Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Often in the mainstream media the term "conspiracy theory" is used as a way of dismissing a claim or idea immediately -- and it's a technique that works more often than you might think. However, despite the ardent efforts of various powerful groups across the planet, numerous events initially called conspiracy theories turned out to be conspiracy facts. Join the guys as they explore conspiracies t...

Updated studies confirm the danger of certain eyedrops. A groundbreaking class-action suit prompts disturbing questions about commercial real estate. US action at Site 512 raises questions in the Negev desert. The music of Celine Dion raises controversy in New Zealand. All this and more as Ben, Matt and Codename: Doc Holliday explore Strange News. They don't want you to read our book.: https://sta...

Over the course of his career with NASA, legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin changed the course of human history. From his groundbreaking work with EVA techniques to his walk on the moon with Apollo 11 mission commander Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin has seen and done astonishing things. In 2018, news outlets claimed Buzz Aldrin had one more astonishing achievement under his belt, an event kept secret un...

No One in Particular raises a fascinating point about the old-school D.A.R.E. program in US schools. Corporations want you to eat more bugs. Beeswax, notyours writes in with a harrowing tale of an escaped federal detainee -- all this and more in this week's Listener Mail. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listen...

From a young age, Marcus Hutchins had a preternatural talent for code. As his online renown grew, he found himself at a series of ethical crossroads— and always on the right side of the law. Yet everything changed in 2017, when a US-created weapon went public: he was the only one who could stop the spread of the WannaCry virus. Doing so would require him to go public. They don't want you to read o...

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. government was desperate to maintain order and combat the growing domestic opposition to the war effort -- both the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. waged a war of ideas, of propaganda that could, in its own way, wield as much power as a bullet or a bomb. When U.S. deserters fled the war and traveled to the U.S.S.R. or neutral countries, they became a propaganda tool of immen...

A crew of professional heisters accidentally hits a truck from the US Federal Mint, and struggles to unload hundreds of pounds of dimes. Scientists verify certain cosmic explosions create ingredients of organic life. In the US, thousands of pharmacies close. All of 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/stuf...

One July night in 1995, Deputy Sheriff William G. Hardy was shot behind the Crown Sterling Suites hotel in Birmingham, Alabama. While law enforcement had almost nothing to go on, prosecutors used shaky earwitness testimony to convict Toforest Johnson of the crime. Despite repeated appeals from multiple legal experts, he remains on death row to this day. In tonight's interview, award-winning journa...

Is the US military using 'E-girls' to manipulate young men into joining the armed forces? What is life really like at Diego Garcia? Have you sent us a scary story? All of 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.

Nowadays people talking about "witch hunts" are usually referring to something in the realm of politics -- but not too long ago, church and state authorities really did hunt down, torture, and execute people suspected of trafficking with infernal powers. In this special Halloween episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the fact and fiction surrounding witch hunts... and why they still occur in the m...

If you've ever spent time on Facebook or Instagram, you've probably seen a few strange posts advertising tremendous opportunities to start your own business -- along with a friend or acquaintance -- selling anything from cosmetics to nutritional supplements. And the opportunities don't stop there! You can also recruit your friends, loved ones and complete strangers to sell these products for you....

Mexico's notorious Sinaloa cartel bans fentanyl -- promising gruesome consequences for anyone who doesn't comply. Traingoers may have encountered Bigfoot in Colorado. A California family is busted for running a multi-million dollar catalytic convertor smuggling ring, and a promising startup may have the cure for forever chemicals. All this and more in this week's strange news segment. They don't w...

Since the dawn of human history, the great leaders of civilization sought the one thing they could neither buy nor steal: immortality. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the astonishing, troubling conspiracy afoot -- the first immortal may have already been born. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/l...

A letter from a Canadian listener fleshes out disturbing information about the QAnon queen. The Beekeeper shares a story about DEFCON. Green Garnet encounters a possible haunted house. Lezlee prompts a conversation about meditation and divine intervention. 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-yo...

For around a century, the Boy Scouts of America was considered one of the country's top youth organizations -- millions of children went through some part of scouting, and numerous public figures, former scouts themselves, would constantly praise the organization. However, scouting had a dark side, one that was an open secret for generations, and has only recently entered public conversation. They...

At the height of their success, the band Blink-182 became a key force in the development of pop punk. Despite their worldwide fame, guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge eventually left the band. Why? Join Ben, Matt and special guest John Goforth of Hysteria 51 as they explore the story behind DeLonge's new mission -- a project he and his supporters believe could change the world. They don't want you...

In the wake of the escalating conflict in Israel and Gaza, the world wonders how a proposed evacuation plan will actually work. Social media -- X in particular -- seems to be a growing source of weaponized propaganda and misinformation. The rise of injectable weight loss drugs leads syringe companies to operate beyond their normal capacity. All this and more in this week's strange news segment. Th...

From fast food to mass media, it can be tough to know who really runs a company. In tonight's episode, the guys return to more true stories of companies that are either founded by or run by groups the average person would consider... cults. 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.

An FBI investigation in New York leads to the discovery of 764, an online offshoot of the occult Order of 9 Angles, dedicated to pushing vulnerable children into self harm and sexual abuse. A hydrologist writes in to answer some of Ben, Matt and Noel's earlier questions about saltwater intrusion. A fellow Conspiracy Realist explores the dangers of drug analogs. All this and more in this week's lis...

What if most of what we know about history is false? According to proponents of the Tartarian conspiracy, not too long ago Earth was home to an incredibly advanced civilization based in Eurasia, and extending around the world -- until a series of catastrophic mud floods and enemy powers destroyed it, and spent centuries trying to cover up their crime. That's the gist of the theory -- but the actua...

Canada's QAnon Queen is back in the news, this time for occupying a rural, abandoned grade school. Someone has finally been charged in Tupac's murder. The FCC issues its first fine for space junk. In a disturbing, developing story: Thai authorities have apprehended the most prolific serial killer in the country's modern history -- "Am Cyanide" appears to have operated with impunity for nearly a de...

In small towns, neglected glades and college campuses across America, small groups of bearded wanderers in homespun clothes are spreading a message -- that the End of Times is upon us, and only the truly righteous shall be saved. Living primarily off the grid and on the fringes of society, this group has proven extremely effective at hiding its converts from law enforcement and concerned relatives...

As more and more countries -- and corporations -- make astonishing breakthroughs in space exploration, the public becomes increasingly convinced the world has entered a new space race. In tonight's episode, Ben and Matt explore the dangerous future of this journey to the stars... and why powerful forces may conspire to turn this space race into a genuine space war. They don't want you to read our...

Samurai shares his perspective on hearing voices. Anon relates the strange story of medbeds. Glass Gate reveals a terrifying look into just how easily gate codes and digital entry barriers can be compromised -- as well as why this won't be fixed anytime soon, and why your own personal security is way less... well, secure... than you might have assumed. All this and more in this week's listener mai...

Could some supernatural or spiritual forces really speak to human beings, or intervene on their behalf? While there is no scientific proof of God, humans throughout history have claimed divine forces were on their side. In tonight's episode the guys dive in, asking: Why is this belief so common? They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ S...