Stuff You Should Know
Episodes
SYSK Selects: How Human Cannonballs Work
27 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There's no question that human cannonballs are daredevils. They pack themselves into the confines of huge cannons, which shoot them into the air. But ...
How Eyewitness Testimony Works(?)
25 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Few things are more compelling than a witness pointing out a defendant in the courtroom as the perpetrator. But few things are also more unreliable th...
Short Stuff: Aristides de Sousa Mendes
24 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
This week we highlight another little known historical hero. In this case, a Portuguese diplomat who rescued people from Nazi Germany, at his own peri...
MOVE: Or When the Philly Police Dropped a Bomb on a Residential Neighborhood
23 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Believe it or not, in 1985 the Philadelphia Police Department dropped a bomb from a helicopter onto a residential building in an African-American neig...
SYSK Selects: How Crack Works
20 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Back in the mid-1980s a new and extremely potent drug hit the scene: crack cocaine. In short order, America was in the grip of both a sweeping addicti...
Sand Dunes: They Are What You Think They Are
18 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Sand dunes are exactly what you think they are. But still pretty interesting. Learn all about them right now! Learn more about your ad-choices at htt...
Short Stuff: Yellow Rain
17 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After the Vietnam War, the Hmong people told the world a toxic weapon was being used on them. Thus began a mystery that still remains today, which mig...
How Going to the Moon Works
16 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fifty years ago, the first humans stepped onto the moon. After going back a few more times, humanity lost its taste for moon travel. But it’s being ...
SYSK Selects: Duels - A Guide to Throwing Down the Gauntlet
13 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Pretty much everything you know about duels is true - it's a challenge to violence to defend honor. But did you know the U.S. Navy used to publish det...
How Sloths Work
11 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone knows sloths are super slow, but do you know they’re slow because their bodies produce an astoundingly small amount of energy? And did you ...
Short Stuff: The Coconut Cult
10 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Why we love short stuff - because we can tell stories like this one. A man goes to an island to start a commune of sorts that subsists entirely on coc...
Cleopatra: Ms. Understood
09 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
One of the great misunderstood figures in history was the last pharaoh of Egypt. Cleopatra’s story is almost always told along with the men in her l...
SYSK Selects: What Makes us Yawn?
06 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What is it that makes us suddenly draw in a deep breath through a wide-open mouth? The beautiful thing about yawning is that researchers really don't ...
How the Fairness Doctrine Worked
04 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Back in the day, broadcasters were bound by law to provide contrasting opinions on political matters. Why? Because of the Fairness Doctrine. What happ...
Short Stuff: Mitsuye Endo
03 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In today's short stuff, we look at another amazing woman who has all but been ignored by history. The story of Mitsuye Endo. Learn more about your ...
Is photographic memory a real thing?
02 Jul 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Photographic memory is the stuff of movies and TV, but is it real? Sort of. But not really. But kind of. It's a little bit a matter of semantics. List...
SYSK Selects: What Makes a One-hit Wonder?
29 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The term "one-hit wonder" gets thrown around a lot, and - yes - you probably are using it correctly, but Chuck Bryant went to the trouble to really de...
What is the Civil Air Patrol?
27 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Civil Air Patrol is a civilian group of pilots and plane enthusiasts who do a lot of things, namely help out in search and rescue missions. But th...
Short Stuff: Prison Food
26 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Prison food is kind of a joke, like airplane food. But there are real consequences involved. Let's get into it in today's short stuff. Learn more abo...
Planned Obsolescence: Engine of the Consumer Economy
25 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve ever heard an old timer gripe that things aren’t built like they used to be, that old timer was right! Learn about the nefarious, possib...
SYSK Selects: How the Donner Party Worked
22 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Did they or didn't they? There is plenty of written evidence that the ill-fated Donner Party resorted to cannibalism - except there are no bones. Lear...
What happened to the Neanderthals?
20 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As recently as 40,000 years ago we lived among humans from an entirely different species – Neanderthals. About the same time our species showed up, ...
Short Stuff: Emperor Norton
19 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After a San Francisco real estate mogul went bankrupt, he reinvented himself as the Emperor of the United States – and became the city’s most cele...
