Stuff You Should Know - podcast cover

Stuff You Should Know

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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

Short Stuff: Dangers of Nose Picking

You don’t have to lie - everybody picks their nose. But did you know it can be life-threatening? It’s true and you can learn how in this episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 04, 202316 min

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald (not the song)

Today Josh and Chuck delve into the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Not the song, but the maritime accident. Though the song makes an appearance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 03, 202355 min

Selects: Could There Be A Loch Ness Monster?

People have believed something strange lives in Loch Ness for at least 3500 years. Thousands of people have sighted the Loch Ness Monster and dozens of expeditions have been launched. But does the fact that nothing’s been found mean it’s not real? Find out in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 31, 20221 hr 3 min

Short Stuff: Mesas: Flat

Mesas, buttes and plateaus are all very similar. We'll break down the differences in each one just to be sure. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 28, 202212 min

Juicy: The Fried Chicken Story

Fried chicken is Chuck’s favorite food, and Josh sure doesn’t dislike it. It is with this appreciation that SYSK plunges into the hot grease of fried chicken history – and there’s a lot to it! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 27, 202253 min

Selects: Star Wars Holiday Spectacular

Long ago, in a galaxy not so far away, George Lucas allowed the Star Wars Holiday Special to be made. What happened on the night of November 17, 1978 can never be fully explained, but we make our best effort in our annual special edition of SYSK. May the force be with us all. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 24, 202254 min

2022 Holiday Spectacular!

Another year comes to a close here at SYSK, which means our annual Holiday Spectacular is at hand. So light a fire, pour up a comforting beverage and gather the family for some good cheer! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 22, 202249 min

Who was Dorothy Parker, really?

She was known for her quick wit and sharp tongue. But she was also a poet, screenwriter and activist. Tune in today to learn what outside her "vicious circle." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 20, 202248 min

Selects: Nostradamus: Predictor of the future? Not so much.

Nostradamus delighted us all in grade school, but it turns out the real guy wasn't quite as prescient as we were led to believe. In truth, he wrote a lot of purposefully confusing riddles that people have twisted into meaning exactly what they want them to mean. Learn all about Nostradamus in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 17, 202239 min

Interesting Origins of Everyday Phrases

We don’t think about the words and phrases we use all the time - until Josh and Chuck look into them and tell everyone what they found. That’s the gist of this episode! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 15, 202249 min

Short Stuff: The Atlanta Washer Woman Strike

One of the very first union strikes in US history was mounted by a group of African American women in the deep South. Listen in and learn all about this little known slice of history. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 14, 202214 min

How the Nintendo Entertainment System Changed Gaming Forever

For the holidays in 1986 (and ’87) (and ’88) the most stupendous, most wanted, most amazing thing any kid could possibly get – outside of a pony, *maybe* – was the NES. That year, video games came back from the dead and changed forever. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 13, 202258 min

Selects: How Polar Bears Work

Polar bears are more than just lovable creatures that roam the ice in search of food. They're one of the most fascinating animals on planet Earth. Sadly, as ice shrinks, so does their habitat. Learn all about these huggable beasts in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 10, 202246 min

True Crime: The Phantom of Heilbronn

After the murder of a cop in southwest Germany in 2007 a massive hunt was launched across Europe. The suspect was a female serial killer who had left DNA behind during a number of crimes. She was so slippery, she was known as The Phantom of Heilbronn. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 08, 202243 min

Short Stuff: Birthday Paradox

The Birthday Paradox involves math, so you know this one will go perfectly. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 07, 202212 min

How Face Blindness Works

It’s not that the person who can never remember meeting you is snobby or even absent-minded; they may have a fascinating – and often difficult – neurological condition called prosopagnosia, known more commonly as face blindness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 06, 202248 min

Selects: The Rubik's Cube Episode

Rubik's Cubes. Ronald Reagan. Jerry Falwell. Just Say No. One of these things was awesome. Take a guess and hop on board this classic episode, aka the 80s train. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 03, 202248 min

How Down Syndrome Works

People with Down syndrome lead rich, complex lives like any other human, but it’s only been in the last few decades that everyone else stopped persecuting them long enough to notice this. As a result, both their IQ and their life expectancy skyrocketed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 01, 202257 min

Short Stuff: Goosebumps

Goosebumps are a pretty cool evolutionary holdover from our earlier days as furry beasts. Don't believe us? Listen in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 30, 202215 min

Peripersonal Space: Humans’ Got Talent

The space around you that you can reach with your arms is a very special place. It’s where we interact with reality. And although we are so good at using it we don’t give it a second thought, our ability to use it is one our most amazing abilities. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 29, 202254 min

Selects: How Umami Works!

For millennia humans have recognized four tastes, but in the 1980s a fifth taste first isolated in Japan gained worldwide acceptance - and took off like a rocket! Learn about meaty, musty, savory umami in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 26, 202236 min

Roller Skating: Fun and Cool

The Victorians were the first to go bonkers for roller skating and since then the pastime has had bursts of popularity every few decades. Over the years skaters have come up with some amazing things to do on skates that go way beyond just going in circles. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 24, 202248 min

Short Stuff: Liquid Paper

Correction fluid goes by many names, but the OG was Liquid Paper. And it has a pretty cool origin story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 23, 202213 min

Typewriters: Mechanical Brilliance

Chuck loves typewriters because he loves mechanical brilliance. Dive into the cool history of these amazing machines today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 22, 202256 min

Selects: How Dark Money Works

Since the Supreme Court ruled in 2010 in the Citizens United case that political contributions are speech and should be protected, the floodgates of anonymous political contributions have opened. But does absolute funding corrupt absolutely? Find out in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 19, 202248 min

Did Shakespeare really write all that stuff?

The question of Shakespeare's authorship has been around since at least the mid-1800s. Is there anything to it? We'll dig in to this dense topic to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 17, 202255 min

Short Stuff: Incomplete Yawns

Is there anything – anything – worse than a yawn you can’t finish? It’s hard to think of anything else and as your obsession with yawning like a normal human being grows it only becomes more difficult. Why? Why?! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 16, 202210 min

The Sordid History of Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties

When it comes to pre-wedding festivities, bachelor and bachelorette parties take the penis-shaped cake. Learn all about these sordid affairs today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 15, 202257 min
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