Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

CLASSIC: The Secret World of Chefs, with Richard Blais and Hugh Acheson

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As anyone who's worked in a kitchen or the hospitality industry can readily attest, there's an entirely different world behind the doors of every kitc...

Strange News: New Statues on Rapa Nui (Easter Island), Plane Heists, Allegations of Brain Rot in English Dictionaries

25 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Chinese scientists construct a robot capable of carrying a human fetus to term -- will the government allow this in the public sphere? A California ma...

The Anunnaki, Chapter One: "In Those Days, There Were Giants"

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did the humble primates learn the astonishing arts of agriculture, taming fire, animal husbandry and the sorcery of the written word? If you trave...

Listener Mail: Trauma and Preparation, DC Deployment, The Epstein Breadcrumb Theory

21 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Mr. Delay reaches out with a breakdown of trauma medicine guidelines. An anonymous caller details the experience of a military friend who fears they m...

Epstein 2025, Chapter Two: Will Ghislaine Maxwell Go Free?

20 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Despite concerted efforts of extremely powerful people, the conspiracies surrounding Jeffrey Epstein refuse to disappear from the news. In chapter two...

CLASSIC: Big Brother Wants To Get Inside Your Car

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's no secret that modern automobiles are incredibly convenient. Ben, Matt and Noel are big fans. Cars these days are almost like rolling computers, ...

Strange News: The Bermuda Triangle, Solved? A Parrot Fights Crime, Progressive Speeding Fines, Labubu Heists, and More

18 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Stoolpigeon or upstanding avian? A parrot in the UK helps bust a drug ring. A massive Labubu heist prompts a conversation about artificial scarcity. S...

Epstein 2025, Chapter One: A Cover-up Afoot?

15 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

More than six years after the disgraced financier and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein died in prison, unanswered questions remain. Who else was involve...

CLASSIC: The Dark Story of K-Pop

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Korean pop music, or K-pop, originated in South Korea but has become a powerful, global phenomenon. This multi-billion dollar industry manufacturers s...

The Conspiracy of "Cool"

14 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What makes a person "cool"? We don't mean physical temperature -- instead, we're asking about the swag, the aura, the almost indescribable vibe with a...

CLASSIC: Chemtrails Were Real -- At Least in the UK

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you consider yourself a true conspiracy theorist or a diehard skeptic, you've definitely heard of chemtrails. True believers are certain that,...

Strange News: Mass Surveillance, Endangered Elections, the Annabelle Doll, Radioactive Animals, and More

11 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

New reports raise growing concerns that the next US elections may be endangered -- along with a ton of other rights. After 54 years of fire, Turkmenis...

Interview: Absolute, with Nick Berardini, Part 2

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As Taser International rolls out increasingly powerful and sophisticated tasers, they also massively expand sales to law enforcement agencies across t...

Listener Mail: The Lead-Crime Hypothesis, Space Pancakes of Eagle River, Nurses and Super Smell, Alien Observation and More

07 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

K prompts an exploration of the theory that lead exposure created a crime wave -- and possibly explains how this may have created a rash of serial kil...

Interview: Absolute, with Nick Berardini

06 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays, everyone knows what a taser is. Manufacturers, politicians and law enforcement have long championed these devices as "non-lethal" and "safe"...

CLASSIC: Bug Out Bag 101

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you were cut off from everything for 72 hours, what would you need to survive? If you found yourself in the middle of nowhere -- or if you needed t...

Strange News: Uncle Sam Wants You To Venmo Him, Sex Slavery in Alabama, Blackmailed Monks in Thailand, A Missing Grenade in Los Angeles, and More

04 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Note: this week's strange news segment may not be appropriate for all audiences. Authorities have uncovered a sophisticated sexual abuse and slavery r...

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

01 Aug 2025

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...

Listener Mail: ChatBot Therapists, the Kaikōura Lights and More Strange Things in the SKy

31 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Uncle Benny hips the gang to the bizarre story of the Kaikōura lights. Smells Like Low Tide asks about the latest news regarding the First Palomar Sk...

