Short Stuff: NATO Alphabet
Alpha, Bravo, Charlie. This is the NATO alphabet. But where did it come from? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 02, 2023•13 min
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
BPD: The Worst Disorder or Not a Disorder at All?
Borderline Personality Disorder has been described as emotional “third degree burns over ninety percent of your body.” It’s as close to a curse as a personality disorder can be: deep fear of being abandoned creates behaviors that end up driving people off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Aug 01, 2023•51 min
Selects: What's the deal with Stradivarius violins?
The Strad violin is noted for its tonal qualities and superior craftsmanship. And for its price tag. There are many theories why the Strad sounds so great, from the wood to the lacquer, to the simple fact that Antonio Stradivari was really good at what he did. Rosin up your bow and take a listen to this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 29, 2023•41 min
MAD Magazine: A Tribute
Chuck and Josh grew up on MAD Magazine and we hope you did too. What started out as a comic book that spoofed comic books grew into the foundation of American satire and cultivated a healthy skepticism in generations of kids. Hail to the clods at MAD! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 27, 2023•1 hr
Short Stuff: Blue Highway Signs
In the US those ubiquitous blue highway signs that tell you which direction you’ll find a Burger King have an interesting backstory. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 26, 2023•14 min
Learning a Foreign Language
Today, Chuck and Josh dive into the ins and outs of language learning. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 25, 2023•47 min
Selects: Nirvana: Not The Band
Hinduism and Buddhism are closely related in a number of ways, including their vision of what comes after we exit this mortal coil. Learn about the religions' interesting interpretation of the state of existence outside space-time, in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 22, 2023•33 min
Magic Eye Illusions
What became the Magic Eye illusion fad of the 1990s was born by way of the stereogram of the 1950s (and even before that). It's a winding story that you'll love! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 20, 2023•47 min
Short Stuff: Pie-In-The-Face Gag
Throwing a pie in someone’s face was groundbreaking comedy once upon a time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 19, 2023•13 min
Insomnia: Why you can't sleep
Insomnia is rough stuff. Listen in and learn all about why you can't fall asleep and what you can do about that. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 18, 2023•50 min
Selects: How Police Lineups Work
Police lineups are something most people have never had any firsthand experience with. What you see on TV and in movies isn't so far off though. Learn about how these tropes work for real in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 15, 2023•53 min
How PCP Works
There is probably no drug more mythologized than PCP. It drives users insane and has the unfortunate side effect of bestowing superhuman strength thus sending them on a rampage. But does it though? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 13, 2023•50 min
Short Stuff: Père-Lachaise Cemetery
The most famous cemetery in Paris has some of the most famous people in the world buried there. And it's quite lovely. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 12, 2023•12 min
Birth Order: So nice, we did it twice
This is a very special episode, the first one we've ever fully recorded a second time and decided to release. Why? Because it's good and a little different and we thought you'd enjoy this unheard of double dose. So enjoy! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 11, 2023•55 min
Selects: How Bats Work
They are creepy, sure, but they are also useful, cute and in great danger of extinction. Get a new lease on life from a new view of bats in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 08, 2023•45 min
James Beard: Food Legend
James Beard is well-known now for the annual awards named in his honor. But he used to be the most famous chef in America, and set the standard for what makes a celebrity chef. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 06, 2023•55 min
Short Stuff: Hollywood Sign
The Hollywood sign is an iconic landmark that started out as a real estate billboard. Can you believe it? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 05, 2023•14 min
How Trucking Works
If truckers suddenly vanished the global economy would come to a grinding halt in a couple days. But as important as they are these highway heroes (mostly) are, they’re systematically mistreated by their industry. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 04, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Selects: What Makes Lead So Poisonous?
The people of Flint, MI were horrified to find their drinking water was poisoned with lead. As we learn more about lead's effects and realize how persistent it is, the more worrying it becomes. What makes lead so toxic? Find out in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jul 01, 2023•50 min
Butterflies: Caterpillars with Wings!
If you thought caterpillars were awesome, just wait until you see them with colorful, iridescent wings! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 29, 2023•51 min
Short Stuff: Fahrenheit or Celsius
Fahrenheit or Celsius? Why not both? If they can agree - exactly at -40 degrees - then it seems like we should all be able to agree they're both great as well. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 28, 2023•9 min
Caterpillars: Nature's Magicians
Caterpillars are simply the best. Don't think so? Well listen in and you'll soon agree See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 27, 2023•47 min
Selects: How Ocean Currents Work
It's easy to overlook the importance of ocean currents - they move along out at sea, while we stay mostly on land. But we are globally affected by them every day. Currents form the base of the food chain, drive weather and keep life as we know it going. Explore them with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 24, 2023•39 min
How Afrofuturism Works
Black sci-fi writers were shut out of their genre in the 20th century so they created their own vision of the future. That sentiment spread to music and film and today it’s so engrained in pop culture it doesn't need its own label. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 22, 2023•53 min
Short Stuff: Chia Pet
It has arrived, the most important podcast episode in the history of the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 21, 2023•13 min
Large Language Models and You
There is a good chance that in March of 2023, humans crossed a threshold into a transformative new era when a new, smarter type of AI was let loose in the wild and an AI arms race began. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 20, 2023•54 min
Selects: SYSK Live: Back When Ford Pintos Were Flaming Deathtraps
For this special live benefit episode recorded in Atlanta, Josh and Chuck go back to the 70s and look at the decidedly ungroovy course of events that led to Ford recalling its Pinto after people started burning up in them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 17, 2023•1 hr 9 min
How Alumin(i)um Works
Humans made it through the Bronze Age and Iron Age, then we dabbled in steel, and now we are living in the Aluminum Age. The metal is so ubiquitous it seems like it’s been around forever, but we’ve only been really using it since the 20th century. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 15, 2023•52 min
Short Stuff: Suicide Forest
The suicide forest in Japan is a beautiful place with a checkered reputation. Trigger Warning: This episode features a discussion of suicide. If you or anyone you know needs help, please call 988. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 14, 2023•11 min
The Stinky History of Human Hygiene
Ever wondered when and why people started caring about body odors and cleanliness? Well look no further than today's episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jun 13, 2023•57 min
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