Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Harvard luminary Avi Loeb rocks the world with his discovery of bizarre, tiny objects off the coast of Papua New Guinea -- objects that don't just appear to be from outside the solar system... but may have been created by an intelligent force. An update on the European version of superpigs -- spoiler: radiation. Over in the US, there may be a massive auto recall on airbags. 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.

For thousands of years groups of humans have each told their own religious and social narratives, building a past that attempts to explain the present and the future. And, unfortunately, since the dawn of recorded time these groups have also sought to make sure their version of history is the 'real' one. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the strange practice of controlling the past -- and why this conspiracy continues, unabated, in the modern day.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 common trope in film and TV -- a police department at their wits' end calls in a favor and makes contact with a genuine psychic, someone in tune with the greater mysteries of life, death and the universe. In works of fiction these individuals often do possess some spark of extraordinary ability, but what about in real life? Join the guys as they delve into the world of true crime and allegations of ESP to discover whether any real-life psychics have solved actual crimes.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.

Nemesis updates his fellow Conspiracy Realists on the growing difficulties of remaining anonymous online. Pink Fairy Angel calls in to relate an immensely disturbing series of murders, kidnapping and robberies centered around the Brooklyn Mirage. Gracie shares not just an urban legend -- but a tale of first-hand experience in Disney's Haunted Mansion. Join Ben and Matt as they explore these stories 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.

It's a wide, beautiful, and at-times terrifying world -- and, these days, it may seem more connected than ever. However, make no mistake: it's also full of place you cannot go. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore some of the world's most forbidden places -- and why certain forces conspire to keep you away.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 listener asks the gang for more information about Ghost Weddings. GP Scoothe writes in to tell the tale of Bob Berdella. A story about a burgeoning proxy war in the Maldives, one of the first countries that may lose itself to the rising ocean. And a few letters from home. 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.

The US is a corn superpower. Over the past few decades, corn has infiltrated all sorts of things, from soda pop and snacks to your own gas tank. But how did it get this way? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive deep into the strange world of agribusiness conspiracies in what just may be their corniest episode yet.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 everything you encounter in your day-to-day interactions is somehow prescient? Are the games you play and the films you watch meant to normalize genres of experience -- and, if so, to what end? Ben and Matt explore the idea of weaponized mass media from the early days of deification to a startling story by Edgar Allan Poe and beyond.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 mysterious group buying thousands of acres around Travis Air Force Base turns out to be a group of tech luminaries and investors -- and they plan to build a new city. A woman in Australia survives the removal of a live roundworm from her brain. Scotland recently hosted the largest-ever search for Nessie, the infamous Loch Ness cryptid. 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.

From ghostly hitchhikers to tales of insidious alien conspiracies, everyone loves a good spooky campfire story. But where do modern legends come from? Why do they all seem to have certain common threads? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel don't just break down how these stories work: they teach you, step by step, how to build your own -- and, most importantly, how the same storytelling process has been weaponized against you, with dangerous results.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.

Nightshift calls in with a stunning tale of a harrowing brush with death. Anon wants to become a billionaire named Poo-poo-pee-pee Hands (and there's a good reason for it). An update on the Australian mushroom case. The guys finally get an explanation about 'smoking wet.' 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.

What if the world we experience isn't ...well... real? The question has haunted countless human civilizations since antiquity, and we continue to wrestle with the dilemma in the modern day. From Plato's allegory of the cave to gnosticism and the Matrix trilogy, it appears tons of people are convinced there's more to the story of reality than meets the eye. And, just a few years back, one philosopher may have cracked the code. Tune in to learn more about reality as a computer simulation.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 official -- after decades of dead ends, tantalizing theories and frustrating leads, justice has finally caught up with The Golden State Killer, also known as The Original Night Stalker. 72 year old Joseph James DeAngelo seemed set to quietly disappear from history, known only as a grandfather with a weird temper problem -- one of the cranky old men so common in neighborhoods across suburban America. But new DNA analysis leveraging the massive, growing databases in both federal and private hands led law enforcement down a trail they'd long thought had grown cold. Tune in to learn more about how justice finally caught up to the Golden State Killer.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.

