TechStuff

TechStuff Predicts 2016

06 Jan 2016

Contributed by Lukas

CNET's Iyaz Akhtar joins the show to peer into a crystal ball and predict what will happen in 2016. Listen in as we stick our necks out! Learn more a...

2015 Year in Review

30 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What were the biggest stories in tech in 2015? Jonathan reviews the headlines. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.c...

2015 Predictions Results

23 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Back in 2014, Tom Merritt joined the show to talk about predictions for the following year. How did those predictions stack up? Learn more about your...

The Evils of Data Tracking

16 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Codebreaker's Ben Johnson joins the show to talk about data tracking. What is it used for? What's the best case scenario? And what happens when it goe...

How Satellites Work

09 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How did Sputnik change the world? What do satellites do? And what keeps them in orbit? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastn...

How the Industrial Revolution Worked, Part Three

02 Dec 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In the conclusion of our series on the Industrial Revolution, we'll look at other industries that changed along with iron and textiles. We'll also lea...

How the Industrial Revolution Worked, Part Two

25 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

As we continue to explore the Industrial Revolution, we look at how iron helped shape the modern world. It's time to explore iron, steam engines and m...

How the Industrial Revolution Worked, Part One

18 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The Industrial Revolution transformed the world. Cities grew, new jobs were created and technology transformed the world. In part one, we take a close...

The Comcast Story: Part Two

12 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How did Comcast become such a huge, powerful company? What happened with the doomed Time Warner deal? And where does the company go next? Learn more ...

The Comcast Story: Part One

05 Nov 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Comcast is a powerful player in the cable and Internet space. How did the company get its start? And how did cable television take off in the first pl...

The VW Scandal

28 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What's the story with Volkswagen and emissions testing? How did the car manufacturer hide vehicle emissions? Scott Benjamin of CarStuff joins us to ta...

Expensive Consumer Tech

21 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

With the holiday season coming up, it's time to look at some gift ideas for the filthy rich. From ridiculous watches to a multimillion dollar mobile h...

What was Web 2.0?

14 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Once upon a time, a buzz term called Web 2.0 dominated discussions about web sites. What did Web 2.0 really mean? Or does it mean nothing? Learn more...

DNA Forensics

07 Oct 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Ben Bowlin of Stuff They Don't Want You to Know joins the show to talk about DNA forensics, cold cases and science. How reliable is DNA evidence? Lea...

Patronage Makes a Comeback

30 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How has the Internet fueled a return to the old system of patronage? This episode explores crowdfunding resources like Indiegogo and patronage service...

Tinder Loving Care?

23 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

It's time to tackle Tinder. Where did the app come from? Do people use it for more than just hooking up? And what do you get when you go premium? Lea...

An Update on The McAfee Story

16 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Back in 2012, Jonathan and Chris talked about John McAfee and his controversial life. What's he been up to since? Learn more about your ad-choices at...

Alphabetizing Google

07 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What does Google's restructuring mean for the company? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/lis...

Photo Editing and Manipulation, Part Two

02 Sep 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Dylan is back to talk about the post-digital age of photo manipulation, when Photoshop and other programs began to allow more people to change images....

Photo Editing and Manipulation, Part One

31 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

HowStuffWorks photo editor Dylan joins the show to talk about the pre-digital age of photo manipulation. Learn about airbrushing, composite photos, do...

How Periscope Works

26 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What is Periscope? What's the technology behind the company? And did Jonathan livestream a podcast? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.i...

The Sad Tale of HitchBot

24 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What was HitchBot all about and what happened to it? From hitchhiking across Canada to a violent end in Philadelphia, we tell the robot's story. Scott...

Uber Breaks Scott's Heart

19 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Scott Benjamin joins the show to talk more about Uber, driverless cars and how the future might spell doom for people who love to drive. If you listen...

The Uber Story (So Far)

17 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How did Uber get started? What are some of the controversies around Uber? And what's in store for the future? Learn more about your ad-choices at htt...

The Decline of Google+

12 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Is Google Plus heading off into the sunset? What happened? In this update to a classic episode, TechStuff looks at what went wrong. Learn more about ...

Is Carbon Dating on the way out?

10 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How does radiocarbon dating work? And why might it be less reliable in the future? Learn about carbon-14 and how it can be used to guess when ancient ...

