Stuff You Should Know

Short Stuff: RIP Man of the Hole

07 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Man of the Hole has died and we're pretty sad to hear it. Listen in to our tribute to this solitary hero today.See omnystudio.com/listener for pri...

Did Mallory Make it to the Top of Everest First?

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

George Mallory was a member of the first three European expeditions to Everest, world’s tallest mountain. He wanted to summit it so badly, he gave h...

Selects: How the Pony Express Worked

03 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For as long a shadow as it casts across the history of the Old West, the Pony Express was a failed business venture, doomed from the start, that only ...

Rolling Stone Magazine

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Part celebration and part take down, this episode on Rolling Stone magazine dives into the highs and lows of one of America's iconic rags.See omnystud...

Short Stuff: Mason-Dixon Line

31 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The dividing line between the North and South is purely political. But the story of its creation is pretty interesting.See omnystudio.com/listener for...

We Need More Sustainable Packaging, Like, Yesterday

30 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Since the advent of single-use plastics, we’ve become awash in waste. Barrels of petroleum are extracted, turned into plastics that contain products...

Selects: Knife Throwing: Super Cool

27 Aug 2022

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...

Kissing Cousins: A History of Marrying Family

25 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Despite the overall creepiness of it, marrying family members is way more common than you might think, both historically and today. Ewwww!See omnystud...

Short Stuff: Marrying Up

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The idea of "marrying up" is as old as the hills, but things are, and have been, changing for quite a while. And this episode explains it all.See omny...

Introvert or Extravert: Which are you? (Probably both)

23 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The world isn’t divided into cat people and dog people, or Beatles fans and Rolling Stones fans (or neither). What really divides us is introversion...

Selects: How Gossip Works

20 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You know what I heard? That Josh and Chuck hate each other and they're just faking being friends for the show. That's called gossip, folks and it can ...

How Enemas Work

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you think about it, enemas are kind of gross. And if you don’t now you definitely will by the end of this wild ride of an episode. All who make i...

Short Stuff: Selling the Brooklyn Bridge

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You've heard the phrase "If you believe that I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you." But did you know it's based in truth?See omnystudio.com/listene...

Mariachi: The Rodney Dangerfield of Music

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mariachi bands have a bad rap as nothing more than "restaurant music." But there is a rich and long cultural tradition many people are missing and the...

Selects: Desert Survival: Josh and Chuck Save Your Tookus

13 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The chances are pretty low that you’ll find yourself lost in the desert, but on the off chance you do you’ll thank yourself that you listened to t...

The Origins of Breakfast Foods

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Who doesn't love breakfast? But do you know where most of the typical breakfast foods come from? Well listen in to find out.See omnystudio.com/listene...

Short Stuff: The Berners Street Hoax

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A full 200 years on, we're still talking about one of the most sweeping hoaxes of all time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the deal with energy drinks?

09 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chuck hates them, Josh has flirted with them. Energy drinks. Listen in to learn all about this canned speed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy ...

Selects: How Droughts Work

06 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Droughts can be an inevitable feature of a local climate or a catastrophic result of human meddling. In this classic episode, learn the ins and outs o...

Thrill to the Stunning Bicameral Mind Hypothesis

04 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Psychologist Julian Jaynes came up with a stunning hypothesis in 1976, that human consciousness only developed in the last 3000 years. And he seemed t...

Short Stuff: Divorcing Your Parents

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It really happens! But most people call it emancipation of a minor. Either way, there's some interesting legal stuff in here.See omnystudio.com/listen...

Silly String: Disaster in a Can

02 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's been a while since we tackled a classic toy, so here we go with all you ever wanted to know about Silly String.See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

Selects: Some Movies That Changed Filmmaking

30 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

An estimated 50,000 films were made worldwide in 2009 alone. Many are surely clunkers, but in this episode Chuck and Josh talk about the ones that eme...

How Menstruation Works

28 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Two dudes talking about menstruation? You bet! And there’s no way you could be any more nervous to listen than we were to record it. But give it a l...

Short Stuff: The Mars Rock with Signs of Life?

