Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

On December 9th, 1965, multiple witnesses saw a bright object shoot through the sky and - allegedly - land in Kecksburg, Pennsylvania. So what actually happened? Find out in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 Satanic Temple challenges the controversial new abortion law in Texas. The Biden administration pushes to release still-classified documents concerning 9/11. Over in west Africa, the Guinean military has overthrown the government -- and no one's sure what will happen next. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 span of just a few decades, video games have moved from a niche pursuit to the mainstream, growing into a multibillion dollar, continually-evolving industry. As technology also continues to involve, becoming increasing immersive -- and, according to some critics, invasive -- more and more critics are concerned video games may be built to be dangerously, purposely addictive. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 a serial killer operating in Nevada? A caller shares their own experience with a UFO, and the guys explore the concept of the right to repair. All this and more in today's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 the story of US history taught in school doesn't always match the reality of certain events -- and the deeper you dig, the stranger some stories become. In today's episode, the guys dive into the historic mystery surrounding Melungeons and other communities collectively known as tri-racial isolates, groups throughout the southern and eastern United States known for their enigmatic origins and insular, rural communities. Where did these groups actually come from? Are any of the legends about them true? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

China seeks to crack down on 'video game addiction' with strict new laws on internet gaming. Capybaras prompt a conversation about class in South America. Studies show human beings are evolving new arteries -- and no one's quite sure why, or what it means for the future. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 travel to the southern side of Alaska's Kenai Peninsula today, you'll find little more than ruins and wildlife. Almost a century ago, this place was called Portlock, Alaska -- a small but thriving town at the edge of the northern frontier. By 1950, the town had been completely abandoned. So what happened, and why do so many people seem to think Portlock is cursed? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 writes in response to the Classic episode on legal drugs. A caller relates a story about drones built to look like birds. The guys dive into the concept of the iron law of prohibition. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 do the world's foremost UFO investigators think of the latest revelations regarding UFOs (also known as UAP)? Join the guys as they speak with Roderick Martin, the creator and host of Clubhouse's Extraterrestrial Evidence, to discuss the inspiration for his show, the process of conducting a MUFON investigation, and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Did you know that there's no systematic, comprehensive study of police shootings across the United States? Some blame a distaste for paperwork, while others think there's something sinister afoot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

