Stuff You Should Know

It might not be the sexiest topic we’ve ever covered (and by “might”, we mean “definitely”), but there are some things you just need to learn about and this deadly and undetectable gas that’s part of our everyday lives is one of them. So buck up. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Botox can chase away the lines on your face, apparently it can chase away your depression, borderline personality disorder, and anxiety too. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we dive in to celebrate the international treasure that is Dolly Parton. Why is she nearly universally loved? Listen in to find out.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is it true that Robin Hood hung out in Sherwood Forest and stole from the rich to give to the poor? No. No, it’s not. Find out the real story in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We've wanted to contact extraterrestrials for as long as we've suspected they're out there. But as we get better and locating potentially inhabited planets, beaming messages their way is suddenly posing a threat.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Routines are a key part of a successful life. Ask anybody about theirs and they'll be happy to share! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It sounds controversial, but there are persuasive arguments for the wealthy Global North to write off the debts lower-income nations have accrued. Some say the US and Europe actually owe it to them. This is one of those boring ones you shouldn’t skip. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sure, you've probably laid in one at the store or a funeral home, but how much do you know about receptacles used to bury the dead? We'll bet you'll learn plenty - like the difference between a coffin and a casket - in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Brinkley was perhaps the biggest quack who ever claimed to be practicing medicine. Learn all about this not so good guy today! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks to green algae, there's such a thing as red snow. And we've recently found it can accelerate global warming. Look out! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At 13,000 feet the ground is nothing but far-away squares of land, and you can even see some clouds below you. All of a sudden you find yourself plummeting downward. There are very few thrills like jumping out of a plane with a parachute. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It turns out that the characters in your favorite TV shows and the like are actually dead, dreaming, dying or don't exist. Explore some strange fan theories with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you've ever wanted to learn more about playing cards, now is your big chance.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been all over the news, Beethoven's DNA has revealed some interesting things about his health. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humans’ first attempt at civilization went pretty well for the first thousand years. Important stuff like the wheel, writing, math, art, and diplomacy came out of it. But then, in the blink of an historical eye, it all mysteriously failed. What happened? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was only since 1958 that the Jet Age began, and jet lag became a real condition. Also known as desynchronosis, jet lag can lead to all manner of ailments, from sleeplessness to irritability to diabetes and cancer. In this classic episode, learn about how the body's natural clock runs normally and what happens when it gets out of whack when we cross time zones quickly. See omnystudio.com/listene...

Dowsing, aka water-witching has been around a long time. And you might be surprised that's still a thing. We get into all the nitty gritty of this pseudo-science today.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There’s a little-discussed trend you might run into at your favorite theme park – people scattering the ashes of a loved one on rides. Here's hoping you don't literally run into it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Back when cars were a brand new thing, before people even knew they'd stick around, two men and a dog drove from San Francisco to New York. This is their story.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1970, roboticist Masahiro Mori wrote an essay that said the closer robots come to lifelike, the more they unsettle humans. His theory became the Uncanny Valley, and science has been evaluating it – and what makes something creepy - in recent years. Learn all about it with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the all-stars of the hobby world is collecting baseball cards. Over time it’s gone from a kids’ hobby to a major investment vehicle, complete with its own bubble that recently burst. But at the heart of it is something both engrossing and endearing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You know when you read a word over and over it starts to lose its meaning? There’s a term for that and why it happens is fascinating. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Floyd Collins was a natural-born caver who met a terrible fate, becoming stuck underground where no one could get him loose. His unlucky, slowly unfolding plight also turned out to be one of the first national media sensations of the 20th century. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anyone who knows anything about Jean-Claude Van Damme knows he played a French legionnaire in the movies. He was just one of many actors to star in films that romanticized this mercenary force. Check out the details in this classic episode with Josh and Chuck. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck and Josh were around during the Golden Age of the arcade. And look how they turned out! Join them on a trip down memory lane.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.