Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

The Bunyip and Beyond: Meet the Cryptids of Australia

03 Oct 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Over the years, the guys have explored stories of cryptids across the planet, but in all their podcast journeys they somehow never made it to Australi...

Sex Cults and Rocket Science: The Jack Parsons Story

28 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Jack Parsons was a rocket engineer and rocket propulsion researcher responsible for astonishing breakthroughs in his field. However, Parsons had a dou...

1-833-STDWYTK

26 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

You've heard the guys mention their new call-in line on previous episodes -- but what actually happens to all those messages from your fellow Conspira...

The Beatles Conspiracies

21 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As one of the biggest musical acts in human history, the Beatles didn't just fundamentally change the course of music -- they also affected society at...

The Secrets of the Hidden Chinese Pyramid

19 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Pyramids aren't just for Egypt! Join Ben and Matt as they dive into the strange story of a hidden pyramid in China, an ancient lost civilization that,...

Behind The Scenes of Atlanta Monster and Up and Vanished with Payne Lindsey

14 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they interview Payne Lindsey, the creator of Atlanta Monster and Up and Vanished, for a behind-the-scenes look at Payne's p...

Is the Ark of the Covenant Hidden in Ethiopia?

12 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Ark of the Covenant is the legendary wooden chest said to hold Ten Commandments, engraved on stone tablets. For thousands of years people have sea...

Italy's Satanic Murders

07 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

If you're an American, you're probably familiar with the famous 'Satanic Panic' of the 80s and 90s -- but did you know Italy experienced something ext...

Here's Where it Gets Crazy - September 2018

05 Sep 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Have you joined the Here's Where It Gets Crazy facebook group? If so, tune in -- you just might be on the air in today's episode of listener mail.  ...

The Control Group with Bret Wood

31 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the era of the Cold War, intelligence agencies on both sides of the iron curtain desperately raced to secure any possible technological advantage, ...

The Hollywood Sex Cult - NXIVM

29 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On the surface, NXVIM seemed like any other multi-level marketing company or self-help group. It offered numerous development seminars and executive s...

What is Agent Orange?

24 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Named for the orange stripe lining the 55 gallon barrels containing this herbicide and defoliant, Agent Orange was one of the most widely-used "rainbo...

Stanley Kubrick: The Man and the Myths

22 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Legendary auteur Stanley Kubrick is considered one of the most important single individuals in the history of modern film. There’s no question that ...

The Mystery of North Sentinel Island

17 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

India controls numerous islands in the Indian Ocean, and they have a strange set of rules for North Sentinel Islands -- a tiny, remote place most peop...

Who created the opioid epidemic?

15 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the U.S. doctors often prescribe opioids for pain management, and it's no secret that these substances are a big business for pharmaceutical compan...

The Ariel School UFO Encounter

10 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On September 16, 1994, teachers and school officials at the Ariel School in Ruwa, Zimbabwe were amazed when the school's students reported that a flyi...

What is the Key of Solomon?

08 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine that you could possess a genuine, real-life spellbook -- something that could enable you to summon and command otherworldly powers, to accrue ...

The Hidden Tomb of Genghis Khan

03 Aug 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Genghis Khan was one of the world's most successful conquerors, and his empire left an indelible mark across Eurasia. Yet upon his death his body was ...

How can you become a ufologist?

01 Aug 2018

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 ...

Can a President pardon himself?

27 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

According to the U.S. Constitution, the President of the United States has the power to pardon pretty much anyone. This is a broad, sweeping power tha...

Will Google start impersonating you?

25 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

If you're like millions of other people, you hate making phone calls. "Why can't I just text," you might think, "and only call if there's an emergency...

Did Buzz Aldrin see a UFO?

18 Jul 2018

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...

Expats and Espionage: The Story of Operation Chaos

13 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. government was desperate to maintain order and combat the growing domestic opposition to the war effort -- both the U...

What is Multi-level Marketing?

11 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever spent time on Facebook or Instagram, you've probably seen a few strange posts advertising tremendous opportunities to start your own bu...

The Kennedy Curse

06 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Kennedy family is one of the most well-known and influential dynasties in US politics, and the family members are enormously wealthy. Yet despite ...

Canada Built a 'Gaydar' Machine

04 Jul 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays Canada has a well-earned international reputation as an incredibly polite and considerate country, but like any nation Canada has more than a...

