Stuff You Should Know

Selects: What is a Numbers Station?

11 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you think secretly coded messages sent via short wave radio is Cold War relic, think again. In this classic episode, Chuck and Josh are here to dis...

How Worker Co-ops Works

09 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The worker co-op has a rich tradition and can work a variety of ways. Join us as we dig into the nuts and bolts.See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

Short Stuff: History of Spring Break

08 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you think Spring Break started with northern college kids heading to Florida to party, you'd be correct. But there's slightly more to it than that....

Roar: The Most Dangerous Movie Ever Made?

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Jump in today to hear all about the disaster that was the movie ROAR.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: The Skinny on Lyme Disease

04 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you live in the Northeastern U.S. then you may know someone who has had Lyme disease. But it's spreading all over the country and parts of the worl...

The Colorado River Compact

02 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Deciding how to share water is pretty important stuff when there isn't much of it around. Today we dive into the Colorado River Compact.See omnystudio...

Short Stuff: Simple Spelling Movement

01 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Pretty much everyone agrees that English is a chaotic language. There are nutso rules of grammar and spelling other languages don’t have. More t...

The Middle Class: Canary in the Gold Mine?

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Lots of nations gauge the health of their country by how the middle class is doing. There’s just one issue with that – no one can say exac...

Selects: The Disappearance of Lars Mittank

28 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In 2014, a young German man walked into an airport in Bulgaria with a flight booked, then suddenly ran out leaving all his posessions behind, never to...

Malcom X

26 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Malcolm X was one of the most revered, feared leaders of the civil rights movement. In contrast to Martin Luther King, Jr., X advocated black self-rel...

Short Stuff: Kentucky Meat Shower

25 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In 1876 it rained meat out of the clear blue sky on a homestead in Bath County, Kentucky. While the mystery of what happened will never be solved, the...

The History of Fire

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The first fires came from lightning strikes. After that, no one is super sure when we started controlling it and then later, starting our own. But it'...

Selects: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Gin

21 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If there's one thing we've learned about Chuck over the years it's that he loves his gin. And he loves it even more now that understands it. Pour your...

Caterpillars: Nature's Magicians

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Caterpillars are simply the best. Don't think so? Well listen in and you'll soon agree.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Butterflies: Caterpillars with Wings!

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you thought caterpillars were awesome, just wait until you see them with colorful, iridescent wings!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

How Snails Work

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

They seem gross and bothersome at first, but once you get down to ground level and get to know snails, we’ll bet you’ll grow quite fond of...

The Fascinating History of Dandelions

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dandelions are way more interesting than you think. Trust us and click play.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's Permaculture All About?

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Permaculture is a growing trend in the world of farming and home landscaping. It's basically a design principle that emphasizes sustainability and the...

How Sneezing Works

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Unless you have an arcane disorder from a lesion on a very specific spot on our medulla, the chances are you sneeze. Turns out most animals do it, eve...

Wetlands! Wetlands! Wetlands!

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It’s time to get jazzed up for some Earth science of the waterlogged variety. Join Chuck and Josh as they tour some of the most interesting ecos...

Composting: Nature's Most Interesting Process

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You may think composting is just a bunch of old banana peels rotting away into dirt but, friend, you're not looking closely enough. Inside that compos...

Squirrels, Ahoy!

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Squirrels are rodents, sure, but they’re rodents with personalities the size of Las Vegas and Detroit put together. Get to know your bushy-taile...

Honey: Nature's Wonder Sugar

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Honey is an amazing thing. Just ask any bee. They make a ton of it. So much that humans get what bees can't use and that's a lot of honey.See omnystud...

Contortionism: Bend It Like Gumby

19 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you could put your leg behind your head, would you? Of course you would! You might even make a career out of it, amazing people around the world wi...

Short Stuff: Jeddah Tower

18 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Jeddah Tower is set to be the tallest building in the world. If it ever gets finished. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ruth Lyons: TV Pioneer

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Ruth Lyons basically invented the daytime talk show, yet she doesn't get the credit. Why is that? Probably because she was a woman in a man's industry...

Selects: Mangroves: Nature's Best Tree?