Tech in the Post Apocalyptic World (Part 2)

05 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

There's been an Event. What sort of tech can you rely upon after the zombie outbreak? Or solar flares? Or whatever? Learn more about your ad-choices ...

Tech in the Post Apocalyptic World (Part 1)

03 Aug 2015

Contributed by Lukas

There's been an Event. What sort of tech can you rely upon after the zombie outbreak? Or solar flares? Or whatever? Learn more about your ad-choices ...

TechStuff Takes Manhattan (Project)

29 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What was the Manhattan Project all about? What went on during the Manhattan Project and who were the influential people involved? Ben Bowlin joins the...

The Manhattan Project Part One

27 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode, Ben Bowlin joins the show to talk about the scientific and political landscape that made the Manhattan Project possible. What was Ein...

Disruptive Technologies

22 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What exactly is a disruptive technology? Jonathan explains the term and gives examples of how technology can really shake things up. Learn more about...

Digital Immortality, Part Two

20 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Stuff You Should Know's Josh Clark and Jonathan continue their discussion about achieving immortality through technology. What are the philosophical p...

Who Wants To Live Forever?

15 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Could technology let us live forever? Stuff You Should Know's Josh Clark joins the show to talk about the possibility of digital immortality. Learn m...

Swords - The Real Cutting Edge Technology

09 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What is the history of the sword? What are they made from and what is an alloy? Special guest Ariel Kasten joins the show to talk about pointy things....

High Tech Farming

06 Jul 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Agriculture has come a long way since the invention of the plow. Learn about how high-tech gadgets are revolutionizing agriculture! Learn more about ...

What's My Address?

29 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The URL is a handy way to navigate to a specific web page. But where did it come from? How does it work and why are they almost always in English? Le...

Techs Top Rivalries

24 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

All's fair in love and tech, so they say. In this episode, we look back on some of the famous rivalries in technology. Learn more about your ad-choic...

A Stingray Operation

22 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What are Stingrays and how are they used in surveillance? Jonathan brings in the guys from Stuff They Don't Want You To Know to find out. Learn more ...

DARPA Robotics Challenge Review

17 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What did the teams competing in the DARPA Robotics Challenge have to do? Who won? And what does this mean for the future of robotics? Learn more abou...

The Basic Components of Electronics

15 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for Electronics 101. What are the basic components of electronic circuits and what do they do? Jonathan explains. Learn more about your ad-...

TechStuff Classics: The types of WiFi

10 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What is the difference between WiFi and WiMax? Why are there so many designations for wireless communication? Chris and Jonathan explain in this class...

Listener Mail Jubilee

08 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Why does Jonathan say "form factor" so much? Is 3D printing a viable business? And did a listener come up with a solution to the trolley problem? Lea...

TechStuff Interviews Preditor Chandler

01 Jun 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What the heck is a preditor? It's not an alien hunting down action heroes. It's a job title at HowStuffWorks. Preditor Chandler joins the show to expl...

Hack That Auto 2.0

27 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Could your car be hacked remotely? We take a look at claims and explore the possibilities of wireless car hacking. Learn more about your ad-choices a...

The Internet Kill Switch

25 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Is there a kill switch for the Internet? Is that legal or ethical? Ben Bowlin joins the show to talk about it. Learn more about your ad-choices at ht...

Behind the Scenes at HowStuffWorks - Audio

20 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan sits down with HSW producer Noel Brown to talk about what Noel does, the tools he uses and tips and tricks for editing and publishing audio. ...

Listener Mail Grab Bag

18 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan reads out messages from listeners and answers questions about electricity and smartwatches. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www....

TechStuff Classics: The U2 Spy Plane

13 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How does the U2 spy plane work? What was its purpose? From its design to today, we look at the U2 plane. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://...

TechStuff Classics: Professional Gaming

11 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What does it take to play video games for a living? In this classic episode, Jonathan and Chris explore how the best of the best at video games get pa...

The Story of Internet Explorer, Part 2

06 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Nate Lanxon from Bloomberg joins the show to talk about the history of Internet Explorer and the future of Project Spartan. Learn more about your ad-...

The Story of Internet Explorer, Part 1

04 May 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Nate Lanxon from Bloomberg joins the show to talk about the history of Internet Explorer and the future of Project Spartan. Learn more about your ad-...

