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, "Th...
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...
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 nut...
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. ...
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 becom...
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 t...
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 us...
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 ev...
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 th...
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 ...
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 Sp...
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 ...
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 ...
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 loo...
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 yo...
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 ar...
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 ...
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, som...
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 ...
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 remarkabl...
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 ...
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 ...
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 i...
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 rea...
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 exac...
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 Chu...
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...
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 fic...
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 ...
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 thos...
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...
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 Jos...
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 governm...
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 occurre...
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...
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 ...
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,...
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 fa...
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 lu...
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 blur...
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 li...
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...
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...
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 t...
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 disturbin...
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 di...
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 grea...
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 ...
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 gover...
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 in...
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 vomi...
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 ...
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 Revol...
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 a...
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...
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. ...
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...
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 174...
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 C...
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 t...
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 c...
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 desig...
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 pa...
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 an...
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 ver...
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 Ch...
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 tempe...
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:...
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. F...
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!...
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 alt...
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 achievem...
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 r...
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...
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 looki...
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 ...
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 pe...
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 Chicag...
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 21s...
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 th...
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 e...
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...
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...
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 ...
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 ...
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 mat...
SYSK Selects: How Handwriting Analysis Works
16 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's SYSK Select episode, one of the fields of forensic investigation, handwriting analysi...
How the Secret Service Works
14 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. Secret Service began after a mandate from President Lincoln called for a service to combat ...
How Psychopaths Work
12 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
There are people who walk among us who seem normal, maybe even more charming or intelligent than ave...
SYSK Selects: How Hip-hop Works
09 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's SYSK Select, what you hear is not a test, instead it's Chuck and Josh discussing the ...
Are crickets the future of food?
07 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Crickets are part of a larger insect-based diet enjoyed in most parts of the world. Loaded with vita...
The Baffling Case of the Body On Somerton Beach
05 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Since his corpse was found in 1948, wearing a nice suit in summer on an Australian beach, an unident...
SYSK Selects: How Shrunken Heads Work
02 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's SYSK Select episode, although U.S. museum collections are rife with counterfeits, shr...
How Satanism Works
31 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Satanism may be the most misunderstood "religion" in the world. Part of that is because there are, a...
A Lip-Smacking Look at Barbecue
29 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Barbecue, or for the lazy, BBQ, is a Southern cooking tradition, but also much more than that. It's ...
SYSK Selects: Is Stockholm Syndrome real?
26 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this week's SYSK Select episode, since a hostage standoff in Sweden took place in 1972 a peculiar...
How Personality Tests Work
24 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
For millennia, we have tried to put human personalities into neat types, an effort psychology took u...
Is the Uncanny Valley Real?
22 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In 1970, roboticist Masahiro Mori wrote an essay that said the closer robots come to lifelike, the m...
SYSK Selects: How Exploitation Films Work
19 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In today's SYSK Select episode, we learn about exploitation films. During the 1930s-80s, the work of...
What's the deal with accents?
17 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Accents are truly fascinating. Put simply, they are how a person sounds when they talk. From England...