Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Is there really a secret hotspot of paranormal and UFO activity just southeast of Ballard, Utah? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the fact (and fiction) surrounding the bizarre Sherman Ranch. 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.

On March 13th, 1997, thousands of people in Nevada, Arizona and Mexico reported seeing bizarre lights in the evening sky -- today, more than two decades later, the Phoenix Lights are still considered to be one of the most significant UFO sightings in recent history. But what exactly were they? What really happened that night in March? 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.

In the wee hours of February 25th, 1942, air raid sirens resounded across LA. Anti-aircraft guns fired the better part of 1500 shells at something. To many people, that mysterious UFO has yet to be identified, more than half a century later. So what really happened? 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 September of 1961, on an empty country road in rural New Hampshire, Barney and Betty Hill experienced the most profound, bizarre night of their lives in what would become the first widely-publicized account of an alien abduction in US history -- the case that would go on to influence hundreds, if not thousands, of abduction cases to follow. But what exactly happened that September night? Join the guys as they sit down with author Toby Ball, host of the Strange Arrivals podcast, to explore the facts, the claims, and the questions that remain unanswered in the modern day. 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 finally happened -- the long-awaited US report on UFOs (which the government calls Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, or UAPs) is public. Some observers consider it revelatory, while others think it's a smoke screen. So what's the truth? What exactly does the report say, and what does this mean for the future? 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.

Multiple Conspiracy Realists write in to ask about the death of John McAfee. A listener wonders about the history of newspaper slogans, and a call asks for more information about the bizarre story surrounding the death of John Lang. 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.

At the close of World War II, infamous Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele fled in secret to South America, successfully evading justice for the rest of his life. Modern experts still wonder what exactly he was up to during his time there, from 1949 to 1979. Some are convinced he continued experimenting on human beings, seeking a way to create twins -- and one settlement he visited, Cândido Godói, has an abnormally high frequency of twin births to this day. Could Mengele have been involved? 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 onto the show for a discussion of the recent 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.

In Miami, the search continues for survivors of the Champlain Towers South collapse -- as well as the cause. A satirical campaign arguing that birds are drones picks up steam online. Unprecedented fossil discoveries in China and Israel are redefining our understanding of human evolution, with some researchers arguing one skull indicates an entirely new species. 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.

19-year-old Arne Cheyenne Johnson was, by most accounts, a good kid. He had a steady job, a girlfriend, and a future. Until, that is, he murdered his landlord, Alan Bono. What would have been an open-and-shut case became stranger and stranger as more details emerged. Arne, it appeared, had been attending exorcisms conducted by the self-styled demonologists and paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Arne had asked demons to enter him -- and, eventually, the Warrens believe, they did. 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.

Can backmasking really brainwash people who hear it? Did the CIA assassinate an American monk? Why are some gamers convinced legendary game creator Hideo Kojima is conspiring to work in secret on a new game? 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.

When Scottish politician Willie McRae was found unconscious and on the edge of death in his car, the couple that discovered him rushed to contact emergency services. He expired in the second hospital he was sent to -- and as authorities looked deeper into his death, disturbing questions arose. Years since McRae's death, people still wonder what exactly led to his death. 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.

We always hear stories about Big Oil and other conspiracies, but are any of these true? 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.

More than a hundred thousand people sign a petition arguing that, once Jeff Bezos visits space, he shouldn't bother returning. A new study reveals numerous well-known makeup brands contain incredibly harmful chemicals. A would-be theatre mogul finds himself in hot water after lying on his resume. 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.

According to the legend, there's a spot in Durango, Mexico where radio signals fail -- where compasses spin wildly and strange, giant figures appear from nowhere before vanishing into thin air. This area, the zone of silence, is sometimes referred to as Mexico's Bermuda Triangle. But what is it, exactly? Where did this legend come from, and why does it continue today? 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.

Thomas writes in for more information on the mysterious 'Big Hole' in North Carolina. Notta Sockpuppet gives a first-hand account of their time working with a CIA-funded tech company. Cynthia wants to know more about the man who recently got swallowed by a whale and survived. 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.

It's no secret that Americans love cheese. It's everywhere -- in fact, some restaurants specialize entirely in cheese products, like mac and cheese or grilled cheese sandwiches. Over the past few decades, cheese consumption has consistently risen, and as of 2019 the average person in the US ate over 40 pounds of cheese per year. So what led to this? The answer, oddly enough, is a genuine conspiracy. Tune in to learn more about the real-life Big Cheese. 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.

