Shows / Stuff You Should Know
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Episodes
- Stuff You Should Know
The Strange Story of Sea Monkeys
Anyone who ever picked up a comic book as a kid probably marveled at the ads for the mysterious Sea Monkeys. In reality, they are just brine shrimp, not…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: Is there treasure on Oak Island?
Off Nova Scotia, the tiny spit of land called Oak Island has been host to waves of treasure hunters for more than 200 years. Some of them lost their lives in…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Live: Back When Ford Pintos Were Flaming Deathtraps
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 led to…
- Stuff You Should Know
Knife Throwing: Super Cool
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 mounted to a…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How the MPAA Works
You may be surprised to learn those ubiquitous ratings, from G to NC-17, put on movies in America are actually handed down by anonymous employees of a…
- Stuff You Should Know
Rosa Parks: Agent of Change
Rosa Parks finishes out our Black History Month episodes in grand fashion. While most know her from that fateful day on the Montgomery city bus, she actually…
- Stuff You Should Know
Are Feral Children Real?
For millennia people have been amazed by legends of wild children found in the forest or jungle, sometimes raised by animals like wolves or apes. But it turns…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How the Underground Railroad Worked
As early as 1786, groups assembled to help slaves escape lives of bondage. And, as the 19th century progressed, the emergent Underground Railroad grew more…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Harriet Tubman Story
Harriet Tubman is a legendary figure in history, but the details of her life are even more remarkable than what you may have learned in school. Listen in today…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Pompeii Worked
What must be one of the most famous natural disasters in history took place when Mt Vesuvius buried Pompeii in 79 CE. But when the town was resurrected 1700…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How Narco States Work
In this episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck discuss Narco States, places where illegal drugs are traded openly with government support -- or…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Mystery of The Grand Canyon Newlyweds
In 1928 Bessie and Glen Hyde attempted to navigate their way through the belly of the Grand Canyon in a homemade boat. They disappeared without a trace and…
- Stuff You Should Know
What is a Mold-A-Rama?
In the 1960s, a very cool machine debuted at the Seattle World's Fair - the Mold-A-Rama. It made real plastic toys on-demand from melted plastic pellets, to…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How Lion Taming Works
Bossing a lion around in front of a crowd at a circus has been an attraction for 200 years, but exactly how lion tamers get their captive wild animals to…
- Stuff You Should Know
Marijuana Vs. Alcohol: Which Is Worse For You?
It's been the subject of teenage conversation for decades already, but now you can join Josh and Chuck as they dive into the science of how pot and booze…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Manson Family Murders Part II
Listen in today for the conclusion of the story of the Manson Family Murders. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com See…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: Prisons - Not as Fun as You'd Think
Most people have a basic understanding of how prisons work, but it's often heavily influenced by fiction. What's it really like behind those bars? In this…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Manson Family Murders Part I
The '60s ended with a lot of turbulence, not the least of which was the Manson Family Murders. What made Charles Manson so alluring to his family? What makes…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Hoarding Works
You may be familiar with compulsive hoarding from TV, but something that’s often missing from those shows and the news is the deep and overwhelming shame that…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: Lab-grown meat: Order up!
Since Winston Churchill predicted we'd grow meat in a lab by 1981, researchers have considered doing just that. And thanks to the current work of about 30…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Hang Gliding Works
It’s a super 70s thing, sure, but hang gliding is a thrill ride for the ages. So strap in with Josh and Chuck and learn all about the earliest method of human…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Removing Public Monuments Work
Public monuments can be removed for a variety of reasons, from public sentiment changing, to governments being overthrown, to just being downright ugly. Learn…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: The Wind Cries Typhoid Mary
In the 19th century, typhoid was considered a disease of the lower classes. When an outbreak occurred in wealthy Oyster Bay, New York, a mystery was afoot…
- Stuff You Should Know
What is an invasive species?
Invasive species can mean a lot of things, from fungus to feral pigs and European starlings to kudzu vines. Basically, it's anything brought to a place, either…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Mystery of the Mary Celeste
When the Mary Celeste was discovered floating and abandoned in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean one day in 1872, the legend of the ghost ship was born. Why did…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: What Makes a One-hit Wonder?
The term "one-hit wonder" gets thrown around a lot, and - yes - you probably are using it correctly, but Chuck Bryant went to the trouble to really define what…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Impeachment Works
Impeachment is does not necessarily mean a president is removed from office. But it could. It's a fascinating procedure that has been crafted and shaped over…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Orchids Work
Ever since Victorian orchid hunters ravaged the tropics in search of unique specimens to sell for ludicrous amounts of money, the West has been gripped by…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How Willpower Works
You use it every day to overcome your lower self (which wants you to eat cake until your vision blurs) in pursuit of the goals of your higher self (which wants…
- Stuff You Should Know
How the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Works, Part II
We finish our tour of the best sights of the ancient world when we get deep into the history of a lighthouse that stood for 1200 years, an unsettling statue of…
- Stuff You Should Know
How the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Works, Part I
Long before slide rulers and pocket protectors, civilizations across the world used their noggins to build some impressive structures. Almost all have crumbled…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: The Star Wars Holiday Special of 1978
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 can never…
- Stuff You Should Know
The 2017 SYSK Christmas Extravaganza!
