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
One listener explains ways to communicate about QAnon with relatives and friends. Another writes in to explore the difference between private contract...
Reddit vs. Wall Street: Peasants invade the casino?
03 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How did a handful of otherwise unremarkable stocks become some of the most closely watched things on Wall Street? In today's episode, the guys explore...
CLASSIC: The World Beneath Our Feet
02 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
From hidden catacombs to wild rumors about a hollow earth, the world is full of subterranean stories. But which are total bunk, and which have the rin...
Strange News: Has someone stolen the Ark of the Covenant? Chinese COVID-19 Conspiracies and Mexico Exonerates Corrupt Military Official
01 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Locals near an Ethiopian church claim encroaching rebels aren't just waging a war agains the government--they've come to steal the legendary Ark of th...
Ireland's Vanishing Triangle
29 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by a listener mail, the guys explore an enduring, disturbing mystery from across the Atlantic: Between 1993 and the late 1990s, multiple wome...