Stuff You Should Know

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...

SYSK Selects: How Bigfoot Works

10 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For centuries North American tribes have told stories of a hairy wild giant in the wilderness, and once Europeans arrived they claimed to see it, too....

Printing press? Big deal!

08 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Was the printing press a big deal? You bet it was. One of the biggest. Learn all about the early history of printing today. Learn more about your ad-...

Short Stuff: Lying in State

07 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After RBG passed away she had the honor of lying in state. Who decides this? Listen and you'll know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www....

What's the deal with swing states?

06 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Swing states are all the rage once again this election season, but the makeup has changed a bit. Learn all about what makes a swing state a swing stat...

SYSK Selects: How the Electoral College Works

03 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When you vote in an American presidential election, you're not voting for your candidate - you're voting for a group of people you hope will in turn v...

Fallout Shelters: Probably Useless (Let’s Never Find Out)

01 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The advent of nuclear weapons and the Cold War kicked off a craze in the US for building rec rooms with foot-thick reinforced walls and outfitted with...

Short Stuff: That's A Head Scratcher

30 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

It’s actually really strange that scratching your head is a widely understood sign that you’re puzzling over something. No one’s exactly sure wh...

Conjugal Visits: Not exactly what you think

29 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After reaching their peak, conjugal prison visits are all but gone in the U.S. Learn all about these frisky visits in today's episode. Learn more abo...

SYSK Selects: How Rabies Works

26 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Rabies may have gotten a lot of attention in the U.S. in the 70s and 80s, but it's still an issue in developing countries. Learn all about this nasty ...

At Long Last: Hawaiian Overthrow Episode

24 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

By longstanding listener request, we look at how Hawaii was basically stolen by the United States in the 19th century. Rather than reverse this bit of...

Short Stuff: Petticoat Rulers

23 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Petticoat rulers were women who ran the show long before anyone thought they could. We’re talking mayors and entire city councils comprised of women...

How Sweepstakes Work

22 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sweepstakes were invented as marketing tools to drum up interest for a product or sales. But winning them can be fun and as they’ve proliferated an ...

SYSK Selects: How White-collar Crime Works

19 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

White-collar crime often involves fraud and other nonviolent acts. For most people, the term "white-collar crime" conjures up images of CEOs conniving...

How Election Polling Works and Doesn't Work

17 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Election polling had a pretty good rep until 2016. But it turns out they weren't far off even then. It's really the media driving the narrative. Learn...

Short Stuff: Black Cowboys

16 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Most people don't realize that around a quarter of the cowboys found in the Old West during the golden age cattle driving were African American. Let's...

Origami: Folding Goodness

15 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Origami is an amazing art that consists of making folds in paper to create something beautiful. Learn all about it today. Learn more about your ad-ch...

SYSK Selects: How Porta-Potties Work

12 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Despite our lengthy history of evacuating our bowels and bladders, it wasn’t until the relatively recent 1940s that we began to construct portable, ...

Wetlands! Wetlands! Wetlands!

10 Sep 2020

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 ecosyste...

Short Stuff: Streisand Effect

09 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

What does Barbra Streisand have to do with the internet? Listen and learn! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSe...

Frances Perkins: Influential and Unknown

08 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Frances Perkins was an incredibly influential American yet is virtually unknown. What did she do? A lot! For instance, Social Security was her brainch...

SYSK Selects: How Police Chases Work

05 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Entire TV shows are dedicated to them and Americans love to watch a live one, but police chases aren't as routine as they seem. While police assert ch...

The Disturbing Disappearance of Tara Calico

03 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When Tara Calico mysteriously vanished in 1988, suspected to be the victim of foul play, her case may have gotten lost with the countless other missin...

Short Stuff: More Phrase Origins

02 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We're back with another handful of phrase origins. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listene...

How the Escape from Alcatraz Worked

01 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In 1962, three ordinary criminals transcended into folk heroes when they crawled out of their cells in Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary took to the water...

SYSK Selects: Polyamory: When two just won't do

29 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this classic episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck dive into the world of polyamory. Turns out polyamorists aren't aren't weirdos and de...

Blacksmiths? You got that right!

27 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Blacksmiths? You got that right. Learn all about this age old occupation in today's episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpo...

Short Stuff: Carrots and Your Eyes

26 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Join Chuck and Josh as they learn that one of the great childhood truths – that carrots help you see better in the dark was totally made up! Learn ...

How Sneezing Works

25 Aug 2020

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...

SYSK Selects: How Panic Attacks Work

22 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Almost three percent of Americans suffer from a debilitating disorder that causes them to suffer intense fear seemingly without reason and science has...

1-800-PODCAST

20 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Chuck and Josh dive into the wacky world of 800 and 900 phone numbers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee om...

Short Stuff: The Great American Coin Shortage of 2020

19 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In addition to all the lousy things that’s come out of the Coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. is also experiencing a coin shortage thanks to a stalled-o...

How Anti-Dieting Works

18 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a movement afoot that says we should all stop thinking about our weight and just enjoy food. No, it doesn’t help you lose weight…No, it’...

SYSK Selects: How The Human Microbiome Project Works

15 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If it was possible to take a full scan of all of the DNA of every cell in and on your body the results would be startling: Only 1 percent would be hum...