How the Hygiene Hypothesis Works
18 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 90s, a new study that found that kids who are exposed to more germs early in life are less likely to develop allergies later. With the We...
SYSK Selects: What's the Deal with Crop Circles?
15 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For a while in the 1980s, people were fascinated and confused about what exactly crop circles were. Now we know that they aren't signs left from alien...
How Area 51 Works
13 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The secret military base Area 51 is inextricably linked to every secret, shady project the US government is rumored to be involved in – from reverse...
Short Stuff: Smoke Signals
12 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Were smoke signals real or a Hollywood invention? Turns out, they were indeed a thing and invented by the Chinese, even. Learn more about your ad-c...
What's the gig economy?
11 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The gig economy is not new, but it's bigger than ever. Is that a good thing? We'll discuss that today! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://ww...
SYSK Selects: How Capgras Syndrome Works
08 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There is an extremely rare condition where the sufferer is convinced that everyone around him is an impostor posing as their friends and family. Learn...
What is perfect pitch?
06 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Perfect pitch, or absolute pitch, is when you can sing a note with no reference from other notes, perfectly on key. Is it an asset? Chuck says yes. Le...
Short Stuff: Robert Johnson and the Devil
05 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Did the legendary blues singer really sell his soul to the devil in exchange for amazing musical skills? Probably not! But there’s still an interest...
How Barcodes Work
04 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Barcodes are everywhere. Those little lines and numbers that make up one of the most recognizable barcodes, the UPC, was designed to make going to the...
SYSK Selects: How TV Ratings Work
01 Jun 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder why some great shows go off the air after a season or less? Blame it on the Nielsen company, which has for more than 60 years been the alm...
The Tylenol Murders, Part II
30 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The panic that began in Chicago spreads and begins to change the world. The investigation into the murders turns up leads and suspects, but still no o...
Short Stuff: Look-Alike Old Couples
29 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
You know how some older married couples (sorry, senior adult married couples) start to look alike over time? That’s a really weird phenomenon if you...
The Tylenol Murders, Part I
28 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
On one terrible day in Chicago in 1982, seven people died suddenly and mysteriously. In just a matter of hours, it becomes clear, someone has poisoned...
SYSK Selects: How Acne Works
25 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Over the course of our lives, 80 percent of us will experience acne. Ultimately, acne comes down to one thing, a blockage in the sebaceous gland. Lear...
What was Tin Pan Alley?
23 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Tin Pan Alley was an area of New York around the beginning of the 20th Century that served as ground zero for the earliest iterations of the music pub...
Short Stuff: James Polk, Disinterred
22 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know that former president James Polk had his final resting place moved twice? It's true! And almost a third time even. Let's go listen to som...
How Crystals Work
21 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In a new age shop or on display at the Smithsonian, there are varying interpretations of what crystals can be used for. But at their base, they are a ...
SYSK Selects: How Dying Works
18 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Chuck and Josh have covered just about every aspect of death except dying itself. Here, they fulfill the death suite of podcasts with an in-depth look...
10ish Cases of Really Bad Luck
16 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Some guys have all the luck, some guys have all the pain. So said Rod Stewart. And if this list is any indication, “guys” is gender neutral. Liste...
Short Stuff: Honorary Degrees
15 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Honorary degrees are not real degrees. They are marketing opportunities for universities. They make us mad, but we want one. Learn all about them in t...
How Trampolines Work
14 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The world’s loved trampolines since they were invented by a pair of acrobats in Iowa in the 30s – so much so, trampolining is now an Olympic event...
SYSK Selects: How Lie Detectors Work
11 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Instead of actually detecting lies, polygraph machines sense physiological variations, ostensibly brought on by guilt. The results are subject to inte...
Do Dietary Supplements Work?
09 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The world takes $40 billion of dietary supplements – from vitamin A to yohimbe bark – every year. Yet, the jury is still out on whether most of th...
Short Stuff: Nicknames
08 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What's in a nickname? Sometimes they make sense, sometimes they don't. Let's get our shorty on and find out the deal. Learn more about your ad-choi...
Remembering Live Aid
07 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Live Aid was a revolutionary concert event in two countries in 1985 that spanned the world via satellite. The brainchild of musician Bob Geldof, it re...
SYSK Selects: How Does a Diving Bell Work?
