Shows / Elsewhere
Elsewhere
Most explainer podcasts treat international news like vegetables your mom made you eat. Tyla Cooper actually makes geopolitics interesting. The former high school teacher turned globe-trotting storyteller breaks down complex world events like he's talking to his smartest friend over coffee, not reading from a Wikipedia page. Every episode tackles one major story happening right now, from trade wars to border disputes to political shake-ups that actually matter. Cooper connects the dots between…
Episodes
- Elsewhere
The CIA Coup That Created 70 Years of Middle East Chaos
What if one $100,000 CIA operation changed the entire Middle East forever? In 1953, Kermit Roosevelt Jr. walked into Tehran with a briefcase full of cash and…
- Elsewhere
Henry Kissinger: Strategic Genius or War Criminal?
Henry Kissinger commanded global respect as America's master strategist, but the numbers behind his decisions tell a darker story. Between 1969-1973, the US…
- Elsewhere
Why the Pacific Ocean Controls Your Weather (And Most People Don't Know It)
Ever wonder why Seattle gets so much rain while Los Angeles stays sunny? The answer isn't geography - it's the Pacific Ocean pulling the strings on your…
- Elsewhere
How Teenagers in Basements Are Building Smart Weapons That Terrify Generals
A sixteen-year-old in Kyiv just figured out how to turn a $400 hobbyist drone into a weapon that can take out a $4 million tank. Tyler Cooper breaks down how…
- Elsewhere
The CIA Coup That Changed Everything: How America Destroyed Iran's Democracy in 1953
What if I told you that America once destroyed a thriving democracy to protect oil profits? In 1953, the CIA spent just $100,000 to topple Iran's…
- Elsewhere
Why 61% of Americans Think the CIA Killed JFK
What if the reason 61% of Americans think the CIA killed JFK isn't actually about the evidence, but about what happens when governments keep secrets for 60…
- Elsewhere
What Oppenheimer Got Wrong About Nuclear Bombs (The Real Physics)
Ever wonder what would happen if you split just 0.7 grams of matter into pure energy? That tiny amount created the mushroom cloud over Hiroshima. In this…
- Elsewhere
How Israel's War Just Triggered World War 3
What if the regional conflict you've been watching unfold is actually the opening act of something much bigger? Tyler Cooper breaks down how Iran's network of…
- Elsewhere
The $10,000 Video Equipment That Ruined My Channel
Tyler Cooper bought $10,000 worth of video equipment for his first YouTube channel. The result? His worst-performing content ever. Turns out the gear that was…
- Elsewhere
Why Xi Jinping's Map Just Started World War 3 (On Paper)
China just dropped a map that has five countries ready to fight. Tyler Cooper breaks down how a piece of paper became the most controversial document in Asia…
- Elsewhere
The Vox Application That Beat 2,847 Candidates (Full Breakdown)
What if the person who beat 2,847 other applicants for a dream job at Vox wasn't the most qualified candidate? Tyler Cooper breaks down the exact strategy that…
- Elsewhere
How Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook Enabled Genocide in Myanmar
What if a social media platform designed to connect people actually helped orchestrate genocide? In this episode, Tyler Cooper exposes how Facebook's reckless…
- Elsewhere
The Travel Mistake 90% of People Make (That Ruins Their First Day)
What if I told you 73% of business travelers eat at McDonald's in Rome? That's not just sad, it's a complete waste of your first precious day in a new city. In…
- Elsewhere
Why 22% of Americans Think the Moon Landing Was Fake
Picture this: more than 50 million Americans believe one of humanity's greatest achievements never actually happened. In this episode, Tyler Cooper digs into…
- Elsewhere
Why Elon Musk Says College Is a Waste of Time (He's Half Right)
Elon Musk calls college "basically for fun" and says you're better off dropping out to start a company. But here's what the Tesla CEO won't tell you: he's only…
- Elsewhere
The $4 Billion Olive Oil Scam That Fooled Everyone
That bottle of extra virgin olive oil in your kitchen? There's a 50% chance it's completely fake. Tyler Cooper exposes the shocking truth behind a $4 billion…
- Elsewhere
The $15,000 Studio Mistake That Nearly Killed My Channel
What if spending $15,000 on your dream studio actually made your content worse? Tyler Cooper thought bigger meant better when he built his professional setup…
- Elsewhere
How Somali Fishermen Became the World's Most Feared Pirates
You know how Hollywood makes piracy look glamorous? Johnny Depp swashbuckling his way across the Caribbean? The real story of modern pirates is way more…
- Elsewhere
I Tracked Every Memory for 365 Days. Here's What I Discovered.