Leaders of the notorious Russian mercenary group Wagner are believed to have died in a plane crash north of Moscow just a few months after what appears to have been a rebellion against Russian president Vladimir Putin. Fyre Festival returns, with no sign of Ja Rule. In a big week for space, both India and China attempt moon landings. 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.

The modern world runs on microchips and semiconductors. There's no way around it -- and the semiconductor business is perhaps one of the most important industries on the planet. But there are some serious problems (and conspiracies) on the horizon. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into a ticking time bomb of supply, demand, and conflict... discovering why these tiny chips may just be the thing that causes World War III.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.

Whether in fiction or in real life, the concept of the serial killer occupies a unique space in the American zeitgeist. Audiences across the planet flock to films about serial killers, and readers across the world peruse headlines of true life crimes with morbid (in some cases, obsessive) curiosity. And, for many, this fascination goes further than reading a book or watching a film. Join the guys as they shine a light on the controversial, secretive trade of relics known as murderbilia.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 guys play some of the most intriguing messages you've sent them. Listen in for unidentified aerial vehicles, giant sun-umbrellas, and much (much) more in this special voicemail edition of listener mail.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 one of the most ancient practices in human civilization, and one that continues in the modern day. In recent decades experts, military officials and activists alike have argued over the definitions of torture -- and, most importantly, whether it actually works. So how much truth is there to the claims that, while unethical, torture delivers results? What's the Stuff the Authorities Don't Want You To Know about what goes on in those unobserved black sites hidden across the planet? Tune in to learn 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.

Peruvian authorities attempt to calm a rural community by telling them they're not being harassed by aliens -- but by illegal gold miners who, for some reason, have jetpacks. When a newspaper in Marion County irritates a local restauranteur, she orders the police to raid the premises under false pretenses. Robotaxis breakdown, causing mayhem in San Francisco. Join Ben and Matt for 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.

For decades, health-minded consumers have sought alternatives to natural sugar -- aspartame, marketed under any number of brand names, is one of the most popular artificial sweeteners in the world. Yet it appears this billion-dollar industry may have a dark side: for many years, critics alleged aspartame may be responsible for any number of dangerous side effects. And, just recently, the World Health Organization released a groundbreaking statement alleging this substance may be carcinogenic. So what's going on, exactly? Tune in to learn 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.

An anonymous LEO writes in to explain part of the reason public figures' murder cases seem to garner more investigation. Mosche prompts a conversation about exorcisms outside of the Catholic faith. Captain Proton writes with news of a massive trading card heist. Multiple Conspiracy Realists respond to Ben's earlier question about strange billionaire hobbies. 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're not from the San Francisco area, you may never have heard of Hunters Point -- but, back in the day, this was a tremendously important shipyard. Over the course of recent decades, various groups have pushed to reinvent the area as a new series of residential communities -- however, there's one big problem: this area may carry poisons from generations past, and those substances may pose serious risks for people living in the area today. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the disturbing tale of Hunters Point, from secreat nuclear experiments to industrial pollution and, it seems, an ongoing cover-up.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 might have heard this one before -- for years, various fringe researchers and commentators have argued that the government or some other shadowy entity is purposefully changing the gender of amphibians (specifically, frogs) throughout the United States. So what's the truth behind the headline? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they separate the hilarious fiction from the disturbing facts of the case.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.

Three people have died under mysterious circumstances, apparently due to ingesting 'death cap' mushrooms in Australia. Hank the Tank, a bear known for repeatedly breaking into home, has been apprehended. In Florida, experts remain unable to explain exactly how leprosy seems to spiking in a specific area of the state (and possibly spreading). Additionally, environmental chaos may be making the 'perfect storm' for diseases once thought to be under control. 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.

In just nine months, a dozen prominent Russian oligarchs -- businessmen who run major industries in step with the Russian government -- died. Some deaths could be accidents. Some looked like suicides. Yet in each case, investigators found the official conclusions didn't seem to hold up. So what's happening to all these powerful men? Ben, Matt and Noel join special guest Jake Hanrahan to learn more from his newest show Sad Oligarch.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.

