Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

We've all been there - you're at a gathering of friends or family, when someone starts to go off the rails, expounding a strange series of unfounded conspiracies (or worse). How do you connect with this person, and help guide them away from the cognitive brink toward the world of critical thought? In the second part of this two-series, the guys explore the tricky process of navigating Conspiracy R...

Join the guys as they hang out with Lucky Yates, the prolific actor and voice of Dr. Krieger of FX's Archer, to explore everything from the frightening future of biotechnology to the (alleged) resurrection of the dodo and more. 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.

NATO countries pledge tanks to Ukraine, triggering the Doomsday Clock. Ticketmaster is back in the spotlight, and Congress may intervene on behalf of Taylor Swift fans? Stunning breakthroughs in gene therapy pose a series of amazing -- and potentially horrific -- possibilities. All this and more in this week's Strange News. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static...

Even if you've never seen her films or know her by name, you will almost certainly recognize Marilyn Monroe. This famous Hollywood icon rose to global fame as a model, actress, and socialite -- only to die, officially from an overdose, at the young age of 36. And ever since that day, people around the world have spent decades asking whether there's something more to the official story: Who killed...

Conspiracy Realist Mike describes his first hand experience working in the mental health field in the 1990s. A letter about synesthesia prompts a discussion on the nature of experience -- and whether this particular sensory phenomenon can be taught. Toad reaches out to relay some insider info explaining anomalous sonic booms -- and and a (completely unrelated) listener writes in with some distress...

With all the news about art programs like Midjourney, chat applications like ChatGPT and so on, it's no wonder more and more people are concerned 'AI' -- however defined, may put their jobs in danger. But how true is that? Is 'AI' coming for you? Tune in to learn more in the first part of this ongoing series. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-...

If you had a chance to save a loved one, would you take it? How far would you go? It's the gang's collective birthday this month, so as a way of saying thanks to you Conspiracy Realists around the world (and beyond), the guys have teamed up with their extended conspiracy family to present a unique tale of morality, of good and evil, and... fast food. They don't want you to read our book.: https://...

A letter from the self-described 'ultra rich' argues the rich must be taxed to prevent catastrophic inequality. Getty images files a legal complaint on companies making AI-assisted image software. In an interview on state-funded news, 58-year-old serial killer Mikhail Popkov volunteers to join the Russian military. All this and more on today's Strange News. They don't want you to read our book.: h...

More than a century since the Wright brothers made history at Kitty Hawk, aircraft still seem like a stunning, new -- and potentially terrifying -- invention. It's no wonder that flight, like so many other forms of transit, has become embedded in the the human psyche. In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel delve deep into stories of 'haunted' aircraft. They don't want you to read our book.: https:...

Ben follows up on augmented reality and the ongoing communications from protestors in Iran. A caller asks for information about the alleged disappearance of the young inventor Max Loughan. A listener writes in to provide a Peruvian perspective on birthrates in agrarian economies. All this and more in this week's listener mail. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/sta...

There's a lot of information out there these days -- and, unfortunately, a lot of it isn't true. But how can we learn to discern fact from fiction? In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the basis of critical thought and skepticism, and how your own brain can conspire against you in your search for the truth.  They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/s...

The rumors are true -- the US government has multiple, highly-fortified shelters and compounds dotting the American landscape, staffed and fully prepared to protect the President and other federal or state officials from widespread disease, natural disasters, nuclear war and more. But how do these things get built? Where are they and -- perhaps most importantly -- what happens to everyone else whe...

New research indicates multiple obscure fungal infections are spreading much further than originally thought. On the heels of the attempted coup in Brazil, former president Jair Bolsonaro remains in the United States. Over in Utah, hapless park officials ask people to stop planting strange electronic rigs in mountains near Salt Lake City (spoiler from Ben: I'm pretty sure this is related to crypto...

It's a story you might not have heard much about in the global west. While the world has eyes on the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, another international border may be on the brink of exploding into open war. For decades the nuclear-capable nations of China and India have quietly been waging a dispute high in the Himalayas -- a conflict fought with sticks, stones and hand-to-hand combat to d...

It's a tale that dates back centuries -- a bizarre, spherical ship washes ashore in Japan, containing a single passenger. Visibly female and humanoid, but clothed in strange garments, with unusual hair and skin. Fast forward to the modern day -- experts still aren't sure what exactly happened. What was Utsuro Bune? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they delve into the mystery. They don't want you to read...

Humanity has always had one biological mission: to grow and expand its population. And, since the days of antiquity, great thinkers have been terrified by the idea that, one day, there will simply be too many people on the planet. In today's episode, Ben and Noel explore the numerous concerns about overpopulation, separating fact from fiction as they delve into one of the most disturbing genres of...

Each year, thousands of people visit national parks across the US. And, tragically, some of them don't return. Join the guys as they interview David Paulides, the prolific author of the Missing 411 series, to learn more about his work and research into these disappearances. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/list...

It's 2023 -- and more shady companies are selling body parts on the sly. Infrastructure attacks continue across the United States, prompting questions about a larger pattern at play. Canada is banning foreign homebuyers, and Japan is begging people to move out of Tokyo. Join Ben and Matt for all this and more in this week's Strange News. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmil...

As the investigation into the brutal death of the Shermans dragged on, seemingly with no solid leads, the public and members of the Sherman family grew increasingly disturbed. Both the authorities and the family searched desperately for clues -- and the court of opinion began drawing conclusions of its own. Could a business rival of Barry Sherman's have ordered a hit? Could a foreign government be...

For many people, the word "pyramid" instantly conjures up images of ancient Egypt -- of pharaohs and mummies, treasure and (maybe) curses. But while the pyramids of Egypt may be the most well-known, they are far from the only example of these structures. Join the guys as they explore the stories of pyramids across the globe, including their alleged uses and more. They don't want you to read our bo...

In 2017, Canadian billionaires Barry and Honey Sherman were discovered dead in their Toronto-area mansion, in a gruesome tragedy that remains unsolved in the modern day. Police initially declared the case a murder-suicide -- a conclusion no one found accurate. In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the troubling details of this crime, from the initial investigation...

In 2017, Elon Musk laid out plans to build a permanent colony on Mars -- one with at least a million human inhabitants. What would this colony look like? How would it work? Most importantly, could we use a Martian colony as an opportunity to improve on the socioeconomic practices of Earth? To find these answers, Ben, Matt and Noel went to the smartest guy they know: Marshall Brain, the founder of...

A warehouse fire in Brooklyn destroys incalculable amounts of NYPD evidence. The app Lensa prompts a conversation about the future of art (which Ben partially predicted). Human-made nuclear fusion is finally real -- but will it work the way humans hope? All this and more in this week's Strange News. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-rea...

Since before the dawn of recorded history, the power of belief has been a driving force for human civilization. Spiritual movements have risen and fallen, only to be replaced by other belief systems. Today much of the developed world is considered increasingly secular -- or is it? Join the guys as they explore the strange and troubling question: What if, instead of becoming less religious, the wor...

For centuries, cultures around the world have told tales of "wild men" lurking in the woods, and reports of these creatures continue in the modern day. So what exactly is Bigfoot? Join the guys as they interview David Bakara, the creator of Expedition: Bigfoot, to learn more about his search for the creature and the inspiration behind his museum. They don’t want you to read our book . They don't w...