Sure, the Trans-Pacific Partnership sounds like a snoozefest... but why does it matter? Why should you care about this secretive international agreement? 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.

El Salvador may become the first country on the planet to accept Bitcoin as legal tender, prompting massive speculation about the future of currency and corruption. The New York Times publishes (and quickly deletes) a bizarre, fake story about watermelons on Mars. A catastrophic railway crash appears to be an act of sabotage -- and perhaps a hint of more attacks to come. 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 'wilderness therapy' and 'troubled teen' industry has been accused of unethical and illegal behavior, but just how much do we know about how these situations actually occurred? In today's episode, the guys sit down with Josh Thane, the creator and host of Camp Hell: Anneewakee, for a disturbing look into the long-suppressed story of a horrific institution in the guys' own home state of Georgia. 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 caller reports her first-hand experience with a cult. A listener asks for more information on the bizarre rumors about a cheese conspiracy throughout the United States. A new experience with creepy social media prompts a reexamination of privacy and corporate spying. 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.

Few people look forward to visiting the dentist -- it can be an uncomfortable, but necessary, process. In the US, many people end up putting off their appointments due to anxiety or financial concerns, but in general everyone can agree dental hygiene is important, and dentists do incredibly important work. But how many of those procedures -- the root canals, the crowns and so on -- do you actually need? In today's episode, the guys dive into the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know about dentistry. 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 ancient, it's huge, and it's cited in all sorts of fringe theories, from stories of lost civilizations to ley lines and more. But what is Stonehenge, really? 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 discovery of a mass grave at the site of a Canadian Residential School leads to calls for further investigation as the country comes to grips with the horrors of the past. The US calls for further inquiries into the origins of COVID-19. A death in Japan leads to speculation regarding the upcoming Olympics. All this and more in today'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 true -- back in 1999, the CIA founded its own venture capital investment firm. Unlike other, similar businesses, In-Q-Tel doesn't really need to make a profit, and their portfolio isn't particularly diverse. But they do invest, and if you can get their attention, you can get the budget of your dreams. So what exactly is this thing, and why does it have some people worried? 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 caller inspires the guys to look into explanations for a strange UFO sighting in south Georgia. Investigators use a photograph of a man holding cheese to capture and analyze fingerprints. A listener breaks down some of the reasons why sexual assault kits end up getting caught in the notorious, ongoing national backlog -- and the guys explore what would happen if that backlog was fixed. 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.

Conflict has decided the course of human civilization since the dawn of recorded history, and war has evolved in step with our species. Numerous countries spend billions every year either waging war or preparing for future conflicts. But what if there's more to the story? What if, at this point, war has become an economic necessity? 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.

From the Opium Wars to prohibition and the modern drug trade, human civilization has been irreversibly influenced by wars over drugs. Has it worked? Could it ever? 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.

It appears the government of China is testing a camera system that uses AI and facial recognition to reveal unspoken emotional states in the oppressed Uyghur population. After a creepy personal experience with social media, privacy expert Robert G. Reeve busts the myths about our phones hearing us -- and reveals, instead, what he sees as the much more disturbing reality of automated online stalking. 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.

From the "Employees Only" doors of local businesses to vast swathes of ocean and secret labs in some of the world's most remote locations, planet Earth is filled with restricted areas. In today's episode, the guys explore the nature of restricted zones -- and the rumors about the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know going on inside. 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.

Just how many people have spotted unusual, faerie-like creatures on the frontier? Why do some medical institutions still use electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)? What if some inanimate objects are not only self-aware, but resentful? 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 July of 1985, Greenpeace sent a ship named the Rainbow Warrior to New Zealand, then to Moruroa to monitor controversial French nuclear tests in the area. However, the Rainbow Warrior never made it out of New Zealand -- instead, terrorists sank it. At least, that was the official story. 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.

Could there really be groups of people conducting Satanic rites -- not philosophical stances, but actual devil worship via ritual or even sacrifice? Where are these groups, if they exist? 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.

Authorities in El Salvador are excavating a clandestine cemetery at the house of a former detective which is believed to contain as many as 40 bodies – most of them thought to be women. A fungi containing psilocybin could cause emerging cicadas to become hypersexual, spreading their infection. Convicted crime boss Sedat Peker has flung accusations of rape, drug dealing and suspicious deaths against officials close to Mr. Erdogan, shaking Turkey's government to the core. 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.

Firearms are banned in many countries across the world, and it is highly difficult to acquire one. That is changing. The combination of 3D printing technology and the Internet - for better or worse - is moving the power of weapons manufacturing to the public domain. 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.