Could Skyborg be even worse than we thought? Why are some conditions so often misdiagnosed in women? A listener makes a timely complaint about madlibs. 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.

Recently, Congress held another hearing on the idea of UAPs -- and this time, three eyewitness attended. Their claims, if even partially true, could fundamentally alter humanity's umnderstanding of the universe. UFOlogist see this as an watershed moment in history; critics see it as a cynical distraction from all-too-real, earthly problems. So what exactly happened? Tune in to learn 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 Islamic Republic of Iran, located in western Asia, has historically been the seat of several massively influential empires. Today, it's home to over 81 million people and some of the world's most lucrative petroleum supplies. Currently tensions between Iran and the West are ratcheting up at an unprecedented rate, and both sides portray the other as unrepentant antagonists hellbent on destruction. So how did we get here? Join the guys as they delve into the strange history of Iran, imperialism, the West and war.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 mysterious group named Flannery Associates is spending millions buying up all the land around a California Air Force base -- and no one, apparently not even Congress -- knows who owns this company. A man in Japan goes viral (again) for his expensive collie suit. Scientists plan to store human knowledge on the moon in case of social collapse. All this and more in this week's Strange News.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 does your average billionaire do for fun? In many ways, the world's wealthiest people are just like anyone else -- except, of course, that they can pour ungodly amounts of money into their hobbies. In tonight's solo episode, Ben Bowlin dives deep into the strange world of billionaire hobbies... and why these hobbies can be much, much more dangerous than we might assume.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.

Despite diligent, time-consuming efforts by institutions across the planet, human beings have yet to find any universally-accepted proof of extraterrestrial life. For many, this is a simple function of the math involved -- the universe is just too large for us to plausibly meet creatures from another planet. But according to several fringe researchers, we're just looking in the wrong place. We should focus, they argue, not on life from other planets... but on life from other dimensions. Listen in to learn more about the strange story of the Ultraterrestrial theory.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 no secret that America runs on sugar -- from bread to soda, from candy to packaged food, this stuff seems to be in everything. How did this come to be, and what made Big Sugar so powerful? In today's conversation, special guest veteran reporter Celeste Headlee joins Ben, Matt and Noel to discuss her new podcast Big Sugar, which dives deep into the dark side of this insidious industry, from its early roots in slavery all the way to the modern day.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.

When Louis XIV expanded his father's old hunting pavilion he created one of the greatest achievements in French 17th century art -- a massive, opulent compound that became the seat of high society and French government. In the modern day, the Palace of Versailles remains an enormously popular tourist attraction and, according to some, a hotspot for for paranormal activity, including ghosts and time travel.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 third segment of this recurring series, Ben, Matt and Noel return to the grisly world of true crime, killers who not only committed multiple murders but were never caught and, in some cases, may well be alive and free today. Several of these murderers may be people you've never heard of, while others may be infamous. One thing's for sure, however: Many of these cases remain open and unsolved, and you or someone you know may be the person who can finally provide a lead, solve the crime and finally put these monsters behind bars.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 would you do if you had proof of non-human, intelligent life? In a recent case that shook the online UFO community, an anonymous reddit poster claimed to be a molecular biologist who worked for years at a top-secret government lab dedicated to studying the biology and culture of "EBOs" -- in tonight's episode, Ben and special guest Max Williams dive deep into the extraordinary claims of the post, working to suss out whether there's any truth to it... or whether there's something else 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.

Big Bean prompts a conversation about the future of drone warfare. Alice shares her experience with gifted programs in public schools. The Funky House writes about divine visitations, sharing an experience that convinces the guys to investigate the phenomena further. 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.

