In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel travel back to the chaotic days of World War II. The newly-minted Office of Strategic Services, which would later evolve into the CIA, conspired to pull off something as brilliant as it was evil: they created the "Simple Sabotage Field Manual," a secret textbook aimed to turn the average civilian into an active saboteur. The guys read the book, and give it rave reviews. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-y...
Jun 13, 2025•1 hr 9 min
Clever Innuendo gives a first-hand account of the US Military being super cheap with new tech. 2FAB shares premonitions from the dream state. Goat gets the guys back into cattle mutilation, and Jacqueramaphan prompts an investigation into possible agroterrorism. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jun 12, 2025•51 min
As one of the world’s most historically important bodies of water, the Persian Gulf is home to fascinating evidence of ancient humanity. In tonight’s episode, Ben, Matt and Noel discover the true story of an ancient civilization lost to antiquity. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jun 11, 2025•55 min
In tonight's Classic episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into a decades-long, surprisingly disturbing conspiracy: with a growing number of Western countries decriminalizing or outright legalizing cannabis, the controversial plant seems set to become an acceptable alternative to some preexisting treatments for appetite loss, chronic pain and more. Yet some supporters of medicinal marijuana products argue the chemicals in this plant can do much more than just make someone hungry or ease their pain --...
Jun 10, 2025•56 min
The notorious tech giant Palantir may soon create history's most comprehensive -- and controversial -- database on all US residents. Why? Descendants of Walt Disney object to his animatronic likeness. Guinea pigs hate Adele. A bodyguard for New York mayor Eric Adams gets jammed up in shenanigans. Science shows insects are dying out at alarming rates. All this and more in this week's strange news segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-sho...
Jun 09, 2025•1 hr 4 min
To some, the Freight Train Riders of America is a vast, secretive criminal network -- deadly ghosts, haunting the country's rails. To others, the FTRA is a loose collection of outcasts doing their best to help each other survive. To still others, the FTRA is nothing more than an urban legend, and never existed at all. In tonight's episode, Ben and Matt dive deep into the hidden world of trainhopping culture, searching for answers to these conspiratorial tales. Be advised this episode may not be ...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 5 min
On paper, non-governmental organizations often sound like something everyone can get behind: these institutions are often dedicated to addressing some of the most dangerous, long-running problems on the planet. It may be surprising, then, to learn that a growing number of nations are taking increasingly aggressive actions to ban NGOs, especially foreign ones. Supporters of NGOs argue these nations are attempting to fight progress in hopes of saving their own corrupt regimes -- but the opponents ...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 2 min
We've all heard of Bigfoot, the Swamp Ape and so on. Western science largely dismisses the existence of these cryptids. Yet: Did you know there's another associated cryptid in China? Unlike Bigfoot, or the closely-associated Yeti, the Yeren became a subject of intense scientific scrutiny out in the hinterlands of interior China. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore China's multimillion dollar endeavor to prove the existence of their own Bigfoot. They don't want you to read our book.:...
Jun 04, 2025•1 hr 3 min
The last time you bought something, did you use a card, cash or something else? If you automatically thought "who uses cash nowadays", you're far from alone. More and more people are eschewing physical currency for digital dollars, and this move seems largely supported by big banks as well some countries. Proponents argue a cashless society has no shortage of benefits for everyone involved, but critics suspect there are more than a few dangerous possibilities at play -- and something sinister ma...
Jun 03, 2025•1 hr 17 min
Hi, Stuff They Don't Want You To Know listeners! We're excited to share with you a sneak peek at iHeartPodcasts' latest release, True Crime Tonight. True Crime Tonight: If you eat, sleep, and breathe true crime, TRUE CRIME TONIGHT is serving up your nightly fix. Five nights a week, KT STUDIOS & iHEART RADIO invite listeners to pull up a seat for an unfiltered look at the biggest cases making headlines, celebrity scandals, and the trials everyone is watching. With a mix of expert analysis, ho...
Jun 02, 2025•1 min
The United States may FINALLY ditch the inconvenient and terrible penny (Ben here -- can you tell I write the descriptions?). A popular food coloring turns the skin of mice transparent. Investigations verify the CIA's use of oddly updated websites to communicate with assets. A new ChatGPT model refuses to shut itself down. All this and more in this week's strange news segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com...
Jun 02, 2025•56 min
While it may sound like science fiction, human militaries throughout history have always sought for an edge over their enemies -- and, in this search, ethics quickly go out the window. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the latest updates in the creation of a modern "super soldier," from technological breakthroughs to designer drugs... and levels of genetic modification that may leave a soldier less human than before. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan....
May 30, 2025•1 hr 3 min
Beuford breaks down the mechanics of gas station casinos. Josie explores the science of cannabis and oil-based products. Kangaroo fight updates. FrostyCold1 puts the guys on the strange case of missing Fabergé eggs. Fatigued and Flying explains the issues with air traffic controllers. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 29, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Multiple animals dream -- and, even now, people have little understanding of why dreaming occurs. In tonight's episode, Ben and Matt explore the newest research in dream states... and, spoiler: they end up with more questions than answers. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 28, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Roundup pesticides get a pass from Georgia. CrowdStrike joins the AI craze. A mysterious birdpocalypse in California. Regeneron buys the bankrupt 23andMe, prompting concerns over consumer's DNA. Free El Gato. All this and more in this week's strange news segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 27, 2025•1 hr
Whether rich or poor, young or old, everyone on the planet has to eat. Government institutions monitor the safety, cleanliness and consistency of our favorite foods, but as with any global industry, there are more than a few skeletons in the collective closet of the food and beverage business. Join Ben and Matt as they dive down the gastronomic rabbit hole of food conspiracies in tonight's Classic episode. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-s...
