A Rigid, Sterile Look at Kissing
23 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
A majority of human cultures practice kissing in one form or another. But why do we kiss? Is the beh...
Can Lifestraw save the world?
18 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Over a billion people do not have access to clean water, and many die from water-born diseases. With...
Have all the good ideas already been discovered?
16 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
It's no secret that human beings have an obsession with innovation -- but has our species already fo...
How Rehab Works
11 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
These days, alcoholics and other people suffering from addictions are often sent to rehabilitation c...
Prohibition: Turns Out That America Loves to Drink
09 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Prohibition was a 13-year period in American history when selling or producing alcohol was illegal. ...
Addiction: Why you can't kick SYSK
04 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Modern scientists have extensively researched addicts and the things they abuse, but we still don't ...
Animal Migration: Where's that gnu gnoing?
02 Nov 2010
Contributed by Lukas
When you think of animal migrations, you probably picture thousands of animals thundering across the...
The Tomb
28 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this spooky episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck get you ready for Halloween as they ...
Jealous much?
26 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
All of us have experienced the feeling of jealousy at some point or another. But why do we get jealo...
Can you treat mental illness with psychedelics?
21 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Hallucinogenic drugs are currently illegal, but they were once commonly used in psychological treatm...
How House Swapping Works
14 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Traditionally, house swapping involves temporarily exchanging homes with a stranger for vacation pur...
Is science phasing out sleep?
12 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Sleep is a restorative state that's vital to human functioning -- or is it? In this episode, Josh an...
How Knights Work
07 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In medieval times, knights were warriors with specialized skills, extensive training and their own c...
Why would anyone want multiple spouses?
05 Oct 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Polygamy, the practice of having multiple spouses, is mostly illegal in the United States but very c...
Is tone deafness hereditary?
30 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
If you're tone deaf, you can't hear the difference between musical pitches and notes. And it's proba...
How Roller Derby Works
28 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Nowadays roller derby is increasingly popular across the US -- but how did it get its start, and how...
Hypnosis: You're Getting Sleepy
23 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The modern conception of hypnosis came into vogue in the late 18th century, and it's been the subjec...
Octopus, Octopi, Octopod, Octopuses
21 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Whatever you call them, octopuses are amazing creatures. In this episode, octopus enthusiasts Josh a...
What is biospeleology?
16 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Biospeleology is the scientific study of cave organisms and ecosystems. In this episode, amateur bio...
How Mirrors Work
14 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Whether using polished metal surfaces or clear glass, human beings have enjoyed admiring their refle...
How Customs Works
09 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
description Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio....
How Crime-Scene Clean-up Works
07 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Cleaning up crime scenes is a niche industry that's both lucrative and messy. This episode, Josh and...
How are college football rankings determined?
02 Sep 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Established in 1998 as a way to determine college football rankings, the Bowl Championship Series (B...
How Cremation Works
31 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Cremation is a burial process practiced around the world, but how exactly does it work? Josh and Chu...
How Freemasons Work
26 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
There are lots of conspiracy theories about Freemasons, but how much do you really know about this s...
How Sleepwalking Works
24 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Sleep behaviors are pretty fascinating. Some people snore, some grind their teeth -- and some take a...
How the MARS Turbine Works
19 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
MARS stands for Magenn Air Rotor System, but a MARS turbine isn't your typical windmill. It's a blim...
Breathalyzers: Really, Really Complicated
17 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Breathalyzers work on a simple principle: Alcohol is absorbed into the lungs and present in breath. ...
Prisons: Not as Fun as You'd Think
12 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Most people have a basic understanding of how prisons work, but it's often heavily influenced by fic...
How Grow Houses Work
10 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
As many as one in five houses in Vancouver, British Columbia are used to grow marijuana. Join Josh a...
What's so special about Route 66?
05 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Josh and Chuck hit the open road as they explore the history, allure and decline of...
How Quantum Suicide Works
03 Aug 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Josh and Chuck tackle a mind-melting topic: quantum physics! They ponder subatomic ...
How Presidential Pardons Work
29 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
A presidential pardon is a unique, unchallengable power granted to the president of the United State...
