Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Juarez, located just over the US-Mexico border, has an ongoing crisis that hasn't made the news: hundreds of women have gone missing, and many of the ones who disappear are later found dead, their wrists often bound, with strange symbols carved on their bodies. Journalists Monica Ortiz Uribe and Oz Woloshyn dive deep into this tragic mystery in their podcast Forgotten: Women of Juarez, searching for answers to the femicides that were all too often ignored by law enforcement. What did they find? Join the guys as they learn more with Oz Woloshyn about the ongoing investigation in this Classic Interview Segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the government shutdown continues, an estimated 42 million US residents may go hungry. Mushrooms may be the next memory chips. Ben, Matt and Noel continue to obsess over 3I/Atlas. Cameos by minks and monkeys. All this and more in our weekly strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In tonight's special Halloween episode, Ben, Matt, Noel and Super Producer Dylan lean on Ben's earlier experience with the paranormal. Tonight's question: Is it actually possible to sell your soul to infernal powers? Check this out: we learned how it works.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After exploring the Bermuda Triangle live on international waters, Ben, Matt and Noel open the floor to their fellow Conspiracy Realists. Tune in to hear the guys tackle everything from real-life cryptid encounters, to government secrets, the alleged secrets of DNA and more.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ben, Matt, Noel and Super Producer Dylan present one of the strangest episodes in the history of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know: the long-awaited exploration of the Bermuda Triangle -- live, from the actual Bermuda Triangle. (Ben here: I have no idea how we got away with this one. We worked hard on it; we also solve the mystery. Make sure to tune in later this week for our live Q&A, and thank you for supporting this bonkers show.)They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a special shoutout to fellow Conspiracy Realist J, we present our Classic episode on some hidden history from Mississippi: Most people have heard of Three Mile Island — but what about the multiple other nuclear events on US soil? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the strange, largely untold story of the Tatum Salt Dome in this story from 2020.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A team of crack scientists may save lives by helping humans breathe through their butts. Europe busts an international chair heist ring. The AI war against humanity escalates (also, no one's sure exactly how to define the comet 3I/ATLAS). The nation of Qatar makes headlines with a new training facility in Idaho -- a move suprising a lot of people, including the state's governor and Senators. All this and more as we return with our weekly strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You've probably heard of the Atlantis before, but have you heard the legends of another lost city, somewhere out in the endless sands of the Arabian Peninsula's Rub' al Khali (or "Empty Quarter")? Tales of this city, known as Ubar or Iram of the Pillars, surface in countries throughout the region. The city is even mentioned in the Quran. And, like Atlantis, over the centuries numerous people have tried to find it -- but there's one important difference between Iram and Atlantis... it appears someone actually found Iram. Tune in to learn more.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Protests against systemic injustice and police brutality are sweeping the United States and the world at large. In the US, protesting isn't just a tactic -- it is a right, explicitly described in the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Protests can be powerful tools to push for change, but other forces, from corporations to militias, intelligence agencies and more also seek to use the power of protest against itself. Listen in to learn more about the history -- and future -- of the agent provocateur.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Typically, when you hear someone bring up the concept of chemtrails, it's either to dismiss the idea as a conspiracy theory or to claim there's something dangerous up there in the sky -- something the mainstream doesn't want you to know about. But a growing group of experts think something like chemtrails might just be the key to literally saving life on Earth. Tune in and learn more about stratospheric aerosol injections.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most US residents are vaguely familiar with the nuclear disaster known as Three Mile Island -- but that's only one of several similar stories. Join the guys as they explore the strange events of July 1959, when the Santa Susana Field Laboratory partially melted down -- and the government conspired to cover it up.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mere days after the horrific events of 9/11, someone began sending letters laced with anthrax spores to senators and the offices of major media outfits -- by the time the attacks ended, seventeen people were seriously injured, and five victims had died. Today the FBI maintains the case has been solved: scientist Bruce Edwards Ivins, acting alone, was responsible. Ivins died of an overdose in an apparent suicide before any possible trial, and today, numerous people familiar with the case believe the official story doesn't add up. Tune in to learn more.