Stuff You Should Know - podcast cover

Stuff You Should Know

iHeartPodcastswww.iheart.com
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.
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Episodes

SYSK's 12 Days of Christmas… Toys: How Easy Bake Ovens Work

Easy Bake Ovens are as iconic as a toy can get, as American as apple pie or baseball. Learn all about these light bulb cooking, working ovens that endanger children to this day, in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 12, 202537 min

A Quick History of the BBC

The BBC has been around as long as there has been radio. Today we salute the venerable institution that's as British as tea and crumpets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 11, 202553 min

Short Stuff: Atacama Skeleton

In 2003, a tiny – really, really tiny – humanoid skeleton surfaced that had been taken from Chile. The only possible explanation is that it had to be an alien mummy. Right? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 10, 202511 min

Operation Paul Bunyan

If we told you that World War III was in danger of happening over the trimming of a tree would you believe us? This was Operation Paul Bunyan. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 09, 202544 min

Selects: What Is A Mold-A-Rama?

In the 1960s, a very cool machine debuted at the Seattle World's Fair - the Mold-A-Rama. It made real plastic toys on-demand from melted plastic pellets, to the delight of children and adults alike. They didn't last too long, but can still be found at various locations all over the United States and their retro-cool stylings are still a hit. Learn all about these cool machines in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....

Dec 06, 202539 min

What's the bar exam like anyway?

You've always heard about "the bar" but what do you really know about it? Unless you've taken it, probably not much. Well join the club. Let's discuss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 04, 202553 min

Short Stuff: Camberley Kate

Camberley Kate was the nickname for the first independent animal rescuer in England, rescuing hundreds of dogs and cats over her lifetime. Come get acquainted with a great lady! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 03, 202511 min

The Brutal History of Prison Labor

The idea of prison labor is relatively new in the annals of crime and punishment. And it's just as bad as you think. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 02, 202552 min

Selects: How Black Friday Works

On the day after Thanksgiving, Americans go kind of crazy for the deep discount sales that kick off the holiday shopping season in stores. So crazy, in fact, at least four people have lost their lives and as many as 63 others have been injured during Black Friday sales. But as profitable as Black Friday is, some retailers are thinking about discontinuing the tradition to find ways to make even more money. Learn all about this bizarre, uniquely American holiday custom in this classic episode. See...

Nov 29, 202540 min

Julia Child, la Grandes Gourmande

Julia Child is one of the most recognizable names in the cooking world, but even still so many of her accomplishments aren’t widely known. And the impacts she had on American culture, whoa! Join Josh and Chuck as they savor the flavor of Julia Child! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 27, 202552 min

Short Stuff: Pies

We’ve done episodes on cake, cookies and, at long last, pie. Belly up to your pod player and prepare to crave some pie! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 26, 202518 min

Rice is Nice

Rice may be the most eaten food on the planet, accounting for 50% of the caloric intake of Asian countries and 25% worldwide. Learn all about this edible cereal crop today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 25, 202547 min

Graffiti: So Cool It’s A Pillar of Hip Hop

Graffiti – the good kind, done with lots of style and skill – developed when some kids in NYC took up cans of spray paint and started to figure out how to outdo one another. They laid down styles that are so fine they’re still being used by artists today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 20, 202548 min

Short Stuff: Victorian Flower Language

What do you do when you want to tell someone you’re smitten with them but you live in a society so repressive decorum prevents you from even speaking such things? Why, you can say it with flowers! And that’s just what people in the Victorian Era did. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 19, 202514 min

AM Radio: Solid Gold

The era of AM radio isn't over, but it's well past its heyday. Dive in today for a trip down memory lane. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 18, 202549 min

Selects: How Personality Tests Work

For millennia, we have tried to put human personalities into neat types, an effort psychology took up early in its history in an effort to legitimize itself. But is the idea of types – which all personality inventories are based on - flawed to begin with? Find out in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 15, 202557 min

Pop Tarts: No Fruit Necessary

Pop Tarts are a legendary breakfast treat in the United States. They're fruit-filled toaster pastries with very little fruit. But who cares right? It's all about that toasty goodness. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 13, 202550 min

Short Stuff: Third Man Syndrome

People who’ve found themselves in life-or-death situations with their endurance at its limit have reported sensing another presence with them, urging them to continue on and survive. No one knows what the heck is going on here but it sure is interesting. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 12, 202513 min

Eco-Disasters 101: The Salton Sea

In 1905, an engineering mistake created a brand new 400-square-mile sea (lake?) in the California desert. People made the most of it at first, but it didn’t take long to become a toxic brew that now threatens the health of anyone in breathing distance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 11, 202548 min

Selects: How Conversion Therapy Doesn't Work

Conversion therapy is a misguided attempt by religious zealots to convert people from gay to straight. News flash - it doesn't work. Learn all about this abhorrent practice in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 08, 20251 hr 3 min

The Mystery of the Death Valley Germans

In 1996, a small group of German tourists disappeared in Death Valley National Park without a trace. Fifteen years later, the tenacity of one man solved the case. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 06, 202545 min

Short Stuff: "Peace" Pipes

Did Native Americans really smoke peace pipes? Well yes and no. They smoked pipes for many reasons, sometimes to commemorate peace. But they never called them peace pipes. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 05, 202511 min

What To Do With All This Nuclear Waste?

You can make a case that it’s a little off-putting to learn the world doesn’t really have any idea what to do with the nuclear waste we’ve been generating for several decades. The best we’ve come up with so far is bury it real deep and forget about it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 04, 202546 min

Selects: How Extinction Works

Scientists believe that 99% of the estimated 50 billion species that have ever lived on Earth have disappeared through extinction. This is a natural process typically, but it can also be cataclysmic and it's becoming clear we are amid a massive one. Find out more with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nov 01, 202548 min

SYSK's 2025 Shocktober Halloween Spooktacular

Co-producer Ben knocked it out of the park again, taking the two classic horror stories we read for our annual Spooktacular - Caterpillars and The Deep Drowse – and creating a moody Halloween masterpiece for your spooky listening enjoyment. So enjoy it! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 30, 20251 hr 38 min

Short Stuff: The Bell Witch

A legend in Tennessee tells of the real-life Bell family, who were haunted back in 1817 by a ghost witch - arguably the worst kind of either of those things. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 29, 202516 min

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre: Masterpiece

There aren’t too many independent horror movies that make the British Film Institute’s 250 Best Films Ever Made list – AND – make an appearance in the teen comedy Summer School. That makes sense because there’s no other movie quite like The TCSM. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 28, 20251 hr 5 min

Selects: The Great Finger in the Wendy’s Chili Caper

In 2005 a woman named Anna Alaya discovered a length of human finger – nail and all – in her Wendy’s chili. Her cries of disgust would set off a media firestorm, a criminal investigation and a prison sentence for her and her husband. Listen to Josh and Chuck go through the whole mess in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 25, 202545 min

THE HUMAN SCREAM

Have you ever thought much about screaming? Well we have, and today you'll learn everything we learned. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oct 23, 202545 min
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