Stuff You Should Know

How the Titanic Worked: Part Two

01 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After the Titanic sank recriminations and blame followed, sometimes ruining careers unjustifiably. As the decades wore on and she was found almost 2.5...

Short Stuff: What's the oldest book?

31 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In order to figure out what the oldest book is, one has to define what a book actually is. Listen in as we discuss this debatable topic. Learn more a...

How the Titanic Worked: Part One

30 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

When the Titanic set sail on her maiden voyage in April 1912, the world was divided into two types of people: those who considered her unsinkable and ...

Selects: What was the Philadelphia Experiment?

27 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Philadelphia Experiment is a bad movie from the 1980s, and also the conpiracy theory that refuses to die, despite virtually zero evidence of its o...

Space Junk, Ahoy!

25 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The orbits hundreds to thousands of miles above Earth are littered with garbage. Space garbage, sure, but it’s still garbage. Littering in space is ...

Short Stuff: Cellphones on Airplanes

24 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Are we finally at the place where we can make cell phone calls on airplanes? PLEASE NO! Listen in to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at ht...

What is biophilic design?

23 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Biophilic design is all about bringing the outside in. But it's also much more than that. Open your windows and have a listen! Learn more about your ...

Selects: How Lighthouses Work

20 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

People have been burning fires on cliffs as long as other people have used boats, but after the Age of Exploration, lighthouses took their unmistakabl...

The Texas City Disaster of 1947

18 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In 1947 the port town of Texas City, Texas became the site of the largest industrial disaster in American history. An enormous explosion blew ships ou...

Short Stuff: Brazilian Jars

17 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1970s big news was made when some underwater artifacts were found in a bay by Rio de Janeiro that would have rewritten history. Then it just ki...

The Parrot Episode

16 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you think parrots are simply mimics that fly, you're wrong. Tune in and learn about these colorful friends today. Learn more about your ad-choices...

Selects: Please Listen to How Plasma Waste Convertors Work

13 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

There is a way to not only sustainably get rid of our household waste, but also produce enough energy from it to power the process and even create ele...

Karaoke: Tuesday Night Fever

11 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in and learn all about the fascinating history of everybody's favorite pastime... karaoke! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ihe...

Short Stuff: Tooth Fairy: Not Real

10 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Today we break down the history of everyone's favorite home invader, the tooth fairy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastne...

Dragons: As Real as Mermaids

09 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Dragons are like mermaids in that they're not real. And that's about where the comparison ends. Learn all about dragons today. Learn more about your ...

Selects: Mermaids: Not a real thing

06 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mermaids aren't real. That much we know. But the history and lore of these magical and sometimes menacing creatures of the sea is pretty interesting s...

Why is the Equal Rights Amendment still not ratified?

04 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The United States is one of only 28 countries in the world that doesn’t have equal protection for women under the law enshrined in its constitution....

Short Stuff: Dog Suicide Bridge

03 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A bridge at the town of Dumbarton in Scotland has a terrible reputation as a site where dogs inexplicably leap to their death on the rocks 50 feet bel...

Is the Free Radical Theory of Aging Wrong?

02 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1990s we thought we’d identified the root cause of aging: nasty molecules called free radicals that wreaked havoc on our cells. Even better, ...

Selects: Bridges: Nature Abhors Them

27 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

From prehistoric logs across streams to the 102-mile Kunshan Grand Bridge, nature works ceaselessly to take down spans. In this classic episode, learn...

How Bruce Lee Worked

25 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Bruce Lee may have introduced more Westerners to Asian culture than any person in history. And, because he died young just as he became an internation...

Short Stuff: The Body in the Cylinder

24 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In 1945, residents of a Liverpool neighborhood found a desiccated body in a long cylinder they’d been using for years using as a bench. It launched ...

What Will Farming 4.0 Look Like?

23 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The human population is expected to increase by a couple billion people in the next 30 years and those who are paying attention are wondering exactly ...

Selects: How Chili Peppers Work

20 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Born and raised in South America, chilis were the earliest crop domesticated in the continent and among the first items brought back to Europe by Colu...

How Blue Holes Work

18 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Geologists and biologists have recently realized that the planet’s oceans and coasts are littered with a unique type of ecosystem called blue holes,...