Disaster in the Water: The Turkey Point Salt Plume

30 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Located just 25 miles south of Miami, Florida, the Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station provides power for hundreds of thousands of people -- and h...

CLASSIC: The True Story of the Ancient Chinese Giants

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Like many other regions of the world, China has its own folklore about ancient, humanoid giants. In most cases, these legends have a mundane cause -- ...

Strange News: A Sports Memorabilia Scandal, Delta and AI Flights, Don't Move To Russia, The Fast Food Conversation, and More

28 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

45-year-old Brett Lemieux exposes his multi-year sports memorabilia con game -- and apparently dies by his own hand. The aviation giant Delta airlines...

CLASSIC: Is there enough for everyone?

25 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While the human species is inarguably successful (for now), hundreds of millions of people struggle under daily threats of starvation, physical danger...

Listener Mail: LSD, Robot Rabbits and Ben Again Hates The Sun

24 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Big Luke hips the gang to robot rabbits. Della addresses myths about menstration. The Messenger prompts an in-depth conversation about drugs and propa...

Can You Smell Death?

23 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you are human, you do not consciously clock most odors. Yet these molecules still inform, influence, and inspire your unconscious behaviors. In ton...

Classic: The UFO over Montreal

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the foggy, early evening of November 7th, 1990, two people at a Montreal hotel noticed something bizarre in the sky. Soon, multiple people in the h...

Strange News: Oh, Man. Epstein. Also: Yeti Blood Oaths, Become A Wild Man, UNO in Vegas, Swedish Fitness Leaks, Twitter Waifus and More

21 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Epstein saga continues to unfold, despite the US government saying there's "nothing to see here." China will hire you to be a wild man. UNO rolls ...

Could I survive a nuclear war?

18 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For almost a century, the world has been terrified by the possibility of nuclear war. If one does occur, it will happen quickly, with the first strike...

Listener Mail: Killing AI, Super Soldier Childhood, Maine's Amendment 25, Storage Space

17 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Cheese Out asks whether humans need to kill AI to understand it. Dandy Granny raises concerning points about the childhood of super soldiers. Paul pro...

Pheromones vs. Humans

16 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Although most people may not notice this, the living world is rife with an everpresent, invisible chemical conspiracy: pheromones. These chemicals can...

CLASSIC: Slaves to the Sun: Solar Activity and Mass Excitability

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We all know weather can affect a person's mood, but just how far does it go? Could the activity of the sun be driving widespread human conflicts throu...

Strange News: The Epstein Client List, Human Skin Phones, Click-to-Cancel, Akon, Grok Goes Nazi

14 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Despite numerous earlier statements, the US Department of Justice and FBI officially concludes that notorious human trafficker Jeffrey Epstein had no ...

ScienceStuff, with Jorge Cham

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are we living in a simulation? What's the future of AI? How can humans understand the past, present, and future of the universe -- assuming, of course...

Listener Mail: Bird Deaths, Gas Station Bars, The Battle of Blair Mountain and More

10 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Sloth inspires a round-up of recent news stories from the world of birds. Fae shares a story of real-life bars inside gas stations. Kevin prompts an e...

The Raymond Allen Davis Incident

09 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's an open secret that not everything is as it seems in the world of diplomacy -- a great many individuals operate with some degree of subterfuge an...

CLASSIC: The Surprisingly Unboring Story of Farm Subsidies

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Make no mistake -- being a farmer is hard work. Farming outfits often have to carry a huge amount of risk from one season to the next, and any number ...

Strange News: Tuvalu is Drowning, Chinese EVs, Eating Cheese and More

07 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Australia is astonished as a full one-third of all residents of Tuvalu apply for the new, limited 'climate visa,' sparking concerns about the future o...

The Terrifying Tale of Aum Shinrikyo, Chapter Two: "Save The World By Ending It"

04 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As the Aum Shinrikyo movements gains national, then global, attention, the founder Shoko Asahara begins to move his followers in a darker direction. C...

CLASSIC: Who killed the Jennings 8?

03 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Located in Jefferson Davis Parish, the town of Jennings, Louisiana wasn't a particularly well-known place -- in fact, many people in the US would prob...

