Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

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.

Like many other regions of the world, China has its own folklore about ancient, humanoid giants. In most cases, these legends have a mundane cause -- a misidentified fossil, for example, or a translation error. However, this case appears to be unique, because it turns out the giants have been found... it just depends on what you mean when you call someone a 'giant.' 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.

While the human species is inarguably successful (for now), hundreds of millions of people struggle under daily threats of starvation, physical danger, lack of shelter and disease. And, perhaps more troubling, the numbers indicate it's possible to feed and shelter virtually every single person on the planet -- or is it? Is there enough for everyone, and, if so, why isn't humanity transforming this potential into a reality? Join the guys as they explore the answers to this question, along with its disturbing implications. 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 foggy, early evening of November 7th, 1990, two people at a Montreal hotel noticed something bizarre in the sky. Soon, multiple people in the hotel had gathered on a rooftop terrace to observe a genuine UFO -- and, soon after that, people across the city began reporting the object (if it was an object). In the almost three decades after this sighting, numerous witnesses, experts, fringe researchers and skeptics have attempted to explain exactly what was hovering over the sky for hours that evening. Join the guys as they delve into the case. 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 all know weather can affect a person's mood, but just how far does it go? Could the activity of the sun be driving widespread human conflicts throughout history? That's the theory Alexander Tchijevsky stumbled across when he found wars across the planet seem to coincide with solar cycles — meaning we may be little more than slaves to the sun. 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.

Make no mistake -- being a farmer is hard work. Farming outfits often have to carry a huge amount of risk from one season to the next, and any number of things may ruin their prospects, from unexpected weather, market volatility and so on. To mitigate these dangers, world governments often provide funding, or subsidies, to agribusiness in order to lower risk and increase chances of farmers staying in business. In the US, these subsidies are a multi-billion dollar industry... but where does all that money actually go? 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.

Located in Jefferson Davis Parish, the town of Jennings, Louisiana wasn't a particularly well-known place -- in fact, many people in the US would probably have lived their entire lives without ever hearing of the town until a few years ago. You see, Jennings had a secret, a dark criminal underbelly that seethed just below the surface. Over the course of several years, multiple women were murdered under mysterious circumstances, inspiring journalists and federal investigators alike to dive into the increasingly strange connections between each homicide. And today the question remains: What happened to the Jennings 8? 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.

Every ten years, the United States conducts the census, a crucial survey of the country’s population meant to help Uncle Sam figure out how to plan infrastructure and distribute funding over the coming decade. In recent years, people have argued for and against including a question about citizenship on the census for any number of reasons ... including accusations of conspiracy. 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.

While many people weren't familiar with the term "coronavirus" until a few months or weeks ago, we've all had one of these in the past - this term describes any number of RNA viruses capable of infecting animals and humans alike, from SARS to the common cold. However, a newly emerged, novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 may well be one of the most dangerous coronaviruses the world has ever seen. Tune in as the guys explore the evolution of what some experts believe may become the world's newest pandemic, separating fact from fiction and asking why so many people are convinced there's a coronavirus conspiracy 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.

For almost 80 years, Lockheed Martin has been working hand in hand with the US government to create cutting-edge, classified tech and craft, working in secret to build some of the world's most iconic spy planes. Nowadays, the so-called "Skunk Works" are more open about their projects ... or are they? 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 December of 2019 the Denver Post began reporting a strange pattern over the night sky of northeast Colorado. Around 7pm each night, at least 17 drones -- large ones -- emerged from somewhere and flew over the region in what appeared to be a search pattern, disappearing between 9:30 and 10pm. No one, from federal agencies on down, seemed to know where these drones were coming from, who controlled them, or what they were doing up in the sky. If, that is, they existed at all. 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.

Have you written to the guys on Facebook or Twitter? Sent an email, or called 1-833-STDWYTK? Then tune in as they answer your questions and more on air in the latest listener mail edition of 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.

How far would you go for justice? Join the guys as they interview award-winning investigative journalist Phil Stanford about the strange, twisting tale behind his podcast, Murder In Oregon. 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.

With a growing number of Western countries decriminalizing or outright legalizing cannabis, the controversial plant seems set to become an acceptable alternative to some preexisting treatments for appetite loss, chronic pain and more. Yet some supporters of medicinal marijuana products argue the chemicals in this plant can do much more than just make someone hungry or ease their pain -- marijuana, they argue, may actually cure cancer, and this is something the established pharmaceutical industry doesn't want you to know. So how do these claims hold up? 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 any truth to the stories of mysterious, unidentified alloys, secretly held in some hidden bunker straight out of the Indiana Jones films? How far along has our species actually come with nanotechnology, and could a government really suppress space-age tech, hiding it from the masses? Join the guys as they sit down with chemical engineer Christopher Cogswell, host of the Mad Scientist Podcast, to dive into the science behind these claims 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.

