Stuff You Should Know

Selects: Where Did Trick-Or-Treating Come From?

21 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We aren’t exactly sure who invented trick-or-treating – kids who realized they could extort adults for candy, or adults who bought off kids in exc...

Kindness: Do It

19 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the tradition of our episodes on forgiveness and revenge, comes the third installment in the Emotional Roller Coaster trilogy. Kindness, it turns o...

Short Stuff: Candy Corn

18 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is it vile? Is it delicious? It seems to be both! Hear all about the history of candy corn, how it’s made, and who likes it in this pre-Halloween ep...

The Criminal Father of Criminology

17 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Eugene Francois Vidocq is without a doubt one of the most interesting figures in modern history. He’s a former criminal turned undercover informant ...

Selects: Pain Scales: Yeeeow!

14 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pain is subjective; it is whatever the person experiencing it says it is. But to effectively treat pain, it helps to quantify it, which is why medicin...

How Intellectual Property Works

12 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Intellectual property sounds as dry as can be, but it’s actually very interesting. It’s at the heart of the global economy and the center of a dis...

Short Stuff: Longyou Caves

11 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What’s better than discovering a mysterious cavern? Discovering five!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parasocial Relationships: That Podcaster is Your Friend!

10 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Parasocial relationships are fascinating and it turns out Chuck knows what it's like from both sides. Listen in today to your old friends. See omnyst...

Selects: How Motion Sickness Works

07 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Motion sickness is the worst and hits about 25 to 40 percent of humans when they ride in cars, boats, or simply watch the wrong 3-D movie. Join us as ...

How Andy Warhol Worked

05 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You know Andy Warhol from his quip on being famous for 15 minutes and paintings of soup cans, but even as far as artists go he was an eccentric and mi...

Short Stuff: Rhodium

04 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rhodium is one of the most valuable precious metals on Earth, though it has dropped in value by about 80% in the last year. Learn why by clicking play...

Night of the Grizzlies

03 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Grizzly bears had never killed a person in Glacier National Park until the night of August 12, 1967. That's when everything changed for National Parks...

Selects: Social Security Numbers: Less Boring Than You'd Think

30 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you know that up until July 2011 an ambitious hacker with a good software program could deduce your social security number based on your date and p...

Revenge: Bitter, Not Sweet

28 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Someone cuts you off in traffic or makes fun of your friend and all you can think of is how to get back at them and then some. But wait! Research has ...

Short Stuff: The Dakota

27 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Dakota is one of New York City's great buildings. And its backstory is pretty great to boot. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Amazing Life of Christine Granville

26 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Christine Granville was about as James Bond as it gets. Stories of her life as a spy during World War II are legendary. Today we'll tell her story. S...

Selects: Cockney Rhyming Slang: Beautiful Gibberish

23 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What is Cockney Rhyming Slang? It's complicated and its origins are unclear. Learn everything we know about it today in this classic episode.See omnys...

Kombucha: Fizzy Goodness

21 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kombucha is pretty popular right now. But what is it exactly and where did it come from? The answers await you!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Short Stuff: Origin of Math Signs

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have you ever stopped mid-pencil mark and realized to your astonishment where the plus sign came from? Then this one’s for you.See omnystudio.com/li...

10ish Worst Business Decisions Ever

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s easy (and kind of fun) to laugh at the misfortune of CEOs and other high up business types when they bring it on themselves – so let’s do t...

Selects: How Floods Work

16 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Floods happen when more water is introduced to an area than can be quickly removed. That's about it, but there's more to floods, what causes them and ...

The Hyatt Regency Skywalk Disaster

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In 1981 America suffered the worst accidental structural collapse in its history. Listen in today to the tragic story of the fast-tracked building dis...

Short Stuff: Why Spilling Salt is Unlucky

13 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Face it, when you spill salt your life goes totally off the rails, maybe even forever. Fortunately, we humans stumbled upon the one reliable way to co...

