Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

For thousands of years, humans were convinced meteors and stars shed heavenly goo onto Earth's surface, or that shreds of the Virgin Mary's veil drifted to the ground after her visitations. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel continue their exploration of weird weather phenomena: What is star jelly? What is angel hair? 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.

An astronaut writes a Tripadvisor review of life in space. King John calls in to prompt an excellent conversation about food as medicine... and how private insurance may help you eat healthy. A European Conspiracy Realist provides context on the idea of mandatory speed limiters -- and why people in the US seem more bothered by it than people across the pond. Charlie describes bizarre experiences with targeted advertising. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. 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.

If you live in the US, you've heard the tone before: a staccato series of beeps followed by an oddly neutral voice disclosing any number of warnings or disasters. This is known as the Emergency Alert System. In the event of an emergency, this system can save lives by immediately getting information out to the public ... but what happens if someone hacks it? How easy is it do so?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.

If you met a person from the year 1019, they would be, in many ways, much like you. But what if you met a person from 3019? How different will human beings be one thousand years from today? Will humanity as we understand still be around? Join the guys with special guests John Goforth and Brent Hand, hosts of Hysteria 51, as they explore the strange twists and turns the future may hold for our species... assuming, of course, that we survive.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.

33 year-old Collins Jumaici Khalusha has been arrested in connection to multiple murders in Kenya -- he himself has testified to killing 42 women in the past two years. Guillermo Söhnlein, the co-founder of the Titan submersible company Oceangate, says he has plans for a moon colony. Officials claim an interstate 'Fentanyl Robbery Gang' lured victims with sex work and drugged them, leading to at least 4 deaths. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.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.

It's a weird -- and weirdly common -- story throughout history: a storm that carries not just rain and thunder, but any number of strange animals dropping along in the ground. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the fact and fiction surrounding historic rains of frog and fish... only to discover there are serious problems with the conventionally-accepted explanation.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.

Do you anthropormorphize inanimated objects? Ben has a pantheon of them. Side Pocket Kid writes in about the concept of alternative power and microgeneration. On Instagram, Rebel reveals Nazi-branded drugs are sweeping Europe. A new UAP sighting in California. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.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.

On 13 July, 2024, a person later identified as Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate former US President and current Republican Presidential candidate Donald J Trump at a rally held on the Butler Farm Show Grounds near Butler, Pennsylvania. Two civilians were greviously injured, and another civilian was fatally shot. In tonight's breaking episode, Ben and the guys explore what we know so far, what questions remain unanswered, and more.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.

The Panama Papers are a collection of over 11 million leaked documents exposing shady financial dealings from more than 200,000 offshore entities, some dating as far back as the 1970s. When Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia began connecting the dots between corruption in her home country and information in the Panama Papers, she may have finally crossed a line organized crime wasn't willing to tolerate -- in October of 2017, she was killed by a car bomb outside of her home. Today, the murder remains officially unsolved.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 massive password hack compromises 10 BILLION passwords -- and no one's sure what will happen next. As of July 7th, all new cars sold in the EU and in Northern Ireland will require mandatory speed limiters onboard. Over in South Korea, civilization may have witnessed the first 'robot suicide.' All this and more (pants smuggling, Taco Bell retirement, et cetera) in this week's strange news segment.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.

So why would the US government push so hard for people to get vaccinated domestically, then turn around and wage an anti-vaccination propaganda war on the Philippines? In the second part of this week's special two-part episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the bizarre motivation behind this insidious scheme: the idea that allowing China to supply vaccines could upset a delicate balance of geopolitical power. It wasn't that they planned to kill innocent people -- they just didn't care whether those people died.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.

Geist writes in from Germany, with a fascinating and conspiratorial first-hand look at the potentially insidious end goal of 'surge' and 'flex' pricing -- using personal info to determine how much you should pay for a purchase. Ralph prompts a re-examination of long-term underground living. The gang confirms that yes, Google search is indeed getting worse. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.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.

How far would you go to maintain control of the world? It's a question militaries across the planet ask themselves, every single day. In the first part of this special two-part episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore a genuine conspiracy by the US Department of Defense -- at the same time they were urging people to get vaccinated, they were running a huge information war across the Pacific, convincing folks not to receive vaccinations... and almost certainly leading to the deaths of innocent people.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.

Playwright William Shakespeare is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential writers in the English language, and his plays have been read or performed millions of times around the world. He was also quite prolific: Between about 1590 and 1613, Shakespeare wrote at least 37 plays and collaborated on several more. Yet for more than a century various researchers known collectively as anti-Stratfordians have argued that Shakespeare didn't actually write some -- or all -- of his work.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 a stunning and genuine conspiracy, the US Supreme Court rules a President should have the powers of a Monarch. Scientists warn about the slow burn of a future bird flu pandemic. Recent analysis finds AI makes unprecedented demands on energy -- and creates a huge amount of emissions. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.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.