Behind the Scenes at HowStuffWorks - Video

29 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

I interview Matt Frederick about his job here at HowStuffWorks. Learn what goes into producing an episode of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know! Learn...

The Secret Space Plane

27 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What's the story behind the Air Force's X-37B space plane? What is it doing on its super-long missions? Ben Bowlin joins the show to make wild specula...

A Series of Tubes Part Two

22 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Our history lesson about the implementation of pneumatic tube systems continues. We also explore how pneumatic tubes are used currently. Learn more a...

A Series of Tubes Part One

20 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How do pneumatic tubes work? Lauren Vogelbaum joins the show to talk about the physics and history of pneumatic tube systems. Learn more about your a...

How Steganography Works

15 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How can you hide a message so that no one knows you're even communicating? Use steganography! Ariel Kasten joins the show to talk about the art of hid...

The Biggest Lawsuits in Gaming History

13 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

CNET's Iyaz Akhtar joins the show to talk about lawsuits. What are some of the biggest lawsuits in gaming and how have they shaped our world? Learn m...

How Aircraft Carriers Work: Part Two

08 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan and Scott look back on the history of aircraft carriers and how they evolved in the US Navy. From the Enterprise to the Nimitz and beyond! L...

How Aircraft Carriers Work: Part One

06 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

CarStuff's Scott Benjamin joins this listener requested show about aircraft carriers. How do they work and what does it take to keep one operational? ...

The Top April Fools Tech Jokes Episode

01 Apr 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What are some of the biggest hits (and misses) in April Fools jokes in the tech sector? From dumb ideas to jokes gone wrong, Jonathan counts them down...

How Coffee Machines Work

30 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Lauren Vogelbaum joins the show to talk about coffee machines. What's the history of coffee and how do the various gadgets work? Coffee! Learn more a...

Ice Core Drilling

25 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How do scientists retrieve ice core samples? What can we learn from them? Joe McCormick joins the show to talk about really cool historical records. ...

TechStuff Episode 700: How Subways Work

23 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How are subway tunnels built? How do trains work? What are the challenges of a subway system? Ben Bowlin joins the 700th episode of TechStuff. Learn ...

TechStuff Gets Flushed

18 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How do toilets work? What's the secret behind using a Japanese toilet? And can you enter a toilet race? Josh Clark joins the show. Learn more about y...

The Robots4Us Challenge

16 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What is the Robots4Us Challenge? How can students enter the challenge? What are the social implications of robots? Learn more about your ad-choices a...

The Golden Age of Radio

11 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

How did broadcast radio get its start? What were the challenges and controversies? And how did the golden age fade into history? Learn more about you...

The Rise and Fall of Atari: Part Three

09 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In our final part in our Atari series, Chuck and Jonathan talk about the sad decline of Atari and what's left of the company today. Learn more about ...

The Rise and Fall of Atari: Part Two

04 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In Part Two of this series, Chuck and Jonathan talk about how Atari dominated video games until the crash of 1983. Learn more about your ad-choices a...

The Rise and Fall of Atari: Part One

02 Mar 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What's the story behind Atari? Stuff You Should Know's Chuck Bryant joins the podcast to answer this listener question. Learn more about your ad-choi...

The Six Simple Machines

23 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What are the six simple machines and why are they so important? Joe McCormick joins the show to explain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://...

Rerun: How Metal Detectors Work

18 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

If you're going on a treasure hunt, you should know how your metal detector works. Chris and Jonathan explain in this classic episode. Learn more abo...

CLASSIC: How ATMS Work

16 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Jonathan and Chris explore the world of automated teller machines in this classic TechStuff episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www....

CLASSIC: What Do Transmissions Do?

11 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In a classic TechStuff episode, Jonathan and Lauren explain the purpose of a transmission and how it actually works. Learn more about your ad-choices...

What is a Common Carrier?

09 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

The FCC Chairman has proposed reclassifying ISPs as common carriers under Title II. Wait, what does that mean? Jonathan explains. Learn more about yo...

How E-Bikes Work

05 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Electric bikes aren't a new idea. How do they work? Scott Benjamin joins the show to talk about e-bike tech. Learn more about your ad-choices at http...

