Stuff You Should Know

Short Stuff: What's a mudlarker?

29 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Mudlarking is a uniquely British hobby, though you can dig through river mud anywhere there's a river. But the Thames has the good stuff. See omnystu...

The shameful and harrowing story of Unit 731

28 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Unit 731 was a secret group within the Japanese Army in WWII that committed unspeakable atrocities against humans in the name of scientific research. ...

Selects: How Vomit Phobia Works

25 May 2024

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 ...

J. Edgar Hoover: Evil G-Man Pt. 2

23 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the exciting conclusion of our two-part episode on Hoover, we come in at the Cold War and end on a strange note.See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

Short Stuff: Hobo Signs

22 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

By definition hobos are people who travel from town to town taking odd jobs as they go. But some towns are friendlier than others, and hobos developed...

J. Edgar Hoover: Evil G-Man Pt. 1

21 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that J. Edgar Hoover was perhaps the most powerful American of the 20th century. By the time he established t...

Selects: The Great War of the Worlds Panic Myth

18 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On Halloween 1938 young radio star Orson Welles scared the pants off of America with a fictional news bulletin claiming Martians had landed and were d...

The Silurian Hypothesis

16 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The idea that we aren’t the first advanced civilization to live on Earth sounds like a fringe theory, but it raises a good question: How can we be s...

Short Stuff: Zambonis!

15 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Even the dullest hockey game is worth seeing when the Zamboni comes out to resurface the ice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

NYC Trash: A study in persistence

14 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Taking care of 12,000 tons of residential trash every day is a hard job. But how does that even work? Listen in to marvel at the NYC sanitation system...

Selects: How Stuttering Works

11 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Despite as much as one percent of the adult population having the condition, science doesn't actually know how stuttering works. The best it's come up...

10 - Yes, 10! - Dumb Criminals

09 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes you just have to turn it off for a while – all the thinking, and overthinking, analyzing, and figuring out. Sometimes it’s nice to just ...

Short Stuff: Titanic Survivors!

08 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We all know the story of the Titanic and the tragedy of lives lost. So hey, let's talk about the survivors for a change!See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

Misophonia: More Than an Annoyance

07 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Misophonia is a condition in which certain sounds trigger people in very negative ways that can really disrupt someone's life. Listen in today to lear...

Selects: The Legends of Lost Nazi Gold

04 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As if being murdering SOBs weren’t enough, the Nazis were also thieving rats. During WWII, they stole billons in gold from countries they overran an...

Atomic Clocks, Ahoy!

02 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The only thing more complicated than an atomic clock is researching how they work and then figuring out how to explain it to other people. But believe...

Short Stuff: Getting Winded

01 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Getting the wind knocked out of you is scary, but passes quickly. Learn exactly what's happening with all that today.See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

The Village People Episode

30 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Village People were a smash hit singing group that came and went in under two years. Then other people performed under that name for several decad...

Selects: How the Beagle Brigade Works

27 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever been to an international airport, you've probably seen one of the keenest spotters of illegal contraband - The Beagle Brigade! These cu...

The Awful Crimes of Georgia Tann

25 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Georgia Tann was a bad human. We feel safe in saying that because she kidnapped babies from poor families to sell to wealthy ones. Listen in if you ca...

Short Stuff: The Sad, Strange Tale of Margaret Schilling

24 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Not too much is known about Margaret Schilling. She was the kind of person whose memory might have been lost to time had she not left behind an indeli...

The Power of the Wind

23 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You probably know wind energy projects have been around since the 90s, but did you know they now provide 10% of America’s energy, and more than that...

Selects: Special Effects: A Short History

20 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Special effects have been around since the first movies. In fact, the techniques the earliest filmmakers created are still around today, we just use c...

Hitchhiking: Two thumbs out!

18 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we go down the road a bit, thumbs out, to explore the rich history of hitchhiking. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: The Amazing Tale of Juliane Koepcke

17 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Few people have been more qualified to survive a plane crash alone in the Amazon for almost two weeks than Juliane Koepcke. Let’s hear her story.See...

