Selects: Sammy Davis Jr: National Treasure
In this classic episode Josh and Chuck sit down and detail the complicated life of the late, great Sammy Davis Jr. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 18, 2026•56 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.
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Episodes
The Sewol Ferry Disaster
In 2014 a ferry carrying hundreds of South Korean high school students on a field trip sunk, killing almost everyone on board. Hauntingly, their deaths were fully avoidable: everyone from the dock inspector to the Coast Guard to the president failed them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 16, 2026•46 min
Short Stuff: Cherry Blossoms
The Japanese Cherry Blossom is a sight to behold. But how did they get to Washington D.C.? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 15, 2026•13 min
Are Generations Even a Thing?
Delve into the fascinating debate surrounding generational labels, from the Lost Generation to Gen Alpha. The hosts explore how these cohorts are defined, their historical contexts, and the influence of marketing and media in shaping our perceptions. The episode critiques broad generalizations, highlighting the harm of ageism and debunking common stereotypes with surprising statistics on behavior like screen time.
Apr 14, 2026•49 min
Selects: What is a Numbers Station?
If you think secretly coded messages sent via short wave radio is Cold War relic, think again. In this classic episode, Chuck and Josh are here to dispel that myth, along with many others relating to numbers stations, including why they might still be operational. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 11, 2026•38 min
How Worker Co-ops Work
The worker co-op has a rich tradition and can work a variety of ways. Join us as we dig into the nuts and bolts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 09, 2026•45 min
Short Stuff: History of Spring Break
If you think Spring Break started with northern college kids heading to Florida to party, you'd be correct. But there's slightly more to it than that. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 08, 2026•15 min
Roar: The Most Dangerous Movie Ever Made?
Jump in today to hear all about the disaster that was the movie ROAR. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 07, 2026•42 min
Selects: The Skinny on Lyme Disease
If you live in the Northeastern U.S. then you may know someone who has had Lyme disease. But it's spreading all over the country and parts of the world. Learn all about this tick-borne disease in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 04, 2026•48 min
The Colorado River Compact
Deciding how to share water is pretty important stuff when there isn't much of it around. Today we dive into the Colorado River Compact. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 02, 2026•37 min
Short Stuff: Simple Spelling Movement
Pretty much everyone agrees that English is a chaotic language. There are nutso rules of grammar and spelling other languages don’t have. More than once, movements have emerged to simplify English and each time they were beaten back with a vengeance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Apr 01, 2026•13 min
The Middle Class: Canary in the Gold Mine
Lots of nations gauge the health of their country by how the middle class is doing. There’s just one issue with that – no one can say exactly what defines the middle class. But even when you take a guess, it seems like the health isn’t so good these days. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 31, 2026•53 min
Selects: The Disappearance of Lars Mittank
In 2014, a young German man walked into an airport in Bulgaria with a flight booked, then suddenly ran out leaving all his posessions behind, never to be heard from again. This classic episode tells the story of Lars Mittank. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 28, 2026•43 min
Malcom X
Malcolm X was one of the most revered, feared leaders of the civil rights movement. In contrast to Martin Luther King, Jr., X advocated black self-reliance and separateness in American society and that equal rights should obtained by any means necessary. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 26, 2026•56 min
Short Stuff: Kentucky Meat Shower
In 1876 it rained meat out of the clear blue sky on a homestead in Bath County, Kentucky. While the mystery of what happened will never be solved, the best explanation makes the story even weirder than it seems. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 25, 2026•11 min
The History of Fire
The first fires came from lightning strikes. After that, no one is super sure when we started controlling it and then later, starting our own. But it's sure fun to speculate! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 24, 2026•37 min
Selects: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Gin
If there's one thing we've learned about Chuck over the years it's that he loves his gin. And he loves it even more now that understands it. Pour yourself a martini and cozy up to the classic gin-cast. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 21, 2026•49 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.
Mar 20, 2026•47 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.
Mar 20, 2026•51 min
How Snails Work
They seem gross and bothersome at first, but once you get down to ground level and get to know snails, we’ll bet you’ll grow quite fond of them. They are living in a whole world we’re largely unaware of. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 20, 2026•53 min
The Fascinating History of Dandelions
Dandelions are way more interesting than you think. Trust us and click play. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 20, 2026•43 min
What's Permaculture All About?
Permaculture is a growing trend in the world of farming and home landscaping. It's basically a design principle that emphasizes sustainability and the would-be, natural ecosystem of an area. Simple concepts like planting downhill from a pond and using gravity to feed plants to planting native plants and vegetation that work well together are hallmarks of permaculture. Learn all about this eco-friendly trend today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Mar 20, 2026•52 min
How Sneezing Works
Unless you have an arcane disorder from a lesion on a very specific spot on our medulla, the chances are you sneeze. Turns out most animals do it, even lizards! Learn the whys and hows of this most interesting involuntary reflex. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 20, 2026•49 min
Wetlands! Wetlands! Wetlands!
It’s time to get jazzed up for some Earth science of the waterlogged variety. Join Chuck and Josh as they tour some of the most interesting ecosystems on the planet and learn why we need to stop destroying them post haste. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 20, 2026•45 min
Composting: Nature's Most Interesting Process
You may think composting is just a bunch of old banana peels rotting away into dirt but, friend, you're not looking closely enough. Inside that compost pile is a microcosmic universe doing some magical stuff. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 20, 2026•51 min
Squirrels, Ahoy!
Squirrels are rodents, sure, but they’re rodents with personalities the size of Las Vegas and Detroit put together. Get to know your bushy-tailed (and sometimes not so bushy) neighbors who live interesting hidden lives right out in the open. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 20, 2026•53 min
Honey: Nature's Wonder Sugar
Honey is an amazing thing. Just ask any bee. They make a ton of it. So much that humans get what bees can't use and that's a lot of honey. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 20, 2026•54 min
Contortionism: Bend It Like Gumby
If you could put your leg behind your head, would you? Of course you would! You might even make a career out of it, amazing people around the world with your flexibility. That’d make you a contortionist! But first you’d better get started with stretching. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 19, 2026•44 min
Short Stuff: Jeddah Tower
The Jeddah Tower is set to be the tallest building in the world. If it ever gets finished. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 18, 2026•11 min
Ruth Lyons: TV Pioneer
Ruth Lyons basically invented the daytime talk show, yet she doesn't get the credit. Why is that? Probably because she was a woman in a man's industry. Today we tell her story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mar 17, 2026•46 min
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