Short Stuff: Freedom House Ambulance Services

17 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

As part of Black History Month, we wanted to share the little known story of the Freedom House Ambulance Service. Listen in to learn all about this se...

The Disappearance of Lars Mittank

16 Feb 2021

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...

Selects: Why Are So Many Disembodied Feet Washing Ashore In British Columbia?

13 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Between 2007 and 2016, 17 disembodied feet - still wearing shoes - have washed ashore between Washington and British Columbia. What's behind the sudde...

How Housing Discrimination Works

11 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Owning a home in the US is a way to pass wealth down from one generation to the next and lift families into a comfortable life down the road. But ther...

Short Stuff: How California Got Its Name

10 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

California is a pretty cool name. And the story about where it came from is even cooler. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcas...

Sacagawea: Impressive Teen

09 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Sacagawea was only 16 when she joined the Corps of Discovery. That is one seriously impressive teenager. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://...

Selects: Earwax: Live With It

06 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Despite tons of people using cotton swabs each day to clean the earwax from their ears, cerumen (as earwax is clinically known) is actually quite bene...

The NAACP

04 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The NAACP has long been one of the most robust and effective non-profits in the USA. And while it has faded a bit from its glory days, it still remain...

Short Stuff: Balloonfest

03 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In 1986 Cleveland released more than a million helium balloons at once! It didn’t go at all according to plan! Learn more about your ad-choices at ...

How Groundhog Day Works

02 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

You know Groundhog Day – the holiday on February 2 when you wake up and have to go through the same day over and over again. It turns out the holida...

Selects: Maggots: Good For Healing Wounds, Turns Out

30 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Cultures around the world over the years have been inspired by, then repulsed, then inspired by maggots' ability to heal persistent wounds. We are in ...

How Hydropower Works

28 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Humans have been stealing energy from flowing water for at least two thousand years. It wasn’t until the advent of electricity that things really go...

Short Stuff: Vantablack

27 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

How black is vantablack? About as black as you could imagine. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio....

The KKK: Loathsome Cosplay Rednecks

26 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The history of the KKK is rooted in hatred and racism, and it still is today. Learn all about these loathsome rednecks today. Learn more about your a...

Selects: How Blimps Work

23 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After newsreels captured the Hindenburg erupting in fire in 1937, the promising development of airship aviation was cut short. Today companies and mil...

Finding the Fenn Treasure

21 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In 2010 an eccentric art dealer hid a treasure chest with $2 million in valuables somewhere in the Rocky Mountains and published a poem with clues on ...

Short Stuff: Necco

20 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you think Necco Wafers are the most disgusting candy on the planet, you are not alone. But it turns out there’s a rich history behind those chalk...

What does a tire company know about food?

19 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Michelin Guide is an institution. But why does the famous tire manufacturer even put this restaurant guide out? Listen in to find out. Learn more...

Selects: What Was the Deal With the Hatfields and McCoys?

16 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It was America's most famous family feud, but the history of the Hatfields vs the McCoys is fraught with bias and inaccuracies. Dig into a disagreemen...

The Science of Cute

14 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

If you took our advice and looked up baby beavers a few episodes back, you probably found them sooooo cute you couldn’t stand it. Or you just wanted...

Short Stuff: Silverfish

13 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Should you be afraid of these creepy little creatures you find in your basement? Only one way to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:...

Hell! Hell! Hell!

12 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is Hell? It's complicated and depends on which religion you're talking about. We dive into this fiery mess and do our best to explain it. Learn ...

Selects: How Skateboarding Works

09 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Skateboarding started out as something bored surfers did when the waves weren't breaking, but after a few improvements to the design, it took off like...

The Wright Brothers

07 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Orville and Wilbur Wright were not trained professionals, but they were rigorous experimenters who ended up changing the world. Learn more about your...

Short Stuff: Is It Theater or Theatre?

06 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever noticed sometimes theaters – we mean, theatres – oh, forget it – places where you see movies or plays – are sometimes spelled tw...

Space Weather - What's That?!

05 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know space has weather? It’s true! In our solar system, tons – literal tons – of highly charged gas and magnetized particles spew from t...

Selects: How Auto-Tune Works

02 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What began as a challenge to an oil engineer to make a terrible singer into a pitch-perfect one, Auto-Tune has become a ubiquitous (and, to many, obno...