The Terrifying Tale of Aum Shinrikyo, Chapter One: The Rise of a Cult Leader

02 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Modern-day Japan is often lauded as one of the safest countries on the planet -- but that doesn't make this nation immune to the danger of cults. In t...

CLASSIC: Citizenship and the Census

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Every ten years, the United States conducts the census, a crucial survey of the country’s population meant to help Uncle Sam figure out how to p...

Strange News: Mosquito Drones, the Pharoah's Curse, Alligator Alcatraz, Giant Asteroids, New Blood Types and More

30 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Forget fake birds: China unveils the newest iteration of microdrones, which look almost exactly like mosquitoes. A Russian soldier turns cannibal. Fre...

Interview: Alive Again, with Dan Bush

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How did you get here? What happens when you die? These questions have fascinated (and terrified) human civilization since the dawn of time, and often ...

Listener Mail: Gas Station Ding Dings, Synthetic Estrogen and Fish Populations, Palantir and Train Hopping (and More)

26 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Anne Ominous shares their own experience with sketchy gas stations, and introduces the guys to a new slang phrase for gambling machines. Maximus weigh...

What is diplomatic immunity? Part III: Shadow Diplomacy

25 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone knows that diplomatic positions come with a variety of perks and protections, as well as serious responsibilities. But what if you were able ...

CLASSIC: What is 'Skunkworks'?

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For almost 80 years, Lockheed Martin has been working hand in hand with the US government to create cutting-edge, classified tech and craft, working i...

Strange News: Iran, Hidden History, Ghana, Corruption in Office, and More

23 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Things are heating up in the Middle East -- as the world studies a possible correlation between pizza orders and US military activity, the United Stat...

Cults You've Never Heard Of, Part II: Rise of the Zizians

20 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nowadays, the "C-word" can be pretty tricky. The word "cult" is usually applied by outsiders toward some group of individuals existing in opposition t...

Listener Mail: Leon Klinghoffer, a Strange Class Project, A Journey within Palantir.

19 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

John in Connecticut uncovers a bizarre story about one -- or maybe two -- Leon Klinghoffer. The guys' earlier conversations about data aggregation and...

The Stuff Gas Stations Don't Want You To Know

18 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As avid fans of the Great American Roadtrip, Ben, Matt and Noel love gas stations. They're a fundamental part of US culture -- and, holy smokes, do th...

CLASSIC: Colorado's Mystery Drones

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In December of 2019 the Denver Post began reporting a strange pattern over the night sky of northeast Colorado. Around 7pm each night, at least 17 dro...

Strange News: The National Guard in LA, Costco ID, Japanese Escalators, Germany's Military Expansion and More

16 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Massive protests in LA (not to mention many more US cities) prompt the federal government to send in marines and activate the California National Guar...

Let's Learn Simple Sabotage!

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel travel back to the chaotic days of World War II. The newly-minted Office of Strategic Services, which would l...

Listener Mail: Agroterrorism, Dreams of the Future, Cattle Mutilations and More

12 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Clever Innuendo gives a first-hand account of the US Military being super cheap with new tech. 2FAB shares premonitions from the dream state. Goat get...

Is there a lost civilization beneath the Persian Gulf?

11 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

As one of the world’s most historically important bodies of water, the Persian Gulf is home to fascinating evidence of ancient humanity. In toni...

CLASSIC: Why do some people think cannabis can cure cancer?

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In tonight's Classic episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into a decades-long, surprisingly disturbing conspiracy: with a growing number of Western countr...

Strange News: Suspicious Bodyguards, the Resurrection of Walt Disney, Palantir Will Know EVERYTHING About You, and Why That Is Bad.

09 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The notorious tech giant Palantir may soon create history's most comprehensive -- and controversial -- database on all US residents. Why? Descendants ...

Crime on the Rails: What is the FTRA?

06 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

To some, the Freight Train Riders of America is a vast, secretive criminal network -- deadly ghosts, haunting the country's rails. To others, the FTRA...

CLASSIC: Why don't nations trust NGOs?

