Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

It's no secret that the world's prison systems have tons of serious, fundamental problems -- yet most people can agree some criminals simply cannot be allowed into the public. When a question from a fellow Conspiracy Realist leads Ben, Matt and Noel into a rabbit hole, they ask: Who are the world's most dangerous prisoners? Perhaps more importantly, how do those in power define "danger" in the fir...

Did a group of private assassins use a series of sleazy websites as fronts for their base of operations? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they delve into the mysterious story of Lake City Quiet Pills. They don’t want you to read our book . 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.

A former DEA ageny sentenced to 12 years for a string of corruption-related crimes shares his story with the press. Bahamas-based cryptocurrency exchange FTX crashes, leading to some interesting -- and unproven -- conspiracy theories. After more than 900 days in space, the unmanned X-37B returns to Earth... but no one's saying much about what it was doing up there in the dark for almost two and a...

How does a government decide who can know what? In the modern day, it comes down to something called security clearances. In today's episode the guys explore how the US decides who's trustworthy enough to get the scoop on stuff the public can't know -- and what happens when things go wrong. They don’t want you to read our book . They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/s...

Fiona hips the gang to the bizarre, disturbing tale of a man called -- occasionally -- "Nicholas Rossi." Plaquetos calls for more information about the ongoing Appalachian belief in a certain type of haunting spirit. RC prompts a conversation about the effects the moon may have on your body and mind. All this and more in this week's listener mail. They don’t want you to read our book . They don't...

You've seen it in countless works of film and fiction -- a shady operative hands someone a folder, marked 'classified,' or 'top secret.' But what is classification in real life? What makes one piece of information fit for the public, and another piece the kind of thing that has to be buried for generations? In today's episode, the guys explore the fact, fiction and controversy surrounding how the...

In the US, the 1960s were a crucible of culture -- college students, veterans, the disadvantaged and activists across the country sought to overthrow the status quo and build their own vision of a better world. This period in time produced some of the most influential art, music and prose in recent history, and introduced LSD to the mainstream. So why do so many people think it was ultimately a CI...

An indoor security camera captures a strange, disturbing image. The owners of the "White Lives Matter" offer to sell the trademark for a billion dollars. And, with what appears to be absolute sincerity, the good folks at the US National Parks Service are begging locals to stop licking toads for a hallucinogenic experience. All this and more in this week's Strange News. They don’t want you to read...

How did a little piece of software meant to organize files become the centerpiece of a global conspiracy? In today's episode, the guys dive deep into a twisting, troubled tale of intrigue, spycraft, and murder. They don’t want you to read our book . 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 informat...

Chen calls in with an extraordinary tale of mysterious government agents detaining him at work. The Baron writes in to ask about ancient metal from the stars. Over on Instagram, an anonymous source gives their first-hand experience working in the world of precrime... and how the technology is much further along than the average person might assume. (That last one, in fact, was so frightening that...

In the modern day, many individuals define their lives in terms of large financial purchases -- buying a house, a home, or an appliance. Acquiring debt from higher schooling or a medical procedure, and so on. When you can't pay all at once, you get a loan. When you can't get a loan, you look elsewhere... and, it turns out, there's a multibillion dollar industry waiting to sell you a dream. So, wha...

Like most other militaries of the time, the Nazi army conducted extensive classified research into all aspects of warfare, from rocketry to drugs, tank improvements and so on. They also delved into more exotic realms, and their endeavors remain a subject of enduring fascination in the modern age. Perhaps the most famous of these legendary experiments is something known as Die Glocke, or the Nazi B...

Officials have arrested a suspect in connection to the harrowing Delphi murders. Three men from the Miami area get caught in a multi-state meat heist scheme. Cynical 'conspiracy theories' proliferate in the wake of the attack on Paul Pelosi. The FBI raids the home of journalist James Gordon Meek -- only to find he's disappeared. All this and more in this week's Strange News. They don’t want you to...

Why write a book about conspiracies and conspiracy theories? In today's behind-the-scenes episode, the guys explore how the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know book came to be, how they chose what to leave in -- and what they're saving for the next one. Order a copy here . They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listene...

A fellow Conspiracy Realist writes in with a unique perspective on reincarnation. A late-night modem noise triggers a primal response. Ben remains away on what he only describes as a "secret project." All this and more in this week's listener mail. They don’t want you to read our book . They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnyst...

ShotSpotter is a private company leveraging audio technology and proprietary algorithmns to locate gunfire with an incredibly high degree of accuracy. It's currently deployed across hundreds of square miles of the US -- many proponents argue it saves lives, but critics allege it has some serious problems... including corruption and conspiracy. In the second part of this two-part series, the guys e...

Everyone knows sugar in excessive amounts can have damaging effects on your health -- but just how bad is it, and why do people in the US still consume so much? Join the guys as they delve into the strange story of the decades-long sugar conspiracy. They don’t want you to read our book . They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnys...

An update on the ongoing fallout surrounding Kanye West. Investigators are looking for a Fremont family, worried that no one has seen them for four days after recent, erratic behavior from the father. All this and more in this week's Strange News. They don’t want you to read our book. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystud...

At the close of the Paris Peace Accords, the US and Vietnam agreed to return any POWs to their home country -- however, for decades after the close of the conflict, people in country reported seeing missing American soldiers, sometimes held by foreign officials, sometimes on their own in the jungle. So what happened to the hundreds of missing soldiers in the Vietnam War... and how much did the US...

ShotSpotter is a private company leveraging audio technology and proprietary algorithms to locate gunfire with an incredibly high degree of accuracy. It's currently deployed across hundreds of square miles of the US -- many proponents argue it saves lives, but critics allege it has some serious problems... including corruption and conspiracy. In the first part of this two-part series, the guys exp...

Nutrition is a huge deal. The need to eat is one of the very few things all human beings have in common, and nations have risen and fallen based on this fact. Yet even in 2022, not everyone is getting enough of the right stuff to eat. In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the concept of food deserts -- including why some people hate the term, and why others think it's the result of a co...

Nowadays many people are familiar with the US government's bizarre psychic experiments -- but what about China's? Join the guys as they explore the strange phenomenon of China's psychic children. They don’t want you to read our book . 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.

In 2013, Canadian college student Elisa Lam disappeared while on a solo trip through California. For weeks law enforcement was at a loss to explain the disappearance -- until, that is, a maintenance worker at the Cecil Hotel discovered her body in a water tank. And with that, what should have been the end of a tragic tale instead became the prologue to a mystery that, according to many, remains un...

Let's be honest: propaganda is a bit of a dirty word nowadays. When you hear it mentioned in the media, it's almost always framed as a sinister tool of the bad guys -- but make no mistake: every country on the planet deploys propaganda on a regular basis. And the problem is escalating. In today's episode, Ben and Matt explore a stunning, often-ignored aspect of propaganda in the United States. Abo...

A listener from the world of government regulation writes with surprising insider information about the great glitter mystery. Multiple Conspiracy Realists share differing opinions on the Shotspotter technology. Sources familiar with fishing contests follow up on the latest cheating scandal. All this and more in this week's listener mail. They don’t want you to read our book . They don't want you...