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The modern world is full of apps -- and we don't mean appetizers. Apps are tiny programs that can do countless neat, convenient things... often with a catch. As Ben, Matt and Noel discover in tonight's episode, some apps, even innocuous things for workouts and cycling, can lead to disastrous breaches of personal privacy and national security. This is the story of the Strava Leaks.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few years back, Julian Assange was a household name in the West. The founder and face of Wikileaks, one of the world's most well-known destinations for leaks of classified information, Assange was hailed as a hero by some and a villain by others. And, whether you think he's a soldier in the war for transparency or some sort of super-villain, there's no denying that many people in power wanted him neutralized by any means possible. In our last episode, we left Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he'd been living, and fighting extradition charges, for several years. Then he seemed to disappear from the headlines. So what happened?They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

During the height of the Covid lockdown, prices for all sorts of things skyrocketed -- global supply chains broke, numerous companies (and, more importantly, families) struggled to survive. Economists, CEOs and politicians alike assured the public that after the pandemic passed, prices would return to 'normal.' Fast forward to 2025: it's post-lockdown... and, if anything, prices have continued to rise. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel ask what's going on -- and discover a very real conspiracy at play.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wells Fargo is one of the most popular retail banks in the United States, and its gigantic customer base uses it for everything from savings accounts to loans and more. However, a few years bank the bank came under fire for perpetuating a conspiracy all its own -- more and more customers found they had multiple accounts and lines of credit opened without their consent, and further investigation found that was just the beginning of the problem. Tune in to learn more about this real-life banking conspiracy, how it was discovered and the consequences (or lack thereof).They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The United States Treasury moves to print current President Trump's face on a new coin, prompting an exploration of why the US officially doesn't put living people on the money. Qatar and the US reach a new level in what Lady Gaga would call a "Bad Romance." (Ben here: we recorded this before the news of the Idaho military base hit; the gang and I are currently in international waters -- wish us luck!) Microsoft has a 'come-to-Jesus' moment with Azure. Chinese authorities leverage AI to improve their censorship regulations for Western films. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's imagine the worst scenario for civilization: humans, for one reason or another, go extinct. What will rise from the ashes of the Anthropocene to take their place? In the second part of this two-part series, Ben, Matt and Dylan explore the possible candidates, from various high-order mammals and avians, to life beneath the seas, to plants, fungi, artificial intelligence and more. (We're extremely excited about this one, and can't wait to hear your picks for the next rulers of Earth.)They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chef calls in with a fascinating theory on the Kaikōura lights. Nemesis shares an inside look at Big Tobacco, answering Ben's earlier question about smoking inside (and much more). In the wake of the infamous Snuff episode, multiple Conspiracy Realists reach out with jokes, puns, well-wishes, kind words and pet pics. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Humans! Seems like they're everywhere these days. They've also been great for our show, so thanks! Anyhow, the Age of the Anthropocene has fundamentally altered the natural world -- and, no matter what happens, the legacy of the human will remain long after the actual species is gone. What happens when the humans are no more? In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben, Matt and Dylan explore the still-controversial origin of Homo sapiens, along with how the world might look when Earth's favorite superape no longer rules the roost.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HIV and AIDS, the syndrome the infection causes, have become the subject of numerous conspiracy theories. Over the decades people have proposed the infection was purposely designed to kill certain segments of the public, or that it was a lab experiment gone wrong, or that it didn't exist at all. For a time these theories enjoyed massive popularity in the US and abroad... but there was another conspiracy at play, one that most people weren't aware of: join Ben, Matt and Noel to learn more about Russia's Operation Infektion in this week's Classic episode.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world's largest crypto-related heists poses a bizarre dilemma for authorities in London. The perplexing meeting of US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and America's generals has everyone -- including the generals -- scratching their heads. The billionaire Peter Theil is raising eyebrows and serious concerns with his technocratic take of the End of Days, and his speech series arguing regulation will inevitably lead to the rise of the Antichrist. Join Ben, Matt and Dylan for all this and more in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's an image famous -- and controversial -- all the world round: in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the US government wrought four gigantic sculptures of past US Presidents on the face of the Six Grandfathers. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Dylan explore the truth behind one of America's weirdest conspiracies: Is Mount Rushmore just a big carving? Or is there a secret, hidden for centuries, there within the stone?They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy Rutabaga Day. In this week's listener mail segment, Ben, Matt and Dylan learn about the plans to finally take the sun down a notch. Insight on Savannah, Georgia. All this and more as the gang hurtles toward the end of the year.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The "snuff film" is a profoundly disturbing urban legend: the idea that a shadowy group (or groups) manufacture real-life acts of torture, defilement and murder for the express purpose of commercial gain. For decades, fact checkers and researchers argued that snuff films didn't actually exist. Yet, as Ben, Matt and Noel discover in tonight's episode... that may no longer be the case.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For centuries the U.S. government conspired to persecute, attack and marginalize the native population. When open warfare became too expensive, some factions of the government proposed a different approach -- what if, they wondered, we erase native culture? This inspired a massive industry of forced assimilation. Thousands of children were forced into boarding schools where they were taught to act more 'European' while being abused, exploited and placed into forced labor. Tune in to learn more about the conspiracy of forced assimilation, and how its long-reaching consequences affect the country in the modern day.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As world leaders convene for the United Nations General Assembly, the US Secret Service uncovers a massive telecom conspiracy -- and has no idea who created it. People are out here peeing in theatres, it's Fat Beer Week as we record, and the Pentagon declares journalists must tow the party line. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In theory, democracy empowers the people -- a citizen's vote is the primary campaign contribution. However, theory and practice are often two very different things. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel peel back the layers on a global conspiracy: a worldwide, well-funded network with deep ties to the US government; a meta-think tank created to make more think tanks. They touch everything from tobacco to climate change, from crafting laws to (allegedly) aiding in government overthrow. For those in the know, the group is simply called "Atlas."They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Killdeer Fake-out inspires Ben, Matt and Noel to create an episode on the radioactive scandal of Coldwater Creek. Chef Ben asks whether he crossed paths with a knife cult. Sydney prompts an anthropological exploration of the Nacirema. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Like so many other countries, Japan has a complex mix of political parties and activist movements -- some are gigantic, and some are small. Some are legit, and some are crazy. In the recent election, one fringe, far-right party named Sanseitō skyrocketed in the polls, gaining unprecedented prominence on a 'Japan First' platform peddling conspiracy theories, anti-foreigner legislation, and revisionist history about World War II. Is that really what the Japanese voters want? Journalists, critics and the public have serious questions, and are asking whether this group is, itself, funded by foreign powers seeking to destroy Japan from within.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On June 22nd, 1983, 15-year-old Vatican City resident Emanuela Orlandi disappeared after attending a music lesson. Over the decades, numerous people claimed to have seen Orlandi, or reached out with leads on her fate. Yet even now, the case remains unsolved. Join the guys as they explore that facts of the case, the wide-ranging possibilities, the allegations of conspiracy, crime and cover-ups, ultimately asking: What happened to Emanuela Orlandi?They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A new Brain Drain: funding cuts and political chaos cause scientists to leave the US -- and other countries love it. Wal-Mart bans an emotional support alligator. Protestors get in hot water in the UK. New Mexico may make childcare free. And one scientist may have just cracked the code on space travel. All this and more -- including the first bot minister -- in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In December of 1978, New Zealand's Kaikōura mountain ranges gained international attention as a series of unidentified glowing objects appeared to follow multiple planes in the area. Pilots, journalists, radar techs and air traffic control all confirmed the events -- along with numerous witnesses on the ground. Almost fifty years after the initial sightings, people still can't explain the Kaikōura Lights... and every December, locals look to the sky, just in case the lights return. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they dive into one of the most bizarre UFO stories in New Zealand history.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bizarre Power Wheels heist goes awry. TikTok loses its mind over an unidentified ...thing in Panama. A fellow Conspiracy Realist hips Ben, Matt and Noel to a massive (and massively petty) possible conspiracy in the corporate world. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the height of the Cold War, both the Soviets and the United States raced to hold supremacy across the globe. Over in North Dakota, you can find a strange relic of this unending conflict -- the Stanley R. Mickelson Safeguard Complex, a billion-dollar boondoggle built to detect and destroy Soviet missiles. It opened on October 1st, 1975. Just one day later, on October 2nd, Congress shut it down. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel ask: What happened?They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 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.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US authorities raid a Hyundai battery plant in Georgia, detaining nearly 500 workers and sparking an international crisis with South Korea. The QAnon Queen of Canada is arrested. The rise of teenage assassins in Sweden. US tech companies are complicit in mass surveillance across China. The good and bad of LSD. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As human civilization hurtles headlong toward technology it still does not fully understand, your favorite world governments are in a new arms race to control large language models, generative AI, and the terrifying golden goose -- a fully sentient, artificially created, non-organic mind. So what happens when they discover it? As Ben, Matt and Noel learn in the second chapter of this two-part series: everything is precedent.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HR prompts an exploration of the world's internet -- and what happens when it fails. Dale pitches the concept of Anunnaki Pirates. Moose shares some insight into cat conversations. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Corporations across the planet are going crazy for AI -- and governments are no different. So what happens when new technology revolutionizes the same age-old interests of a government? What happens when a new technology revolutionizes the same age-old mistakes as well?In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel explore governmental interest in AI: the facts, the fiction, and the frightening implications.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's "AI" week here on Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. In tonight's Classic episode, Ben, Matt and Noel revisit their 2020 original exploration of Clearview AI -- to its supporters, this company's facial recognition software revolutionizes safety. To its critics, there's much more on the horizon.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fan of the show Uncle Xi just threw a big party to commemorate the end of World War II. In this week's strange news segment, the guys explore the FOMO of the world's second-strangest science fair.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

People have attempted to communicate with other animals since before the dawn of recorded history. Today, almost every pet owner feels they have deep, communicative bonds with their pets -- but what about wild animals? In the second chapter of this two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel discover how 'AI' may soon allow humans to speak directly with multiple other organisms. (We also absolutely wrecked our search history with phrases like "sperm whale phonetic alphabet.")They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Messenger prompts a conversation on video games and divinity. Oz Woman replies to the earlier series on the Anunnaki. Following up on the earlier news about China's artificial womb, PoodleCrab and others walk through the positive -- and negative -- implications. A brief homily on Cracker Barrel. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Do you have a bond with a household pet? Do they understand what you say to them -- and, if so, how much? In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel dive deep into a question that's mystified humanity since the dawn of history: Can we really talk to non-human animals? Not at or to... but with? Tune in to learn how science may finally crack the code and turn us into real-life Doctor Doolittles.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Propaganda has always been a powerful tool, and humanity's recent technological innovations have only amplified its reach. Long-standing laws in the US were meant to prevent US propaganda for foreign audiences from reaching the domestic population, but over time those laws have been eroded... and, as it turns out, Uncle Sam was secretly pushing propaganda on the people for years beforehand. Tune in to learn more about Operation Mockingbird.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

US Nationals captured attempting an info war to destablize Greenland. A lawsuit emerges on an airline. A cardboard cartel is in play and, it appears, actively conspiring against you. All this -- plus an orgy dome -- in this week's strange news segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oh, praise Enlil! This is our final -- for now -- episode on the concept of the Anunnaki. 'Ben,' Matt, and Noel explore the arguments for 'ancient aliens,' while also discovering real-life, current astronomical information that just might prove a princely seed of truth to all those tall tales of old.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Phlounder responds to Ben's earlier point about Friday news stories. A friendly Chef also named Ben prompts a conversation between Matt and Noel about tricorders. Dan B answers questions about Mango the Parrot with, first-hand experience from Blackpool. Also Cryptid Hunters. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's be honest, oh mortals: history proves time and time again that one civilization's angels may become another civilization's demons. In Chapter Two of this three-part series on the Anunnaki, "Ben," Matt, and Noel explore the cultural and spiritual evolution of mysterious entities blamed for everything from the original discovery of fire to the provenance of original sin.They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.