05 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On paper, non-governmental organizations often sound like something everyone can get behind: these institutions are often dedicated to addressing some...

Hunting For the Yeren: A True Story

04 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We've all heard of Bigfoot, the Swamp Ape and so on. Western science largely dismisses the existence of these cryptids. Yet: Did you know there's anot...

CLASSIC: A World Without Cash

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The last time you bought something, did you use a card, cash or something else? If you automatically thought "who uses cash nowadays", you're far from...

Strange News: Ditch the Penny, Transparent Skin, The CIA and Star Wars, ChatGPT Refuses to Shut Itself Down, and More

02 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The United States may FINALLY ditch the inconvenient and terrible penny (Ben here -- can you tell I write the descriptions?). A popular food coloring ...

The Super Soldier Update

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While it may sound like science fiction, human militaries throughout history have always sought for an edge over their enemies -- and, in this search,...

Listener Mail: Gas Station "Casinos," Cannabis, Cryptids, Airport Disasters and Missing Faberge Eggs

29 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Beuford breaks down the mechanics of gas station casinos. Josie explores the science of cannabis and oil-based products. Kangaroo fight updates. Frost...

The Bizarre World of Dream Experiments

28 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Multiple animals dream -- and, even now, people have little understanding of why dreaming occurs. In tonight's episode, Ben and Matt explore the newes...

Strange News: Regeneron Bought Your DNA, CA Birdpocalypse, AI Job Cuts, Free El Gato

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Roundup pesticides get a pass from Georgia. CrowdStrike joins the AI craze. A mysterious birdpocalypse in California. Regeneron buys the bankrupt 23an...

CLASSIC: The Wide World of Food Conspiracies

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Whether rich or poor, young or old, everyone on the planet has to eat. Government institutions monitor the safety, cleanliness and consistency of our ...

What happens in a nuclear war?

23 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Since the US bombing of Japan in World War II, the world entire has remained terrified of nuclear weapons. Even as scientists and scholars spent decad...

Listener Mail: Dreaming Aloud, Beyond Time

22 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this evening's weekly listener mail segment, "Ben," Matt and superproducer Tennessee Pal welcome in-depth explorations of dreams from a first-hand ...

Can we really break physics?

21 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

"Why does stuff happen? Can we predict it -- and if so, what do these predictions tell us?" Loosely described, the concept of "physics" is the First S...

CLASSIC: The Smiley Face Murder Conspiracy

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Could a group of serial murderers be kidnapping, drugging and drowning young men across the United States? Scores of young male college students have ...

Strange News: Octopus Civilization, Newark Goes Dark, Habeas Corpus, and the New Resource Arms Race

19 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Afghanistan suspends chess due to religious concerns. Newark goes dark -- for just long enough to prompt serious questions. The world witnesses new es...

Interview: Cancellation Island, with John Cameron Mitchell, Part Two: Action, Praxis, Presence and Poetry

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In a world where everyone feels divided by identity politics, ideology and the fear of cancellation, how does an individual navigate a cultural minefi...

Listener Mail: Global Rare Earth Unrest, Fears of Martial Law, the Guys Hire an ICP Expert

15 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Could growing regional conflicts be driven by the race to control certain mineral resources? Could the United States slide into martial law -- if so, ...

Interview: Cancellation Island, with John Cameron Mitchell, Part One: The Lost Art of Gnostic Nuance

14 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does it mean to be 'canceled'? How do we collectively navigate the baffling, complex and contradictory world of an 'always-on' society? In the fi...

CLASSIC: Is the Dead Sea copper scroll an ancient treasure map?

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Odds are you've heard of the Dead Sea scrolls -- when the first of these ancient texts were discovered in the 1940s, the scrolls revolutionized our un...

Strange News: AI Lovers, Cannabis Burns, Mineral Deals, Underground Cities and Nbiriu Rides Again

12 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Concerns rise over human relationships with sycophantic chatbots. A town in Türkiye burns confiscated cannabis, prompting controversy. Former US ...

CLASSIC: What is "Qanon"?