OnlyFans announces it will no longer allow explicit content on the platform, prompting a massive outcry. A family of hikers is found dead, with no discernible cause of death -- prompting authorities to wonder whether algae blooms may be the culprit. And it seems there's a surprising reason fast food ice cream machines seem to be constantly broken... a genuine conspiracy. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Wernher von Braun wrote a curious story about encountering Martians. A listener explains the power of hand-written letters. An email inspires the guys to dive deep into the macabre world of modern grave robbing. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 makes people think 'conspiracy' is a bad word? How do we apply critical thinking in what has so often been called a post-truth world? In this episode, the guys hit the road for the first time since the pandemic, traveling to record a panel on critical thought and conspiracy live during Podcast Movement in Nashville, Tennessee. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 age of global connectivity, North Korea remains one of the most isolated -- and enigmatic -- countries on Earth. How much do we really know about it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 disgraced accountant affiliated with the University of South Florida pleads guilty to embezzling millions. A viral video from law enforcement creates panic over Fentanyl. Crustaceans are super into plastic waste. All this and more in this week's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Fast food restaurants have spread across the globe -- and this industry's effect goes far beyond convenient fries or refillable soda. In the second part of this two-part series, Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 for more information about the Lake Michigan Mothman. Luke is concerned about strange substances in the water of Sacramento. Ben has disappeared somewhere over the Pacific. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 idea of convenient snacks is as old as human civilization itself -- for example, excavations at ancient sites across the planet have recovered evidence of food stalls in markets and community hubs. But the modern age of fast food has taken convenience to unprecedented levels. In the first part of this week's two-part episode, the guys unpack the the history of fast food, along with why some critics seem dead-set against this gigantic global industry. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Diamonds: according to the ads, they're a girl's best friend, and the only thing worth picking for an engagement ring. But how did diamonds become so important -- and why? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Philip Morris has recently called for a total ban on cigarettes in the United Kingdom -- leading critics to wonder about its true motivations. A conspiracy website offers ten thousand dollars to anyone who can change the editors' minds. Archaeologists discover a 2,000 year-old fast food joint in Pompeii, and plan to open a replica for tourists. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 the ad industry is huge. Advertisers spend hundreds of billions of dollars each year attempting to convince people they should buy a given product or service -- and these same forces also work around the clock to leverage the latest in neuroscience and tech to gain a crucial edge in 'nudging' you toward a purchase. In today's episode, the guys explore the future of advertising... as well as why some critics are deeply disturbed by the conspiracies that loom on the horizon. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 viral social media post claims recent homicides in Atlanta, GA are the work of a serial killer -- but do the claims in this post hold up? An anonymous Conspiracy Realist replies to the recent revelations about NSO Group's Pegasus software, which has been used to track activists, journalists and their families, prompting an exploration of just how much power these private companies can wield... and whether they should share the blame when their powerful customers use this technology to aid in assassinations. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Over a period of just a few days, multiple members of the military witnessed strange, unexplained events in the vicinity of the UK's Rendlesham Forest. Today, the guys welcome returning guest Toby Ball to learn more about this infamous series of UFO sightings -- and what he found in the course of his research into the bizarre, at times contradictory claims surrounding this event. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Each year, millions of US residents consume pharmaceutical products designed to somehow improve their lives. These drugs could tackle anything from ADHD to allergies and diseases. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 disturbing study finds 33 ancient viruses have successfully reemerged from glaciers as rising temperatures accelerate a global meltdown -- prompting fears about what else might be lurking beneath the ice. A survivor of a mass shooting is at a loss as he attempts to convince his father the shooting actually occurred, and was not part of some deep state conspiracy. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 India is home to over 1.3 billion people, making it both the world's largest democracy and second-most populous country. Since 1951, the country has been using various forms of sterilization as a means of population control -- whether or not the actual people living in India agree with it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 writes in with a bizarre story of experiments with blood substitutes in the US and Brazil. The DuPont family is rumored to own a mysterious structure near a place called Devil's Road. Colorado courts controversy with new facial recognition requirements. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 folklore of Spain, Latin America, the Philippines and more, a duende is a supernatural creature known for its mischievous (and at times sinister) behavior. For outsiders this may seem to be little more than a regional variation on other legends of things like gnomes, sprites and so on -- but there's one big difference: in multiple parts of Latin America, people are convinced they've encountered an actual duende in the flesh. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 did the US practice prohibition? Do current prohibition policies really protect the public, or are they meant to do something else entirely? Learn more in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 breakthrough in the case of the Atlanta Child Murders may lead to further revelations. The US Government clarifies that recent billionaires in space are not officially astronauts. A study in the UK may indicate long-term cognitive consequences for those who've contracted COVID. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 money a form of free speech? This question has plagued US politics for decades, prompting frenzied debates about the role of big business and private wealth in the process -- or industry -- of writing laws. In the second part of this two-part series, the guys dive into recent lobbying scandals, controversial court rulings, and the often disturbing reality of just how many laws end up being written by businesses and lobbyists, instead of elected officials. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 did the US government have a secret group of scientists known as the Jasons? Why would someone hide Blackhawk helicopters in an abandoned Walmart? What exactly are Melungeons? All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 US, voters elect officials to represent their concerns in local communities as well as in Washington. These officials, in theory, work to advance the causes of their constituents, whether they're representing individuals, groups of individuals, or businesses and special interests. But there's another, unelected group fighting to represent a given special interest: lobbyists. In part one of this two part episode, the gang explores the history of lobbying, how it became controversial -- and why so many people are convinced the industry is riddled with corruption. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 often said money can't buy happiness -- but what exactly can it do? Could it change the way you think? ...could it make you a bad person? Listen in to this classic episode to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Documentarian Morgan Neville stirs controversy with the decision to use computer-generated audio. In India, locals raise objections over Uttar Pradesh's proposed bill to lower population growth. A massive leak implicates Israeli tech company NSO Group in troubling cases of state-level surveillance (and possibly assassinations) via their hacking software, Pegasus. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 National Aeronautics and Space Administration is responsible for some of the most profound breakthroughs in the history of space exploration. Since NASA's creation in 1958, the organization has been touted as an explicitly civilian organization. Yet there's more to the story -- the history of space exploration, as it turns out, is literally the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 exactly were those blobs of gunk that fell in Oakville, Washington in 1994? Does the streaming platform Twitch have a dark side? Is Bosnia really home to an ancient set of gargantuan pyramids with bizarre physical properties? All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 concept of religion predates civilization and the written word -- from its earliest days, the human species looked to religion to explain the ineffable. Religion has been the inspiration for some of humanity's noblest acts (and the rationalization for some of its most horrific crimes). Some have been enormously successful, spreading across the globe... but what happened to the rest? How many religions have been forgotten, or purposely destroyed? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Are psychic powers actually possible? Join Ben and Matt as they investigate the truth about clairvoyance in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Who ordered the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse? What does one billion sea animals being cooked alive by a heat wave in Western North America mean for the future of humanity? Why are Indian medical professionals conspiring to swindle people with fake vaccines? All this and more (including Ben's obsession with radioactive Fukushima boar-pig hybrids) in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