From Rock to UFOs: The Tom DeLonge Story

29 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

At the height of their success, the band Blink-182 became a key force in the development of pop punk. Despite their worldwide fame, guitarist and voca...

The Cult of the Garbage Eaters

27 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In small towns, neglected glades and college campuses across America, small groups of bearded wanderers in homespun clothes are spreading a message --...

Children and Prison

22 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Compared to other countries, the US has a massive incarceration rate. While the prison system has passionate supporters and ardent opponents, there's ...

Google, the Pentagon and AI

20 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Google -- or, more properly, Alphabet -- is a huge company, and is at the bleeding edge of numerous technological innovations. So, while it wasn't nec...

What is the Windsor hum?

15 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For years residents of Windsor, Ontario have been haunted by a strange, disruptive noise. Sometimes compared to a truck idling or distant thunder, num...

Here's Where It Gets Crazy - FB Special

13 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Have you checked out Stuff They Don't Want You To Know's new facebook community page? Join the guys as they delve into your comments, suggestions and ...

Have psychics solved any actual crimes?

08 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's a common trope in film and TV -- a police department at their wits' end calls in a favor and makes contact with a genuine psychic, someone in tun...

DNA and Crime: The Original Night Stalker

06 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It’s official -- after decades of dead ends, tantalizing theories and frustrating leads, justice has finally caught up with The Golden State Killer,...

What is Predictive Programming?

01 Jun 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What if everything you encounter in your day-to-day interactions is somehow prescient? Are the games you play and the films you watch meant to normali...

The Murky World of Serial Killer Memorabilia

30 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Whether in fiction or in real life, the concept of the serial killer occupies a unique space in the American zeitgeist. Audiences across the planet fl...

From the Past to the Modern Day: Does torture actually work?

25 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's one of the most ancient practices in human civilization, and one that continues in the modern day. In recent decades experts, military officials ...

Are frogs really changing gender?

23 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

You might have heard this one before -- for years, various fringe researchers and commentators have argued that the government or some other shadowy e...

Imperialism and Iran

18 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Islamic Republic of Iran, located in western Asia, has historically been the seat of several massively influential empires. Today, it's home to ov...

What are Ultraterrestrials?

16 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Despite diligent, time-consuming efforts by institutions across the planet, human beings have yet to find any universally-accepted proof of extraterre...

Is the Palace of Versailles haunted?

11 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When Louis XIV expanded his father's old hunting pavilion he created one of the greatest achievements in French 17th century art -- a massive, opulent...

Uncaught Serial Killers, Part 3

09 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the third segment of this recurring series, Ben, Matt and Noel return to the grisly world of true crime, killers who not only committed multiple mu...

The Comey Revelations

04 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On May 9th, 2017, then-FBI Director James Comey was fired. His most well-known recent investigations involved the Clinton campaign's email scandal and...

Is democracy impossible?

02 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In Stuff They Don't Want You To Know's inaugural podcast, Ben and Matt explored the strange career of Edward Bernays, the then-obscure Father of Publi...

Cambridge Analytica and Facebook

27 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Love it or hate it, Facebook is one of the biggest success stories of the past century. Billions of people have profiles, and for many users it's the ...

Could a thought be alive?

25 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

From imaginary friends to tulpas, the idea that that the human mind can create life through focused thought alone is as old as recorded civilization. ...

Several Terrifying Things You Just Ate

20 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays it seems like a few times a year we’ll hear about a food scandal -- contaminated meat, perhaps, or recalled yogurt. We’ll also inevitably...

The Great Volkswagen Cover-up, with Scott Benjamin

18 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For decades one the world's largest auto manufacturers lied to governments and the public, polluting the planet and evading the same environmental sta...

What was the Chappaquiddick Incident?

13 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

On July 18th, 1969, campaign strategist Mary Jo Kopechne and Senator Ted Kennedy were involved in a single-car accident while departing a reunion held...

Redacted: Canadian Cover-ups, Sleep Paralysis and Death by Supervolcano

11 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever written in to Stuff They Don't Want You To Know? If so, you might be in today's episode. Ben, Matt and Noel often point out that you, th...

Was Benjamin Franklin a serial killer?