04 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
About 2,400 years ago Aristotle mentions the use of diving bells, apparatuses that convey divers to the bottom of the sea -- or at least below the sur...
What Happens When the Government Thinks You're Dead?
02 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It’s bad enough when the government knows you’re alive – there are taxes to pay, laws to be followed, all sorts of boring and unpleasant things....
Short Stuff: The Number 23
01 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There are people out there who believe that there’s something special about the number 23. Exactly what? Who knows. Exactly why? Because it pops up ...
Michael Dillon: Trans Pioneer
30 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Dillon was a lot of things - author, doctor, and most importantly, trans pioneer. Learn all about his story in today's episode. Learn more ...
SYSK Selects: How Zero Works
27 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Few numbers have as storied a past as zero. Even fewer have had as great an impact on our ability to understand our universe. Yet zero is a relatively...
What Were Human Zoos?
25 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
One of the off-putting byproducts of 19th century European colonialism were human zoos, living dioramas of people from far-away places made to be gawk...
Short Stuff: Fear of Public Speaking
24 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Speaking in public is frequently cited as people’s number one fear, even more fearful than death. Most people go through life avoiding public speaki...
Is birth order important?
23 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
There have been a lot of studies over the years regarding birth order. Some conclude that it's a big deal, while others more or less discount its impo...
SYSK Selects: How Marijuana Works
20 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For millennia people used marijuana for fun and medicine. Not until the 20th century that was it vilified, unfairly say many. Weed has done lots of go...
How the Hoover Dam Works, Part II
18 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
And now for something completely different. Just kidding – tune in to hear the thrilling conclusion of America’s most amazing public works project...
Short Stuff: Emu Wars
17 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Did Australians really wage war on a group of emus? YES. Learn all about it in today's short stuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www...
How the Hoover Dam Works, Part I
16 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It’s one of America’s biggest accomplishments in the 20th century, a slab of concrete holding back one of the country’s most finicky rivers, pro...
SYSK Selects: How Yo-Yos Work
13 Apr 2019
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...
How the Electric Chair Works
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The electric chair is an all-American invention. It spread almost nowhere else in the world as a capital punishment but worked overtime in the States....
Short Stuff: Lake Peigneur
10 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In 1980 something catastrophic happened to the quiet town of New Iberia, Louisiana. Their wide, shallow lake grew much deeper after it underwent an ap...
How Free Range Parenting Works
09 Apr 2019
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...
SYSK Selects: How Pollen Works
06 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For about 375 million years, plants have been using pollen (aka plant sperm) to propagate their species. And the technique has stuck around because it...
Were Nazis Drug-Fueled Crankheads?
04 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Nazis were bad people. And it turns out a lot of them were high as kites on speed. Was this a recipe for disaster? Yes it was. Learn more about you...
Short Stuff: Unspent Campaign Money
03 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered what happens to all those campaign donations when a political campaign goes belly up? Or, even worse, is in debt! Wonder no mor...
How Rape Kits Work
02 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Rape kits are simple forensic evidence collection kits used when someone is sexually assaulted. But the story is deeper than this. Learn all about rap...
SYSK Selects: How Immigration Works
30 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Immigration systems regulate the flow of foreign immigrants into any given country. But why is immigration such a controversial topic, especially in t...
Etch A Sketch!
28 Mar 2019
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. Learn more about ...
Short Stuff: When Elvis Met Nixon
27 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Elvis really did meet with Richard Nixon. Because Elvis wanted to help fight the drug trade. True story. Hear about it in today's short stuff. Lear...
How Druids Worked
26 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Anyone who likes Led Zeppelin, plays Dungeons & Dragons, or worships the rising sun at Stonehenge on the vernal equinox can tell you druids are co...
SYSK Selects: How Sign Language Works
23 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It wasn't until the was developed and despite its co-existence alongside English, a user would be hard-pressed to sign with a British person. Find out...
How Disgust Works
21 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Disgust is an odd thing. It makes sense that we would feel a sense of revulsion at the thought of putting rotten meat in our mouths – that’s pure ...
Short Stuff: The Sandman
20 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Mr. Sandman, bring me a dream! But who is the sandman? We'll tell you in today's edition of short stuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:...