Have you ever seen a weird pattern in a field? Grain, grass, swamp or wheat, all bent toward some sort of spiritual-mathematical attempt at communication? Since ancient human times, primates built all sorts of strange stories about how, where, and why unseen beings would create crop circles. In tonight's episode, Ben and Matt delve into this strange agricultural phenomena -- sifting the chaff of fiction from the wheat of fact.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.

Cabeza de Vaca prompts a conversation about private drones and home insurance. Skippy shares terrifying first-hand experience with the consequences of 'off-label' drug use. In an email about Philadelphia bombing civilians, Ryan inspires future episodes on the abuse of state power. Ben, Matt and Noel receive an official warning against their discourse on the nature of sandwiches. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.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.

Imagine a stunning amount of biodiversity amid one of the most densely-populated nations in the modern world. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel continue an exploration into what Western science deems "cryptids of India." Spoiler: Ben solves a few mysteries, and gives you the clues to solve a few more as you listen along at home.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.

What if you could travel outside your body at will, sending your consciousness across the planet and beyond? While it may sound like a tale of science fiction to some, the phenomenon known as remote viewing was the subject intense government scrutiny for years. Join the guys as they interview physicist and author Russell Targ, creator of the new film Third Eye Spies, to learn more about his experience researching remote viewing, his work with the government, the future of remote viewing and more.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.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange secures "freedom" in Australia. The Pentagon planned a massive anti-vaccination scheme to discredit China. The US Surgeon General wants warning labels on social media. Private health companies get busted peddling medicine -- and some folks are going to jail. All this and more in this week's Strange News segment.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.

Every Presidential election brings with it a virtual army of advisors, donors, academics, think tanks and policy wonks. They're often full of ideas about how the country should be run -- and they spend a great deal of time and money trying to sell their messages. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore one of the most controversial policy bibles in modern-day America: a set of proposals known collectively as Project 2025. Is this just the normal think tank process... or is there something more sinister at work?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.

Higher education offers millions of people the opportunity to pursue their dreams and make meaningful contributions to civilization -- but it often doesn't come cheap. At $1.5 trillion, the student loan debt in the United States alone is worth more than the value of Facebook and Microsoft combined. So how did we get here? Why do so many people believe the government and private financial interests have conspired to put people under the thumb of life-long, crippling debt? And, perhaps most disturbingly, what will happen if the debt bubble bursts?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.

For the vast majority of humans, freeports don't really matter, nor impact their lives. But make now mistake: for the well-heeled and criminals alike, these international storage sites can provide mission-critical loopholes for money laundering, tax dodging and more. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the strange, international web of conspiracies surrounding these obscure -- and technically legal -- storage facilities.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.

On Thursday, February 5, 1987, two men were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping six children and transporting them to Tallahassee, Florida. While the children were reportedly filthy and hungry, initial reports of abuse didn’t hold up. The mothers confirmed they knew the men, and the charges were eventually dropped. But this isn’t how the story ends -- instead, this is where the story of the Finders cult begins.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.

Smart phones have fundamentally changed the world -- at times, it's difficult to imagine life without one of these handy computers. There's a world of people you can call, a universe of information at your fingertips and millions of specialized programs to make everyday life that much easier. In fact, it sounds too good to be true... and, according to some critics, that might just be the case. So how do we separate the fact from fiction when it comes to smart phones and cancer?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.

Do you live near a mysterious cavern, pit, or abandoned mine? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the wide world of mysterious holes, spanning the globe from the remote wilds of Canada all the way down to Antarctica.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 real estate expert weighs in on the discussion of proprietary valuation/pricing software. A conversation about the failed Superconducting Super Collider in Texas. C shares a first-hand account of life in the Two by Two spiritual movement. The favorite poop joke of the week -- and more -- all in this week's listener mail segment.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.

What if you could take a pill, an injection, or a series of substances to make you fundamentally smarter? To gift yourself with eidetic memory, superior reasoning skills, and higher cognitive function? In the second part of this continuing series, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the bleeding edge science, grifts and innovation within the world of nootropics -- better known as 'smart drugs.'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.

The Black Panther Party For Self-defense was founded in Oakland, California in 1966 by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. They originally wanted to protect local residents from police brutality. One prominent Black Panther activist, Fred Hampton, was killed during an FBI/Chicago Police Force raid on December 4th, 1969. Officially speaking, his death was an unfortunate accident. However, 50 years later multiple scholars, journalists and historians believe there’s more to the story.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.

The state of Missouri has set a date for the execution of Marcellus Williams -- despite emerging evidence overwhelmingly indicating his innocence (and the prosecutor who wants to reverse the conviction). A Baby Reindeer update. Banana giant Chiquita is once again in court -- this time for funding the far-right paramilitary/terrorist organization AUC. Over in California, a 71 year-old man has been busted for running a massive LEGO heist ring. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.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.

Global civilization depends on the power of flight. Yet over the past few decades, planes seem to keep disappearing or meeting with disaster. In tonight's episode, the guys give a 2024 update on missing planes, as well as the theories surrounding what went wrong.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.