Why Ticks Suck
27 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
It's no surprise that ticks are one of mankind's least favorite animals. After all, they subsist on ...
Saunas: More Interesting Than You Think!
22 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Although they seem pretty mundane, saunas are surprisingly fascinating inventions. Josh and Chuck br...
Taste and How it Works
20 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Taste seems like a pretty simple sense, but scientists are still trying to figure out exactly how it...
What's the deal with Bond, James Bond?
15 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
James Bond, the most infamous secret agent ever to grace the silver screen, originated in the pages ...
How Reincarnation Works
13 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
A large percentage of the world's population believes that you will be reborn after you die. So why ...
How do butterfly wings get their color?
08 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Butterflies' wings are colored as a result of iridescence; this fascinating optical phenomenon is th...
What's the deal with Voodoo?
06 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Voodoo is a religion found in parts of Africa and Haiti that's often misunderstood. In this episode,...
Did Thomas Jefferson rewrite the Bible?
01 Jul 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Thomas Jefferson is famous for his role in shaping the United States of America -- and for creating ...
How Traffic Works
29 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you've been stuck in a traffic jam or forced to merge and avoid road construction, everyone'...
Can quicksand kill you?
24 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In many films, hapless characters meet their untimely demise in a lethal pit of quicksand. It's a gr...
How Ghost Prisons Work
22 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Josh and Chuck discuss the controversial "ghost prisons," covert prisons created by...
How Samurai Work
17 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The Samurai were legendary Japanese swordsmen and warriors, known for their loyalty and adherence to...
How the Innocence Project Works
15 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The Innocence Project is an American non-profit organization whose mission is to exonerate wrongly c...
Can your grandfather's diet shorten your life?
10 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Epigenetics is a fascinating field of genetics that studies how the epigenome and environmental, nut...
What's the deal with sinkholes?
08 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Recently, a massive sinkhole opened up in Guatemala City, swallowing a three-story building in the p...
How Flamethrowers Work
03 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Who first decided that it would be a great idea to shoot flame at other people from a distance? Josh...
How do you clean up an oil spill?
01 Jun 2010
Contributed by Lukas
The modern world runs on fossil fuel, and offshore oil drilling powers a large part of the global ec...
Can humans start an earthquake?
27 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Josh and Chuck discuss reservoir-induced seismicity and the conditions under which ...
What makes a serial killer?
25 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Serial killers are notorious for their grisly crimes and disturbing behavior, but what makes a seria...
SYSK's Guatemalan Adventure, Part Two
20 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Josh and Chuck talk more about their experiences in Guatemala and the amazing work that the non-prof...
SYSK's Guatemalan Adventure, Part One
18 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Josh and Chuck share the story of their recent eye-opening trip to Guatemala, which was sponsored by...
5 Successful Counterfeiters
13 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Counterfeiting currency successfully takes serious skills, and some consider counterfeiting an art. ...
How Twins Work How Twins Work
11 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Twin siblings are common enough that most people know a pair or two, but why does twinning occur? Jo...
How hard is it to steal a work of art?
06 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In general, stealing valuable items tends to be difficult and dangerous, but stealing works of art c...
How LEGOs Work
04 May 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Most people are familiar with the plastic, interconnecting bricks called LEGO bricks, but what's the...
How Cliff Diving Works
29 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
As far as sports go, cliff diving doesn't require much equipment. It does, however, require a certai...
What makes a genius?
27 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
When you hear the word 'genius,' names like Einstein and Mozart probably spring to mind. Defining wh...
Mirror Neurons: Are there people who feel others' pain?
22 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
People with a condition known as mirror-touch synesthesia literally feel the pain of others -- but w...
Are there people who can't feel pain?
20 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
There are less than a hundred documented cases of people who cannot feel pain and suffer from a cond...
How Castles Work
16 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Josh and Chuck discuss the most famous fortified structure in the world -- the cast...
How Tourette Syndrome Works
13 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Gilles de la Tourette syndrome, commonly referred to as Tourette's, is a neurological disorder chara...
Are zoos good or bad for animals?
08 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Zoos are popular because they allow visitors to see wild animals from all around the world, but how ...