Desert Survival: Josh and Chuck Save Your Tookus
19 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The chances are pretty low that you’ll find yourself lost in the desert, but on the off chance you do you’ll thank yourself that you listened to t...
SYSK Selects: Was Atlantis A Real Place?
16 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
While the search for Atlantis has been pushed to the fringes since the 19th century, archaeologists have quietly pursued cities that may have inspired...
The Great Stink: The Stench So Bad They Gave It A Name
14 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the summer of 1858, a heatwave dried up the Thames River to a trickle in London. As centuries’ worth of human waste, animal carcasses and other n...
Short Stuff: Bedbugs
13 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We eradicated bedbugs so thoroughly in the 50s that generations who came later suspected they weren’t anymore real than jackalopes and snipes. But s...
The Case of Sacco and Vanzetti
12 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The trial of Sacco and Vanzetti, two anarchists accused of murder, was one of the first "crimes of the century." But did they do it? To this day there...
SYSK Selects: How Wildfires Work
09 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Wildfires consume an annual average of 5 million acres in the US. But what causes wildfires? How do they become so powerful? More importantly, how do ...
How Dyslexia Works
07 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For a learning disability that everyone seems to know about, dyslexia is maybe the most commonly misunderstood and controversial cognitive difficulty ...
Short Stuff: Wigs in English Court
06 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What's the deal with the wigs in the English court system? Learn all about it in today's short stuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://w...
What's the deal with ASMR?
05 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
ASMR is soothing to some, maddening to others. Learn all about these whisper tones in today's episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://...
SYSK Selects: How the Panama Canal Works
02 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
It's on more than one list of the Seven Wonders of the World and for good reason - the Panama Canal is one of the great feats of engineering ever unde...
Tuskegee Airmen: American Heroes
28 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Tuskegee Airmen braved racism and brutally tough training in order to secure their spot in American history as the first African-American military...
Short Stuff: Black Loyalists
27 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The Black Loyalists were a group of Colonial slaves who fought for their freedom alongside the British. Learn all about this nearly forgotten group in...
The Science of Break-Ups
26 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Breaking up is hard to do. Your brain might even think you're getting over a cocaine addiction. Learn all about the science behind break-ups today! L...
SYSK Selects: How Lewis and Clark Worked
23 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
They may be the most famous explorers in U.S. history, but there are plenty of interesting details to the Lewis and Clark expedition that history has ...
How Galaxies Work
21 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the universe things tend to cluster. This means there’s a coherent structure to the universe and learning about clusters of stars – galaxies - ...
Short Stuff: Turbulence
20 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve ever had a bumpy airplane ride, you know it’s nothing fun. But have you ever noticed that the pilots sometimes tell you ahead of time to...
Yeti: The Asian Bigfoot
19 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We've covered Nessie and Bigfoot, so why not tackle the Yeti? Listen in today and Josh and Chuck cover what used to be known as the Abominable Snowman...
SYSK Selects: Interpol: World Police
16 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Interpol is an international police agency that helps other law-enforcement agencies track criminals who operate across national borders -- but how do...
Elephants: The Best Animals?
14 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Elephants are pretty much the best. Why? Josh and Chuck will let you know in great detail in today's episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at h...
Short Stuff: War of Jenkins' Ear
13 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the 18th century, Spain and England fought each other in the colonies of Georgia and Florida, a war kicked off by an English sea captain who was ma...
Could There Be A Loch Ness Monster?
12 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
People have believed something strange lives in Loch Ness for at least 3500 years. Thousands of people have sighted the Loch Ness Monster and dozens o...
SYSK Selects: How Coral Reefs Work
09 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Coral reefs are the largest organic structures on Earth, yet they're created through a symbiotic relationship between creatures about 3 millimeters lo...
The True Story of BlacKkKlansman
07 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In 2018, director Spike Lee brought the story of Ron Stallworth to the big screen to great effect. Today, Josh and Chuck discuss the true story behind...
Short Stuff: Ellen Richards
06 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Who is Ellen Richards? One of the most unsung scientists of all time, that's who. Her contribution? Bringing real science into the household and forci...
The Insidious Abuse of Stalking
05 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Stalking has only recently been recognized for what it is – a profound form of psychological abuse where the victim’s life is “infected” by th...