14 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Mangroves are incredible survivors and adapters. They're also amazing at lessening the impact of tropical storms and climate change. And heck, they're...

How the Kowloon Walled City Worked

12 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From the 1970s to the early 1990s a patch of land in Hong Kong the size of just a few football fields was the most densely-populated area in the world...

Short Stuff: In-Flight Entertainment

11 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Movies on planes have changed a lot in the last couple of decades. Today, we'll go over how this stuff works. See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

The Fyre Festival Fiasco

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when a career grifter tries to throw a "luxury" music festival in only six months? Not much it turns out.This was the Fyre Festival.See o...

Selects: How Spiritualism Works

07 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Something spooky was born on the American frontier in the mid-19th century: the idea that people’s personalities survive death and that some gif...

Let's All Go to the World's Fair

05 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Before the internet could show you anything in the universe - including stuff it made up - people had few opportunities to have their minds blown. But...

Short Stuff: Johnny Ringo

04 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You might be familiar with the outlaw Johnny Ringo from the movie Tombstone. He was indeed a real-life black hat gunslinger, and a tragic figure at th...

The Gold Standard: When Money Meant Something

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

There was a time less than 100 years ago when you could exchange your paper currency at the bank for actual gold. Gave folks a sense of stability, it ...

Selects: How Dopamine Works

28 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Dopamine is perhaps the most talked-about, most misunderstood biochemical in our bodies. It’s linked to not only addiction and depravity, but al...

The Battle of the Sexes

26 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Back in 1973 a male chauvinist played tennis against champion Billie Jean King. This is that story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information...

Short Stuff: MacGuffins

25 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

What’s a MacGuffin? We don’t know. No one knows. But it has to do with movies and that’s fun to talk about.See omnystudio.com/listen...

The Murder of Jane Stanford

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Stanford University was co-founded by Jane Stanford. Not long after she was murdered and it was covered up. We'll probably never know what really happ...

Selects: How Free Range Parenting Works

21 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Free range parenting is all about giving your child the freedom to play and explore life on their own. Are there benefits? Sure. Do some people hate t...

How the Flexner Report Changed Medicine

19 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Flexner Report shook up medicine in the United States when it was released in 1910 and it's never been the same since. For better or worse.See omn...

Short Stuff: Safety Coffins

18 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Back in the 1800s, people had an outsized fear of being buried alive. Enter... THE SAFETY COFFIN!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Crowds Work

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you’ve ever been out of your house you’ve probably been in a crowd before. They can be as mundane as an elevator full of people or as c...

Selects: How Charles Darwin Worked

14 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Charles Darwin wasn't the first or only scientist to grasp the theory of evolution through natural selection, but he became its father and icon. In th...

How Lasers Work

12 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

It turns out that lasers are even cooler than they look. And as far as acronyms go, they’re pretty solid in that respect too. There’s way ...

Short Stuff: Aztec Death Whistle

11 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In the late 90s, a strange musical instrument was excavated under the streets of CDMX. Listen in to learn all about the Aztec Death Whistle. See ...

How Cognitive Biases Work

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Humans have all sorts of weird quirks that cause us to do silly things and make bad decisions. It’s not our fault though. Our brains are wired t...

Selects: Why Do Great Flood Myths Seem To Be Universal?

07 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If look into the mythology of just about any culture in the world, you will find a myth about a great flood that destroyed humanity and submerged the ...

The Cajun Navy: Heroes or Liability?

05 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Cajun Navy was formed after Hurricane Katrina and really got its legs after the Louisiana flood of 2016.  They save a lot of lives, but some ...

Short Stuff: Color Psychology

04 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever cried way longer than usual when you were in a yellow room? You’ve been smacked by color psychology my friend and it’s got y...

Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan: Miracle is Right

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan were one of the most amazing non-magical duos in history. Imagine living trapped in your own mind – unable to see...

Selects: Operation Mincemeat: How A Corpse Fooled the Nazis

31 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

In World War II, a secret department of British 'corkscrew thinkers' hatched a plan to use the cadaver of an unclaimed homeless man to turn the tide o...

The Magnificent Golden Gate Bridge

29 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

If you think the Golden Gate Bridge is named because of its color then you are wrong. That name proceeds the bridge by a long time. But that’s j...