06 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Today Benjamin Franklin is known as one of the founding fathers of the US, and there’s no doubt that he played a tremendously influential role in th...

Ernest Withers: Civil Rights Hero, FBI Spy

04 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

50 years ago today, the American Civil Rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. His legacy lives on in recorded spe...

Cryptocurrency Conspiracies, Part II

30 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the first part of this two-episode series, the guys interviewed tech expert Jonathan Strickland on the mechanics of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. I...

Cryptocurrency Conspiracies, Part I

26 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

You've heard of bitcoin before. It's the entirely digital, decentralized currency that supporters tout as the next step in financial evolution -- and ...

Is someone using sonic weapons in Cuba?

23 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Recently employees at the US Embassy in Cuba reported a strange and disquietening phenomenon. They complained of vertigo, nausea, hearing loss and mor...

A Digital Cult? The Strange Story of Bentinho Massaro

16 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

One person's cult is another person's inarguable truth, and over millenia many spiritual or cultural belief systems have been called cults. Typically ...

Are exorcisms on the rise?

09 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays, most people in the West associate exorcism with horror movies instead of real-life terror. However, people around the world still feel that ...

The Modern Vampire: Longer Life Through Younger Blood

02 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

We’ve heard the legends of vampires for thousands of years, and while the vast majority of modern humans relegate the stories to the domain of myth ...

What's happening in Saudi Arabia?

23 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For decades Saudi Arabia has been at the heart of numerous controversies, from the policies of its strict theocratic, gender-segregated government to ...

How The US Secretly Tracked UFOs with Jeremy Corbell

16 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Recently, the New York Times broke a story that baffled most ordinary readers -- until about 2012, the Pentagon had run a multi-million dollar, secret...

Hollywood's Abuse Epidemic

09 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For decades people knew that sexual abuse occurred in Tinseltown. It was an open, dirty secret just behind the curtain of the most popular films, tv a...

Should we be conCERNed?

02 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sure, we worked way too hard for that pun in the title, but it's a serious question: CERN, or the European Organization for Nuclear Research is one of...

The Grand Canyon's Lost Civilization?

26 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Grand Canyon is a breath-taking natural formation, and every year more than 4 million people visit. Despite its popularity, areas of the canyon re...

What exactly are 'Ghost Lights'?

19 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For centuries people in countries across the planet have reported seeing mysterious, glowing lights that appear to move of their own volition through ...

The Strange World of Inexplicable Skeletons

12 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What’s going on with all these stories about strange skeletons? From legends of the crystal skull to allegations of ancient extraterrestrial remains...

Biomedical Big Brother

05 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the near future, your doctor may begin prescribing 'smart pills,' medicines that remain in contact with your hospital, pharmacy or doctor's office ...

STDWYTK Presents: See You Next Time

29 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In 1933, a composer named Rezső Seress created one of the world's most infamous tunes -- a melancholy, mysterious piece known as 'Gloomy Sunday.' Ove...

Building Disney: The Magic Kingdom and the CIA

22 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Disney World is one of the planet’s most well-known travel destinations, and over the decades it’s been the subject of bizarre rumors -- some more...

Charles Manson is Dead, Part 2

15 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

When authorities arrested members of the Manson Family for the Tate-LaBianca murders, they'd intended it to be the final chapter of a terrifying story...

Charles Manson is Dead, Part 1

08 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

After spending decades in prison, former cult leader Charles Manson passed away in November of 2017. In the wake of his death, millions of people re-e...

Are there any real underwater military bases?

01 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

We've all seen the space-age secret bases in science fiction and blockbuster films, but could a government or corporation really build a secret, perma...

The Bicameral Mind with Joe McCormick

24 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

How old is the phenomenon we call consciousness, and where did it come from? Was humanity always capable of metacognition -- the ability to think abou...

Secrets revealed? JFK in 2017

17 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

For decades after the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, hundreds of thousands of Americans -- and millions of people across the planet -- ha...

What happened to Commander Crabb?

10 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today's episode comes from the heart of the Cold War -- when Lionel 'Buster' Crabb disappeared on a mysterious spying mission, his relatives and colle...

The Sordid, Secret World of Televangelists and Megachurches

03 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

What if believing in success became the same thing as succeeding? Religious figures around the world encourage their followers to equate financial don...