Will we ever know the true purpose of the ancient, mysterious Gobekli Tepe? Are campus police using their authority to protect students -- or to protect their school's reputation? Ben and Matt reenact a dramatic reading of one listener's encounter with disappearing (and reappearing) objects. 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.

How can we navigate conspiracies in a post-truth environment? Is it true that many conspiracy theories do, in fact, have a grain of truth at their heart? In today's episode, the guys join up with Langston Kerman, creator of My Momma Told Me, to discuss the world of conspiracies, their effects on communities, and how best to explore them. 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.

Sure, cults are weird. The doomsday prophecies, claims of superpowers and tendency toward brainwashing are all strange, but what if the situation got even weirder? What if intelligence agencies were secretly involved with everything from the Manson family. 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.

Real estate appraisers exhibit nation-wide, currently legal discrimination against homeowners based on the perceived skin color of the owners. People are dressing up in costume and attempting to "fight crime" for attention on social media. The Pentagon may release classified info on UFOs -- which they call Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, or UAP -- next Tuesday (Ben doubts it). All this and more in today'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.

As authorities continue to unravel the enigmatic, at-times disturbing life of Jeffrey Alan Lash, they dig into what little is known about his past, seeking to uncover answers. How did he get all those weapons? What about all that hard currency? In the course of their investigation, they begin to notice a pattern: Lash seemed to be targeting people, turning them into supporters of his vague mission -- and, at times, threatening them if they refused to give him funding and lodging. His claims had begun to evolve into a sort of self-perpetuated mythology, wherein he was a sort of superhuman antihero, fighting the forces of darkness in an ongoing war of which the public was unaware. Some of his followers thought he would marry them, some thought he would help them become aliens. No one was sure exactly what was going to 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.

Could fur farms be responsible for COVID-19? Why are people burning down Masonic lodges? And over in Texas, in turns out Tesla may be building a real-life company town to support SpaceX -- and, by hook or by crook, driving the existing residents out. 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.

In some ways, Jeffrey Alan Lash's story begins after his death, when his body was found decomposing in a parked SUV on Palisades Drive -- but as investigators looked further into the case, they learned increasingly bizarre and troubling things. Was Lash a gunrunner? A criminal on the lam? An operative for a top-secret government agency? An alien hybrid? Tune in to learn more about this mysterious case in part one of this two-part 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.

It's no secret that inequality is rising in countries around the world, but what does this mean for the future? What is the middle class, exactly -- and why do some people believe it's going extinct? 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.

After decades without leads, investigators use DNA evidence to finally arrest John Daly III, the infamous East Valley Rapist. An Iraqi prank show sparks controversy by staging fake acts of terrorism. A mysterious hacker collective shuts down the Colonial Pipeline, prompting fears of a gas shortage. 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.

As one of the biggest bands in human history, it's no surprise that The Beatles are the subject of numerous conspiracy theories. Is the real Paul McCartney dead? Was the government stalking John Lennon? Is there a a secret cache of unreleased Beatles music hidden away somewhere? In today's episode, the guys sit down with Brian Ray, host of the On Tour podcast and guitarist for Paul McCartney, to explore the fact and fiction behind these strange claims. 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.

How easy is it to use the National Crime Information Center for nefarious ends? Is the musician Blueface running a reality show, or a TikTok cult -- and what's the deal with TikTok, cults and online radicalization anyhow? How many people feel they've encountered a real-life haunted object? 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 if future explorers never have to physically travel anywhere? It's an odd question, but according to proponents of remote viewing, government-paid psychics were doing this as early as 1984 -- and breaking the known laws of time and space in the process. In today's episode, the guys re-enact one of the CIA's most ambitious (and strangest) classified experiments: Using ESP as a new method of exploration. Tune in to learn more in this 3D 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.

Is it possible that one day all the world's decisions will be made by AI? 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.

Should people be allowed to order, print and assemble guns at home? The rise of so-called ghost guns has resulted in a glut of firearms with no serial numbers -- and the people buying them don't need background checks, either. Over in Kansas City, the death of a young, enterprising journalist leads the guys to discuss the possible causes of the tragedy, while also exploring the overall rise in violence against journalists. 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.

Most people associate San Antonio, Texas with the Alamo -- yet ghost hunters look across the street, where the structure currently known as the Emily Morgan Hotel has stood since the 1920s. This building, often called the "third most haunted hotel in the world", is home to numerous reports of unusual events. In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the strange story of the Emily Morgan. 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.