Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Nowadays Canada has a well-earned international reputation as an incredibly polite and considerate country, but like any nation Canada has more than a few skeletons in its historical closet. Join the guys as they explore the strange story of Canada's quest to 'scientifically' detect the sexual orientation of employees -- and to fire them for the perceived results. 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 height of their success, the band Blink-182 became a key force in the development of pop punk. Despite their worldwide fame, guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge eventually left the band. Why? Join Ben, Matt and special guest John Goforth of Hysteria 51 as they explore the story behind DeLonge's new mission -- a project he and his supporters believe could change the world. 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 small towns, neglected glades and college campuses across America, small groups of bearded wanderers in homespun clothes are spreading a message -- that the End of Times is upon us, and only the truly righteous shall be saved. Living primarily off the grid and on the fringes of society, this group has proven extremely effective at hiding its converts from law enforcement and concerned relatives. In fact, it's difficult to get a grip on exactly what this group is and what they wish to do. Join Ben and Matt for a closer look at the mysterious group 20/20 called "The Garbage Eaters". 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.

Compared to other countries, the US has a massive incarceration rate. While the prison system has passionate supporters and ardent opponents, there's another aspect to the story -- one often ingored and forgotten: What happens to the children of prisoners? Join the guys and special guest Julian Wyatt as they explore the untold story of children caught in the web of the prison 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.

Google -- or, more properly, Alphabet -- is a huge company, and is at the bleeding edge of numerous technological innovations. So, while it wasn't necessarily a surprise that Uncle Sam wanted Google's help building AI, it certainly disturbed a great many people, some of whom were Google's own engineers. So what exactly happened? Join the guys as they dive into the strange story of Project Maven. 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 years residents of Windsor, Ontario have been haunted by a strange, disruptive noise. Sometimes compared to a truck idling or distant thunder, numerous residents say the noise has damaged people’s health and quality of life, But what exactly is the Windsor hum? Join the guys as they dive into the mystery. 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 checked out Stuff They Don't Want You To Know's new facebook community page? Join the guys as they delve into your comments, suggestions and threads on Here's Where It Gets 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.

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. 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 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 anaylsis 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. 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 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. 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 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. 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 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. 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.

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. 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 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 unrepentent 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. 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.

Despite diligent, time-consuming efforts by institutions across the planet, human beings have yet to find any universally-accepted proof of extraterrestial 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. 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 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. 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 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. 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 May 9th, 2017, then-FBI Director James Comey was fired. His most well-known recent investigations involved the Clinton campaign's email scandal and the allegations of Russian election interference in 2017. In the aftermath of the dismissal, he wrote "Higher Loyalty", a book depicting events and experiences that he believed the public needed to know. So what exactly did he reveal? Is this a man sincerely pursuing what he sees as transparency and the truth, or a cynical ploy to sell more books? Tune in to learn more about the Comey revelations. 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 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. 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.

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? 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 imaginary friends to tulpas, the idea that that the human mind can create life through focused thought alone is as old as recorded civilization. But what does science have to say about imaginary friends? Are they pure hallucinations, part of a healthy psychological process, or something else? Join the gang as they delve into the fact and fiction surrounding the strange idea of a living thought. 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.

Nowadays it seems like a few times a year we’ll hear about a food scandal -- contaminated meat, perhaps, or recalled yogurt. We’ll also inevitably hear something like “studies show coffee is good, or bad, for you.” When you add up all these complaints, studies and articles it becomes alarmingly easy to think the world is going to hell in a handbasket. Or, rather, breadbasket. So what's the truth of the matter? Grab a snack and join the guys as they explore several troubling, possible terrifying foods consumed every day in the good ol' U.S. of A. 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 decades one the world's largest auto manufacturers lied to governments and the public, polluting the planet and evading the same environmental standards they themselves publicly championed. Of course, this is unfortunately a common occurrence in the murky world of corporate power, but here's one big difference: Volkswagen actually got caught. So what happened? Who perpetrated this vast, real-life conspiracy, and how were they caught? Join Ben and his returning special guest, CarStuff's Scott Benjamin, as they explore the strange, twisting tale of Volkswagen's attempt to swindle the public, exposing a genuine conspiracy and asking, perhaps most importantly: What happens 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.

On July 18th, 1969, campaign strategist Mary Jo Kopechne and Senator Ted Kennedy were involved in a single-car accident while departing a reunion held at Chappaquiddick island. Only one of them made it it out of the car alive. In the hours, days, weeks, years and decades since, numerous people have tried and failed to come up with conclusive answers about the sequence of events leading to Kopechne's tragic death. Join Ben and Matt as they interview Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan, the screenwriters behind the film Chappaquiddick, as they retrace their steps researching and writing the story, including their inspirations, their beliefs about what actually occurred, and why it's crucial to remember this incident 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.

