Stuff You Should Know
Episodes
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...
SYSK Selects: Research tips from SYSK
20 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
People often ask us how we do our research. We're not going to disclose all of our secrets, but we'll give you some tips on how to root out the bad st...
The Manhattan Grid
18 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Short Stuff: Haint Blue
17 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Haint Blue is a kind of robin's egg color that you might commonly find on porches of the low country of the Southeastern United States. But what does ...
The War on Fat: The Seven Countries Study
16 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Seven Countries Study was a fairly impressive, long-term study on the effects of fat in our diet, among other things. But it was very flawed and l...
SYSK Selects: How Flamethrowers Work
13 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Who first decided that it would be a great idea to shoot flame at other people from a distance? Josh and Chuck talk about the (very) early origins, hi...
Can You Eat A Tapeworm To Lose Weight?
11 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a persistent insistence that you can ingest a tapeworm and as the parasite hijacks a lot of the calories you eat, the pounds will fall right...
Short Stuff: Foie Gras
10 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Foie gras means “fatty liver” in French, which makes sense because it’s made from the overripe livers of force-fed ducks and geese. Learn mor...
How Project Star Gate Worked
09 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In yet another testament to how amazingly great the 70s were, in 1975 the US started a program that tried to harness the powers of clairvoyance to rem...
SYSK Selects: How The Black Panther Party Worked
06 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Black Panther Party was a complex political movement that was unfairly painted as a militant group who hated white people. Far from it, they were ...
The Massacre at Tiananmen Square
04 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tank Man. An indelible image burned in our brains. But what led to this extraordinary event? Chuck and Josh walk you through the days and weeks leadin...
Short Stuff: Disappearing Dirty Dancing Lake
03 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The lake from one of the all-time great movies (search your feelings, you’ll find that it’s true) is turning into a dried up mudhole. Turns out it...
Heroin: The Drug
02 Jun 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We've covered a lot of drugs in our history, and today we tackle heroin, one of the most dangerous of all. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:...
SYSK Selects: How Jackhammers Work
30 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It’s likely that without the invention of the pneumatic jackhammer, the Industrial Revolution wouldn’t have hummed along quite so smoothly. Certai...
How Narcolepsy Works
28 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Narcolepsy is one of those amazing rare disorders that everyone thinks they understand – people just fall asleep at random times, even in the middle...
Short Stuff: Lawn Darts
27 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There was a time when kids had to look out for flying darts that could pierce their skulls when they played in the backyard. Learn more about your ad...
Hummingbirds: Ornery Helicopters of the Animal Kingdom
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you didn’t already know how amazing hummingbirds are, prepare to learn. Not only do they count among their numbers the smallest bird species, the...
SYSK Selects: How The Enlightenment Works
23 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The Enlightenment stands as the moment the West withdrew from superstition and found its faith in reason. Did it shift too far? In this classic episod...
Josh Clark's Speech from Commencement: Speeches for the Class of 2020
22 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hi listeners, in case you haven't heard already, iHeartRadio just released a brand new podcast called Commencement: Speeches for the Class of 2020, wh...
How Bras Work
21 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Bras are loved and hated, sometimes at the same time. But as difficult and restrictive as they can be, they rescued women from a much cruel contraptio...
Short Stuff: Mary Had A Little Lamb
20 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know the little nursery rhyme is controversial? It’s true: Two towns in New England can barely stand to see one another on the map (kind of)...
How Spiritualism Works
19 May 2020
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 gifted ...
Chuck Bryant's Speech from Commencement: Speeches for the Class of 2020
18 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Hi listeners, in case you haven't heard already, iHeartRadio just released a brand new podcast called Commencement: Speeches for the Class of 2020, wh...
SYSK Selects: How Fire Works
16 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Creating fire was possibly the most important human discovery, but it's easy to take for granted. But. Josh and Chuck get to the bottom of the chemist...
How Peanut Butter Works
14 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
No food is more all-American than peanut butter – 80 percent of homes in the country have a jar of it in the pantry right now. And while the rest of...
Short Stuff: Charley Horse
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You know those terrible leg cramps that come out of nowhere? They may be named after a drunken baseball pitcher. Learn more about your ad-choices at ...
How Herd Immunity Works
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Herd immunity is an epidemiological concept that if enough people are inoculated against a disease the rest of us won’t get it. It’s been useful i...
SYSK Selects: How Caving Works
09 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Entrances to the underworld have been places of wonder for eons, and humans have ventured into caves to sleep, hunt, create art and explore. Thanks to...
Zippers: Humans’ Greatest Invention? No, But Still Good
07 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The zipper may be the most unsung invention we humans have ever come up with. Prior to zippers, everyone walked around like idiots with nothing but bu...
Short Stuff: Gibtown: Sideshow Central
06 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There was a glorious time in American history when circus sideshow performers lived together in a small town in Florida. Learn about the fascinating h...
I'm Spartacus!
05 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Spartacus was a real dude. He led a slave revolt, and was pretty successful to boot. I'm Spartacus. You're Spartacus. We are all Spartacus. Learn mor...
SYSK Selects: How do dogs perceive time?
02 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A dog that knows exactly when its owners will arrive home every day seems to have a human perception of time, but in fact, they perceive time very dif...
Agatha Christie: Queen of the Murder Mystery
30 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Agatha Christie was a great writer of murder mystery novels and is probably the best selling author of all time. Listen in today to learn her story. ...
Short Stuff: Mullets: 'Nuff Said
29 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Business in the front, you know the rest. Listen in as we discuss the lifestyle choice that is the mullet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:...
How Existential Risks Work
28 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
An existential risk is a special kind of threat that are different from other types of risks in that if one of them ever befalls us, it would spell th...
SYSK Selects: How the U.S. Postal Service Works
25 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Back when this episode aired, the USPS was teetering on the edge of going under and there were a lot of plans on the table to save it. With the USPS a...
How the Voyager Golden Records Work
23 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As part of a super 70s push to get Earth to a seat at the table of the Galactic Federation (in case there is, in fact, such a thing), astronomer Carl ...