It's the most wonderful episode of the year! Join Josh and Chuck as they ride their sleigh through the debate over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie, the…
- Stuff You Should Know
Narcissism: But what about me?
This week Josh and Chuck dive into the world of narcissism, one of the most perplexing and disturbing disorders humans can have. Learn all you ever cared to…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How Population Works
Population may not seem like the most scintillating topic in the world, but Josh and Chuck beg to differ. Join them as they explore how population works, from…
- Stuff You Should Know
How the Globe of Death Works
The Globe of Death – el Globo de la Muerte to our Spanish-speaking friends – is perhaps the greatest of all the circus arts. It requires no smoke, no mirrors…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Deal With Doulas
The word doula in Ancient Greek might mean "female servant" but it's really not a great description of the 21st century job. Doulas are birth coaches who help…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How much money is there in the world?
There are few things more futile than trying to count all of the money in the world. Even many governments have no idea how much currency they have issued. But…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Flight Attendants Work
Flight attendants have come a long way. From having to put up with rampant sexism, to the current incarnation as your first line of defense in case of an…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Vomit Phobia Works
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 vomit at…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How Crime Scene Cleanup Works
Cleaning up crime scenes is a niche industry that's both lucrative and messy. In this episode, Josh and Chuck take a look at how crime-scene clean-up works…
- Stuff You Should Know
Cake: So Great. So, So Great
Cake has been around for a long time, but mostly less than great forms. It took the Industrial Revolution, the advent of plentiful sugar, and some good old…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Toy Testing Works
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 of the…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How Organ Donation Works
In this week's SYSK Select episode, tune in as Josh and Chuck take a detailed look at organ donation -- from the earliest organ transplants to the organ black…
- Stuff You Should Know
What is nuclear forensics?
Nuclear forensics is a lot of things - from UN sponsored inspections to tasks more on the down low. But either way, the job of these men and women is to root…
- Stuff You Should Know
Bath Salts: Steer Clear
Although much of the media-fueled hysteria over the designer drug called bath salts has been utterly unfounded, especially when it comes to driving users to…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How Daylight Saving Time Works
In this week's SYSK Select episode, Benjamin Franklin first came up with daylight saving time in 1748, and people still practice it today. But how does it…
- Stuff You Should Know
Can movies be cursed?
First of all, movies can't be cursed because curses aren't real. However, that can't stop Josh and Chuck from taking a look at some movies throughout history…
- Stuff You Should Know
How the Flu Works
Every year the flu virus makes the rounds, laying up young and old alike for days before moving on to another hapless victim. But flu viruses can mutate and…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How Silly Putty Works
In this week's SYSK Select episode, when the Japanese invaded Southeast Asia in World War II, they cut off America's rubber supply. Luckily, American can-do…
- Stuff You Should Know
What's permaculture all about?
Permaculture is a growing trend in the world of farming and home landscaping. It's basically a design principle that emphasizes sustainability and the…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Restaurant Health Inspections Work
If you've ever worked in a restaurant, you know the feeling that occurs when the health inspector pays a visit. While nerve wracking, it's the best insurance…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How Exorcism Works
In this week's SYSK Select episode, is the idea of possession a misunderstanding of physiological and psychological conditions, or has science failed to…
- Stuff You Should Know
Movie Crush: Tig Notaro on Mask
Episode two of Movie Crush is a very special one. Comedian Tig Notaro dropped in minutes after a very important, life changing phone call to chat with Chuck…
- Stuff You Should Know
Movie Crush: Janet Varney on Tron
This week Movie Crush launches with two great episodes. Up first, actress Janet Varney talks with Chuck about the movie Tron and how much it means to her…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Global Warming Works
It's a confusing part of climate change when it seems winter is as cold as ever, but as global temperatures creep ever so slightly higher, a cascade of…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK's 2017 Super Spooktacular!
In this year's super scary Halloween episode, Chuck and Josh read two great works of horror fiction: Gifts, by our very own Ed Grabianowski, and the classic…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK Selects: How SPAM Works
In this week's SYSK Select episode, SPAM is a canned meat product made from pork shoulder and ham. First introduced in 1937, this iconic food has spread to…
- Stuff You Should Know
Episode 1,000: The Simpsons Spectacular Part II
Today concludes our two part celebration of one of the greatest TV shows of all time - The Simpsons! It also officially marks our 1,000th episode. Can you…
- Stuff You Should Know
Episode 999: The Simpsons Spectacular Part I
For our 999th and 1,000th episodes, we go down the rabbit hole on a TV show that quite literally altered popular culture as we know it. The Simpsons has been…