Things I Learned Last Night

Elmer McCurdy was a failed outlaw whose story didn’t end with his death—it only got weirder. After a string of explosive robbery attempts that went hilariously wrong, McCurdy met his end in a shootout with law enforcement. But instead of being buried and forgotten, his body began a journey stranger than fiction. For decades, McCurdy’s embalmed corpse was mistaken for a wax figure and passed throug...

In the 1990s, Pepsi ran one of the wildest marketing campaigns ever. The company offered “Pepsi Points” for drinking their soda. People could collect these points and trade them for branded items like T-shirts and sunglasses. But one bold TV commercial took things too far—it ended with a teenager landing a military jet at school. The cost? Seven million Pepsi Points. It was meant as a joke. But no...

In 2013, two Canadian professors set out to answer a strange question: Can robots trust humans? The result was a robot named Hitchbot. It wasn’t high-tech or futuristic-looking. In reality, it looked more like a child’s craft project. But its mission was serious: to travel across countries using only the kindness of strangers. Hitchbot was a mix of pool noodles, a bucket, rain boots, and a talking...

Imagine this: hundreds of massive ships rolling into your harbor. No gunfire, no war, just presence. That’s how Zhang He made nations bow. His fleet flexed power without destroying cities. Along the way, they also mapped the ocean and brought foreign leaders to meet the emperor. Zhang He and the ships became legends. They showed that China wasn’t just a land power. It ruled the seas, too. Things I...

Late-night TV has always been filled with laughs, interviews, and drama. But one of the biggest behind-the-scenes showdowns happened between Conan O'Brien and Jay Leno. This is the story of how two comedy giants clashed over one of television’s most iconic shows: The Tonight Show. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about r...

In the winter of 1874, six men entered the snowy Colorado mountains. Only one came out. That man was Alfred Packer, and what followed became one of the most chilling survival stories in American history. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughin...

In 897 AD, a genuinely shocking event occurred in Rome. A dead pope was put on trial. You read that right. A corpse, dressed in full church robes, was placed on a throne and judged in front of an audience. This unusual and unforgettable event is known as the Cadaver Synod. It remains one of the most bizarre moments in church history. And yes, it really happened. Things I Learned Last Night is an e...

For years, the McDonald's Monopoly game made people believe they could win big. From free fries to million-dollar prizes, millions of people peeled those little game pieces, hoping to strike it rich. But what if we told you that the biggest prizes were never actually up for grabs? This is the true story of how Jerry Jacobson stole millions of dollars by rigging the McDonald’s Monopoly game. It’s o...

In the world of hidden riches, one man took things to a whole new level. His name is Justin Posey, and he’s not your average tech guy. He’s a software engineer, a collector, and a creative thinker. But what really sets him apart? His deep obsession with finding treasure. What started as a hobby turned into a years-long mission. Now, Justin Posey and treasure might go down in history together. Thin...

Forrest Fenn was a decorated Air Force pilot, art dealer, and author who lived in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He collected rare artifacts from around the world. After surviving cancer in the late 1980s, he devised a wild plan: hide a treasure chest filled with valuable items and challenge people to find it. Fenn published a book in 2010 titled The Thrill of the Chase. Inside it, he included a mysterious...

It all started at a science conference. A woman named Joy Milne stood up after a lecture on Parkinson’s disease and asked the speaker, “Why do people with Parkinson’s smell like that?” The scientist, Dr. Tilo Kunath, was confused. He had never heard that Parkinson’s had a smell. But Joy was confident. She said she could smell it, and she had smelled it before anyone diagnosed her husband. Things I...

It all started with a phone call. A photographer in Colorado received an offer from a well-known Hollywood producer. She said she needed photos taken in Jakarta, Indonesia, for a Netflix pitch. The contract looked real. The emails were official. He was even reimbursed — or so he thought. The photographer paid for flights, hotels, and drivers, expecting to be paid back later. But the producer kept...

