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
Rice is Nice
Rice may be the most eaten food on the planet, accounting for 50% of the caloric intake of Asian countries and 25% worldwide. Learn all about this edible…
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: Rockettes: Still Kicking After All These Years
Tune in to this classic episode to learn all about the legendary NYC Rockettes, who actually got their start in Missouri. See omnystudio.com/listener for…
- Stuff You Should Know
Graffiti: So Cool It’s A Pillar of Hip Hop
Graffiti – the good kind, done with lots of style and skill – developed when some kids in NYC took up cans of spray paint and started to figure out…
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: Victorian Flower Language
What do you do when you want to tell someone you’re smitten with them but you live in a society so repressive decorum prevents you from even speaking…
- Stuff You Should Know
AM Radio: Solid Gold
The era of AM radio isn't over, but it's well past its heyday. Dive in today for a trip down memory lane. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: How Personality Tests Work
For millennia, we have tried to put human personalities into neat types, an effort psychology took up early in its history in an effort to legitimize itself…
- Stuff You Should Know
Pop Tarts: No Fruit Necessary
Pop Tarts are a legendary breakfast treat in the United States. They're fruit-filled toaster pastries with very little fruit. But who cares right? It's all…
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: Third Man Syndrome
People who’ve found themselves in life-or-death situations with their endurance at its limit have reported sensing another presence with them, urging…
- Stuff You Should Know
Eco-Disasters 101: The Salton Sea
In 1905, an engineering mistake created a brand new 400-square-mile sea (lake?) in the California desert. People made the most of it at first, but it…
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: How Conversion Therapy Doesn't Work
Conversion therapy is a misguided attempt by religious zealots to convert people from gay to straight. News flash - it doesn't work. Learn all about this…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Mystery of the Death Valley Germans
In 1996, a small group of German tourists disappeared in Death Valley National Park without a trace. Fifteen years later, the tenacity of one man solved the…
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: "Peace" Pipes
Did Native Americans really smoke peace pipes? Well yes and no. They smoked pipes for many reasons, sometimes to commemorate peace. But they never called them…
- Stuff You Should Know
What To Do With All This Nuclear Waste?
You can make a case that it’s a little off-putting to learn the world doesn’t really have any idea what to do with the nuclear waste we’ve…
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: How Extinction Works
Scientists believe that 99% of the estimated 50 billion species that have ever lived on Earth have disappeared through extinction. This is a natural process…
- Stuff You Should Know
SYSK's 2025 Shocktober Halloween Spooktacular
Co-producer Ben knocked it out of the park again, taking the two classic horror stories we read for our annual Spooktacular - Caterpillars and The Deep Drowse…
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: The Bell Witch
A legend in Tennessee tells of the real-life Bell family, who were haunted back in 1817 by a ghost witch - arguably the worst kind of either of those things…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: Masterpiece
There aren’t too many independent horror movies that make the British Film Institute’s 250 Best Films Ever Made list – AND – make an…
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: The Great Finger in the Wendy’s Chili Caper
In 2005 a woman named Anna Alaya discovered a length of human finger – nail and all – in her Wendy’s chili. Her cries of disgust would set…
- Stuff You Should Know
THE HUMAN SCREAM
Have you ever thought much about screaming? Well we have, and today you'll learn everything we learned. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: Curse of Broken Mirrors
It's seven years' bad luck for you if you break a mirror, buddy, sorry. But have you ever wondered why? People have come up with all sorts of great reasons…
- Stuff You Should Know
[Insert Your Own Catchy Title About Younger Dryas Here]
Quick, name your favorite geological mystery. You can’t do it! Well, don’t worry. In this episode we’re going to tell you all about what will…
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: How ESP Works (?)
Even though almost half of Americans believe in it, ESP usually is treated as a load of bull by skeptics. But some respected researchers have dared to apply…
- Stuff You Should Know
VH-1: MTV for Your Parents
Today we complete our music video duology with a dive into the mellow pool of VH-1. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: China's Corpse Walkers
If you died away from home but wanted to be buried there, don’t worry – Taoist priests had you covered. They’d just have your animated corpse…
- Stuff You Should Know
We want our MTV!
If you've ever wanted to hear a couple of Gen X'ers wax nostalgic about MTV, then you're in luck. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: How Schoolhouse Rock Rocked: Featuring Bob Nastanovich of Pavement
Schoolhouse Rock is possibly the best children's program of all time. Join Josh and Chuck in this classic episode as they tell the story of SR, featuring an…
- Stuff You Should Know
Everyone Deserves A Good Death
The concept of hospice was created as a way to help people with only a few weeks to live spend their last days comfortable an surrounded by friends and family…
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: The Call is Coming... FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE
Did you know that the "the call is coming from inside the house" urban legend may be based on a very grisly murder case from the 1950s? See…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Happy Place of Saturday Morning Cartoons
The greatest period in the history of humankind took place in the short era between 1970 and 1995. During that time kids could tune in every Saturday morning…
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: How Mail Order Marriages Work
Everybody knows mail order marriages are at best a last resort for jerks looking to boss a foreign spouse around or, at worst, a front for human trafficking…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Mystery of the Sleepy Sickness
Back in the early 1900s, a new pandemic happened out of nowhere with odd symptoms, that was never solved or cured. It just went away. Which means it's right up…
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: La Lechuza - The Witch Owl
Today we kick off the scariest month with the legend of La Lechuza - The Witch Owl. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Stuff You Should Know
Why Would Anyone Want to Appease Hitler?