May 27, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Since the US bombing of Japan in World War II, the world entire has remained terrified of nuclear weapons. Even as scientists and scholars spent decades warning about the existential threat posed by technology that can literally end civilization, countries across the planet raced -- and race still -- to gain this capability for themselves. In tonight's episode, Ben and Matt ask: What actually happens in a large-scale nuclear war? (Spoiler, tune in for our upcoming episode: "What can I do to surv...
May 23, 2025•1 hr 14 min
In this evening's weekly listener mail segment, "Ben," Matt and superproducer Tennessee Pal welcome in-depth explorations of dreams from a first-hand perspective. Join the gang as they suss out the tricky nature of linear time -- also, bonus points if you wrote to us earlier, They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 22, 2025•49 min
"Why does stuff happen? Can we predict it -- and if so, what do these predictions tell us?" Loosely described, the concept of "physics" is the First Science of human civilization. In tonight's episode, Ben and Matt explore recent discoveries that may well upend humanity's understanding of reality (also, spoiler: check out our upcoming episode on dreams). They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy i...
May 21, 2025•1 hr 9 min
Could a group of serial murderers be kidnapping, drugging and drowning young men across the United States? Scores of young male college students have been found dead in what law enforcement calls accidental drownings -- but a team of retired detectives believe there's something more sinister at work. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they dive into the strange, twisting story of the Smiley Face Murders -- the fact, the fiction, the controversy and more, in tonight's Classic episode. They don't want you...
May 20, 2025•1 hr 8 min
Afghanistan suspends chess due to religious concerns. Newark goes dark -- for just long enough to prompt serious questions. The world witnesses new escalations in the Great Game, as various corporations and countries race to acquire precious mineral resources. Since Ben and Matt always like to end on a good note, this week's strange news segment concludes with an optimistic discussion about octopus civilization, and how ethically fraught brain surgery might extend the known lifespan of that spec...
May 19, 2025•1 hr 3 min
In a world where everyone feels divided by identity politics, ideology and the fear of cancellation, how does an individual navigate a cultural minefield? How can we empower and encourage direct action? In the second part of this two-part interview segment, Ben, Matt and Noel welcome returning guest John Cameron Mitchell for a wide-ranging exploration of the occult, Discordianism, saving innocent people and more. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuf...
May 16, 2025•32 min
Could growing regional conflicts be driven by the race to control certain mineral resources? Could the United States slide into martial law -- if so, what would that mean? Join Ben and Matt for all this and more in this week's listener mail segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
May 15, 2025•51 min
What does it mean to be 'canceled'? How do we collectively navigate the baffling, complex and contradictory world of an 'always-on' society? In the first part of this week's special two-part interview, Ben, Matt and Noel welcome the legendary writer, actor, playwright and activist, John Cameron Mitchell, creator of Cancellation Island, for a wide-ranging conversation on everything from lizard people to gnosticism, the power of language, Aleister Crowley and everything in between. They don't want...
May 14, 2025•53 min
Odds are you've heard of the Dead Sea scrolls -- when the first of these ancient texts were discovered in the 1940s, the scrolls revolutionized our understanding of the past, and, in some cases, gave historians and archaeologists more questions than answers. One scroll, discovered in 1952, remains unique in the collection. It doesn't contain religious information, and it doesn't recount earlier stories from the region. Instead, this scroll (the only one written on copper) appears to be a treasur...
May 13, 2025•1 hr
Concerns rise over human relationships with sycophantic chatbots. A town in Türkiye burns confiscated cannabis, prompting controversy. Former US officials the country spent trillions of dollars off the books to create disaster-proof underground cities for the elite. UKR-US mineral deals prompt accusations of quid-pro-quo deals. There may be a genuine MYSTERY PLANET back in play. Shoutout to Nibiru and so much more in this week's strange news segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https:...
May 12, 2025•59 min
What if the stories and narratives you hear in the average mainstream media reporting aren't the entire truth? What if there's something else going on, a secret war between a shadowy cabal and a small group of brave, outnumbered good guys fighting back against their insidious plans for world domination? This is, according to QAnon proponents, a true story. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they dive into the origins of this uber-theory, the fact and fiction surrounding it, as well as the implications i...
May 09, 2025•1 hr 5 min
Twenty Novel Hotels prompts a re-exploration of earlier conversations regarding backmasking and moral panics. Fellow Conspiracy Realists respond to Ben's questions about meat heists and commercial trucking. Ignicus and others ask for more information regarding the possibility of an active serial killer in New England. All this and more in this week's strange news segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/list...
May 09, 2025•54 min
It seemed the world paused on April 21, 2025, when 88-year-old Pope Francis passed away after a long struggle with multiple health issues. As the Catholic church and the world at large wonders what the future will bring, a once-obscure piece of writing is back in the public zeitgeist: the "Prophecy of the Popes," which purports to predict the ascension of all Popes up until the rise of the antichrist. Why are some people so concerned? Well, according to the true believers -- Francis was the seco...
May 07, 2025•1 hr
The legendary civilization of Atlantis was first mentioned in the works of Plato, in dialogues that claimed to recount information from translations of ancient Egyptian texts. And people have been searching for this city ever since. So what was Atlantis, exactly? A metaphor, a work of fiction ... or a real, physical place? Join "Ben," Matt and Noel as they explore the fact and fiction of the ancient legend of Atlantis. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fi...
May 06, 2025•1 hr 4 min