Have you ever written in to Stuff They Don't Want You To Know? If so, you might be in today's episode. Ben, Matt and Noel often point out that you, the listener, are the most important part of the show, and in this episode they're putting their money where their collective mouth -- er, microphone -- is. Join the gang as they respond to some of the most fascinating, insightful emails, suggestions, responses and more from around the internet. 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.

Today Benjamin Franklin is known as one of the founding fathers of the US, and there’s no doubt that he played a tremendously influential role in the creation of the country. But Franklin, known then and now as a bit of an eccentric. But what about his darker side? 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.

50 years ago today, the American Civil Rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. His legacy lives on in recorded speeches, memorials across the country, photographs by legendary photojournalist Ernest C. Withers and more. Withers remains a hero in his hometown of Memphis, and his career is inextricably intertwined with the Civil Rights era. However, there may be much more to the story of Withers than the public originally believed. Join the guys as they sit down with veteran investigative journalist Marc Perrusquia to learn about his explosive discoveries regarding Withers, revelations that would take him all the way to Federal Court in his quest to finally answer the question: Was Ernest Withers a mole for the FBI? 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 first part of this two-episode series, the guys interviewed tech expert Jonathan Strickland on the mechanics of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. In this episode, Jonathan returns to field some of the weirdest, funniest and most disturbing conspiracy theories orbiting the world of digital currency. 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.

You've heard of bitcoin before. It's the entirely digital, decentralized currency that supporters tout as the next step in financial evolution -- and critics call a massive scam. But what exactly are cryptocurrencies? How do they work, and why do some people believe they're as much a tool for conspiracy and crime as a tool for trade? In part 1 of this series, the gang invites returning guest Jonathan Strickland to explain the nuts and bolts of bitcoin, along with the advantages and flaws of the system. 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.

Recently employees at the US Embassy in Cuba reported a strange and disquietening phenomenon. They complained of vertigo, nausea, hearing loss and more accompanied by a strange hum and whine that followed them into their homes. The State Department refused to comment on the cause of these symptoms even as they shipped employees back home to the States. However, some anonymous government officials stated that the employees fell victim to an unorthodox, top-secret, sound-based weapon. Could it be true? You can turn back now, or learn 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.

One person's cult is another person's inarguable truth, and over millenia many spiritual or cultural belief systems have been called cults. Typically organizations called cults have a few commonal traits, one of the chief of which is isolation. So can cults continue to exist in the digital age, where the average smartphone user is only a few clicks away from learning almost anything they desire? What do these movements look like in the era of instantaneous communication? Join the guys as they delve into the strange concept of digital cults. 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.

Nowadays, most people in the West associate exorcism with horror movies instead of real-life terror. However, people around the world still feel that they have been possessed, and experts from various faiths across the planet still conduct exorcisms in the modern day. Join the guys as they delve into the story of the Catholic organization founded to fight possession: The International Association of Exorcists. 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’ve heard the legends of vampires for thousands of years, and while the vast majority of modern humans relegate the stories to the domain of myth and folklore, more and more experts are wondering if technology will allow us to create something very much like the monsters of myth. Could transfusing blood from the young rejuvenate the bodies of the old? What ethical consequences could we encounter? How far has the research already gone? 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 decades Saudi Arabia has been at the heart of numerous controversies, from the policies of its strict theocratic, gender-segregated government to its influence over the oil market and continual involvement with religious extremist groups. Recently, the young Mohammad bin Salman became Crown Prince. Over the past few months since his ascension, Salman has spearheaded numerous reforms, routed many of the country’s billionaires, and signaled a fundamental change in the course of Saudi Arabian history. At least, to some, this appears to be the case. To others serious questions remain unanswered: What’s going on behind the scenes? What is the future of Saudi Arabia? 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.

Recently, the New York Times broke a story that baffled most ordinary readers -- until about 2012, the Pentagon had run a multi-million dollar, secretive program to collect numerous reports of unexplained aerial phenomena and unidentified flying objects. So what did the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program actually find? Join the guys as they interview returning guest and filmmaker Jeremy Corbell for a peek behind the curtain into the Pentagon's search for UFOs. 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 decades people knew that sexual abuse occurred in Tinseltown. It was an open, dirty secret just behind the curtain of the most popular films, tv and stage shows in the country. And the victims of abuse rarely spoke out -- when they did, they risked the ruination of their careers (or worse). In 2017 this began to change. World famous producer Harvey Weinstein was outed as a serial sexual and physical abuser, prompting his exile from his film company and encouraging numerous other victims of abuse to speak out. As the world wrestles with these revelations, more and more questions surface: Who knew what, and when? How far does this system go? And what happens 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.