The Dubious Science of Arson Investigation

16 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Arson investigation has changed a lot over the years. There is actual science available now, but the word still hasn't totally gotten out. Listen in t...

Selects: How Famines Work

13 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It's common knowledge that famines are usually caused by major droughts: Rain doesn't fall, crops don't grow, and people go hungry. But recent resear...

Testosterone and Estrogen: Wondrous Hormones

11 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We think of estrogen and testosterone as the female and male sex hormones and they may seem kind of gross (is that just Josh?), but that simple unders...

Short Stuff: Straitjackets

10 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Straitjackets aren't really a thing anymore unless you're watching a movie or TV show. Or in prison. That's the sad truth.See omnystudio.com/listener ...

The 1977 Women's Conference That Changed America

09 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The 70s were the decade of the woman in the US. America finally was coming around to the understanding women and men are equals and the government spo...

Selects: All the Gold In Fort Knox: Meh

06 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When Fort Knox was built in the 1930s to house America’s gold supply, it was billed as an impenetrable, impregnable, don’t-even-think-of-trying va...

The Everglades: Wowee

04 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of America’s most important ecosystems takes up more than half the state of Florida. It’s a river of grass, a cactus desert, and a saltwater b...

Short Stuff: Knock on Wood

03 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What's the deal with knocking on wood? It's an action one takes to ensure good luck. Which doesn't exist. Yet we do it. Humans are funny that way.See ...

Greedflation Is Real

02 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of the things we rely on is for the companies who make the stuff we need to not stick it to us, the customer. But it’s become painfully clear t...

Selects: Who is The Man of the Hole?

30 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 2018, there's a man from a lost tribe still living deep in the jungles of Brazil who has been all alone since the mid 1990s. He's referred to as th...

The Pulitzer Prize: A major award!

28 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It doesn't get much bigger than the Pulitzer Prize if you're a journalist. Or a novelist. Or really any kind of writer. They even give them to podcast...

Short Stuff: Ramree Island Crocodile Massacre

27 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The strange thing about the story of the Ramree Island Crocodile Massacre is that it didn't happen. Yet the story lives on. See omnystudio.com/listen...

Love Canal: Even Dirtier Than It Sounds

26 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A man with an unfulfilled vision left a huge gash in the ground near Niagara Falls. Then a chemical company came along and filled it with toxic waste....

Selects: MOVE: Or When the Philly Police Dropped a Bomb on a Residential Neighborhood

23 Mar 2024

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...

Peanuts (the comic) Part II

21 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today is part II of our tribute to one of the most iconic pieces of American culture.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Mariko Aoki Phenomenon

20 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Ten percent of people – in Japan at least – get the urge to poop when they visit bookstores. But it wasn’t until a courageous woman stepped up a...

Peanuts (the comic) Part I

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Today we pay tribute to one of the most iconic pieces of American culture. Listen in to hear us gush about Charlie Brown, Lucy, Snoopy and the rest of...

Selects: How Dyslexia Works

16 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For a learning disability that everyone seems to know about, dyslexia is maybe the most commonly misunderstood and controversial cognitive difficulty ...

The Alien Abduction Phenomenon of the Mid-20th Century

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

It started with New Hampshire couple Betty and Barney Hill, who learned under hypnosis they’d been abducted and examined by aliens in 1962. Since th...

Short Stuff: Skittles and TIO2

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There’s an ingredient in Skittles and lots of other food that Dunkin Donuts stopped using it in their powdered donuts. Skittles said they were phasi...

Leave Brutalism Alone!

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The most reviled, hated, despised, no-good, low down, dirty rotten architectural style of all time is actually just the most misunderstood. Learn abou...

Selects: The Science of Break-Ups

09 Mar 2024

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 in this c...

The Smiley, Stubborn Llama

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Llamas are pretty great. They smile! They also spit and if they feel overworked will just lay down. There's a lot to admire there.See omnystudio.com/l...

Short Stuff: Roly Poly...Bugs?

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Roly Poly bugs go by many names. They look like tiny armadillos. They're great for your garden. And they're crustaceans. Yeah, you read that right. S...

Multitasking: Working slower with worse results

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Multitasking isn't really possible, because of the way the human brain works. We know you think you're getting more done, but you're really working sl...

