Reality is philosophically terrifying. What is it, exactly? Where does it come from? Why are we, humans and everyone else, stuck within this thing no one seems to understand? In this special episode, Matt and the one they call Ben wrestle with the nature of existence in the face of new, so-called "virtual environments." 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, 2024•1 hr 12 min
The nation of China recently made international news by successfully completing an unmanned landing on the far side of Earth’s moon, marking a pivotal point in the resurgent space race. So why do some observers believe there’s more to the story? 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, 2024•50 min
Atlanta's water disaster prompts a conversation about the conspiracies that led to it and the larger threat of crumbling infrastructure across the US. Google's AI search is pretty terrible. One company may be to blame for America's soaring rent prices. 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....
Jun 10, 2024•57 min
An email hips the guys to the global conspiracy of the Atlas Network -- a think tank that creates think tanks. Fun Crusher looks for more information on allegations of a serial murderer in Austin. Wayne makes a great point about Ben and Matt's earlier 'get out of trouble with scopolamine' idea. 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 inform...
Jun 07, 2024•39 min
Death is one of humanity's great unifiers. Before the dawn of recorded history our species and others like it venerated, feared and honored the dead. The practice of commemorating our loved ones continues today -- and it's become a big business. Join the guys as they delve deeper into the fact, fiction and controversy of the funeral industry to determine whether or not a secret monopoly is at play. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-re...
Jun 07, 2024•45 min
Years after his death, Charles Manson remains one of the most infamous cult leaders in US history. While the mainstream public seems pretty satisfied with the official narrative, people still struggle to understand how Manson could have held such an iron grip on the minds of his followers. To some researchers, he wasn't acting alone. Instead, he had help from some world-class experts in mind control -- the CIA. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-...
Jun 05, 2024•1 hr 4 min
In recent history more and more analysts have been concerned about the rise of privately-owned, multinational corporations wielding the type of geopolitical power once relegated to states and nations. These concerns usually name drop the best known large companies, such as Nestle, Unilever, Halliburton and so on -- but many more companies operate just as effectively in relative obscurity. Tune in to learn more about the controversies surrounding the prestigious and murky world of the global mana...
Jun 04, 2024•1 hr 2 min
Why is North Korea sending balloons filled with trash and poop over the border? A new poll reveals most Americans consider fast food a luxury. A former mayor in South Dakota is charged with three murders. 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....
Jun 03, 2024•51 min
Trolls! These mythical creatures are -- nowadays -- beloved. Most folks think of trolls as creatures of myth, up there with the minotaur, the kraken, the selkie. And yet. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the history of troll folklore, ultimately separating fact from fiction and posing a fascinating question: What if troll legends are an oral remnant of early encounters with a previous thing almost-yet-not-quite-human? They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmil...
May 31, 2024•1 hr
How have notable historic figures been affected by dangerous chemicals? Did the US really suppress secret goggles that allow you to see auras? Why has Pornhub banned itself in Texas? In Letters From Home, the guys learn more about the Food Cube Theory. 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 30, 2024•48 min
Civilization only exists as a result of global trade. Without countless trucks, trains, cargo ships and aircraft, the world as humans understand it will collapse. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt, and Noel explore a particularly fascinating aspect of global shipping -- the freight brokers. These companies are logistical giants: in theory, they intervene to make sure everything gets from Point A to Point Z in the most efficient manner possible. This evening, we ask: What happens when these industr...
May 29, 2024•1 hr 12 min
On November 11, 2018, seismologists began puzzling over a weird low-frequency rumble that rang through the entire planet. The wave wasn’t connected to any known events, and scientists remain mystified by the mysterious phenomenon. Join the guys as the explore the theories behind the world’s weirdest earthquake. 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, 2024•52 min
At a recent conference for high-dollar investors, a prominent retired Colonel bluntly states "non-human intelligence" is real, world governments know, and they've been interacting with it for a long time. An update on Karen Reed. A statement about Baby Reindeer. A horrific arson prompts questions about surveillance and the law. 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 omnystudi...
May 27, 2024•55 min
Have you ever wondered whether some secret group genuinely runs the world? Ben, Matt and Noel finally explore the concept that hybrid reptilians change shape at will, dictate the path of human civilization, and -- for some reason -- seek to keep the entire mission a secret. 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 24, 2024•1 hr 12 min
Is there an international conspiracy to certify rigged elections across the planet? What's with the Coast to Coast story of "Mel's Hole?" Fiona writes in for more information about the extremely real -- and dangerous -- phenomenon of "Active Fitness Clubs." 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 23, 2024•47 min
You've heard of Bigfoot, but what else is out there? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the fact and fiction of cryptids in India. 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, 2024•50 min
In an earlier episode, the guys delved into the modern mystery of Genghis Khan's hidden grave, and found he was far from the only famous historical figure lost to secrecy and the inevitable march of time. Travel with the gang as they unravel more stories of humanity's famous lost tombs, hidden corpses and more in the second part of this two-part series. 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 in...