Axolotls: The Smiling Salamander from Mexico

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a listener request! Axolotls are one of the more amazing animals roaming the planet right now – they can regenerate parts of their brains, ca...

Selects: How Space Stations Work

09 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It seems like we largely take it for granted these days, but the fact that we have humans living in space is the realization of a scientific dream a c...

Native American Reservations

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today we dive into the history and current state of Native American reservations. This serves as a nice follow-up to the Trail of Tears double-ep from...

Short Stuff: History of OK

06 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is OK the best word? It's certainly one of the most versatile. Check the interesting history of this weird contraction.See omnystudio.com/listener for...

The Made-up Disease of Syndrome K

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In WWII, Italy went through its own Jewish Holocaust, terrible at first then horrific as the Nazis took over the country. In Rome, a group of doctors ...

Selects: Body Odor: You Stink

02 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Chuck and Josh end up making reduxes of past episodes on things like sweating and deodorant in this all-new episode on the science beneath what makes ...

Laurens Hammond: The Non-Musical Genius Who Changed Popular Music

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Laurens Hammond invented the Hammond organ and in the process changed music history. But he was much more than that. See omnystudio.com/listener for ...

Short Stuff: Evil Eye

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You've seen the evil eye. Many Middle Eastern cultures have a long history with it. Learn how to thwart this curse today. See omnystudio.com/listener...

Fordlandia: Brazil Isn't Michigan

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Henry Ford tried to build a Midwestern American town in the Amazon rainforest in the 1920s. It's true. And yes, Chuck will say this should be a movie....

Selects: How Toy Testing Works

26 Aug 2023

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...

Plant Migration

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Climate change is having sweeping effects on our climate and this is changing the world, not just for humans and other animals, but plants too. Will t...

Short Stuff: Saturn's Rings

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Friends, treasure Saturn’s rings while they are young. They won’t be around forever.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Farmer's Almanac: Literature to Poop To

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Farmer's Almanac has a long rich history that is more than just moon phases and long-term weather patterns. Tune in to learn all about it. See om...

Selects: How Music Sampling Works

19 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today music sampling is a common practice, especially in electronic or hip-hop music. But how does it work? After all, other artists made the original...

The Mysterious Disappearance of the Franklin Expedition

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the great Arctic mysteries was the disappearance of the ill-fated Franklin Expedition in search of a northwest passage between the Atlantic and...

Short Stuff: Edward Mordake

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the 19th century news spread of an unfortunate man who was born with an evil second face on the back of his head that spoke to him. The real story ...

How We’re Learning to Talk to Animals

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If we could talk with the animals, grunt and squeak and squawk with the animals, what would we say? We’d better start thinking of something good bec...

Selects: How Magnets Work

12 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You can stick them to the fridge or use them to transpose sound to tape, whatever they are used for magnets are surprisingly interesting. And knowing ...

Xenobiotics

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Science is just realizing the extent of the tiny pollutants that have entered ecosystems across Earth and inside all humans. We call them xenobiotics ...

Short Stuff: History of English

09 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Who spoke English first and what was it like? Nothing like it is today. Listen in to learn all about it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info...

Dear Diary...

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Diaries have been around for a long time. There are many famous ones, and tens of millions that will never see the light of day. Learn about the histo...

Selects: Rainbows: Delighting humanity since forever

05 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Rainbows seem to defy nature, but they're really pretty simple when it comes down to it. Turns out it's just light reacting to water droplets in the a...

The Last Meal Ritual

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The last meal of the executed is a longstanding tradition. Listen in today to learn about the dark history and modern practice of this culinary curios...

Short Stuff: NATO Alphabet

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Alpha, Bravo, Charlie. This is the NATO alphabet. But where did it come from?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BPD: The Worst Disorder or Not a Disorder at All?

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Borderline Personality Disorder has been described as emotional “third degree burns over ninety percent of your body.” It’s as close to a curse ...

Selects: What's the deal with Stradivarius violins?