When many people think of exorcism and possession, they think of horror novels, films, and other works of fiction. But real-world exorcisms still occur in the modern day. In fact, reports of possession are on the rise. In this today's show, the guys are joined with Ryan Bethea, creator and cohost of The Exorcist Files podcast, to discuss how his show explores modern cases of possession through the experiences of the renowned exorcist Father Carlos Martins. For more information on the show, visit https://www.exorcistfiles.tv/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 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 the music industry does — and does not — want its listeners to know.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 been a strange week for serial murder: after years of dead ends, authorities appear to have captured the Long Island Serial Killer -- and there may also be a new lead on the identity of Jack the Ripper. The NPC TikTok trend becomes a subject of confusion and debate on Twitter. SWAT searches a home in Nevada, apparently in connection with the still-unsolved murder of Tupac Shakur. 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.

Today, the Golden Age of Hollywood is seen as a time of larger-than-life starlets, of unprecedented innovation and modern myth-making. However, there was a dark side to all the glitz and glamour. In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into a cavalcade of scandal, corruption and conspiracy at the heart of early Hollywood.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.

Yenna politely asks the guys to stop ruining seafood; Little Girl on a Little Island raises concerns about US imperialism. Chris from Atlanta might be haunted. Nemesis prompts a conversation about the possibly insidious nature of various online sign-in services. 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.

Every day, across the United States, millions of children wake up to attend school. In this country, all children are guaranteed a right to education -- and, while while everyone agrees kids should be able to learn, millions of parents have serious problems with the modern education regime. Why? In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore how the modern system came to be... and whether it was created by historical elites to further their thirst for docile employees in the future.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 Stuff They Don't Want You To Know's inaugural podcast, Ben and Matt explored the strange career of Edward Bernays, the then-obscure Father of Public Relations responsible for selling the American public on everything from bacon as breakfast to corporate-driven wars in South and Central America. All for some greater good packaged as 'democracy'. Today, many institutions, governments and organizations remain publicly convinced that some form of democracy is the superior -- or simply the least worst -- way to run these large groups of people we call countries. However, not everyone agrees. Join the guys as they delve into the story of Walter Lippmann, the Bernays-esque figure responsible for pushing the argument against democracy (and toward governance by an elite cabal) into the public sphere.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.

Zoos are asking visitors to stop showing gorillas videos and photos from their phones, as this seems to fundamentally change the way the gorillas behave. The Taliban weighs in on the Twitter/Threads rivalry. France passes a disturbing law about wide-spread surveillance. All this and much 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.

During the pandemic, canned seafood experienced a boom in popularity -- and it made sense for uncertain times: this stuff is shelf-stable, nutritious and affordable. But, as Ben and Matt discover in this evening's episode, the seafood industry hides a dark, ongoing conspiracy at its heart: as you hear this episode, thousands upon thousands of people are currently enslaved in a complex trafficking ring, all to keep the prices down.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.

Hopeful Cynic and Binyomin write in with excellent -- and disturbing -- responses to Ben's earlier questions about what happens when corporations are able to vote. Max Tout hips the gang to the mysterious death of Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe. HoboBob asks about the possibility of a UAP arms race. 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.

Almost everyone hears about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World in grade school. Although the majority of these human-made marvels have been destroyed, their legacy remains in the modern day. And, according to some experts, at least one of these wonders may have never actually existed. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the mystery of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.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.

Love it or hate it, Facebook is one of the biggest success stories of the past century. Billions of people have profiles, and for many users it's the only source of online news or social interaction. And Facebook collects as much information as possible on each of these users, ostensibly to better target advertising campaigns. So what happens when someone starts using this vast collection of data for something else? What is Cambridge Analytica, and how deep does this rabbit hole go?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 World Health Organization lists near-ubiquitous artificial sweetener aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic to humans." Entrepreneur Aron d’Souza wants to create an 'enhanced' Olympic games. In an extremely weird move, the Biden administration floats the idea of combating climate change by... well... blocking out the sun. 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.

Let's face it: finance can be weird. The stock market is confusing, money as a concept is bizarre, and a lot of people feel awkward just thinking about anything dollar-related. Why is that? In today's interview, Ben and Matt sit down with author, podcaster and financial expert Paco de Leon to explore their work with Weird Finance, the Hell Yeah Group, and some of the conspiratorial concepts surrounding money. 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.