Sure, we worked way too hard for that pun in the title, but it's a serious question: CERN, or the European Organization for Nuclear Research is one of the world's largest, most prominent centres for scientific research. The experts at CERN use the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments to study the fundamental building blocks of matter, and over the years it's become the subject of numerous rumors, allegations, concerns and conspiracy theories. Join the guys as they delve into the fact, fiction and controversy surrounding CERN and the Large Hadron Collider. 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 Grand Canyon is a breath-taking natural formation, and every year more than 4 million people visit. Despite its popularity, areas of the canyon remain dangerously remote, and it’s no secret that numerous people have disappeared in or around the canyon over the years. But what if there was more to the story than missing couples and individuals? Is it possible that an entire civilization went missing in the canyon? 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 people in countries across the planet have reported seeing mysterious, glowing lights that appear to move of their own volition through the darkness. Whether you call them Ghost Lights, Spook Lights, Will o' the Wisps or any other number of names, chances are there's a local version of this legend somewhere in your region. So what exactly are these things? 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’s going on with all these stories about strange skeletons? From legends of the crystal skull to allegations of ancient extraterrestrial remains and giants, it seems the world is chock-full of mysterious, semi-humanoid remains. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they delve into some of the strangest cases, attempting to separate fact from fiction … and cover stories from coverups. 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 near future, your doctor may begin prescribing 'smart pills,' medicines that remain in contact with your hospital, pharmacy or doctor's office and tell your health care providers whether you're sticking to the treatment schedule, along with other medical information. To the supporters of smart pills, this is a life-saving breakthrough. To critics, however, the potential threats of this technology outweigh the benefits. Are smart pills a new way to keep patients healthy longer, or another step in the construction of a biomedical Big Brother? 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.

Disney World is one of the planet’s most well-known travel destinations, and over the decades it’s been the subject of bizarre rumors -- some more plausible than others. But how did this gigantic park get started? Join the guys as they delve into the murky history of Disney World’s foundations, the story of how Walt Disney himself raised the Magic Kingdom above the law. 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 authorities arrested members of the Manson Family for the Tate-LaBianca murders, they'd intended it to be the final chapter of a terrifying story. However, as the trial progressed, it quickly became evident that this was only the beginning of a much longer, stranger saga. In the years following the murder, conspiracy theories concerning Manson, his followers, the US government, splinter religions, secret drugs and the occult all proliferated wildly throughout the American zeitgeist. So do any of these theories have a grain of truth? Join the guys as they separate fact from folklore in the conclusion 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.

After spending decades in prison, former cult leader Charles Manson passed away in November of 2017. In the wake of his death, millions of people re-examined his strange, disturbing life story, tracing his evolution from an abused child to one of the most infamous prisoners in U.S. history. So how exactly did he get started? What led him and his followers down their grisly path? Join the guys as they separate fact from folklore 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.

We've all seen the space-age secret bases in science fiction and blockbuster films, but could a government or corporation really build a secret, permanent deep-sea base? Where would they do it? Why? Join the guys as they dive into (get it?) the murky world of militaries beneath the waves. 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 old is the phenomenon we call consciousness, and where did it come from? Was humanity always capable of metacognition -- the ability to think about thinking? If it wasn't, then how did our ancestors process the world around them, and how did they struggle with internal conflicts? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they interview returning guest Joe McCormick about the strange theory of the bicameral mind. 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 decades after the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, hundreds of thousands of Americans -- and millions of people across the planet -- have had lingering, troubling problems with the US government’s official narrative of the tragedy. Now, recently declassified documents may shed light on the story, either confirming or contradicting the official tale of Kennedy’s death. Or will they? 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.

Today's episode comes from the heart of the Cold War -- when Lionel 'Buster' Crabb disappeared on a mysterious spying mission, his relatives and colleagues refused to believe the official story. Over time, this story changed. As investigators attempted to separate fact from fiction, they found themselves stonewalled, tangled within a web of rumor, speculation and conspiracy. So what really happened to Commander Crabb? 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 believing in success became the same thing as succeeding? Religious figures around the world encourage their followers to equate financial donations with future material gains. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they dive into the heart of Prosperity Theology to find the facts, fiction, and the stuff Prosperian Theologists 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.