Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Nestlé is the world's largest food and beverage company, and it's no surprise that an entity this large would, at some point over the decades, become embroiled in a controversy or two. However, according to critics and numerous advocacy groups, Nestlé has a dark side that goes far beyond the occasional ethical misstep. Join the guys and special guest Lauren Vogelbaum, host of Savor, as they unrave...

What should people be allowed to say online? What sort of control should states or private entities have over images, concepts, speeches and other content created by individuals, groups or the public? Join the guys as they explore the controversial phenomenon of censorship, from moments where it's arguably necessary to times where censorship functions as conspiracy or cover-up -- ultimately asking...

From the secret signs of homeless communities to Toynbee tiles, the world of advertisement and even the US dollar, the world is chock-full of hidden signs, languages and symbols. Recently, the guys hit the road, traveling across the northeast and exploring these secret images on their first live tour. Tune in to learn more about the strange world of hobo code, the weird images on US currency and t...

When most people hear the phrase "concentration camp" we immediately think of the atrocities of World War II. Sadly, that's not the end of the story. Despite global efforts to cover up the existence of detainment, re-education and concentration camps, the practice of detaining, capturing and torturing groups of people continues in the modern day. Listen in to learn the stuff they don't want you to...

Music is one of the first human languages, and today it's also a multi-billion dollar industry. Each year, multitudes of would-be superstars pour blood, sweat, cash and tears into their dream of making it big on the public stage. So what sets the successful music stars apart from the rest? Why do certain songs get played more than others? Who really writes them? Join the guys as they explore the t...

Stubborn, determined and tenacious, Gary Webb was the quintessential investigative journalist. In his work for a newspaper called The Mercury News, Gary explored the relationship between right-wing revolutionary Contras in Nicaragua, the crack cocaine epidemic in the United States, and the actions of the Central Intelligence Agency. While the series was published, multiple mainstream newspapers jo...

Depending on who you ask, voter fraud is a widespread threat to the U.S. democratic system or a piece of "fake news". How often are people fraudulently voting? Is there really a cover-up or conspiracy to corrupt the vote? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the strange, murky world of voter and election fraud. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want y...

DARPA is the source of numerous astonishing technological innovations — as well as some terrifying ones, and often the research associated with this organization remains under wraps for years. However, it’s possible to make some pretty good guesses about what DARPA has up its sleeve for the future, even when it’s the stuff they don’t want you to know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://ww...

The rise of the Internet Age allowed billions of people to access virtually endless stores of information, but it had a dark side -- one of which was the rise of a new kind of army: Groups that used viruses and software the way other militaries use missiles, spies and bombs. Join the guys as they explore the rise of the mysterious entity known as GhostNet -- what it did, how it got away with it, a...

YouTube is huge — as you’re reading this sentence, millions of people are clicking through videos to watch their favorite celebrities, learn new skills, listen to music and more. Yet there’s more to this platform than the casual viewer might suspect. Tune in as the guys explore the strange, hidden mechanics governing what YouTube wants you to watch, and why. Learn more about your ad-choices at htt...

Among all the continents of Earth, Antarctica remains both the most inhospitable and the most mysterious. Today the only humans on the landmass are researchers and their support staff, charged with studying climate change, the local ecosystem and the unique creatures that call the freezing, ice-riddled continent home. Yet for centuries various researchers have argued there's more to the history of...

Does someone have real-life superspeed? Can people telepathically control machines? When the guys originally began investigating real-life superpowers, they had no idea how many extraordinary abilities they would end up discovering. Tune in for the superpower sequel, with all new powers (and a few abilities that might be more like a curse). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpod...

For most fans, the music industry can be a relatively obscure enterprise — we might know our favorite singers, MCs or bands, but often we have no idea what goes on behind the scenes as managers, labels and government agencies attempt influence, spread or suppress the music you hear. In this episode Ben, Matt and Noel meet with J. Prince, the founder of Rap-A-Lot records, to learn more about what t...

Over the years, the guys have explored stories of cryptids across the planet, but in all their podcast journeys they somehow never made it to Australia -- at least, that is, until today. Tune in as they investigate the tales of Australian cryptids with a special guest appearance by Savor cohost and frequent globetrotter Anney Reese, who for a time lived with an indigenous community on the continen...

Jack Parsons was a rocket engineer and rocket propulsion researcher responsible for astonishing breakthroughs in his field. However, Parsons had a double life -- a private passion for the occult that led him to eventually join Aleister Crowley's new Thelemite religion, attempt the Babalon Working and hobknob with L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. Tune in to learn more about the rocket sc...

You've heard the guys mention their new call-in line on previous episodes -- but what actually happens to all those messages from your fellow Conspiracy Realists? Listen in as Ben, Matt and Noel field your calls in today's episode. 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...

As one of the biggest musical acts in human history, the Beatles didn't just fundamentally change the course of music -- they also affected society at large in numerous ways, evolving beyond musicians to larger-than-life icons in the public eye. And, over the decades, they've also become the subject of multiple conspiracy theories. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https:/...

Pyramids aren't just for Egypt! Join Ben and Matt as they dive into the strange story of a hidden pyramid in China, an ancient lost civilization that, recently uncovered, holds disturbing secrets in the modern day.  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 omnys...

Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they interview Payne Lindsey, the creator of Atlanta Monster and Up and Vanished, for a behind-the-scenes look at Payne's process for developing these shows (as well as a sneak peek on Up and Vanished Season 2).  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-yo...

The Ark of the Covenant is the legendary wooden chest said to hold Ten Commandments, engraved on stone tablets. For thousands of years people have searched for the Ark with little to no success. However, according to the guardians of The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, the ark itself has been hidden in Ethiopia for millennia.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.c...

If you're an American, you're probably familiar with the famous 'Satanic Panic' of the 80s and 90s -- but did you know Italy experienced something extremely similar? And, even crazier, did you know that Italy has a documented case of an active Satanic conspiracy? Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com They don't want you to read our book.:...

Have you joined the Here's Where It Gets Crazy facebook group? If so, tune in -- you just might be on the air in today's episode of 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/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the era of the Cold War, intelligence agencies on both sides of the iron curtain desperately raced to secure any possible technological advantage, even if it meant breaking the law along the way. Join the guys as they interview filmmaker Bret Wood, the creator of The Control Group podcast, about the real-life events that inspired the first fiction podcast by HowStuffWorks. Learn more about your...

On the surface, NXVIM seemed like any other multi-level marketing company or self-help group. It offered numerous development seminars and executive success programs, just like those of other, similar institutions. Yet NXVIM had a sinister side, a hidden circle in which abuse, sexual slavery, fraud and physical branding were commonplace. Tune in as the guys answer the question: At what point does...

Named for the orange stripe lining the 55 gallon barrels containing this herbicide and defoliant, Agent Orange was one of the most widely-used "rainbow herbicides" of the Vietnam war. But it wasn't just harmful to plants. Soon after it was deployed in Vietnam, Vietnamese citizens and US veterans alike reported crippling, life-threatening symptoms. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.ih...