Stuff You Should Know

North Korea: What's the Deal?

03 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For almost 70 years, North Korea has been the bane of South Korea, Japan and the US or has stood as the sole defenders of the Korean homeland from the...

Nepotism: When Hiring the Best Just Won't Do

01 May 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Nepotism is something that is very hard to avoid, and very hard to resist, even if you know it may be the wrong thing to do. We all love helping out f...

SYSK Selects: Who killed JFK?

28 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Josh and Chuck delve into the killing, the investigations and th...

Does Pyromania Actually Exist?

26 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

A fascination with fire is part of every kid’s childhood, but it’s meant to be passing. For some people, fire becomes the central focus of life, a...

Emojis: A New Language? Nah.

24 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Believe it or not, there's a lot more to Emojis than meets the eye. Turns out their history is pretty interesting stuff. Join Josh and Chuck today as ...

SYSK Selects: How Mirrors Work

21 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Whether using polished metal surfaces or clear glass, human beings have enjoyed admiring their reflections for centuries. In this episode, Josh and Ch...

Two Times In the 70s When People Buried Ferraris

19 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Not once, but twice in the 1970s people buried amazingly valuable Ferraris, arguably the greatest sports cars ever built. One was dug up after being s...

The Unabomber: Misguided to say the least

17 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The Unabomber was one of the most notorious and longest lasting cases in the history of the FBI. Just because the manifesto reads like he was a fortun...

SYSK Selects: What happens in the brain during an orgasm?

14 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this classic episode, Chuck and Josh test the limits of their decorum as they explore the physiology of an orgasm. Learn all about this inexplicabl...

How Paramedics Work

12 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Paramedics are not EMTs. Or fire fighters. Or cops. But they do ride around in ambulances (and drive) to help to save lives. It's a stressful job and ...

Why Landmines Are The Deadliest Legacy Of War

10 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

One of the worst legacies of war are the millions of landmines left behind. They hide for decades after a conflict is over, exploding beneath unsuspec...

SYSK Selects: Sherpas: Warm, Friendly Living

07 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Pop quiz: What word denotes a nation of people, a last name and an occupation? If you guessed 'Sherpa,' then congratulations: You're correct. But what...

Project Azorian: The CIA's Super 70s Mission To Steal A Sunken Soviet Sub

05 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In 1974 the CIA undertook one of its most brazen operations – secretly raising a sunken Soviet submarine lost in the middle of the Pacific Ocean rig...

When Words Take on New Meanings

03 Apr 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Historical words often morph and change to take on new meanings. Today on the podcast, Josh and Chuck sit down and talk about a handful of them, their...

SYSK Selects: How Guide Dogs Work

31 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

You know how when you see a guide dog leading a blind person to their destination and you think, "There goes a truly great dog?" It turns out you are ...

What are false positives?

29 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When getting a medical diagnosis, it's important to understand the terms. Negative is good, positive is bad, false positive is great in a way, but fal...

How Meals on Wheels Works

27 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Meals on Wheels is one of the great charitable organizations in the world, providing much-needed nutrition for elderly people in need. It also has a p...

SYSK Selects: Subways: HUH! What are they good for?

24 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As ubiquitous as they've become, it's easy to overlook the marvels of engineering that are subways. Chuck and Josh go boring as they explore these sys...

How the Framingham Heart Study Works

22 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1940s, a tiny town outside Boston volunteered to be test subjects in a study that would become one of the longest and broadest in the history o...

How the New England Vampire Panics Worked

20 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the 19th century, in isolated villages and godforsaken towns in rural New England, people began to suspect their deceased family members had become...

SYSK Selects: How Trickle-Down Economics Works

17 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The concept of trickle-down economics is tied to Ronald Reagan, but the idea's been around and in use since the 20s. It's simple: Give more money to t...

Is Vaping Really Bad For You?

15 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

E-cigs, vapes, whatever you call them they have been touted as a safer alternative to tobacco and even a way for people to quit smoking. But recent st...

The Huggable, Lovable Walrus

13 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to the animal kingdom, SYSK has covered a wide range. This week, the guys dive into the frigid waters of the Arctic to delight in everyt...

SYSK Selects: How Cockroaches Work

10 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

You've seen them in your home and probably squealed in terror, but now it's time to learn all about cockroaches. From their ability to run incredibly ...