27 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 1996, real-deal NASA scientists announced they had discovered signs of ancient microbial life in a rock that had broken off Mars and landed on Anta...

Where Did Human Intelligence Come From?

26 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We humans are smart, to be sure, but if we’re so smart then how come we can’t figure how we got so smart in the first place? Think about that! We ...

Selects: What's the misery index?

23 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Economists love their data because somewhere in the numbers lies the answer to the ills of the country. They also love to frame data in a way people c...

Googie: The Architecture of the Space Age

21 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You may not have heard of it, but you’ve definitely seen it before – 50s buildings with bright, loud colors, roofs at crazy angles, and space-age ...

Short Stuff: Death from Astral Projection

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 1975, yoga enthusiast Robert Antoszczyk retired to his room in a group house in Ann Arbor, MI to try a meditation technique that would allow him to...

Supernovae: Best Around, Case Closed

19 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Face it, supernovae are the most interesting phenomena in the universe. Black holes are cool, but did you know they sprout from a supernova? What coul...

Selects: What Happens When the Government Thinks You're Dead?

16 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s bad enough when the government knows you’re alive – there are taxes to pay, laws to be followed, all sorts of boring and unpleasant things....

Why Bowling is Awesome

14 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Bowling is awesome. It just is. And if you don't think so, maybe take a listen to today's episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

Short Stuff: Catatumbo Lightning

13 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Catatumbo lightning is one of nature's most amazing displays of showiness, with strikes occurring 28 times per minute for nine hours a day, 300 days a...

Mangroves: Nature's Best Tree?

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Mangroves are incredible survivors and adapters. They're also amazing at lessening the impact of tropical storms and climate change. And heck, they're...

Selects: How Ayahuasca Works

09 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One day in the Amazon Basin, a shaman put together a plant containing DMT with a vine that allows the body to absorb DMT. The combination, a foul-tast...

The Maya Civilization

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After inspiration from Chuck's recent trip to the Yucatan, the fellas dive into the Maya Civilization. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inform...

Short Stuff: Alligator Gar

06 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The alligator gar is one scary looking fish. Learn all about these monsters in today's episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Ultraprocessed Foods Work

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ultraprocessed is a new term for junk food, but it means much more than that – it’s also a cautionary tale for the way we’re supposed to cook an...

Selects: How Freak Shows Worked

02 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Not too long ago, people would pay money to gawk and stare at a performer with a physical disformity. They were called freak shows and they began in l...

A Dispassionate Review of Roe v Wade

30 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Given the landmark undoing of Roe v Wade, Chuck and Josh lay out all the relevant facts of the 1973 case.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy infor...

Short Stuff: What did we use before infant formula?

29 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There's an infant formula shortage. But infant formula is relatively new. So what did we do before it was perfected? Listen in and learn already!See o...

How Alien Contact Might Work

28 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If we ever found evidence of intelligent alien life (or they found us) what would we say? Who would say it for us? These seemingly silly questions are...

Selects: Chiggers: The Phantom Menace

25 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Chiggers are tiny little mites capable of making your life miserable. Worse than mosquitoes? Maybe. But they aren't insects - mites are actually part ...

What's up with bariatric surgery?

23 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Bariatric surgery can also be called weight loss surgery. Some people think it's a highly underused tool to fight obesity. Others think it's a shortcu...

Short Stuff: Do Fish Get Thirsty?

22 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the greatest questions we’ve ever heard, answered (in a roundabout way).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Appalachian Trail: A Heckuva Hike

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

A few short years after the hiking trails from Maine to Georgia were connected into the world’s longest hiking-only footpath, a WWII vet walked the ...

Selects: How Steadicams Work

18 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There have been many inventions that have advanced filmmaking, but maybe none as important as the steadicam. Invented in the mid-70s, it literally cha...

What were the IRA hunger strikes?

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the early 1980s, imprisoned IRA members went on a prolonged hunger strike, leading to the death of ten men. This is their story.See omnystudio.com/...

Short Stuff: HR8 Gun Legislation

15 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we dive into HR8, a gun bill supported by 90% of Americans that will likely never get through the Senate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

How Wind Works

14 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Beloved egghead Buckminster Fuller said the wind doesn’t blow, it sucks. And he was pretty much right, depending on your perspective. Find out h...

