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
Body Odor: You Stink
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 people…
- Stuff You Should Know
Was Atlantis a real place?
While the search for Atlantis has been pushed to the fringes since the 19th century, archaeologists have quietly pursued cities that may have inspired Plato to…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Diamonds Work
There's no denying that diamonds are pretty -- but where do they come from, and why are they so expensive? Join Chuck and Josh as they explore everything about…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Music Sampling Works
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 music…
- Stuff You Should Know
10 Big Cases of Revenge
Who doesn't love a good story about comeuppance? Whether served cold or piping hot, revenge is an ancient idea -- and history is filled with acts of vengeance…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Tipping Works
Tipping is commonly expected in some places, such as U.S. restaurants. Yet this practice varies across cultures. Join trivia gurus (and former waiters) Josh…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Comic Books: Live from SXSW
Although you might not be a fan of comic books, there's no denying that they have a fascinating place in American history. And -- as if that wasn't interesting…
- Stuff You Should Know
How the Donner Party Worked
Did they or didn't they? There is plenty of written evidence that the ill-fated Donner Party resorted to cannibalism - except there are no bones. Learn the…
- Stuff You Should Know
Should chimps be used for medical testing?
If you've got half a heart it's an easy question to answer. But if you're happy living without polio and hepatitis B you may want to question further. Learn…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Noah's Ark Worked
Stories of a great flood and a man who managed to stay afloat while the world drowned abound in ancient traditions. Join Josh and Chuck as they explore the…
- Stuff You Should Know
Duels: A guide to throwing down the gauntlet
Pretty much everything you know about duels is true - it's a challenge to violence to defend honor. But did you know the U.S. Navy used to publish detailed…
- Stuff You Should Know
How SETI Works
SETI stands for 'search for extraterrestrial intelligence,' and the term is used to describe both the SETI institute and the search for alien life in general…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Crying Works
You probably did it around 70 times last year, yet you probably don't understand the psychological and physiological processes at work when you cried. Don't…
- Stuff You Should Know
Fasting: deadly or what?
Avoiding food for religious or health reasons has been around for millennia. But while God may appreciate the sacrifice, how does it affect the body? Join Josh…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Autopsies Work
In the 400th episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck take a trip through the morgue and look over the shoulders of the often controversial coroners…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Zero Works
Few numbers have as storied a past as zero. Even fewer have had as great an impact on our ability to understand our universe. Yet zero is a relatively recent…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Coral Reefs Work
Coral reefs are the largest organic structures on Earth, yet they're created through a symbiotic relationship between creatures about 3 millimeters long. Learn…
- Stuff You Should Know
Pickpockets: Artists or Crooks?
There aren't many criminal pursuits that are as storied as pickpocketing, and some people fondly reminisce over its heyday. Learn why some consider…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Floods Work
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 havoc…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Human Trafficking Works
Despite worldwide prohibitions, slavery still exists. Slaves are forced or coerced into prostitution or made to work in deplorable factory conditions. Yet…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Mexican Wrestling Works
Perhaps it's the colorful masks or the high-flying, rapid-fire acrobatic moves. Whatever it is, there's something uniquely and particularly entrancing about…
- Stuff You Should Know
Are contrails actually chemtrails?
You know those trails that jets leave in the sky? While science has explained why they happen, plenty of conspiracy theorists believe there's more to it. Join…
- Stuff You Should Know
What's the deal with the Bermuda Triangle?
There's roughly 500,000 squares miles encompassed in a triangle with points in Miami, Bermuda and San Juan. There shouldn't be anything different about this…
- Stuff You Should Know
Can you vacation in Antarctica?
The answer is yes, but there's a lot more to traveling to the southernmost continent. Learn why emperor penguins don't make eye contact with humans, which…
- Stuff You Should Know
Was there a curse on King Tut's tomb?
When Howard Carter opened Tutankhamen's tomb, some believe he unleashed a curse on everyone associated with his expedition. But there's no such thing as a…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Yo-Yos Work
You may have played with a yo-yo before -- perhaps you've even walked the dog -- but do you know about the physics behind what makes a yo-yo sleep and wake up?…
- Stuff You Should Know
Coffee: The World's Drug of Choice
There's a 98 percent chance you're drinking coffee right now. Maybe not, sure, but coffee is ubiquitous - about 80 percent of Americans consume coffee and…
- Stuff You Should Know
What happens in the brain during an orgasm?
Chuck and Josh test the limits of their decorum as they explore the physiology of an orgasm. Learn all about this inexplicably taboo subject (including how…
- Stuff You Should Know
Josh and Chuck's Christmas Extravaganza
Have you ever wondered why the poinsettia is the official plant of Christmas or why we hang stockings by the chimney with care? Join Chuck and Josh for this…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Pepper Spray Works
Lt. John Pike of the Davis, Calif., police department brought the wrath of the Internet on himself when he casually doused peaceful protestors with pepper…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Earthworms Work
Earthworms come in a wide range of sizes: The average U.S. earthworm is 6 to 11 inches long, and the giant worms of Australia and South America can grow to a…
- Stuff You Should Know
How the Digestive System Works
The digestive system uses mechanical and chemical processes to absorb and transport all the nutrients your body needs to survive -- but how does it work? In…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Daylight Saving Time Works
Benjamin Franklin first came up with daylight saving time in 1748, and people still practice it today. But how does it work? What are the pros and cons? Join…
- Stuff You Should Know
What made the donkey and the elephant political?