When you look around your city today, you might notice that a lot of buildings look the same. Fast food restaurants, apartments, and office parks often blend together. One man played a significant role in initiating this trend. His name was Le Corbusier. He was an architect with grand ideas about how cities should be designed. Some people love what he did. Others think he made the world a little l...

In 1980, Rosie Ruiz crossed the Boston Marathon finish line with a smile and a medal. She had just posted one of the fastest female marathon times ever. Cameras flashed. Reporters asked questions. But within days, the truth came out—Rosie Ruiz had cheated. This is the strange and unforgettable story of how Rosie Ruiz became a marathon “winner” without running the whole race. Things I Learned Last...

Ron Jones was a fun and popular history teacher at Cubberley High School. One day, a student asked him how people in Germany could follow someone like Hitler. Ron wanted to answer that question through a Social Experiment. He set simple rules. Students had to greet him in a special way, sit quietly, and ask questions using three words or fewer. Jones promised good grades if they followed his rules...

Soap may seem like an everyday item, but Dr. Bronner showed us it can carry powerful messages. Using his soapbox—literally standing on it to speak to crowds—he shared important lessons about life and caring for the planet... Maybe... Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If...

Many people know Vladimir Putin as Russia's leader, but not everyone knows how he became so powerful. We must look at Vladimir Putin's journey to truly understand Russia today. This story shows how one person can change an entire country. No one knows what Putin plans next, but he has said clearly that he has no plans to step down or choose someone new. As long as he remains popular in Russia, he...

Uri Geller was born in 1946 in Tel Aviv, Israel. He said he saw a strange, shiny disc in the sky as a child, and he believed this event gave him psychic powers. Soon, Uri began performing amazing acts like bending metal objects and reading people's minds. He quickly became known as the magician who could bend spoons with his thoughts. Uri Geller’s abilities caught the attention of the CIA. The U.S...

Have you ever heard about the sea monkeys? You might think they're magical pets, but they're tiny shrimp! Harold Von Braunhut was the man behind this clever idea. He sold sea monkeys to children in comic books, making kids think these creatures could dance or play baseball. Sea monkeys are really just brine shrimp—very tiny and simple creatures. But Harold Von Braunhut knew kids would buy anything...

The world is changing, and so are cities. A new project in Saudi Arabia, Neom, is leading the way. This city of the future promises advanced technology, sustainable living, and a fresh way to think about urban life. At the heart of Neom is The Line, a revolutionary city design that challenges everything we know about building communities. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcas...

In 2013, a bizarre crime caught the attention of the entire nation. It involved a local Elvis impersonator, a karate instructor with political ambitions, and an alleged black-market organ trade. This is the story of Paul Kevin Curtis and the Kings of Tupelo—a tale filled with conspiracy, deception, and unexpected twists. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best frien...

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, one woman defied expectations and became one of the wealthiest individuals in the United States. Her name was Hetty Green, but history remembers her by a different title—the Witch of Wall Street. Known for her sharp financial mind, frugality, and ability to turn risky investments into massive gains, she left a lasting impact on Wall Street. Things I Learn...

Bryan Johnson is on a mission to stop aging. He isn't just trying to slow it down—he wants to live forever. His journey includes extreme health routines, strict diets, and even blood transfusions with his own family. Some call him a genius, while others think he's gone too far. But one thing is clear: he is pushing the limits of anti-aging science. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational com...

Imagine stepping onto a plane, believing you're on your way to a top-secret Russian space training camp. You undergo intense astronaut training, compete for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to go to space, and then… you launch into orbit. Or at least, that’s what you think is happening. In 2005, the UK reality TV show Space Cadets pulled off one of the greatest hoaxes in television history. A group of...

In 2012, a short film took over the internet. It was called Kony 2012, and its goal was clear: make the world aware of Joseph Kony, the leader of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The campaign was created by Invisible Children, a nonprofit that wanted to stop Kony and his army from kidnapping children in Uganda. The video quickly became one of the most viral in history, reaching over 100 million v...