29 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Strad violin is noted for its tonal qualities and superior craftsmanship. And for its price tag. There are many theories why the Strad sounds so g...

MAD Magazine: A Tribute

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Chuck and Josh grew up on MAD Magazine and we hope you did too. What started out as a comic book that spoofed comic books grew into the foundation of ...

Short Stuff: Blue Highway Signs

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the US those ubiquitous blue highway signs that tell you which direction you’ll find a Burger King have an interesting backstory. See omnystudio...

Learning a Foreign Language

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Today, Chuck and Josh dive into the ins and outs of language learning. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: Nirvana: Not The Band

22 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Hinduism and Buddhism are closely related in a number of ways, including their vision of what comes after we exit this mortal coil. Learn about the re...

Magic Eye Illusions

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What became the Magic Eye illusion fad of the 1990s was born by way of the stereogram of the 1950s (and even before that). It's a winding story that y...

Short Stuff: Pie-In-The-Face Gag

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Throwing a pie in someone’s face was groundbreaking comedy once upon a time.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Insomnia: Why you can't sleep

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Insomnia is rough stuff. Listen in and learn all about why you can't fall asleep and what you can do about that.See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...

Selects: How Police Lineups Work

15 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Police lineups are something most people have never had any firsthand experience with. What you see on TV and in movies isn't so far off though. Learn...

How PCP Works

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There is probably no drug more mythologized than PCP. It drives users insane and has the unfortunate side effect of bestowing superhuman strength thus...

Short Stuff: Père-Lachaise Cemetery

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The most famous cemetery in Paris has some of the most famous people in the world buried there. And it's quite lovely.See omnystudio.com/listener for ...

Birth Order: So nice, we did it twice

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

This is a very special episode, the first one we've ever fully recorded a second time and decided to release. Why? Because it's good and a little diff...

Selects: How Bats Work

08 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

They are creepy, sure, but they are also useful, cute and in great danger of extinction. Get a new lease on life from a new view of bats in this class...

James Beard: Food Legend

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

James Beard is well-known now for the annual awards named in his honor. But he used to be the most famous chef in America, and set the standard for wh...

Short Stuff: Hollywood Sign

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Hollywood sign is an iconic landmark that started out as a real estate billboard. Can you believe it?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

How Trucking Works

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If truckers suddenly vanished the global economy would come to a grinding halt in a couple days. But as important as they are these highway heroes (mo...

Selects: What Makes Lead So Poisonous?

01 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The people of Flint, MI were horrified to find their drinking water was poisoned with lead. As we learn more about lead's effects and realize how pers...

Butterflies: Caterpillars with Wings!

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you thought caterpillars were awesome, just wait until you see them with colorful, iridescent wings!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa...

Short Stuff: Fahrenheit or Celsius

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Fahrenheit or Celsius? Why not both? If they can agree - exactly at -40 degrees  - then it seems like we should all be able to agree they're both gre...

Caterpillars: Nature's Magicians

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Caterpillars are simply the best. Don't think so? Well listen in and you'll soon agreeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: How Ocean Currents Work

24 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's easy to overlook the importance of ocean currents - they move along out at sea, while we stay mostly on land. But we are globally affected by the...

How Afrofuturism Works

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Black sci-fi writers were shut out of their genre in the 20th century so they created their own vision of the future. That sentiment spread to music a...

Short Stuff: Chia Pet

21 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It has arrived, the most important podcast episode in the history of the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Large Language Models and You

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There is a good chance that in March of 2023, humans crossed a threshold into a transformative new era when a new, smarter type of AI was let loose in...

Selects: SYSK Live: Back When Ford Pintos Were Flaming Deathtraps

17 Jun 2023

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 ...

How Alumin(i)um Works

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Humans made it through the Bronze Age and Iron Age, then we dabbled in steel, and now we are living in the Aluminum Age. The metal is so ubiquitous it...