Quick question: How much of your life can you actually remember? If you're like most people, it's probably way less than you think. Tyler Cooper spent an…
- Elsewhere
The $2 Trillion Lie: How Bush's Team Sold Iraq War Before Threat Assessment
Ever wonder how a government sells a $2 trillion war to its own people before even checking if the threat is real? Tyler Cooper breaks down the leaked…
- Elsewhere
Why Your Brain Sabotages Learning (And How to Hijack It Back)
Your brain has exactly one job: keep you alive. Learning new skills? Not on the survival priority list. In this episode, Tyler Cooper breaks down why your mind…
- Elsewhere
Why Joe Rogan Makes $100M While CNN Loses Millions
Why does Joe Rogan make $100 million while CNN bleeds viewers and cash? Tyler Cooper breaks down how a Boston comedian turned controversial conversations into…
- Elsewhere
I'm Dyslexic: What My Brain Actually Does When I Try to Read
About 40% of self-made millionaires have dyslexia. That's nearly four times higher than the general population. What's going on here? Tyler Cooper breaks down…
- Elsewhere
The Chinese Spy Network That Fooled the CIA for 15 Years
What if I told you that for 15 years, Chinese intelligence ran circles around the CIA using a network so simple it was brilliant? In this episode, Tyler Cooper…
- Elsewhere
The $44 Billion Industry That Knows Everything About You
What if that credit card offer in your mailbox knew you bought coffee at 7:42am last Tuesday? Tyler Cooper breaks down the $44 billion junk mail machine that…
- Elsewhere
How Joseph Smith Went From Digging for Gold to Creating America's Fastest Growing Church
Joseph Smith went from digging holes looking for buried treasure to founding a religion with 17 million followers worldwide. In this episode, Tyler Cooper…
- Elsewhere
How The Dutch Turned Drowning Into Billions: The Flood Engineering That Built Amsterdam
What if I told you a country that's literally sinking built one of the world's richest economies by declaring war on water itself? Tyler Cooper reveals how the…
- Elsewhere
Why Xi Jinping Just Won the Cold War (And Biden Doesn't Know It Yet)
What if I told you the Cold War never actually ended - it just took a 30-year intermission? Tyler Cooper breaks down how China quietly built an economic empire…
- Elsewhere
How America Stole 50 Islands in 50 Years (The Empire Nobody Talks About)
What if America built a secret empire that most people don't even know exists? Tyler Cooper reveals how the U.S. quietly grabbed 50 islands in just 50 years…
- Elsewhere
The $2B Media Collapse That Made Me Start My Own Channel
A veteran journalist just launched something that could change how news gets made. While traditional newsrooms fire thousands of reporters, Tyler Cooper breaks…
- Elsewhere
My 2019 Travel List Predicted Every Instagram Hotspot You Love
What if that random travel list you made in 2019 accidentally predicted every Instagram hotspot your feed is obsessed with today? Tyler Cooper dug up his old…
- Elsewhere
Why Mark Zuckerberg Is Wrong About Deepfake Detection in 2026
Can your smartphone tell the difference between Mark Zuckerberg and a deepfake of Mark Zuckerberg anymore? Spoiler alert: probably not. Tyler Cooper just…
- Elsewhere
What 47 Real Questions Reveal About What You Actually Want to Know
Ever wonder what really keeps people up at night thinking? Tyler Cooper collected 47 real questions from Elsewhere listeners, and the patterns reveal something…
- Elsewhere
How America Stole Puerto Rico and Made 3.2 Million People Second-Class Citizens
What if I told you that 3.2 million Americans can't vote for president, have no say in Congress, and live under laws they never agreed to? In this episode…
- Elsewhere
I Used Music to Hack My Focus for 90 Days. Here's What Happened.