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if the stories and narratives you hear in the average mainstream media reporting aren't the entire truth? What if there's something else going on...

Listener Mail: Backmasking, More Meat Heists, and New England Murders

09 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Twenty Novel Hotels prompts a re-exploration of earlier conversations regarding backmasking and moral panics. Fellow Conspiracy Realists respond to Be...

The Prophecy of the Popes

07 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It seemed the world paused on April 21, 2025, when 88-year-old Pope Francis passed away after a long struggle with multiple health issues. As the Cath...

CLASSIC: The Story of Atlantis

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The legendary civilization of Atlantis was first mentioned in the works of Plato, in dialogues that claimed to recount information from translations o...

Strange News: The Power Goes Out, Fluoridation, Rampant Masturbation, Disney, anti-Narcocorridos, and More

05 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What caused the massive power blackout in Spain and Portugal? Anti-fluoridation activists gain ground in the wake of RFK Jr's newest statement. A form...

What exactly is diplomatic immunity? Chapter Two: How To Get Away With Murder

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

OK, it's no secret that the law can apply differently to high-level diplomats and other government employees. But how far does this concept of immunit...

Listener Mail: Australian Cinema, The Barksdale Bubble, El Salvador and Dictators

01 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Cake writes in with recommendations for Australian cinema. Spooky Pants prompts a conversation about the infamous Barksdale Bubble. Starship Home (aka...

What exactly is diplomatic immunity? Chapter One: "A Gentleman's Agreement"

30 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In modern English, we often say "don't shoot the messenger." As Ben, Matt and Noel discover in the first chapter of this week's special two-part serie...

CLASSIC: Interview: Radio Rental, with Payne Lindsey

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever experienced something bizarre -- some unexplainable coincidence, chilling interaction or even a run in with what some might call the sup...

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

28 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

History's largest credit card merger looms on the horizon. Commentary on not-quite-space and a celebrity named Katy Perry. Ben takes the crew around t...

What is Shock Incarceration?

25 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Picture this: you're a bad kid. You've made a serious mistake, and may be facing incarceration. Yet Lo, and Behold! The US court system decrees you ma...

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

24 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Privacy Guy continues the conversation about encryption and state-level powers. Art Vandelay notes recent issues with tariffs and supply chains. Multi...

Operation Ghost Stories

23 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if you had the perfect spy? Not some glitzy James Bond-type, but instead a person -- or an entire family -- spending decades in a hostile country...

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

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's one of the most enduring enigmas in American history -- how did an entire colony disappear from Roanoke island? Join the guys as they explore the...

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

21 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Domestic and international tensions grow as US courts square off with the administration over the rendition of innocents. A hapless, would-be internet...

STDWYTK Presents: A Conspiracy of Sound, Live in Brooklyn

20 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

True story - for years, Ben, Matt and Noel have wondered about the concept of sensory experience. Turns out On Air Fest was listening, and called them...

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

17 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Born in 1940, Samuel Little was known in multiple states as a drifter, petty criminal and man occasionally capable of violence. Like many people livin...

What happened to Harold Holt?

16 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On 17 December 1967, Harold Holt, the immensely popular prime minister of Australia, went for a swim -- and vanished. In the decades since, his family...

CLASSIC: The Afghanistan Papers

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The United States invaded Afghanistan on October 7th, 2001 and remains embroiled in the conflict almost two decades later, making this the longest war...

CLASSIC: What happened to Jimmy Hoffa?

14 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In his day, American labor union leader James "Jimmy" Riddle Hoffa was one of the most well-known figures in the US. On July 30th, 1975, Hoffa disappe...

Interview: Up and Vanished Weekly, with Maggie Freleng

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Alien abductions. Unexplained disappearances. Unsolved murders. In tonight's interview, the guys join the legendary, award-winning journalist Maggie F...

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

11 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Astrolojon prompts an exploration of a possible scientific basis to astrology. Flea asks for more information about the viral claims concerning purpor...

The Prior Authorizations Conspiracy: EviCore

09 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's a story sadly all-too familiar with so many people in the United States: you're on the cusp of receiving medication, surgery or treatment that co...