On paper, non-governmental organizations often sound like something everyone can get behind: these institutions are often dedicated to addressing some of the most dangerous, long-running problems on the planet. It may be surprising, then, to learn that a growing number of nations are taking increasingly aggressive actions to ban NGOs, especially foreign ones. Supporters of NGOs argue these nations are attempting to fight progress in hopes of saving their own corrupt regimes -- but the opponents inside these countries claim many of those do-gooder NGOs are more sinister than they'd have you believe: instead of saving the world, critics argue, these institutions are foreign-owned fronts for everything from illegal activities of intelligence agencies to acts of industrial espionage, forced regime change 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.

The last time you bought something, did you use a card, cash or something else? If you automatically thought "who uses cash nowadays", you're far from alone. More and more people are eschewing physical currency for digital dollars, and this move seems largely supported by big banks as well some countries. Proponents argue a cashless society has no shortage of benefits for everyone involved, but critics suspect there are more than a few dangerous possibilities at play -- and something sinister may be 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.

Whether rich or poor, young or old, everyone on the planet has to eat. Government institutions monitor the safety, cleanliness and consistency of our favorite foods, but as with any global industry, there are more than a few skeletons in the collective closet of the food and beverage business. Join Ben and Matt as they dive down the gastronomic rabbit hole of food conspiracies. 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 a group of serial murderers be kidnapping, drugging and drowning young men across the United States? Scores of young male college students have been found dead in what law enforcement calls accidental drownings -- but a team of retired detectives believe there's something more sinister at work. Join the guys as they dive into the strange, twisting story of the Smiley Face Murders -- the fact, the fiction, the controversy 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.

Odds are you've heard of the Dead Sea scrolls -- when the first of these ancient texts were discovered in the 1940s, the scrolls revolutionized our understanding of the past, and, in some cases, gave historians and archaeologists more questions than answers. One scroll, discovered in 1952, remains unique in the collection. It doesn't contain religious information, and it doesn't recount earlier stories from the region. Instead, this scroll (the only one written on copper) appears to be a treasure guide. So what happened to the gold, silver and artifacts catalogued on the scroll? Were these caches discovered thousands of years ago... or are these hidden treasures still somewhere out there today, waiting to be discovered? 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 the stories and narratives you hear in the average mainstream media reporting aren't the entire truth? What if there's something else going on, a secret war between a shadowy cabal and a small group of brave, outnumbered good guys fighting back against their insidious plans for world domination? This is, according to QAnon proponents, a true story. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they dive into the origins of this uber-theory, the fact and fiction surrounding it, as well as the implications 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.

The legendary civilization of Atlantis was first mentioned in the works of Plato, in dialogues that claimed to recount information from translations of ancient Egyptian texts. And people have been searching for this city ever since. So what was Atlantis, exactly? A metaphor, a work of fiction ... or a real, physical place? Join the guys as they explore the fact and fiction of the ancient legend of Atlantis. 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.

Have you ever experienced something bizarre -- some unexplainable coincidence, chilling interaction or even a run in with what some might call the supernatural? If so, then you may have the next story for Radio Rental. In this episode, the guys interview Payne Lindsey, creator of Up and Vanished, Atlanta Monster and more, about the inspiration behind his newest podcast, Radio Rental. 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 one of the most enduring enigmas in American history -- how did an entire colony disappear from Roanoke island? Join the guys as they explore the facts, fiction and speculation surrounding the mysterious fate of the colonists, the clues they may have left behind and the search that continues 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.