Short Stuff: Magic 8 Ball

28 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Magic 8 Ball, the mystical fortune telling pool ball started out as a piece of customer swag for the Brunswick Billiard Company.  Since then,...

The Charge of the Light Brigade

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Charge of the Light Brigade is a famous poem about a lesser famous military action during the Crimean War. Tune in today for a rare SYSK walk thro...

Selects: The Truth Behind Cage-Free and Free-Range

24 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

You’d think terms like cage-free and free-range means the chickens we eat are frolicking happily in the fresh air under the shining sun, but you...

The Ballad of Biggie and Tupac

22 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur had a famous beef with one another in the mid-90s. It was so intense, it sparked an even wider rivalry between the East...

Short Stuff: The S7VEN Deadly Sins

21 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The Seven Deadly Sins are tied to religion, but not really in the Bible. So where did this naughty list come from?See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

Keeping Time

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today, Chuck and Josh walk you through the history of keeping time, from sticks in the sun to atomic clocks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

Selects: BPD: The Worst Disorder or Not a Disorder at All?

17 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Borderline Personality Disorder has been described as emotional “third degree burns over ninety percent of your body.” It’s as close...

Data Centers: Can't Live With Em, Can't Live Without Em

15 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Data centers are the backbone of our digital world. All the sites you visit and social media you post happen there. A boom in huge data centers to sup...

Short Stuff: Did a vampire legend help win the Cold War?

14 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

During the Cold War, the CIA used the legend of a vampire named Aswang to scare locals into not helping the communists. See omnystudio.com/listen...

Doin’ Science in the National Radio Quiet Zone

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

West Virginia is home to sensitive radio telescopes that could easily pick up your cell phone’s signal on Mars. And the cell reception on Mars i...

Selects: How Forgiveness Works

10 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

For most of history, forgiveness fell under the domain of religion. But in the 1980s science started investigating it and found that forgiving someone...

The SAD Episode

08 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is much more than the winter blues. It's a serious subset of depression. Learn all about it and what to do if you...

Short Stuff: Neighborhood Watch

07 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Since 1972 neighborhoods have been officially banding together to prevent crime together. Does it work? It seems to. Does it go too far? It often does...

The Warrens: Paranormal Power Couple

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Today we dive into the interesting story of paranormal power couple the Warrens, inspiration behind The Conjuring movie franchise. See omnystudio...

Selects: MC Escher and His Trippy Art

03 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

We love us some MC Escher. Turns out his story is pretty fascinating too. Tune in to this classic episode and find out all about it with Josh and Chuc...

TV Moments That Changed The World

01 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Whatever you think of TV, you have to admit it has shaped the world (maybe more than the internet, according to Josh). There have been moments here or...

Short Stuff: All About Porcelain

31 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What exactly is this durable ceramic anyway?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What We Lost When We Lost Home Ec

30 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Home economics seems antiquated – a class that teaches high school kids how to bake a cake and sew doesn’t sound super useful. But would y...

Selects: How Miniature Golf Works

27 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Playing miniature golf is a very fun thing to do and, you’re about to find, learning about its origin and history is very fun as well. Join Josh...

Dolls and Dolls, Guys!

25 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In this special Christmas Day episode, we get cuddly with one of the all-time great holiday gifts, dolls! Where did they come from? Why are the so cut...

Short Stuff: Why is holly a holiday thing?

24 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Holly is waxy and super sharp, not exactly the kind of thing you'd want all over your house. Yet it happens every holiday season. Today we dig in to d...

SYSK's 2025 Holiday Extravaganza Christmas Special

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Deck your tidings and get your halls nice and gladded because it’s time for maybe the best episode of the year, where SYSK loosens our ties, put...

Selects: PT Barnum: More Complicated Than You've Heard

20 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When your life is as outsized as the World’s Greatest Showman PT Barnum it’s pretty easy to - you know - gloss over the grimmer aspects wh...

Doggerland: Lost at Sea

18 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The story of Doggerland is pretty fascinating. The idea is that mainland Europe and the UK were connected not only by a land bridge, but a place where...