La Dame de Fer (Eiffel Tower)

31 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Eiffel Tower is one of the top destinations on Planet Earth. It turns out to be a pretty cool feat of engineering as well. Learn more about your ...

Short Stuff: Ig-pay Atin-lay (Sorry)

30 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Turns out we have little kids from the 19th century, the Three Stooges, and an odd musical composer named Arthur Fields to thank for pig latin. Learn...

Theremins: World's First Electronic Music

29 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In 1919 a brilliant Russian scientist accidentally stumbled onto the first electronic musical instrument in history – the theremin – which you pla...

SYSK Selects: Sugar: It Powers the Earth

26 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Since sugar spread from Polynesia a few thousand years ago, the world has been crazy for it. Insanely high prices, wars and even slavery couldn't undo...

The SYSK 2020 Holly Jolly Extravaganza!

24 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It's here again! Our annual ad-free holiday spectacular. So pour up a hot toddy, throw a log on the fire and listen with the whole family! Learn more...

Short Stuff: Chinese Food on Christmas

23 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What started out as a tradition among Jewish people on the Lower East Side at the turn of the last century has become a full-blown American holiday cu...

How Buffets Work

22 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Buffets are every kid’s dream – until they grow up enough to realize how gross communal spreads of food shared with strangers actually are. Then t...

SYSK Selects: The Star Wars Holiday Special of 1978

19 Dec 2020

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 ...

Aspirin: The Wonder Drug

17 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Humans have been using a form of aspirin for pain relief since at least the Sumerians. But in recent years we’ve come to learn the wonder drug is in...

Short Stuff: Modern Funerals

16 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The way we deal with our dead has changed a lot over the past 50 years. Learn all about it in 12-15 minutes right here. Learn more about your ad-choi...

Joseph Merrick, aka "The Elephant Man"

15 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Joseph Merrick was known as The Elephant Man because of his suffering from what we now know was Proteus Synrome. Learn all about this brave man in tod...

SYSK Selects: What is a hangover, really?

12 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After a night of heavy boozing, many partygoers find themselves the victim of a hangover. But what exactly is a hangover, and what causes it? Join Chu...

The Taliesin Massacre

10 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone knows who Frank Lloyd Wright is, but did you know there was a grisly massacre at his home in 1914? Learn more about your ad-choices at https...

Short Stuff: Cramming

09 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Cramming is no way to study. Learn why in today's short stuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio...

How Class Action Lawsuits Work

08 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Class action lawsuits seem a little odd – a bunch of people get together for a sue-fest against somebody – but in the legal world they’re a prac...

SYSK Selects: How Chaos Theory Changed the Universe

05 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Since the age of Descartes, science has put all of its eggs in the basket of determinism, the idea that with accurate enough measurements any aspect o...

John Lennon and the FBI

03 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that Richard Nixon had a FBI case file open on Beatle John Lennon? Well he did! Why? Listen in to find out. Learn more about your ad-cho...

Short Stuff: Pimento Cheese!

02 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Pimento cheese was originally nothing like it is now: It was mass produced, it was made from cream cheese and it was conceived in New York. Today it’...

Cabbage Patch Kids: Must-Have Toy of the Century

01 Dec 2020

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, fr...

SYSK Selects: How Tea Works

28 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Legend has it that tea was discovered by a curious Chinese emperor after leaves blew into his boiled water. Now tea is the second only to water in pop...

Gobble Gobble: Turkeys!

26 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Turkeys are a very interesting bird as it turns out. Which may be why many people are leaving it off their Thanksgiving table this year. Learn all abo...

Short Stuff: How Eyes In a Painting Follow You

25 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ever noticed how eyes in a painting sometimes follow you around the room? It’s weird! But it’s also fully explainable and Josh and Chuck do just t...

Patty Hearst: Brainwashed or Bandit?

24 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Patty Hearst was a young heiress living a quiet life studying art history at college when one Monday evening her home was invaded, she was kidnapped, ...

SYSK Selects: Whatever happened to acid rain?

21 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Along with the hole in the ozone layer, acid rain was one of the first international environmental threats. It's fallen to the wayside in the face of ...