Selects: The Case of Sacco and Vanzetti

02 Mar 2024

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...

Wireless Electricity: When Can We Unplug Our TVs?

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You know all of those cords and cables and wires that we use to connect our stuff to the electrical grid so they’ll, you know, work? Imagine a day w...

Short Stuff: Smudging: Not just for hippies

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Smudging is the process of wafting around the smoke of burning white sage. What is it good for? Listen in and find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for...

Haile Selassie: Statesman, Colonizer, God?

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

If you grew up outside of Africa, you might know Haile Selassie’s name from reggae music - the man who ruled Ethiopia is considered a god in Jamaica...

Selects: How Zero Population Growth Works

24 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In 1968, Paul Erlich published The Population Bomb, predicting coming famine and mass death. Erlich's predictions didn't pan out but his ideas launche...

The Story of the Nuclear Boy Scout

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

David Hahn was a kid who was really into science. So much that he built a nuclear reactor in his mother's potting shed. And it worked. See omnystudio...

Short Stuff: Benin Bronzes

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One of the world’s cultural treasure troves were created in West Africa. But for over a century they’ve been held in museums outside of Africa. In...

Ray and Charles Eames: More than Chairs

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Charles and Ray Eames were superstar designers who dreamed up some of the most iconic pieces of furniture ever made. And they did much more than that....

Selects: Geodesic Domes: The Wave of the Future That Wasn't

17 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes a good idea doesn’t pan out in real life. Take Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic dome: It requires less energy to heat and cool, it’s chea...

Like, here's the episode on "like"

15 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Like is a very divisive word. Purists think it's like, a filler word born in the 80s that's like, destroying the English language. Turns out none of t...

Short Stuff: The Original Snake Oil Salesman

14 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a great origin story behind snake oil salesmen, and it has to do with just one guy who singlehandedly gave it a bad name.See omnystudio.com/...

What Americans Ate When There Were No Food Laws

13 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

There was a brief period in America’s history – after people left the farm to work in the city and before the government started regulating it –...

Selects: The Unabomber: Misguided to say the least

10 Feb 2024

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...

What's the Pygmalion Effect?

08 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Do teachers and managers give special treatment to those who they're told have great academic or professional promise? Does this create a self-fulfill...

Short Stuff: School Bus Yellow

07 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Why are all school buses the same color? Because one man made it so. This is that story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clue(do): Third Best Board Game Ever

06 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Whether you know it as Clue or Cluedo, the whodunnit mystery board game is one of the best of all time. Learn all about the history behind the game’...

Selects: How Disgust Works

03 Feb 2024

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 ...

The History of Las Vegas

01 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

How did the sleepy Nevada town of Las Vegas become LAS VEGAS? Well, we'll let you know over the course of about 45 minutes. See omnystudio.com/listen...

Short Stuff: Wainscoting: When Half a Wall is Enough

31 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Wainscoting is a beloved and time-tested decorative way to spruce up your walls. But what is it anyway? Listen in to find out.See omnystudio.com/liste...

The Harrowing Story of the North Hollywood Shootout

30 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in today to listen to the story of when North Hollywood became a war zone after a brazen bank robbery. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...

Selects: A List Of Games You Would Surely Lose to a Computer

27 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We live in a time where computers can beat the best humans in the world at chess, checkers, poker and video games. But these games are really just dem...

Esperanto: Tre Mojosa

25 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

One thing you could do is create your own language. Some people do and for lots of different reasons. LL Zamenhof created Esperanto to try to bring ab...

Short Stuff: Hot Cold Plunge

24 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Jumping into a cold pool after a long sauna or hot tub can be pretty great. Saunas have proven health benefits like lowering blood pressure; cold plun...

The Strange Unsolved Murder of Ken McElroy

23 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The murder of Ken McElroy comes off like a story from a cheap paperback book you’d get to read on a plane. But this is a true crime story, set in Mi...

Selects: Is yogurt a miracle food?

20 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Yogurt has been touted as a health food, but is it? Maybe. If you eat it every day. We get into the rich and creamy history of this supposed miracle f...