Sure we take it for granted the elephant represents the Republican party and the donkey Democrats, but have you ever wondered why? Josh and Chuck explore the…
- Stuff You Should Know
Cash Debit or Credit: Which is best?
Chuck and Josh take a stab at answering the age old question of whether cash or plastic is the best choice for paying your way through life. Join them as they…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Thoroughbred Horses Work
It's been just 300 years since the Thoroughbred breed has been around, but it has produced some of the most storied animals humans have ever loved. Chuck and…
- Stuff You Should Know
Crossbows: They Look Cool
Sure, they look cool. It's as if someone put a bow and a rifle together, but in fact crossbows predate firearms by a few thousand years. Learn all about the…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Air Force One Works
As you might imagine, the President of the United States doesn't fly coach. But what exactly does he use when traveling from point A to point B, and how does…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Alcatraz Works
Sure, you've heard stories about Alcatraz. From high-profile escape attempts to tales of notorious inmates, the Rock is unique in American history. But how did…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Presidential Debates Work
The first televised Presidential debate had some odd results: The radio audience tended to believe Nixon won, while television viewers supported Kennedy…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Gene Patents Work
Should a company be able to own the rights to something found inside your own body? In this episode, Chuck and Josh delve into the complicated, controversial…
- Stuff You Should Know
What Saved the American Bison
The pre-colonial range of the American bison stretched from Canada to Mexico. From 1820 to 1880, the population dwindled from 30 million to just over 1,000…
- Stuff You Should Know
How the Autobahn Works
The autobahn has an international reputation, and people around the world love the notion of driving on a road with no speed limits -- but how true is this…
- Stuff You Should Know
Berenice
It's Halloween again, and this year Chuck and Josh are ringing in the holiday with a special reading of the short story "Berenice," by Edgar Allan Poe. Tune in…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Anti-matter Spacecraft Will Work
There may be a Bizarro World in our universe. Every particle has a mirror image with a reverse electrical charge, and when these opposites meet an energy…
- Stuff You Should Know
Do you lose the right to privacy when you die?
If you live in a place where privacy is protected, the legal system keeps prying eyes from your personal information. But does that privacy extend beyond…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Nile IS Just a River in Egypt
The Nile River has been flowing south to north for about 30 million years, and the human race's cradle may have been along the Blue Nile stemming from…
- Stuff You Should Know
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
A Podcast on Zoot Suits? Yes
Few riots can be attributed to passing fashions, but zoot suits are top among them. After originating among the Harlem Renaissance crowd, the zoot suit came to…
- Stuff You Should Know
How the Peace Corps Works
Since its inception, the Peace Corps has sent 200,000 members to 193 countries to deliver aid and good will through know-how rather than direct funding. Learn…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Silly Putty Works
When the Japanese invaded Southeast Asia in World War II, they cut off America's rubber supply. Luckily, American can-do created a synthetic rubber and saved…
- Stuff You Should Know
How U.S. Marshals Work
Thought Chuck and Josh had already covered every law enforcement agency? Think again. The Marshals Service is the oldest law enforcement branch in the land…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Sword Swallowing Works
Houdini suggested that sword swallowing was merely a trick. But there's no sleight of hand or throat to this ancient practice. Practitioners really do swallow…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Family Crests Work
After 800 years of creating coats and crests, some meaning has been lost to history, but much has been retained and is still in use. Find out what a mullet on…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Acne Works
Over the course of our lives, 80 percent of us will experience acne. Ultimately, acne comes down to one thing, a blockage in the sebaceous gland. Learn what…
- Stuff You Should Know
How the Moon Works
Did you know that science still doesn't know the exact origin of the moon? Do you know how the moon creates high and low tides? Do you know the difference…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Casinos Work
Gambling predates the written word; dice made of bones have been discovered at prehistoric sites. Today, the concept of amassing a fortune in moments remains…
- Stuff You Should Know
How the World Trade Center Memorial Works
The World Trade Center was once a global symbol of progress. Since the attacks of Sept. 11, the area has undergone a massive rebuilding process. Chuck and Josh…
- Stuff You Should Know
10 Scientists Who Were Their Own Guinea Pigs
Over the centuries, some scientists have concluded that the best test subject is looking at them in the mirror. Join Josh and Chuck as they explore 10…
- Stuff You Should Know
How Lie Detectors Work
Instead of actually detecting lies, polygraph machines sense physiological variations, ostensibly brought on by guilt. The results are subject to…