It seems ridiculously irresponsible with the benefit of hindsight, but the concept of giving Hitler everything he wanted was the policy among the UK and France…
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: How Area 51 Works
The secret military base Area 51 is inextricably linked to every secret, shady project the US government is rumored to be involved in – from…
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Hinterkaifeck Axe Murders
In 1922, a little farm in the woods of Bavaria became the site of what would become Germany’s most famous unsolved murder, when six people were brutally…
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: SYSK Live: The DB Cooper Heist
Join Josh and Chuck live from Seattle as they (sky)dive into one of the most brazen robberies in the annals of crime and the only unsolved airline hijacking in…
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: Who Committed the 1912 Villisca Ax Murders?
In a small town in Iowa in 1912 eight people were murdered in the grisliest of ways while they slept. Local reputations were ruined when accusations flew, but…
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Tylenol Murders, Part I
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 bottles…
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping
The largest ever kidnapping case in the United States went down in the small town of Chowchilla, CA. Learn all about it today. See omnystudio.com/listener for…
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Tylenol Murders, Part II
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 one has…
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Tale of the Bloody Benders
Long before we knew what serial killers were, a family in remote Kansas was disposing of victims at their family farm. Listen in to the Tale of the Bloody…
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Harvey’s Casino Bombing of 1980
In August of 1980 a bomb containing 1,000 pounds of dynamite was quietly delivered to Harvey’s, a casino and resort at Lake Tahoe. This kicked off a…
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Strange Unsolved Murder of Ken McElroy
The murder of Ken McElroy comes off like a story from a cheap paperback book you’d get to read on a plane. But this is a true crime story, set in…
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Harrowing Story of the North Hollywood Shootout
Tune in today to listen to the story of when North Hollywood became a war zone after a brazen bank robbery. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: The Unsolved Indiana Dunes Disappearances
In July 1966, three women out for a day at the beach waded into the water of Lake Michigan, got onto a boat and were never heard from again. To this day, not a…
Stuff You Should KnowSYSK’s Fall True Crime Playlist: How The Great Train Robbery Worked
In 1963, 15 men got together in England to pull off one of the most daring heists in history. The Great Train Robbery was the crime of the century, capturing…
- Stuff You Should Know
A Tribute To The Far Side
The Far Side is one of the greatest cartoons in history. Today we go to great lengths to convince you of that. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: Death Cap Mushroom
The death cap mushroom lives up to its name. It’s a mushroom cap that causes death. Find out why. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Stuff You Should Know
Tdhtdhtdhtdhtdh: Sound Effects!
Sound effects are one of the unsung parts of any movie or TV show – they’re best when you don’t even notice them making what you see on…
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: Slime Mold: 0% Mold, 100% Amazing
If you’ve ever wandered past what looked like a pile of dog barf on a log during a hike in the woods, you’d just seen slime mold - one of the most…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment
As part of our shameful history series, today we dive into the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments of the 1930s, 40s, 50s, 60s and into the 70s. See…
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: Killing a Dead Body
If you try to kill someone who was already dead is that a bad thing? Yeah? How bad? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
- Stuff You Should Know
What was the Four Pests Campaign?
Say one thing about Mao's communist China, they could kill some sparrows. Learn why and how in today's episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy…
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: What's the deal with subpoenas?
Subpoenas are all the rage. But what do they even mean if someone can just ignore it? Learn this and a lot more in this classic episode. See…
- Stuff You Should Know
You’re So Good At Conversation!
It’s an understated miracle that humans can get across ideas to one another by saying things out loud. We’re strangely good at not constantly…
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: North Sentinel Island
One of the last uncontacted people in the world live in the Bay of Bengal and they have made it clear they don’t want you to visit. See…
- Stuff You Should Know
The Man with the Golden Arm
Aussie James Harrison gave blood close to 1,200 times over a 60 year period and saved 2.5 million babies in the process. That makes him a hero. See…
- Stuff You Should Know
Selects: Noise Pollution: Arrrgh!
If you’ve ever found your blood pressure rising because some guy down the street doesn’t know how to keep the trigger on a leaf blower pulled all…
- Stuff You Should Know
America’s Militarized Police
In the 1960s, America took stock of itself when scores of low-income cities broke out in riots. It found that racism was at the root of many social problems…
Stuff You Should KnowShort Stuff: The Mpemba Effect
Why does water seem to freeze faster when it starts out warmer? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.