Short Stuff: Suicide Forest

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The suicide forest in Japan is a beautiful place with a checkered reputation. Trigger Warning: This episode features a discussion of suicide. If you o...

The Stinky History of Human Hygiene

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wondered when and why people started caring about body odors and cleanliness? Well look no further than today's episode. See omnystudio.com/list...

Selects: How Audience Testing Works

10 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know some of our most beloved movies originally had different, sometimes better, endings? That is until they were tested in front of focus gro...

Is Reality Real?

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Philosophers have been wondering whether we experience reality as it is for millennia now. They’ve pretty much settled on no, no we don’t. Now sci...

Short Stuff: DNA Data Storage

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

One of the more futuristic things around right now on Earth is research into encoding data into strings of genetic code.See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

Why Manners?

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Keeping your elbows off the table, keeping your fingers out of the gravy boat – at some point these became very important rules of etiquette. But wh...

Selects: Pterosaurs: Not Flying Dinosaurs

03 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Almost everything you know about pterosaurs is wrong. They weren't birds, they weren't flying dinosaurs and they weren't all pterodactyls. Which makes...

What's the deal with intermittent fasting?

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Could eating at only certain times of the day lead to weight loss? Possibly! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Rube Goldberg

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone knows what a Rube Goldberg machine is, but what do you know about the cartoonist who they're named after?See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

The Saga of Milli Vanilli

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For a moment Milli Vanilli was the hottest musical act in the world. Then came the news that it was just that, an act, and the fall came swiftly and h...

Selects: How Color Works

27 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Science doesn't have a good explanation for why we sense color, yet it is everywhere and affecting us all the time. But why should minutely different ...

The Semi-Recent History of Exercise

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Humans exercising for better health has not been around that long. Today we dive into this fun history as we cover why and when we started this now co...

Short Stuff: Pollen Count

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If you watch the news and hear the pollen count is high for some particular type of plant then it’s high time you learned how they do that.See omnys...

What is the Bechdel Test?

23 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The Bechdel Test is a is a measure of the representation of women in film. You'd be surprised how many movies fail. See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

Selects: How Dog Shows Work

20 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

You know those shows where people wearing sensible shoes jog dogs around in circles? They actually represent the pinnacle of a long and complex path t...

How Juries Work

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It’s totally bonkers that in the US and other countries, the job of determining the guilt or innocence of an accused criminal – whose life may be ...

Short Stuff: Mood Rings

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Mood Rings were all the rage in the 1970s. Then they went away, and fast. What's your color today?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Inflammation Theory of Disease

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Not too long ago we thought that germs were the cause of most diseases, leading to germ theory. But when we look at maladies from heart disease to Alz...

Selects: How Slinky Works

13 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It has been called a "glorified spring", but Slinky is one of the best selling toys of all time. From accidental origins to an unlikely resurrection, ...

How TV Weathercasters Work

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

TV weather people can seem corny and maybe a little nerdy, but beneath that toothsome exterior lies the heart of a lonely warrior of science, one who ...

Short Stuff: Frances Kelsey: Hero of the FDA

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Who is Frances Kelsey? Well, she's a semi-unsung hero of the FDA whose work helped save a lot of kids from congenital disorders and even death. Listen...

The Colosseum

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's funny how similar The Colosseum in Rome is to modern day arenas. They really had it figured out. Tune in today to learn all about this early ente...

Selects: Does the body replace itself?

06 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Does the human body really replace itself every few years? The answer is yes, but different parts of the body do so at different rates. Learn all abou...

Introducing Smell-O-Vision!

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Smell-O-Vision was a post-war movie theater gimmick that delivered well-timed scents to the noses of audiences to align with the movie. Did it work? S...

Short Stuff: Dunbar's Number

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a theory that all of us have a maximum number of friendships that we can maintain – 150, to be exact. Suspiciously exact, really, if you t...

Nerf!

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Another classic toys edition is at your collective feet. Today, we dive into the soft, padded world of NERF!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...