Why Do People Believe In Faith Healing?

08 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Since a 1906 revival in Los Angeles, people around the world say they’ve been cured by the Holy Spirit after preachers with the Gift of Healing laid...

The Strange Story of Sea Monkeys

06 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Anyone who ever picked up a comic book as a kid probably marveled at the ads for the mysterious Sea Monkeys. In reality, they are just brine shrimp, n...

SYSK Selects: Is there treasure on Oak Island?

03 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Off Nova Scotia, the tiny spit of land called Oak Island has been host to waves of treasure hunters for more than 200 years. Some of them lost their l...

SYSK Live: Back When Ford Pintos Were Flaming Deathtraps

01 Mar 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For this special live benefit episode recorded in Atlanta, Josh and Chuck go back to the 70s and look at the decidedly ungroovy course of events that ...

Knife Throwing: Super Cool

27 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Sure knives can cut through a steak or slash through jungle vines, but probably the coolest thing you can do with a knife is throw it. At a person mou...

SYSK Selects: How the MPAA Works

24 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

You may be surprised to learn those ubiquitous ratings, from G to NC-17, put on movies in America are actually handed down by anonymous employees of a...

Rosa Parks: Agent of Change

22 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Rosa Parks finishes out our Black History Month episodes in grand fashion. While most know her from that fateful day on the Montgomery city bus, she a...

Are Feral Children Real?

20 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

For millennia people have been amazed by legends of wild children found in the forest or jungle, sometimes raised by animals like wolves or apes. But ...

SYSK Selects: How the Underground Railroad Worked

17 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

As early as 1786, groups assembled to help slaves escape lives of bondage. And, as the 19th century progressed, the emergent Underground Railroad grew...

The Harriet Tubman Story

15 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Harriet Tubman is a legendary figure in history, but the details of her life are even more remarkable than what you may have learned in school. Listen...

How Pompeii Worked

13 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

What must be one of the most famous natural disasters in history took place when Mt Vesuvius buried Pompeii in 79 CE. But when the town was resurrecte...

SYSK Selects: How Narco States Work

10 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck discuss Narco States, places where illegal drugs are traded openly with government support --...

The Mystery of The Grand Canyon Newlyweds

08 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In 1928 Bessie and Glen Hyde attempted to navigate their way through the belly of the Grand Canyon in a homemade boat. They disappeared without a trac...

What is a Mold-A-Rama?

06 Feb 2018

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...

SYSK Selects: How Lion Taming Works

03 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Bossing a lion around in front of a crowd at a circus has been an attraction for 200 years, but exactly how lion tamers get their captive wild animals...

Marijuana Vs. Alcohol: Which Is Worse For You?

01 Feb 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It's been the subject of teenage conversation for decades already, but now you can join Josh and Chuck as they dive into the science of how pot and bo...

The Manson Family Murders Part II

30 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Listen in today for the conclusion of the story of the Manson Family Murders. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.co...

SYSK Selects: Prisons - Not as Fun as You'd Think

27 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Most people have a basic understanding of how prisons work, but it's often heavily influenced by fiction. What's it really like behind those bars? In ...

The Manson Family Murders Part I

25 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

The '60s ended with a lot of turbulence, not the least of which was the Manson Family Murders. What made Charles Manson so alluring to his family? Wha...

How Hoarding Works

23 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

You may be familiar with compulsive hoarding from TV, but something that’s often missing from those shows and the news is the deep and overwhelming ...

SYSK Selects: Lab-grown meat: Order up!

20 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Since Winston Churchill predicted we'd grow meat in a lab by 1981, researchers have considered doing just that. And thanks to the current work of abou...

How Hang Gliding Works

18 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a super 70s thing, sure, but hang gliding is a thrill ride for the ages. So strap in with Josh and Chuck and learn all about the earliest metho...

How Removing Public Monuments Work

16 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Public monuments can be removed for a variety of reasons, from public sentiment changing, to governments being overthrown, to just being downright ugl...

SYSK Selects: The Wind Cries Typhoid Mary

13 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

In the 19th century, typhoid was considered a disease of the lower classes. When an outbreak occurred in wealthy Oyster Bay, New York, a mystery was a...

What is an invasive species?