TechStuff Looks at TV Connectors

03 Feb 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What are all the connections on the back of a television? From HDMI to composite to component cables, we explain what each means. Learn more about yo...

TechStuff Listens to Negativland

29 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Mark Hosler, one of the founding members of Negativland, joins the podcast to talk about audio collage, art, legal potholes and using technology to ma...

The Sony Pictures Entertainment Hack

26 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What exactly happened with the hack that targeted Sony? Why do some people question the official explanation that North Korea was behind it? Ben Bowli...

CES show w/ Ashley Esqueda

21 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What's hot at CES 2015? Special guest Ashley Esqueda from CNET joins the show to talk about tech trends and what to expect in stores this year. Learn...

TechStuff Classics: Number Stations

19 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

What's up with weird radio stations that only broadcast the occasional string of numbers? Jonathan and Chris explore number stations in this classic e...

TechStuff Classics: Abandonware

14 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

In this classic TechStuff episode from 2011, Chris and Jonathan talk about Abandonware. Is it okay to copy software if it's no longer available to buy...

TechStuff Predicts 2015

07 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

TechStuff is joined by celebrity guest host Tom Merritt of the Daily Tech News Show to predict what's going to happen in the following 12 months. Lea...

TechStuff's 2014 Prediction Report Card

05 Jan 2015

Contributed by Lukas

Lauren Vogelbaum comes back to talk about the predictions we made for 2014. Were we right on the money or way off the mark? Learn more about your ad-...

TechStuff Remembers 2014, Part Two

31 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Joe McCormick guest hosts with Jonathan in a look back at some of the big tech news stories from 2014. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://ww...

TechStuff Remembers 2014, Part One

29 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Fw:Thinking's Joe McCormick joins the show to look back on the big tech news stories of 2014. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartp...

The CES Story

24 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for another classic TechStuff episode! In this one, Chris Pollette and Jonathan Strickland give the history of CES and what it's like to att...

TechStuff Tackles Typewriters

22 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Special guest Holly Frey joins the show to talk about typewriters. What's their history and what's the real scoop behind the QWERTY keyboard? Learn m...

The Force is Strong with TechStuff

17 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In this classic episode, Chris and Jonathan talk about lightsabers, and Jonathan gives a bit of an update. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:...

Taking a Ride in an Ambulance

15 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What is ambulance technology all about? Ben Bowlin joins the show to explore this listener-suggested topic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https...

The Connected Car Challenge: Part 2

10 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

CarStuff host Scott Benjamin joins the show to talk about the latest systems in cars that are meant to keep us connected. Learn more about your ad-ch...

The Connected Car Challenge: Part 1

08 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

CarStuff host Scott Benjamin joins the show to talk about the latest systems in cars that are meant to keep us connected. Learn more about your ad-ch...

Antikythera Update

03 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

You wouldn't think a 2,000 year old machine would need an update, but it does! This classic episode features Joe McCormick and Jonathan talking about ...

TechStuff Gets Breezy

01 Dec 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Guest host Joe McCormick talks about the tech behind wind turbines. How big a role will they play in our future? Learn more about your ad-choices at ...

Giving Thanks to Obsolete Tech

26 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Special guest Iyaz Akhtar from CNet rejoins the show to continue our conversation about tech that is no longer relevant. Learn more about your ad-cho...

TechStuff Goes Obsolete?

24 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Special guest Iyaz Akhtar from CNet joins the show to talk about obsolete technology. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastne...

Techno H2O

19 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

There's a lot of tech that supposedly makes water "better" in some way. Is there any science to it or is it all just flim flam? Stuff to Blow Your Min...

A Conversation With ASMR Artist Heather Feather

17 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What is ASMR and why is it so popular on YouTube? Artist Heather Feather joins the show to talk about ASMR and her recording techniques. Learn more a...

A Virtually Realistic TechStuff

12 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Guest host Rueben Medina joins the show for an in-depth conversation about virtual reality and whether it's ready for prime time. Learn more about yo...

Hack That Auto

10 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Cars have become high tech but that opens the possibility of exploits. What's the story on car hacks? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www...

Digital Comics

05 Nov 2014

Contributed by Lukas

How has the digital revolution changed the way readers access comic books? Guest host Christian Sager joins the show to talk about digital comics. Le...