How Desertification Works
06 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Josh and Chuck discuss the problem of desertification, from what causes serious degradation of dryla...
How McDonald's Works
01 Apr 2010
Contributed by Lukas
McDonald's is arguably the most famous fast food restaurant on the planet. Join Josh and Chuck as th...
What the heck is a hiccup?
30 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Josh and Chuck discuss the many theories behind the mysterious phenomenon of hiccup...
How Taxidermy Works
25 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Josh and Chuck tackle taxidermy, the practice of preserving and mounting dead animal skins for displ...
How Urban Planning Works
23 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Josh and Chuck discuss the origins, philosophies and practices of urban planning. ...
Who were the Vikings?
18 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Vikings were fierce, plundering Scandinavian warriors; and even today, their reputation precedes the...
How Lotteries Work
16 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Josh and Chuck discuss the history, practices and controversies of lotteries. Lear...
What exactly is Fascism?
11 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Fascism is a specific political philosophy that's often mistakenly used to describe any authoritaria...
What's the deal with carbon trading?
09 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Josh and Chuck demystify carbon trading, discussing everything from cap-and-trade s...
How Scabies Work
04 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Scabies is a contagious skin disease with a bad reputation. Tune in as Josh and Chuck discuss this i...
Was Mesopotamia the Cradle of Civilization?
02 Mar 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck discuss the reasons why Mesopotamia is ofte...
How Bounty Hunters Work
25 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In part two of their series on bail, Josh and Chuck talk about bail enforcement agents, a.k.a. bount...
How Bail Works
23 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Bail is a centuries-old practice that allows defendants in criminal cases to be released from jail u...
Five Crazy Government Experiments
18 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Chuck and Josh discuss five of the most bizarre experiments ever undertaken by governments, from tra...
Who are the Amish?
16 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuckers discuss the origins and practices of the...
How Braille Works
11 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Josh and Chuck discuss the Braille alphabet -- from its origins in Charles Barbier's "night writing"...
How Witchcraft Works
09 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Witches are perhaps one of the most reviled and misunderstood groups in history -- but why? Join Jos...
Why do we believe in urban legends?
04 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, amateur anthropologists Josh and Chuck discuss urban legends, from how they're defi...
How Swat Teams Work
02 Feb 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck discuss SWAT teams, elite police units that...
Are there undiscovered people?
28 Jan 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Josh and Chuck discuss whether there are any truly "undiscovered" groups of people ...
What are ninja?
26 Jan 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Ninja, Japanese warriors famous for stealth, deception and sabotage, were inspired by Chinese milita...
Will the moon save humanity?
21 Jan 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this disaster-themed episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck ponder ways the world could...
Why are honeybees disappearing?
19 Jan 2010
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck examine the various factors that have cause...
How Organ Donation Works
12 Jan 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Tune in as Josh and Chuck take a detailed look at organ donation -- from the earliest organ transpla...
How Mercenaries Work
07 Jan 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Mercenaries are soldiers of fortune who fight in wars and conflicts for profit. Join Josh and Chuck ...
How Noodling Works
05 Jan 2010
Contributed by Lukas
Noodling is a type of fishing in which the participant uses his or her hand in lieu of fishing gear ...
How Human Experimentation Works
31 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Human experimentation is an age-old practice, dating back to 4 BCE. Listen in as Josh and Chuck give...
How Pirates Work
29 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
Although today's pirates aren't storming the coast of Florida or other eastern states, piracy is sti...
How Christmas Worked
24 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
On Christmas eve, Josh and Chuck decide to take that ineffable Stuff You Should Know approach to the...
Do concussions cause early death?
22 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck discuss the origins and complications of co...
How Kleptomania Works
17 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck discuss kleptomania, a disorder in which pe...
How Narco States Work
15 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck discuss Narco States, places where illegal ...
How the Hells Angels Work
10 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck discuss the notorious Hells Angels Motorcyc...
Will the Large Hadron Collider destroy the Earth?
08 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck discuss the Large Hadron Collider, from its...
How Near-Death Experiences Work
03 Dec 2009
Contributed by Lukas
The concept of a near-death experience is well-known in popular culture, but we still don't know why...