Selects: How Drowning Works

11 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hundreds of thousands of people drown around the world every year, and yet it can be easily prevented and is widely misunderstood – like how you...

The 4-minute Mile: Greatest Sports Story?

09 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nobody thought the 4-minute mile was humanly possible, until it was. The story of how it happened is remarkable. So sit back and take a listen.See omn...

Short Stuff: Cleveland’s Infamous 10-Cent Beer Night

08 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 1974, the Cleveland (then Indians) baseball club held an unlimited 10 cent beer promotion to attract fans to the game. An actual riot broke out.See...

How Freedom of the Press Works

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Countries around the world – capitalist democracies to communist unitary states – guarantee a free press in their constitutions. It turns ...

Selects: How Satanism Works

04 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Satanism may be the most misunderstood "religion" in the world. Part of that is because there are, and have been, many offshoots of Satanism, from The...

Kidney Donation: You Could Be A Saint!

02 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kidneys are one of the few organs that you can donate while you’re alive. And the vast majority of donors experience no complications and their ...

Short Stuff: Happy Foods!

01 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Some foods make you happy. But they aren't necessarily comfort foods. You know what they call that? SCIENCE!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

The Scintillating World of Interest Rates

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When the Fed raises interest rates a half point, the world market reacts. But why does this tiny percentage make such a difference? Listen and learn!S...

Selects: Waterbeds: The Sexiest Bed?

28 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Waterbeds came and went pretty quickly in the United States, but despite their marketing as sex beds, they were actually invented to deliver a great n...

The Myth of Absinthe

26 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Absinthe makes you hallucinate and possibly even have a seizure, right? Nope. It's all a part of the myth of absinthe, which is really just a bitter t...

Short Stuff: Do people move in predictable directions?

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Depending on where you are in the world, you either have an instinct to go left or right when entering a place. Learn all about this today.See omnystu...

Cats: Invasive Species?

24 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Josh and Chuck wade into dangerous waters with the debate over just how destructive cats are for local ecosystems (turns out it’s pretty bad) an...

Selects: The Disappearance of the Yuba County Five

21 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 1978, five friends set out for home from a basketball game. The next day, their car was discovered in a lonely mountain road. The next spring, thei...

What's in a surname?

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Surnames are way more interesting that you think, trust us. Just hit play and prepare to be wowed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Artificial Banana Flavor

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the Watermelon episode, Chuck and Josh stumbled into a bit of little-known history about why artificial banana flavor doesn’t taste like bana...

Squirrels, Ahoy!

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Squirrels are rodents, sure, but they’re rodents with personalities the size of Las Vegas and Detroit put together. Get to know your bushy-taile...

Selects: How Lizzie Borden Worked

14 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Everybody knows how many whacks Lizzie Borden gave her mother and father with that axe, but there is plenty about the infamous double homicide that re...

Rhinoplasty, aka Nose Jobs

12 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Nose jobs have been around a lot longer than you think. And the process is pretty interesting. Tune in for all things rhinoplasty. See omnystudio...

Short Stuff: Fainting At The Sight Of Blood

11 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As many as 15% of people faint when they see blood! And it’s not just blood that gets them. It can be an injury or even a needle. Learn about th...

What are land acknowledgments?

10 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Land acknowledgements are all the rage in some parts of the world. But they also open a can of worms if not done properly. Learn all about this increa...

Selects: How Champagne Works

07 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Sure we can all agree that champagne is probably the greatest thing humans have or ever will invent, but how much do we understand how it's made? Lear...

Marcus Garvey: Black Moses

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

One of the more controversial black leaders, Marcus Garvey divided black and white Americans with his assertion of black pride, and sowed division in ...

Short Stuff: Shar Pei

04 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we dive into the lovable folds of the Shar Pei.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Mystery of Coal

03 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There’s a mystery afoot! Almost all of the coal we use around the world was created in the same 60 million year period. Before or after that rel...

Selects: How Rodney Dangerfield Worked, Live From LA

30 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Other comedians cry on the inside, but Rodney Dangerfield built his entire act around his sad life. Get to know this legendary comic who was nearing 5...