11 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Invasive species can mean a lot of things, from fungus to feral pigs and European starlings to kudzu vines. Basically, it's anything brought to a plac...

The Mystery of the Mary Celeste

09 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

When the Mary Celeste was discovered floating and abandoned in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean one day in 1872, the legend of the ghost ship was born...

SYSK Selects: What Makes a One-hit Wonder?

06 Jan 2018

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...

How Impeachment Works

04 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Impeachment is does not necessarily mean a president is removed from office. But it could. It's a fascinating procedure that has been crafted and shap...

How Orchids Work

02 Jan 2018

Contributed by Lukas

Ever since Victorian orchid hunters ravaged the tropics in search of unique specimens to sell for ludicrous amounts of money, the West has been grippe...

SYSK Selects: How Willpower Works

30 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

You use it every day to overcome your lower self (which wants you to eat cake until your vision blurs) in pursuit of the goals of your higher self (wh...

How the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Works, Part II

28 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

We finish our tour of the best sights of the ancient world when we get deep into the history of a lighthouse that stood for 1200 years, an unsettling ...

How the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Works, Part I

26 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Long before slide rulers and pocket protectors, civilizations across the world used their noggins to build some impressive structures. Almost all have...

SYSK Selects: The Star Wars Holiday Special of 1978

23 Dec 2017

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 ...

The 2017 SYSK Christmas Extravaganza!

21 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

It's the most wonderful episode of the year! Join Josh and Chuck as they ride their sleigh through the debate over whether Die Hard is a Christmas mov...

Narcissism: But what about me?

19 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This week Josh and Chuck dive into the world of narcissism, one of the most perplexing and disturbing disorders humans can have. Learn all you ever ca...

SYSK Selects: How Population Works

16 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Population may not seem like the most scintillating topic in the world, but Josh and Chuck beg to differ. Join them as they explore how population wor...

How the Globe of Death Works

14 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The Globe of Death – el Globo de la Muerte to our Spanish-speaking friends – is perhaps the greatest of all the circus arts. It requires no smoke,...

The Deal With Doulas

12 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The word doula in Ancient Greek might mean "female servant" but it's really not a great description of the 21st century job. Doulas are birth coaches ...

SYSK Selects: How much money is there in the world?​

09 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

There are few things more futile than trying to count all of the money in the world. Even many governments have no idea how much currency they have is...

How Flight Attendants Work

07 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Flight attendants have come a long way. From having to put up with rampant sexism, to the current incarnation as your first line of defense in case of...

How Vomit Phobia Works

05 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

No one - no one - likes to vomit, but there are some people who would prefer to die rather than vomit, people who spend their days worrying they will ...

SYSK Selects: How Crime Scene Cleanup Works

02 Dec 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Cleaning up crime scenes is a niche industry that's both lucrative and messy. In this episode, Josh and Chuck take a look at how crime-scene clean-up ...

Cake: So Great. So, So Great

30 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Cake has been around for a long time, but mostly less than great forms. It took the Industrial Revolution, the advent of plentiful sugar, and some goo...

How Toy Testing Works

28 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

It's every kid's dream - a job playing with toys that pays in toys. It's a real thing and has been around for a long time. Then there's the other side...

SYSK Selects: How Organ Donation Works

25 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's SYSK Select episode, tune in as Josh and Chuck take a detailed look at organ donation -- from the earliest organ transplants to the org...

What is nuclear forensics?

23 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Nuclear forensics is a lot of things - from UN sponsored inspections to tasks more on the down low. But either way, the job of these men and women is ...

Bath Salts: Steer Clear

21 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Although much of the media-fueled hysteria over the designer drug called bath salts has been utterly unfounded, especially when it comes to driving us...

SYSK Selects: How Daylight Saving Time Works

18 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's SYSK Select episode, Benjamin Franklin first came up with daylight saving time in 1748, and people still practice it today. But how doe...

Can movies be cursed?

16 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

First of all, movies can't be cursed because curses aren't real. However, that can't stop Josh and Chuck from taking a look at some movies throughout ...

How the Flu Works

14 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Every year the flu virus makes the rounds, laying up young and old alike for days before moving on to another hapless victim. But flu viruses can muta...

SYSK Selects: How Silly Putty Works

11 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's SYSK Select episode, when the Japanese invaded Southeast Asia in World War II, they cut off America's rubber supply. Luckily, American ...