May 21, 2024•53 min
Country music legend Randy Travis approves an AI-generated song based on his voice. The guys explore the double-edged sword of hidden cameras. Bumble executives envision a world where "AI concierges" handle the hazards of online dating -- by dating each other. 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 20, 2024•52 min
Warning: this episode is not appropriate for all audiences. Anyone with an internet connection can find -- well, almost anything they wish. In a way, it's an autobiography of the human species, with all its interests, concerns, weaknesses and horrors. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the ongoing crime, corruption conspiracy riddling the world of online sex sites. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.c...
May 17, 2024•1 hr 2 min
In an earlier episode, the guys delved into the modern mystery of Genghis Khan's hidden grave, and found he was far from the only famous historical figure lost to secrecy and the inevitable march of time. Travel with the gang as they unravel more stories of humanity's famous lost tombs, hidden corpses and more in the first part of this two-part series. 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 inf...
May 16, 2024•56 min
The internet is amazing, terrifying, hilarious and, as you read this, still evolving today. We genuinely don't know if humans are ready for it. Tonight's episode examines a troubling accusation -- what if the internet today has already moved past humanity? What if the internet you encounter is now populated by not humans but bots? This is the Dead Internet Theory. Tonight, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into to see how much of this strange conspiracy may be true. They don't want you to read our book.: ...
May 15, 2024•1 hr
You can find phrases touting "natural" flavoring on products throughout most modern supermarkets, from beverages to cereal to more -- but what exactly does this mean? Join the guys as they delve into the fact (and fiction) surrounding the use of "natural" in advertising... and why there might be more to the story than you think. 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 14, 2024•35 min
What's going on with all these tornado clusters-- and what does it tell us about the future of natural disasters? The gang weighs in on the larger context of recent rap beefs. Ben calls in from an undisclosed location, with the latest updates on brain worms and Presidential candidates, with a special message for Mother's Day. 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....
May 13, 2024•57 min
What would happen if you built an almost-perfect world, limited in terms only of space? How would people react -- could you create a utopian society? These are the questions John Bumpass Calhoun asked himself during his career as an ethologist, which led him to create tiny 'universes' for rodents... only to find that, time and time again, these perfect civilizations collapsed. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they delve into the parable of Universe 25 and behavioral sinks. They don't want you to read ...
May 10, 2024•1 hr 1 min
J Conner and Ben bond on the concept that technological breakthroughs may lead to the creation of real-life telepathy. Scootch weighs in on the pickle of voting age limits -- and age limits in general. Plant Queen reports on bird flu in America's farm animals, and Tonks shares a down-right wholesome conspiracy for kids at school. 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 omnyst...
May 09, 2024•55 min
Ah, cannabis! That oft-vilified, oft-worshipped source of so many creative snacks, amazing music, and... legal chaos. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel return to the world of "drugs as weapons," exploring the allegations that cannabis ingestion can lead some people to extraordinary psychotic breaks, resulting in dangerous breakdowns -- up to and including murder. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listen...
May 08, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Also known as the Security Service, MI5 is the United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency, dealing with threats inside the kingdom. However, recent revelations have shown that, in some cases, the organization may have helped to aid and abet some crimes in the course of (theoretically) preventing others. Tune in to learn more about the morally grey world of covert operations and MI5. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-s...
May 07, 2024•48 min
A sex-trafficking inquiry targets the New Orleans archdiocese. An explosion in Michigan's Clinton Township triggers an investigation. Widespread anti-war protests across the United States place the country at a crossroads. 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 06, 2024•1 hr 3 min
Join Ben and Matt as they interview Aaron Mahnke, the creator of the world-famous Lore podcast, about Unobscured, the new series where he dives deep into the true story of the Salem witch trials. How many people were tried? How many actually died? What does Hollywood get wrong and, perhaps most importantly, was there something the people of Salem didn't want future generations to know? They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnys...
May 03, 2024•51 min
Secret Soup Can hips the guys to the newest 'Big If True' -- aka alleged -- breakthrough in alternative propulsion. Matt the Firefighter shares a widely-unacknowledged danger of fighting fires. GP Scootch prompts a conversation about Superfund sites. Rob provides a mission-critical update on the continuing adventures of a certain humble farmer. 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-r...
May 02, 2024•45 min