What if I told you that the right song could literally rewire your brain for peak performance? Tyler Cooper spent 90 days turning music into his secret…
- Elsewhere
The $800 Billion Military Shift China Doesn't Want You to Know About
What if everything you think you know about American military strategy is completely wrong? Tyler Cooper breaks down the biggest military realignment since…
- Elsewhere
Why Vox Borders Failed: The $2 Million Lesson Every Media Company Ignores
What if Vox spent $2 million creating one of YouTube's most acclaimed documentary series, only to cancel it when it was just hitting its stride? Tyler Cooper…
- Elsewhere
The Pentagon's Secret Plan to Kill Americans in 1962
What if your own government planned to kill you to start a war? In 1962, that nightmare nearly became reality when Pentagon officials secretly drafted…
- Elsewhere
Why Every Map on Earth Still Revolves Around This Small British Town
Why does every map, GPS, and timezone on Earth revolve around a tiny town outside London that most people can't even pronounce correctly? In this episode…
- Elsewhere
How the U.S. Government Stole a Whole State From Native Americans in 1907
Picture this: the U.S. government promises Native American tribes their own sovereign state, then systematically dismantles that promise through one of the…
- Elsewhere
How America Bought the Middle East for $3.8 Billion (Then Lost It All)
What if I told you America bought control of the entire Middle East for less than the cost of a single F-35 fighter jet? In this episode, Tyler Cooper reveals…
- Elsewhere
Why Trump's $50 Trillion Greenland Dream Could Start World War 3
What if I told you that a giant ice cube melting could spark the next world war? In this episode, Tyler Cooper breaks down why Greenland just became the most…
- Elsewhere
Why Swiss Mountains Fix Your Brain (Neuroscience Explains)
Ever wonder why Swiss mountains literally rewire your brain for happiness? Tyler Cooper breaks down the neuroscience behind why Italy and Switzerland aren't…
- Elsewhere
Nancy Pelosi Beat Warren Buffett: How Politicians Make Millions Trading Stocks
Ever wonder why Nancy Pelosi's stock picks crush Warren Buffett's returns? Tyler Cooper digs into the shocking reality of politicians trading stocks with…
- Elsewhere
The 3 Geographic Accidents That Made NYC America's Richest City
Why is New York City so ridiculously huge compared to every other American city? Tyler Cooper breaks down the three geographic accidents that turned a tiny…
- Elsewhere
Sudan's $3 Billion Gold Rush: How Resources Fueled a Civil War
Ever wonder how a country sitting on billions in gold ends up destroying itself? Tyler Cooper breaks down Sudan's brutal civil war, where two military factions…
- Elsewhere
Why California Firefighters Actually Start Forest Fires (It's Not What You Think)
What if I told you California firefighters sometimes start fires on purpose to prevent bigger disasters? Tyler Cooper reveals why this counterintuitive…
- Elsewhere
How 57,000 Greenlanders Survive -40°F Winters (Ancient Tricks Climate Change Is Killing)
Imagine surviving four months of complete darkness where temperatures drop to -40°F and your nearest neighbor lives 50 miles away. Tyler Cooper explores how…
- Elsewhere
Why America and Canada Are Still Fighting Over This Tiny Rock
What if I told you America and Canada have been locked in a passive-aggressive border dispute for over 150 years... over a rock barely bigger than a city…
- Elsewhere
The $1.6 Trillion Nuclear Dream That Became America's Biggest Energy Nightmare
Nuclear power was supposed to be America's clean energy future. Instead, it became a $1.6 trillion lesson in how big dreams can turn into bigger nightmares. In…
- Elsewhere
What Flat Earth Believers Get Right About Human Psychology
What if the people who think Earth is flat actually understand something important about human psychology that the rest of us are missing? Tyler Cooper digs…
- Elsewhere
Robert Peary vs Frederick Cook: Who Really Reached the North Pole First?
Two explorers claim they reached the North Pole first in 1909. Only one is telling the truth. Tyler Cooper investigates the bitter rivalry between Robert Peary…
- Elsewhere
The Real Reason Young Voters Are Giving Up on Democracy
Why are millions of young Americans walking away from voting when their future hangs in the balance? Tyler Cooper digs into the real psychology behind voter…
- Elsewhere
Kim Jong Il's $2 Billion Hollywood: How North Korea Kidnapped Its Way to Propaganda Gold
What if the world's most isolated dictatorship actually runs one of history's most sophisticated propaganda machines? Tyler Cooper reveals how North Korea's…
- Elsewhere
Why Canada's Mountains Look Exactly Like Switzerland (The Geology Nobody Talks About)
Ever wonder why those Instagram photos from Banff look exactly like Switzerland postcards? Tyler Cooper cracks the geological code that explains why Canada's…
- Elsewhere
The 400 Treaties America Broke: How the US Government Colonized Its Own Land
What if the "land of the free" was built on 374 broken promises? Tyler Cooper uncovers how the US government didn't just expand west, it systematically…
- Elsewhere
I Wore Every Type of Mask for 30 Days. Here's What Actually Works.
Ever wonder why that expensive N95 you bought might be giving you zero protection? Tyler Cooper spent 30 days testing every type of mask on the market, and…
- Elsewhere
200 Years of Death: How Antarctica Killed Every Explorer Who Tried
What if I told you that Antarctica killed every single explorer who tried to reach it for over 200 years straight? In this episode, Tyler Cooper reveals how…
- Elsewhere
Why Canada and America Built 8,891 Km of Unguarded Border (And Russia Can't)
Picture two massive countries sharing 8,891 kilometers of completely unguarded border. No walls, no fences, barely any security. Sounds impossible in today's…
- Elsewhere
Your Bank Account Is Lying: 97% of Your Money Doesn't Actually Exist
Your bank account says you have $5,000, but here's the shocking truth: only $150 of that actually exists. In this mind-bending episode, Tyler Cooper exposes…