What's permaculture all about?

09 Nov 2017

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 Restaurant Health Inspections Work

07 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever worked in a restaurant, you know the feeling that occurs when the health inspector pays a visit. While nerve wracking, it's the best in...

SYSK Selects: How Exorcism Works

04 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's SYSK Select episode, is the idea of possession a misunderstanding of physiological and psychological conditions, or has science failed ...

Movie Crush: Tig Notaro on Mask

03 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Episode two of Movie Crush is a very special one. Comedian Tig Notaro dropped in minutes after a very important, life changing phone call to chat with...

Movie Crush: Janet Varney on Tron

03 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

This week Movie Crush launches with two great episodes. Up first, actress Janet Varney talks with Chuck about the movie Tron and how much it means to ...

How Global Warming Works

02 Nov 2017

Contributed by Lukas

It's a confusing part of climate change when it seems winter is as cold as ever, but as global temperatures creep ever so slightly higher, a cascade o...

SYSK's 2017 Super Spooktacular!

31 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this year's super scary Halloween episode, Chuck and Josh read two great works of horror fiction: Gifts, by our very own Ed Grabianowski, and the c...

SYSK Selects: How SPAM Works

28 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's SYSK Select episode, SPAM is a canned meat product made from pork shoulder and ham. First introduced in 1937, this iconic food has spre...

Episode 1,000: The Simpsons Spectacular Part II

26 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Today concludes our two part celebration of one of the greatest TV shows of all time - The Simpsons! It also officially marks our 1,000th episode. Can...

Episode 999: The Simpsons Spectacular Part I

24 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

For our 999th and 1,000th episodes, we go down the rabbit hole on a TV show that quite literally altered popular culture as we know it. The Simpsons h...

SYSK Selects: The Cheesiest SYSK Episode Ever

21 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's SYSK Select episode, cheese is often overlooked as a one of humanity's great achievements. Making cheese is surprisingly easy: It's bee...

How Internships Work

19 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

The term intern comes from the medical community, but virtually every industry now uses them. From real world training to coffee fetchers, interns can...

SYSK Live: The DB Cooper Heist

17 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Join Josh and Chuck live from Seattle as they (sky)dive into one of the most brazen robberies in the annals of crime and the only unsolved airline hij...

SYSK Selects: Is there such a thing as a truth serum?

14 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's SYSK Select episode, ever since people have had secrets, other people have been looking for ways to get it out of them. Law enforcement...

How Buildering Works

12 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Up until recently we had no idea buildering was a word. Or that people scaling buildings has been a thing since the turn of the 20th Century. Learn al...

How the Rolling Jubilee Works

10 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone thought it was the pits that banks were bailed out by taxpayers in 2008 while those same people weren't given any relief by the banks. So som...

SYSK Selects: Did a cow start the Great Chicago Fire?

07 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's SYSK Select episode, Josh and Chuck find who's probably to blame for the Great Chicago Fire. The newspapers of the day reported that a ...

How Giraffes Work

05 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Even though giraffes are one of the most recognizable animals on the planet, it wasn't until the 21st century that biology really set about studying t...

How Police Body Cameras Work

03 Oct 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Cops wearing cameras is a new thing. So new that we aren't entirely sure of all the ramifications that go along with them just yet. In theory they sho...

SYSK Selects: What was the most peaceful time in history?

30 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's SYSK Select episode, there is a lot of debate about whether pre-agricultural humans existed in a more harmonious state than we do today...

How Nude Beaches Work

28 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Probably all beaches were nude early on, but as society developed and body shame became all the rage, people started wearing bathing suits. Some, thou...

How FOIA Works

26 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In the 60s, Congress worried the White House was operating too much in secret and passed the Freedom Of Information Act, opening the government to pub...

SYSK Selects: Fecal Transplants: You Gonna Drink That Poop?

23 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

In this week's SYSK Select episode, there's an emerging field in health care called medical ecology that's concerned with understanding how the 100 tr...

A Nostalgic Look at Crayons

21 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

Mixing wax with pigment is something artists have been doing since DaVinci. These little implements would later go on to be called crayons and gained ...

How Frogs Work

19 Sep 2017

Contributed by Lukas

They survived the extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs, but unfortunately frogs seem to be no match for humans and are losing species in droves. Th...