John McAfee lived a life of extremes, from working as a tech entrepreneur to becoming an international fugitive, Presidential candidate and more. As time went on, he became increasingly paranoid, certain that powerful forces were out to get him. And on June 23rd, he was found dead in a Spanish jail cell. The authorities concluded he committed suicide. Numerous people disagree with this conclusion -- including John McAfee himself, who warned people numerous times that he would never take his own life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 Exxon lobbyist is caught on camera explaining the villainous logic he used to move members of Congress toward his company's side. Ray Gricar and Jerry Sandusky produce an endless, disturbing rabbit hole. A mysterious murder remains unsolved in Oregon. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Born in 1933, Donald Henry "Pee Wee" Gaskins Jr was a prolific serial killer and rapist in South Carolina. Authorities still aren't sure how many people he may have murdered. In this episode, the guys join Jeff Keating, the host of Pee Wee Gaskins Was Not My Friend, to learn more about the this murderer's early life, his crimes, and how he eventually got caught. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Did North Korea really wage cyberwar to stop The Interview from airing? How did this happen -- and is there a conspiracy afoot? Join Ben and Matt as they welcome tech expert Jonathan Strickland for the second part of their series on the Sony hacks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Companies are increasingly interested in infiltrating your dreams, science proves magic mushrooms physically repair parts of the brain, and a cryptocurrency scandal rocks the world of gaming. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

After years of rumors, recent releases have confirmed the US government knew much more about UFOs than they'd originally let on. And, despite the recent waves of revelations and classifications, Uncle Sam is still refusing to release everything. When pressed on the issue, the government stated that disclosing certain files would pose "an extraordinarily grave threat to national security" -- so what exactly is on these files? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Flying saucers are perhaps the most iconic genre of UFO -- since the 1940s they've become the mainstay vehicles for extraterrestrials in all sorts of fictional stories. But, according to declassified files, the US Government was intensely interested in building some flying saucers of its own. So far did they get? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

UFO researchers, also known as ufologists, make frequent appearances in pop culture, and many are professional, full-time experts in their field. But how exactly does one become a ufologist? Join the guys as they dive into this question, searching for the most (and least) credible paths to becoming a genuine ufologist. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

Over the course of his career with NASA, legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin changed the course of human history. From his groundbreaking work with EVA techniques to his walk on the moon with Apollo 11 mission commander Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin has seen and done astonishing things. In 2018, news outlets claimed Buzz Aldrin had one more astonishing achievement under his belt, an event kept secret until the modern day: Apparently, he had seen a UFO in space. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.