Off-World Implants with Jeremy Corbell

27 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

For decades people around the globe have insisted that they were abducted and, via implants, tagged like animals. Join the guys as they interview docu...

Did a cult try to run South Korea?

20 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017 South Korean President Park Guen-hye was impeached and ousted from power as a result of a wide-reaching corruption scandal touching everything...

What is the Dragon's Triangle?

13 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

You've probably heard of the infamous (and controversial) Bermuda Triangle, that alleged site of numerous disappearing aircraft and oceangoing vessels...

Titanic Conspiracies

06 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The 1912 sinking of the Titanic left an indelible mark on Western culture, so it's no surprise that more than a decade later revisionists and fringe t...

The Gulen Movement

29 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

What do private schools and revolution have in common? The answer may surprise you. Join the guys as they bring on their intern Sam Teegardin and for ...

Will The World End Tomorrow?

22 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Ben, Matt and Noel record new episodes every Friday -- this afternoon, they're in the studio one day before a group of people believes the world will ...

Can You Really Delete Your Internet History?

15 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Even without a Facebook profile, the average internet or smartphone user leaves a massive trail of digital breadcrumbs, from publicly available record...

Real-life Superpowers

08 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Could any real human beings have genuine superpowers? Join the guys as they take a closer look at extraordinary beings across the planet -- and, most ...

The Holy Grail with Tansy Baigent

01 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

For centuries scholars, church officials, historians and skeptics alike have argued back and forth about the evolution of Christianity, the life and d...

Inside America's Zone of Death

25 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

It sounds like pure fiction: A tiny part of the United States, tucked away in Yellowstone, where you can commit any crime you like and never go to tri...

It's Our Lucky Day, With Archer's Dr. Krieger

18 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Join the guys as they hang out with Lucky Yates, the prolific actor and voice of Dr. Krieger of FX's Archer, to explore everything from the frightenin...

STDWYTK Presents: How May I Help You?

11 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

If you had a chance to save a loved one, would you take it? How far would you go? It's the gang's collective birthday this month, so as a way of sayin...

Top-secret Bunkers with Garrett Graff

04 Aug 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The rumors are true -- the US government has multiple, highly-fortified shelters and compounds dotting the American landscape, staffed and fully prepa...

Utsuro Bune: Ancient Japanese UFOs?

28 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

It's a tale that dates back centuries -- a bizarre, spherical ship washes ashore in Japan, containing a single passenger. Visibily female and humanoid...

Missing 411 with David Paulides

21 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Each year, thousands of people visit national parks across the US. And, tragically, some of them don't return. Join the guys as they interview David P...

What about the other pyramids?

14 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

For many people, the word "pyramid" instantly conjures up images of ancient Egypt -- of pharaohs and mummies, treasure and (maybe) curses. But while t...

Moving to Mars with Marshall Brain

07 Jul 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In 2017, Elon Musk laid out plans to build a permanent colony on Mars -- one with at least a million human inhabitants. What would this colony look li...

Is Money a Religion?

30 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Since before the dawn of recorded history, the power of belief has been a driving force for human civilization. Spiritual movements have risen and fal...

The Search For Bigfoot

23 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

For centuries, cultures around the world have told tales of "wild men" lurking in the woods, and reports of these creatures continue in the modern day...

Could we still discover unknown large animals?

16 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Experts believe that millions of undiscovered species exist in the modern day -- but most are tiny microbes and insects. What if there are much larger...

What was the Black Hand?

09 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In the early 20th century, Europe was a smoldering powder keg of international tension, imperial ambitions and long-held resentments between great pow...

Serial Killers on the Loose: Part 2

02 Jun 2017

Contributed by Lukas

It sounds like something straight out of a noir film -- an unidentified killer goes on a murder spree and disappears in a clean getaway, taunting the ...

What is red mercury?

26 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Since the 1980s, Russian and US sources have repeatedly claimed that various groups of terrorists are dangerously close to acquiring a mysterious subs...

Unacknowledged: An Interview with Dr. Steven Greer

19 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Every year, thousands of people across the planet report seeing unidentified flying objects -- and thousands more believe world governments keep secre...

Facial Recognition with Jonathan Strickland

12 May 2017

Contributed by Lukas

You've heard of facial recognition technology before -- but how does the actual tech work? What don't authorities want you to know about it? Join the ...