Brett the Hitman shares a bizarre story about Ticketmaster, Taylor Swift and Paris. Tree Forts shares the mystery of TwinRay in Ashland, Oregon. Chickenado explores the stuff Big Chicken doesn't want you to know. Plus: Is a Big Mac technically lasagna? All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.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.

Reality is philosophically terrifying. What is it, exactly? Where does it come from? Why are we, humans and everyone else, stuck within this thing no one seems to understand? In this special episode, Matt and the one they call Ben wrestle with the nature of existence in the face of new, so-called "virtual environments."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.

The nation of China recently made international news by successfully completing an unmanned landing on the far side of Earth’s moon, marking a pivotal point in the resurgent space race. So why do some observers believe there’s more to the story?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.

Atlanta's water disaster prompts a conversation about the conspiracies that led to it and the larger threat of crumbling infrastructure across the US. Google's AI search is pretty terrible. One company may be to blame for America's soaring rent prices. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.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.

An email hips the guys to the global conspiracy of the Atlas Network -- a think tank that creates think tanks. Fun Crusher looks for more information on allegations of a serial murderer in Austin. Wayne makes a great point about Ben and Matt's earlier 'get out of trouble with scopolamine' idea. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.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.

Death is one of humanity's great unifiers. Before the dawn of recorded history our species and others like it venerated, feared and honored the dead. The practice of commemorating our loved ones continues today -- and it's become a big business. Join the guys as they delve deeper into the fact, fiction and controversy of the funeral industry to determine whether or not a secret monopoly is at play.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.

Years after his death, Charles Manson remains one of the most infamous cult leaders in US history. While the mainstream public seems pretty satisfied with the official narrative, people still struggle to understand how Manson could have held such an iron grip on the minds of his followers. To some researchers, he wasn't acting alone. Instead, he had help from some world-class experts in mind control -- the CIA.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 recent history more and more analysts have been concerned about the rise of privately-owned, multinational corporations wielding the type of geopolitical power once relegated to states and nations. These concerns usually name drop the best known large companies, such as Nestle, Unilever, Halliburton and so on -- but many more companies operate just as effectively in relative obscurity. Tune in to learn more about the controversies surrounding the prestigious and murky world of the global management consulting group McKinsey and Company, an organization so powerful it's often referred to as, simply, "the Firm".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.

Why is North Korea sending balloons filled with trash and poop over the border? A new poll reveals most Americans consider fast food a luxury. A former mayor in South Dakota is charged with three murders. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.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.

Trolls! These mythical creatures are -- nowadays -- beloved. Most folks think of trolls as creatures of myth, up there with the minotaur, the kraken, the selkie. And yet. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the history of troll folklore, ultimately separating fact from fiction and posing a fascinating question: What if troll legends are an oral remnant of early encounters with a previous thing almost-yet-not-quite-human?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.

How have notable historic figures been affected by dangerous chemicals? Did the US really suppress secret goggles that allow you to see auras? Why has Pornhub banned itself in Texas? In Letters From Home, the guys learn more about the Food Cube Theory. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.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.

Civilization only exists as a result of global trade. Without countless trucks, trains, cargo ships and aircraft, the world as humans understand it will collapse. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt, and Noel explore a particularly fascinating aspect of global shipping -- the freight brokers. These companies are logistical giants: in theory, they intervene to make sure everything gets from Point A to Point Z in the most efficient manner possible. This evening, we ask: What happens when these industries conspire?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.

On November 11, 2018, seismologists began puzzling over a weird low-frequency rumble that rang through the entire planet. The wave wasn’t connected to any known events, and scientists remain mystified by the mysterious phenomenon. Join the guys as the explore the theories behind the world’s weirdest earthquake.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.

At a recent conference for high-dollar investors, a prominent retired Colonel bluntly states "non-human intelligence" is real, world governments know, and they've been interacting with it for a long time. An update on Karen Reed. A statement about Baby Reindeer. A horrific arson prompts questions about surveillance and the law. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.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.

Have you ever wondered whether some secret group genuinely runs the world? Ben, Matt and Noel finally explore the concept that hybrid reptilians change shape at will, dictate the path of human civilization, and -- for some reason -- seek to keep the entire mission a secret.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.

Is there an international conspiracy to certify rigged elections across the planet? What's with the Coast to Coast story of "Mel's Hole?" Fiona writes in for more information about the extremely real -- and dangerous -- phenomenon of "Active Fitness Clubs." All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.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.

You've heard of Bigfoot, but what else is out there? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the fact and fiction of cryptids in India.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 an earlier episode, the guys delved into the modern mystery of Genghis Khan's hidden grave, and found he was far from the only famous historical figure lost to secrecy and the inevitable march of time. Travel with the gang as they unravel more stories of humanity's famous lost tombs, hidden corpses and more in the second part of this two-part series.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.

Country music legend Randy Travis approves an AI-generated song based on his voice. The guys explore the double-edged sword of hidden cameras. Bumble executives envision a world where "AI concierges" handle the hazards of online dating -- by dating each other. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.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.