Understudies: Hardest Workers on Broadway?

28 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Being an understudy is far more challenging than simply learning the lines of a lead actor in case of emergency. Learn all about these unsung stage he...

Short Stuff: Smelly Homes

27 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Does your house smell? No? What if we told you it’s impossible for you to know whether  it does or not?See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...

“Postmodernism:”

26 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: The Baffling Case of the Body On Somerton Beach

23 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Since his corpse was found in 1948, wearing a nice suit in summer on an Australian beach, an unidentified man has refused to fade into obscurity, grip...

Just Say No to... Bottled Water

21 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Bottled water is huge business, and terrible for the environment. But where did this all start? Listen in and learn.See omnystudio.com/listener for pr...

Short Stuff: Salute the Grilled Cheese

20 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Today we pay tribute to the comfiest of comfort food, the grilled cheese sandwich.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Christine Collins Story

19 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When Christine Collins' son disappeared in 1928, she thought that was the worst that could happen.  What followed was more upsetting than any par...

Selects: What happens to abandoned mines?

16 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know there are as many as 500,000 abandoned mines in the US, but the federal government knows where only 30,000 of them are? Learn about how t...

How Mensa Works

14 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Most of us know Mensa’s a smart people club. And that Geena Davis is a member. But did you know it was originally intended as a rolodex when the...

Short Stuff: Animal Politicians

13 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Small towns around the world have a longstanding tradition of nominating – and voting for – animals in elected positions like mayor and so...

The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles

12 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

If you've ever been to Philadelphia then you've probably walked right by a Toynbee Tile embedded in the street. But what's the meaning on these myster...

Selects: A Partial History of Action Figures

09 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Action figures have a long and glorious history. From GI Joes to Star Wars figures, these offshoots of dolls came along at just the right time to capt...

The Delightful History of Pubs

07 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In today's episode, Chuck and Josh dive into the wonderful history of the public house. So pull up a stool, grab a pint and have a listen.See omnystud...

Short Stuff: The Church Choir That Didn't Explode

06 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Perhaps the most amazing coincidence ever documented took place when a church in a tiny town in Nebraska exploded in 1950.See omnystudio.com/listener ...

Watermelons: Nature's Gift to the World

05 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Turns out most people love watermelons. Why? Because they're delicious. And they also have a pretty interesting history. Check it out.See omnystudio.c...

Selects: How No-fly Zones Work

02 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

They have become such a ubiquitous tool used by the UN and NATO to intervene in international crises, that it seems like no-fly zones have been around...

What’s NATO All About?

31 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

NATO formed at a time when Russia threatened Europe as a potential invader. Then the Soviet Union broke up and NATO lost its way for a bit. Now Russia...

Short Stuff: Greenbrier Bunker

30 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The Greenbrier Bunker was a secret nuclear hideout for Congress, until it wasn't. Once it was exposed as a thing, it ceased to be a thing. Listen in t...

How Light Pollution Works

29 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Artificial light at night, aka light pollution, affects almost everyone on Earth. And not just people – trees, plants, animals, insects, and mar...

Selects: The Tylenol Murders, Part II

26 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

The panic that began in Chicago spreads and begins to change the world. The investigation into the murders turns up leads and suspects, but still no o...

Selects: The Tylenol Murders, Part I

26 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

On one terrible day in Chicago in 1982, seven people died suddenly and mysteriously. In just a matter of hours, it becomes clear, someone has poisoned...

The Truth Behind Cage-Free and Free-Range

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You’d think terms like cage-free and free-range means the chickens we eat are frolicking happily in the fresh air under the shining sun, but you...

Short Stuff: Magnet Fishing

23 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Magnet fishing has nothing to do with fish. It's more like metal detecting in waterways. Please enjoy our take!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy...

Why was Titicut Follies banned?

22 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Titicut Follies is a documentary made famous by its banning. But why was it banned? And what was it even about? Listen in to learn all you need to kno...

Selects: How Hate Works

19 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hate is generally defined as an extreme hostility to something or someone, usually stemming from fear, anger or a sense of injury. But how does it wor...