Short Stuff: Battle of Itter Castle

17 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At the end of WWII in Europe, one of the strangest battles of the war took place between German troops fighting alongside Americans and French to beat...

Battle Royale: Optimists vs Pessimists

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Everybody’s always bagging on pessimists and telling everybody they should be more optimistic. Well, nuts to that! There are plenty of benefits ...

Selects: Star Wars Holiday Spectacular

13 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Long ago, in a galaxy not so far away, George Lucas allowed the Star Wars Holiday Special to be made. What happened on the night of November 17, 1978 ...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: What Makes a Must-Have Christmas Toy?

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since Cabbage Patch Kids came along in 1983, there’s been an annual holiday frenzy around one particular toy – the must-have Christma...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: Beanie Babies: Reigning Toy Craze Champion

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The world has seen a lot of weird investment bubbles in its time, but few of them rival the fever that gripped the world in the 90s after Beanie Babie...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: Etch A Sketch!

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Etch A Sketch is yet another classic toy that Josh and Chuck love and respect. Learn all about this Hall of Fame entry today.See omnystudio.com/li...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: How Monopoly Works

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Since more than 1 billion people have played it, you're probably familiar with the board game Monopoly, but we bet you don't know its secret origins a...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: Cabbage Patch Kids: Must-Have Toy of the Century

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Surprisingly, Cabbage Patch Kids have turned up on SYSK almost as much as the Nazis or Seinfeld. It’s finally time to dive all the way into CPKs...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: How the Nintendo Entertainment System Changed Gaming Forever

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the holidays in 1986 (and ’87) (and ’88) the most stupendous, most wanted, most amazing thing any kid could possibly get – outsi...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: How Play-Doh Works

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you love Play-Doh? Chuck and Josh certainly love to talk about it, from its interesting history as a wall cleaner, to its more scientific chemical ...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: Hula-Hoops: The Toy That's A Shape

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We've covered our fair share of pop-culture icons and here is another - Hula-Hoops. They've been around since ancient time in some form or another, bu...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: How Hot Wheels Work

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If you're an American who had a childhood, you probably have some nostalgia for Hot Wheels. Get your engines revved for this trip down memory lane as ...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: A Partial History of Action Figures

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Action figures have a long and glorious history. From GI Joes to Star Wars figures, these offshoots of dolls came along at just the right time to capt...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: How Yo-Yos Work

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You may have played with a yo-yo before -- perhaps you've even walked the dog -- but do you know about the physics behind what makes a yo-yo sleep and...

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: How Easy Bake Ovens Work

12 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Easy Bake Ovens are as iconic as a toy can get, as American as apple pie or baseball. Learn all about these light bulb cooking, working ovens that end...

A Quick History of the BBC

11 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The BBC has been around as long as there has been radio. Today we salute the venerable institution that's as British as tea and crumpets. See omn...

Short Stuff: Atacama Skeleton

10 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 2003, a tiny – really, really tiny – humanoid skeleton surfaced that had been taken from Chile. The only possible explanation is that i...

Operation Paul Bunyan

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

If we told you that World War III was in danger of happening over the trimming of a tree would you believe us? This was Operation Paul Bunyan.See omny...

Selects: What Is A Mold-A-Rama?

06 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1960s, a very cool machine debuted at the Seattle World's Fair - the Mold-A-Rama. It made real plastic toys on-demand from melted plastic pelle...

What's the bar exam like anyway?

04 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You've always heard about "the bar" but what do you really know about it? Unless you've taken it, probably not much. Well join the club. Let's discuss...

Short Stuff: Camberley Kate

03 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Camberley Kate was the nickname for the first independent animal rescuer in England, rescuing hundreds of dogs and cats over her lifetime. Come get ac...

The Brutal History of Prison Labor

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The idea of prison labor is relatively new in the annals of crime and punishment. And it's just as bad as you think.See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

Selects: How Black Friday Works

29 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

On the day after Thanksgiving, Americans go kind of crazy for the deep discount sales that kick off the holiday shopping season in stores. So crazy, i...

Julia Child, la Grandes Gourmande

27 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Julia Child is one of the most recognizable names in the cooking world, but even still so many of her accomplishments aren’t widely known. And t...