The Great War of the Worlds Panic Myth

19 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

On Halloween 1938 young radio star Orson Welles scared the pants off of America with a fictional news bulletin claiming Martians had landed and were d...

Short Stuff: Squirrel Nuts

18 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We know squirrels hide nuts. But it's actually more complex a system than you think. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnet...

How Pain Works

17 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In recent decades we’ve come to understand that there’s a lot more to pain than: touch hot stove/feel burning hand. Pain is a far more sophisticat...

SYSK Selects: Who Gets to Name Continents?

14 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

America is named after Amerigo Vespucci, right? Maybe not. And who named Australia? Find out the unusually uncertain origins of the continents and oth...

How Macy's Thanksgiving Parade Works

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For almost a century, Macy’s department store has kicked off the holidays in America with a grand parade. And when you march thousands of clowns, li...

Short Stuff: Plastic Pink Flamingos

11 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Plastic flamingos started out as innocent yard art, transformed into folk art, and have become a (kind of mean) symbol of high campiness. There’s a ...

The Bay of Pigs Disaster

10 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Bay of Pigs is one of the blackest of eyes on American foreign policy. Learn all about this dark spot of American history today. Learn more about...

SYSK Selects: Geysers: Nature's Innuendo

08 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The spectacular eruptions of steam and water we call geysers are only the tip of the proverbial iceberg, the result of thousands of years of specific ...

All the Gold In Fort Knox: Meh

05 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When Fort Knox was built in the 1930s to house America’s gold supply, it was billed as an impenetrable, impregnable, don’t-even-think-of-trying va...

Short Stuff: Fruit Flies, Why?

04 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever wondered why we do so much scientific testing on fruit flies? Turns out they make better models for humans than you’d think. Learn mo...

The Amazing Roberto Clemente

03 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Roberto Clemente was what’s called a “complete” baseball player – he could hit, run and, man could he throw, so it’s no surprise he was made...

SYSK Selects: How Ghosts Work

31 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

According to a 2009 poll, more Americans believe in ghosts than don't. But what are ghosts exactly? If they do exist, what are they made of and why ar...

SYSK’s Scare Your Pants Off (and Back On) Halloween Spooktacular

29 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s that time of year again! So turn down the lights, pull the sheets over your eyes and prepare to be thrilled and frightened with two great Hallo...

Short Stuff: Poe Toaster

28 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For at least sixty years a mysterious person (or persons) showed up at Edgar Allen Poe’s grave to toast the master on his birthday. No one ever foun...

A History of Nursing Homes

27 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In America, we've treated our senior citizens in very different ways over the years. Tune in to hear about how we've tackled compassionate care. Lear...

Chuck Bryant On The Why I’m Voting Podcast

25 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hey, SYSK listeners! We wanted to make sure you heard Chuck on iHeartRadio’s Why I’m Voting podcast. Check it out and don’t forget to vote on No...

SYSK Selects: How Book Banning Works

24 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you want to control the masses, control what they read. After all, books are seeds that germinate new points of view. As a result, the struggle aga...

Beavers: Tail Slapping Fun

22 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Beavers are in fact, very busy. They're builders and solid family members, husbands and wives. Learn all about N America's largest rodent today. Lear...

Short Stuff: Haunted Real Estate

21 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Do you have to disclose the notion that your house may be haunted upon sale? Listen in to find out. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.i...

10 Voter Suppression Methods

20 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Voter suppression in the USA is as old as voting itself. Listen in to hear about 10 ways we stifle the vote. Learn more about your ad-choices at http...

SYSK Selects: How Sushi Works

17 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sushi grew out of a way to ferment fish a couple thousand years ago and in the late 20th century began to take the world by storm. What began as tradi...

Porcupines: Little Stabby Cutie Pies

15 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We love animals. A lot. Especially underrated ones like the darling porcupine. Listen in today to learn all about these stabby little boogers. Learn ...

Short Stuff: What is Latinx anyway?

14 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We love to keep up with the current terminology for groups of people. Learn about the origin of Latinx today. Learn more about your ad-choices at htt...

Wind Tunnels: More Important Than You Realize

13 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Without wind tunnels we may not have airplanes right now. Early aviationists built them to puzzle out how to get and stay airborne. But wind tunnels a...