Born in 1940, Samuel Little was known in multiple states as a drifter, petty criminal and man occasionally capable of violence. Like many people living on the fringe of society, he seemed to slip through the fingers of justice despite numerous arrests. Yet intrepid investigators and improvements in DNA testing eventually proved Little was more than an itinerant drug addict and shoplifter -- according to the FBI, he is the most prolific serial killer in US history. 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 United States invaded Afghanistan on October 7th, 2001 and remains embroiled in the conflict almost two decades later, making this the longest war in US history. Leaders from both of the dominant political parties continually argued that this was a winnable war, proposing new strategies, more troops, and more surges. Yet documents obtained by The Washington Post show that the long-running internal conversations painted a different -- and vastly more disturbing -- picture. Tune in to learn more about the Afghanistan Papers. 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 his day, American labor union leader James "Jimmy" Riddle Hoffa was one of the most well-known figures in the US. On July 30th, 1975, Hoffa disappeared. He has not been seen, living or dead, since that day. In the decades following his death numerous investigators have tried (and failed) to figure out what exactly happened to this infamous American icon. So what actually happened to Jimmy Hoffa? 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 1933, a composer named Rezső Seress created one of the world's most infamous tunes -- a melancholy, mysterious piece known as 'Gloomy Sunday.' Over the following decades, this song became notorious for the sinister effects it had on anyone who listened to the song in full. Join the guys for a special end-of-the-year episode as they explore the story of the original recording -- where it came from, who wrote it, and, most disturbingly, 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.

When corporate defense lawyer Rob Bilott first learned about Wilbur Tennant's dying livestock, the frustrated West Virginian farmer was at his wits' end. He'd sought help from numerous local authorities to no avail, but he was certain DuPont was poisoning his livestock, as well as the surrounding area. Bilott's investigation led him down the rabbithole, deep into a web of contamination, chemical pollution and corporate cover-ups. Join the guys as they speak with Mr. Bilott to learn more about his first-hand experience bringing this mighty company to justice. 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.

For centuries, it was often understood that "seeing was believing" -- while people might embellish a story, and write whatever falsehoods they wished, visually witnessing an event was solid proof of what actually happened in any given situation. Yet this no longer holds true in the modern age. Photographs have been faked since, well, the invention of photography, and video followed shortly thereafter. However, new technology is enabling the creation of fake video with an unprecedented level of sophistication and believability. So what happens when we can no longer believe our own eyes? How will the world react to the rise of the Deep Fake? 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.

Amelia Earhart was a living legend -- this high-flying aviation pioneer garnered international acclaim and accolades for her daring flights across the planet. On July 2nd, 1937, midway through a flight around the world, Earhart's plane disappeared. Although she was declared legally dead on January 5th, 1939, theories about the true story of her disappearance linger in the public consciousness today. So what really happened to Amelia Earhart? Why do some people believe she didn't actually die on that fateful flight? 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 United States, people accused of crimes are entitled to certain well-known protections under the law. And, in the international sphere, global agreements theoretically guarantee certain rights to prisoners of war. However, in the wake of 9/11 elements of the US government felt these protections were preventing them from obtaining justice. They needed locations off the books. Places where the normal rules didn't apply -- places that, officially speaking, did not exist. Tune in to learn more about the rise of black sites. 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 someone really hang themselves on camera in the Wizard of Oz? Did Stanley Kubrick hide a secret message in Eyes Wide Shut? It's no secret that the world of film is fraught with conspiracy -- both on and off the screen. But do any of these strange rumors and urban myths hold any sand? Join the guys with their special guest and long-time friend, Charles W. "Chuck" Bryant, cohost of Stuff You Should Know and creator of the Movie Crush podcast, as they separate fact from fiction in the world of conspiracies and film. 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.

For thousands of years, people have been convinced that the weather and the position of the moon can wreak profound havoc on human behavior. This belief continues in the modern day, with numerous law enforcement officers, medical professionals and more swearing people act strangely during the full moon. Additionally, science shows certain environmental factors, such as an extended lack of sunlight, can spark measurable changes in mood. So what's the truth here? Can the weather really make people go crazy? 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.

Look around you as you listen to today's episode -- how far did these objects travel to meet you here? In centuries past, the average person would be surrounded by local objects. Today, the most mundane of possessions may have traveled more than halfway across the world to become your fabrics, your electronic components, your favorite snacks. Make no mistake: The world as we know it will collapse if our species stops shipping things across the planet. Global trade is dangerously close to a religion -- literally every nation has a set of laws applying to the passage of goods. So why are these laws so easily broken? Why do the same nations and conglomerates touting 'rule of law' seem to obey another set of rules? 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.

Have you ever felt you've encountered something beyond this mortal veil -- a spirit, a presence, something else? Would you consider yourself a psychic? Join the guys as they interview Julie Rieger and Brenda Villa, hosts of Insider's Guide To The Other Side, about their experiences in the world of psychics, their own personal journeys, advice for would-be psychics 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.

The majority of human beings currently live in urban areas -- and this trend seems set to continue. According to the most recent estimates, two-thirds of humanity will live in urban areas by 2050. However, not all cities are created equally. In fact, countries throughout the world are home to cities that, in one sense or another, do not officially exist. So what exactly are these secret, closed cities. What goes on there? Why are these areas hotbeds of 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.