Olympic Torches: Remember Those?

13 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Back in the pre-pandemic days we had a sporting event called The Olympic Games. And at those games there was an opening ceremony that featured the lig...

Short Stuff: The Return of Bill Gates!

12 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Our old pal Bill Gates is back for a very special short stuff where we talk all about Covid vaccines and therapeutics. Learn more about your ad-choic...

Pirate Radio: Mavericks on the High Seas

11 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Pirate radio started out in England as a way to sidestep the regulations of Big Radio. While outlawed, it still exists today in the UK and America. Le...

SYSK Selects: How The Moonwalk Works

08 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

When Michael Jackson debuted the moonwalk in 1983 the world was enrapt. The dance goes back farther, to the 1930s, and pops up again in the 50s, befor...

How Miniature Golf Works

06 Aug 2020

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 and...

Short Stuff: Jigsaw Puzzles

05 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Who doesn't love a good puzzle? Tune in to learn a few facts and figures about jigsaw puzzles right now. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://...

Wasps: Not as cute as bees

04 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Wasps have a bad rap. Because their sting really hurts and they don't make honey like their cousins. But they are super cool and you shouldn't kill th...

SYSK Selects: How the Rosetta Stone Works

01 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes providence smiles on historians. Thus is the case with the Rosetta stone, an ancient Egyptian tablet that served as the key for unlocking hi...

How Soap Works

30 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Soap is a miraculous substance – and mysterious too: we have no idea how humans first figured out to make it. We lived with soap for millennia befor...

Short Stuff: Habsburg Jaw

29 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Habsburg Jaw is the result of inbreeding. But what is it? Click play and learn! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetw...

How Hurricanes Work

28 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Hurricanes are perhaps the most destructive force of nature we have to deal with here on Earth. When a mind-boggling number of factors all fall into p...

SYSK Selects: How Lobbying Works

25 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Lobbying is an entrenched part of American politics and one that many people think is breaking government. But petitioning the government is protected...

Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Mobile Phones

23 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Today we deep dive on mobile phones, wonders of the modern world! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystu...

Short Stuff: The Death of Billy the Kid

22 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sure, together Young Guns and Young Guns II form an exhaustive biography of Billy the Kid’s life. But did you know they also contain misleading ...

How We Almost Got Rid of Polio

21 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For more than half of the 20th century parents in the industrialized world were freaked out by an unseen waster of youth, the poliovirus. It spread ea...

SYSK Selects: How a Flea Circus Works

18 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever seen a flea circus, then count yourself among the few. It's a dying art, but back in the day they thrilled and delighted young and old ...

Robber Barons!

16 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The robber barons were not a group of evil super villains. OR WERE THEY? Learn all about these titans of industry from the Gilded Age in today's episo...

Short Stuff: Centralia Coal Fire

15 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

An old coal mine in Pennsylvania caught fire one day in the 60s and it’s been burning ever since. What’s crazy is this happens all the time. Lear...

Flagpole Sitting: A Real Fad

14 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The 1920s were just absolutely nuts. People got into weird fads really intensely and one of the strangest of all was flagpole sitting. It’s just wha...

SYSK Selects: How Landfills Work

11 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Well-planned landfills have only recently come into widespread use. Recently, waste managers have found that they work a little too well and now the l...

Essential Oils: Nature's Cure?

09 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Essential oils are from plants and they can help the human body in a lot of ways. There are also many false medical claims. Learn all the ins and outs...

Short Stuff: The @ Symbol

08 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You know the at symbol? This thing: @? There’s a name for it, just not in English. We just call it the at symbol. But other countries – stand back...

What was the KGB?

07 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The KGB was the notorious strong arm of the Kremlin. Run afoul and you died. Learn all about them today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://...

SYSK Selects: All We Know About Guessing

04 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Guessing is a weird thing. For millennia, it could have meant the difference between life and death. Now it's not as vital, but we still do it every d...

Oh Yes, How Soil Works

02 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There is maybe nothing that sounds more boring than hearing two people talk about soil, but friend, prepare to be amazed at the details of what makes ...

Short Stuff: The Science of Funny Words

01 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Why are some words funnier than others? Well, one man has sought to figure that out. We'll tell you all about him and his project in today's episode. ...

Bruxism: Grinding Your Teeth Is the Pits

30 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Researchers have noticed that as incidence of anger increases so too has teeth grinding, known clinically as bruxism. That’s a problem because when ...

SYSK Selects: Juggling: What the Heck

27 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There is a lot – A LOT – to juggling and Chuck and Josh go over the lion’s share of it in this classic episode. Delve into the deep history, phy...

Matcha: That Ain't Just Tea

25 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Matcha is something else, healthy and delicious and all the rage. Learn all about this trendy beverage today. Learn more about your ad-choices at htt...

Short Stuff: Nouns of assemblage... assemble!

24 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

A gaggle of geese. A murder of crows. Nouns of assemblage are awesome and we talk about them for about 12 minutes in today's Short Stuff installment. ...

How Ultrasound Works

23 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Sure you know all about ultrasound. You can see pictures of little babies right there cozy in the womb just by waving a magic plastic stick over the m...