Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

In the span of just a few decades, video games have moved from a niche pursuit to the mainstream, growing into a multibillion dollar, continually-evolving industry. As technology also continues to involve, becoming increasing immersive -- and, according to some critics, invasive -- more and more critics are concerned video games may be built to be dangerously, purposely addictive. Learn more about...

Is there a serial killer operating in Nevada? A caller shares their own experience with a UFO, and the guys explore the concept of the right to repair. All this and more in today's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/li...

It's no secret that the story of US history taught in school doesn't always match the reality of certain events -- and the deeper you dig, the stranger some stories become. In today's episode, the guys dive into the historic mystery surrounding Melungeons and other communities collectively known as tri-racial isolates, groups throughout the southern and eastern United States known for their enigma...

China seeks to crack down on 'video game addiction' with strict new laws on internet gaming. Capybaras prompt a conversation about class in South America. Studies show human beings are evolving new arteries -- and no one's quite sure why, or what it means for the future. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don...

If you travel to the southern side of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula today, you'll find little more than ruins and wildlife. Almost a century ago, this place was called Portlock, Alaska -- a small but thriving town at the edge of the northern frontier. By 1950, the town had been completely abandoned. So what happened, and why do so many people seem to think Portlock is cursed? Learn more about your ad-c...

A listener writes in response to the Classic episode on legal drugs. A caller relates a story about drones built to look like birds. The guys dive into the concept of the iron law of prohibition. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuf...

What do the world's foremost UFO investigators think of the latest revelations regarding UFOs (also known as UAP)? Join the guys as they speak with Roderick Martin, the creator and host of Clubhouse's Extraterrestrial Evidence, to discuss the inspiration for his show, the process of conducting a MUFON investigation, and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com...

Did you know that there's no systematic, comprehensive study of police shootings across the United States? Some blame a distaste for paperwork, while others think there's something sinister afoot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener...

OnlyFans announces it will no longer allow explicit content on the platform, prompting a massive outcry. A family of hikers is found dead, with no discernible cause of death -- prompting authorities to wonder whether algae blooms may be the culprit. And it seems there's a surprising reason fast food ice cream machines seem to be constantly broken... a genuine conspiracy. All this and more in this...

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com 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.

Wernher von Braun wrote a curious story about encountering Martians. A listener explains the power of hand-written letters. An email inspires the guys to dive deep into the macabre world of modern grave robbing. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com...

What makes people think 'conspiracy' is a bad word? How do we apply critical thinking in what has so often been called a post-truth world? In this episode, the guys hit the road for the first time since the pandemic, traveling to record a panel on critical thought and conspiracy live during Podcast Movement in Nashville, Tennessee. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwo...

In an age of global connectivity, North Korea remains one of the most isolated -- and enigmatic -- countries on Earth. How much do we really know about it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com 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 disgraced accountant affiliated with the University of South Florida pleads guilty to embezzling millions. A viral video from law enforcement creates panic over Fentanyl. Crustaceans are super into plastic waste. All this and more in this week's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.mac...

Fast food restaurants have spread across the globe -- and this industry's effect goes far beyond convenient fries or refillable soda. In the second part of this two-part series, Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com 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 informa...

A listener asks for more information about the Lake Michigan Mothman. Luke is concerned about strange substances in the water of Sacramento. Ben has disappeared somewhere over the Pacific. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stu...

The idea of convenient snacks is as old as human civilization itself -- for example, excavations at ancient sites across the planet have recovered evidence of food stalls in markets and community hubs. But the modern age of fast food has taken convenience to unprecedented levels. In the first part of this week's two-part episode, the guys unpack the the history of fast food, along with why some cr...

Diamonds: according to the ads, they're a girl's best friend, and the only thing worth picking for an engagement ring. But how did diamonds become so important -- and why? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com 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.

Philip Morris has recently called for a total ban on cigarettes in the United Kingdom -- leading critics to wonder about its true motivations. A conspiracy website offers ten thousand dollars to anyone who can change the editors' minds. Archaeologists discover a 2,000 year-old fast food joint in Pompeii, and plan to open a replica for tourists. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn...

It's no secret that the ad industry is huge. Advertisers spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year attempting to convince people they should buy a given product or service -- and these same forces also work around the clock to leverage the latest in neuroscience and tech to gain a crucial edge in 'nudging' you toward a purchase. In today's episode, the guys explore the future of advertising....

A viral social media post claims recent homicides in Atlanta, GA are the work of a serial killer -- but do the claims in this post hold up? An anonymous Conspiracy Realist replies to the recent revelations about NSO Group's Pegasus software, which has been used to track activists, journalists and their families, prompting an exploration of just how much power these private companies can wield... a...

Over a period of just a few days, multiple members of the military witnessed strange, unexplained events in the vicinity of the UK's Rendlesham Forest. Today, the guys welcome returning guest Toby Ball to learn more about this infamous series of UFO sightings -- and what he found in the course of his research into the bizarre, at times contradictory claims surrounding this event. Learn more about...

Each year, millions of US residents consume pharmaceutical products designed to somehow improve their lives. These drugs could tackle anything from ADHD to allergies and diseases. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com 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 infor...

A disturbing study finds 33 ancient viruses have successfully reemerged from glaciers as rising temperatures accelerate a global meltdown -- prompting fears about what else might be lurking beneath the ice. A survivor of a mass shooting is at a loss as he attempts to convince his father the shooting actually occurred, and was not part of some deep state conspiracy. All this and more in this week's...

The nation of India is home to over 1.3 billion people, making it both the world's largest democracy and second-most populous country. Since 1951, the country has been using various forms of sterilization as a means of population control -- whether or not the actual people living in India agree with it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to...