Jonestown

18 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We all know what happened at Jonestown, but who was Jim Jones before the tragedy at the People's Temple?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

Short Stuff: Frozen Dead Guy

17 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Back in 1994, Nederland, Colorado found out it had a resident it hadn’t accounted for.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dry Cleaning: Not Really Dry(!)

16 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Dry cleaning is one of those things that we’re all familiar with but don’t actually know much about. That will hold true no more! Learn about all ...

Selects: History's Greatest Traitors

13 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The annals of history hold a special place for people who have carried out treachery and betrayed their own. Thousands of years later, their names are...

How Cranes Work

11 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You’ve probably seen cranes moving elegantly in the sky, but did you know what an important role they play in their surroundings? Learn all about cr...

Short Stuff: NYT Bestseller List

10 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What kind of black magic goes into deciding who makes the NYT Bestseller List? Well you probably don't know the whole story unless you work there.See ...

Kenton Grua: Grand Canyon Legend

09 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Tune in today to listen to the amazing story of Colorado River guide Kenton Grua's wild 277 mile record-breaking speed run down the center of the Gran...

Selects: Dr. Seuss: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

06 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The Seuss is loose in this episode about legendary children's book author Ted Geisel. The funny thing is, he didn't ever want children of his own, and...

The 2000 Presidential Election: A Real Cluster

04 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When George W Bush and Al Gore ran against one another, most pundits predicted a tight race. Absolutely zero of them predicted the election would come...

Short Stuff: Blueprints

03 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The story of why blueprints were blue is more involved than you think. It involves a chemical process and the Prussian Army. Yeah you heard me right.S...

SYSK Live in Nashville: The Biosphere II Experiment

02 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Hello, friends! Join us today for our annual live show release, recorded in beautiful Nashville. On the docket? The Biosphere II Experiment!See omnyst...

Selects: Nuclear Semiotics: How to Talk to Future Humans

30 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The nuclear waste we produce will be dangerous for a very long time. We’ve figured out how to safely store it in the earth until it’s no longer a ...

How Primitive Will Our Descendants Find Us?

28 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s all fun and games to think about how backwards and misguided some things people did in the past were until you realize we’ll be “the past”...

Short Stuff: Scheele's Green

27 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Can you imagine a color so alluring that even though you know it’s toxic you’d still use it to your heart’s content? The Victorians certainly co...

How Snails Work

26 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

They seem gross and bothersome at first, but once you get down to ground level and get to know snails, we’ll bet you’ll grow quite fond of them. T...

Selects: How Fireplaces Work

23 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

They are dirty, harmful to your health, bad for the environment and utterly charming. Wood-burning fireplaces have been with us for centuries and, des...

The 2023 SYSK Ho-Ho-Holiday Spectacular!

21 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Happy Holidays, friends! Tune in today to listen to our annual ad-free holiday extravaganza. There will be talk of merriment and joy!See omnystudio.co...

Short Stuff: Christmas Lights

20 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Just three years after the lightbulb was invented a compadre of Thomas Edison thought to use them to decorate his Christmas tree. It set off a sensati...

Beanie Babies: Reigning Toy Craze Champion

19 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The world has seen a lot of weird investment bubbles in its time, but few of them rival the fever that gripped the world in the 90s after Beanie Babie...

Selects: Star Wars Holiday Spectacular

16 Dec 2023

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 ...

Selects: How Dictators Work

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are many types of dictators, from so called "benevolent" ones to the kind who rule with an iron fist. There are also many ways they can come int...

What was the Skeleton Army?

14 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Skeleton Army was a rowdy group of folks in England who battled, sometimes violently, with the Salvation Army - largely against  their efforts to...

Short Stuff: Pickles

13 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Josh loves pickles but hates cucumbers. Chuck loves cucumbers but hates pickles. WHO WILL WIN?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Matewan Massacre

12 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Matewan Massacre was a pivotal moment for the US mining industry and the labor movement as a whole. Learn about what happened in this sleepy West ...

Selects: What were the Freedom Schools?

09 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Freedom Schools were set up in Mississippi in the heart of the Civil Rights Movement, with the aim of giving young black school children agency and a ...