We’re all familiar with the spooky, stereotypical witch depicted in film, fiction and folklore – a creepy crone with a pointy hat, riding a broom through the sky and cackling at the moon, often accompanied by her animal sidekick. But how accurate are these depictions? Were there ever really any covens, any infernal Black Masses and secret rituals dedicated to the powers of darkness? Join Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know as the guys explore fact, fiction and controversy around the real-life stories of witches and covens. 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 months following the death of Jeffrey Epstein, numerous people have raised concerns regarding the official cause of the disgraced financier's death, pointing to various irregularities surrounding the prison where he died, as well as raising questions regarding the official autopsy. Join the guys as they look into the debate over Jeffrey Epstein's death, and why some experts still reject the official narrative: Epstein, they argue, did not 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.

Everyone's heard of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster -- but what about the hundreds of other cryptids rumored to exist around the world? Join the guys as they delve into the stories of cryptids you may have never heard of. 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.

Have you written to the gang lately? If so, tune in -- you might be on the air. Join the guys as they dip into the conspiratorial mailbag, sharing your fellow listeners' strangest stories, important updates, follow-ups to existing stories 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.

Each year, millions of people across the planet grapple with some form of cancer. Doctors work around the clock to create better treatments methods, early diagnosis techniques and more, but for many people these innovations will sadly come too late. With so many lives on the line, it’s no surprise that multiple, unrelated individuals have claimed that they possess the cure for cancer — and that powerful forces are conspiring to keep this cure hidden from the masses. 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 8th, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished during a routine flight from Kuala Lumpaur to Beijing. While public -- and, later, private -- entities from across the region searched for signs of the craft, no one was able to figure out what exactly happened. Join the guys as they delve into a mystery that remains largely unsolved three years later -- the disappearance of MH370, and why some people claim there's a conspiracy 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.

It began in August -- five photographs of what appeared to be a sinister figure dressed as a clown loitering in a Green Bay, Wisconsin parking lot went viral. Eight days later, a local filmmaker admitted this was just an attempt to garner PR for an upcoming indie film... but the clowns kept coming. In the space of just a few months numerous people around the world reported being attacked or stalked by clowns. So what exactly was going on? 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.

Was there a conspiracy to assassinate JFK? Is this universe real, or merely a simulation? How far would you go to be included in an elite, shadowy cabal? In this episode, the guys join special guest Dan Harmon, creator of Community, Rick and Morty and more, to explore these questions and more in what may well be described as their strangest episode yet. 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.

Toward the end of World War II, German forces realized they were in an unsustainable situation, on the losing side of a war rapidly drawing to a close. In an effort to prop up their wartime economy, the Nazi party stole and fenced tons of gold and other valuables -- and, depending on who you ask, some of that gold remains hidden away and forgotten in the modern day. Join the guys as they delve into the abiding rumors of hidden nazi treasure, as well as the Nazi banking conspiracies that may still be at work 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.

Nic Pizzolatto's "True Detective" series was one of the most highly-rated shows of 2014. The gritty, Southern Gothic-meets-Hardboiled Crime tale follows two deeply flawed detectives as their investigation into a ritualistic murder leads them into an intergenerational cult, a deadly conspiracy extending throughout Louisiana and beyond. Pizzolatto cited numerous sources of inspiration for this disturbing story -- but could "True Detective" be based on a genuine, real-life cult? Join the guys as they unravel the actual conspiracy -- the real Louisiana-based cult -- that may have inspired True Detective. 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're like more than 90% of Americans, you own a cellphone of some kind -- and it's no wonder. Like tablets or smart speakers, these handy devices are incredibly convenient, providing a universe's worth of knowledge at your fingertips... at a price. What exactly do your smart devices know about you, and where is all that information going? 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.

Have you ever felt as if somebody was watching, following or even stalking you? If so, you're not alone. Most people have, at some time or another, had an experience like this -- and, tragically, many people are physically stalked every year. Yet there's a strange twist to the tale: More and more people are claiming they're being stalked by a group of people -- a gang. 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.

Like Amazon, eBay or multitudes of others, overstock.com is a company that allows consumers to buy goods online, often at a deep discount. The CEO, Patrick M. Byrne, resigned in August of 2019 -- and not for the usual reasons executives resign. The company wasn't closing down, and Byrne wasn't retiring to spend time with his family. So what happened? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the strange story of Patrick Byrne, the FBI, spies, honeypots and (allegedly) the Deep State. 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.