Things I Learned Last Night

Every year some people argue that this is the worst year ever. Over the past couple of years, we have certainly had some genuine contenders. However, most historians agree that the absolute worst year in recorded human history was 536 AD. The year set in motion a turn of events that included wars, famines, volcanic eruptions, and even a dip in global average temperatures. Some researchers have even gone as far as to say that this single year is what propelled humanity into the dark ages and maybe even ended the Roman empire. So buckle up because this is 536 AD, the actual worst year in history. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: https://www.patreon.com/tillnpodcast Episode Link: https://tilln.com/536ad Want to Support TILLN: https://linktr.ee/tillnpodcast Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch. Advertise with us: https://bit.ly/3FdZirY This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5714661/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are people across the entire world who are dropping little pucks of metal and organic material around cities and wilderness. What exactly are these pucks? They call them Orgone, and their history is quite strange. It began in the 1930s with psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich who admired Sigmund Freud. We know exactly where this is going, to a weird place. It grew into building boxes called Energy Accumulators, tubes called Cloud Busters, and Orgone Pucks. Each variation is equally bizarre. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On December 1, 1948, a body turned up on the beach in Adelaide, Australia. After nearly 72 years, no one has even come close to solving this case. Yet, when it comes to who the man was, mysteries abound. Despite investigation after investigation, no confirmation was ever found. What was found, however, was numerous strange details. Yet, somehow, the story continues to unfold. Today one thorough investigator has successfully petitioned the Australian government to exhume the body to solve the Tamam Shud Case. While law enforcement has yet to confirm or deny any claims, this private investigator claims he has found the body's identity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're constantly bombarded with news from the world's mega-corporations. More and more, it seems like the FAANG companies (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, Google) will just keep getting bigger and bigger. However, according to some historians, these titans of tech are nothing compared to the financial reach and impact of one company that reigned throughout the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. Colloquially known as the Dutch East India Company, the VOC (short for Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie) laid the foundation for modern business in some good and many destructive ways. What is phenomenal is that by specific estimates, though heavily disputed, the value of this company exceeded 8 trillion USD dollars. That valuation would make this company more valuable than every country on earth today, excluding China and the United States. It was a mind-bogglingly colossal company, which is precisely why we're still talking about them today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People worldwide watched the seconds tick by on December 21, 2012. Due to a 'prophecy' about the world's end, many expected to watch the apocalypse unfold that day. But nothing happened. Unfortunately for our ancient ancestors, they weren't as lucky. Nearly 3200 years ago, the world stopped spinning. At least, it stopped for the major superpowers of the day. As a result, one of the most technologically advanced and well-connected civilizations in human history was wiped from the face of the earth in a matter of years. What happened? Well, no one is certain. There are many clues, however, which help paint a helpful picture of what caused the Bronze Age Collapse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The great depression was one of the most challenging times in history. The financial uncertainty of the time led many to nefarious forms of income. Unfortunately for Mike Malloy, others looked to more extreme measures. Over a few months in early 1933, a group of five directed by Tony Marino repeatedly attempted to kill Malloy to claim a significant life insurance policy they had taken out on him. The group didn't anticipate just how difficult it would be to kill Mike. Night after night, the group concocted increasingly gruesome plans; however, without any clear explanation, Mike survived. Eventually, the group was successful at its goal. But the success wouldn't last long as the group failed to keep quiet and faced the music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Jaron and Tim for this special live edition of Things I Learned Last Night recorded live on the Podcast stage at Boulevardia 2022 in Kansas City, MO. In this episode, learn about the history of crafting with Secret Handshake Studios. For more info about Secret Handshake Studios: https://www.secrethandshakekc.com For more info about Boulevardia, visit: https://boulevardia.com Love TILLN? Become a Patron and get more bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/tillnpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the world of UFO sightings, it can often be tough to delineate fact from fiction. Well, actually, sometimes it's pretty easy to see what is fiction. But, lately, there have been well-documented cases of UAP sightings by trained observers occupying the limelight. This is not a new thing. There have been well-documented sightings by professional observers for decades. One such case is the Rendlesham Forest Incident. In December 1980, two separate groups of United States Military personnel witnessed the same craft. Not only did they see the craft, but they also recorded it on a wide array of scientific devices. Base Commander Luitenant Colonel Charles L. Halt recorded his entire encounter on a tape recorder. His tapes are the live reactions of the highest-ranking military officers to ever go public with their stories. For many, the Rendlesham Forest Incident is a nail in the coffin. For others, there are some possible explanations as to what happened. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join Jaron and Tim for this special live edition of Things I Learned Last Night recorded live on the podcast stage at Boulevardia 2022 in Kansas City, MO. In this episode, learn about the history, technique, and competition circuit for beatboxing with up-and-coming entertainer musicbyskippy. For tickets, music, and more check out: https://www.musicbyskippy.com For info about Boulevardia, visit: https://boulevardia.com Love TILLN? Become and Patron and get more bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/tillnpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ocean is one of the earth's most precious resources. However, like many of the resources on earth, capitalism has not treated them well. For that very reason, Russ George has devised a plan to revitalize the ocean. His controversial theory is called Ocean Pasteurization. To replenish the ecosystem of the world's oceans, George plans to dump iron into the seas to feed plankton and cause an artificial bloom of plankton. Though Russ has acquired a wide array of investors and supporters, many others think he is causing more harm than good. At the end of the day, we do not know what the impact of such an endeavor would be on the ocean ecosystem. So, what would you say he is a hero or villain? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Antarctica is one of the most mysterious places on the planet. Few people in the world have ever or will ever step foot on this massive slab of ice. Due to the lack of experience with this strange continent, many conspiracy theories have been born around the area. One of the first and most prolific, Antarctic explorers is US Navy Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd. Not only did Boyd take a few trips to the continent, but he took the largest single group of individuals with a 4700-person fleet. This mission, however, was cut short. The reason for the change is up for debate, and there have been some wild theories as to the reason. Operation High Jump might be one of the craziest things to happen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 1980's Tacoma, Washington, faced a stark increase in gang activity. The hilltop neighborhood was a particularly active subset of the city and became a hub for the illegal drug trade in the town. However, when one Army Ranger bought a home in the neighborhood, he took matters into his own hands. Sergeant Bill Foulk installed security cameras and began confronting the gangsters during drug deals. After weeks of this behavior, the crips decided to retaliate. They had no clue that Foulk was an Army Ranger and called a dozen of his Ranger buddies to help defend his home. A 10-minute shootout involving over 300 rounds and about 30 individuals from the crips and the US Army Rangers ensued. Known now as the Ash Street Shootout, the event became a catalyst in the way officers handled local policing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The early days of the internet were truly the wild west. Anyone with the means to post to the world wide web could upload whatever they wanted and leave it out there to the world. That is precisely what inspired Julian Assange to create Wikileaks. The now infamous site was envisioned to be a place where whistleblowers could anonymously leak sensitive information into a platform that would verify and publicize the information. The website gained notoriety for leaking a few very significant sets of documents that were particularly bad for the United States government. Since then Assange has lived a rather precarious life and now faces extradition to the US for trial. The precedent being set in this case could be significant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the first humans took their first breath, we have been trying to subvert the forces of death. But, to date, no one has successfully unlocked the keys to eternal life. At least, no one has publicly discovered the key to endless life. Legends of fantastic figures that found the secret have captivated people for longer than we've been writing. The Count of St Germain is one such mythic figure. This historical figure has long been the subject of stories of everlasting life. For hundreds of years, people have claimed to have encountered the man who, on paper, died 238 years ago. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a hot summer day in 1954, a man arrived at Tokyo Haneda Airport. Since the man came on an international flight, he was required to show his passport to be stamped. Upon viewing the man's passport, officials were shocked to find the country that issued the passport was called Taured, a country that does not exist. Furthermore, the man was shocked when he attempted to show his country's location on a map because the location that he called home was not Taured on this map. As quickly as the confusion began, the man from Taured disappeared. Now we're left to decipher the situation. Was this just a hoax, or did the Japanese TSA encounter an inter-dimensional traveler? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today flying is one of the safest forms of transit that exists. Out of the millions of flights every year, only about 30 of those result in an accident in the US, and very few result in any serious injury. However, this hasn't always been the case. In recent history, regulations on air travel were much laxer and allowed for a far greater rate of failure. On Christmas Eve 1971, Juliane Koepcke witnessed how dangerous air travel can be when her plane broke apart in mid-air and plummeted 10,000 feet into the Amazon rain forest. Defying all odds, Koepcke survived the fall. Unfortunately for Juliane, it was an out-of-the-frying pan into the fryer sort of a situation. She awoke after the crash to find herself stranded in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Her story has inspired for decades. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the start of the internet, forums have been a strange place. Something about allowing people anonymity brings out the worst in humanity. The effect was in full display for Reddit user Religion of Peace. Known for running one of the most nefarious and controversial subreddits in the platform's history, the user garnered an almost mythic status during his time on Reddit. Many users had encountered one of Religion of Peace, often referred to as Milo, and one of his infamous rants. However, the story became much more interesting after Milo died. A series of internet sleuthing led to the possible uncovering of an underground assassin ring hidden in plain sight. Order your Knack Bag: https://knack-bags.pxf.io/5bP5db Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1991, eight people walked in a large glass dome in the Arizona desert. Camera crews captured the group as they disappeared into the void. The structure was built by billionaire Ed Bass who hoped to use the facility for research into what it would take to build a colony on an alien world. The philanthropist enlisted a crew of four men and four women to spend two years locked inside the biosphere without any contact with the outside world. In the most American of ways, the event was broadcast to the world. Biosphere 2 became the world's first reality tv show, and just like every reality tv show, it was dramatic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine you woke up one morning to find the sky is full of circular, triangular, and cylindrical objects darting to and fro in an apparent struggle for aerial supremacy. You might immediately think that you were witnessing an alien invasion. Maybe you'd assume you were hallucinating. But, imagine this happened while you were living in the year 1561. That's exactly what happened to the people of Nuremberg, Germany. The 1561 Sky Battle, also known as the 1561 celestial phenomenon over Nuremberg, excited the imaginations of those who saw it. Whereas our cultural conditioning would lead us to assume it was a fleet of UFOs, the locals on that day thought it was a warning of the impending judgment of God. Regardless of the interpretation, the event is a rather curious one that lacks an obvious explanation. At least, it lacks 100% proof of any of the prevailing theories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are the names that come to mind when you think of bank robbers? For many, names like Bonnie & Clyde, John Dillinger, and maybe even certain GTA V characters fill the mind. However, these robbers don't even scratch the surface. While, technically, not a bank robber, John Ruffo conned a few dozen banks out of more than $350 million. His case is the most expensive bank fraud in American history. What's more, he got away with it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marathon runners are a rare breed of humans. Few hobbies involve wheezing for miles and shopping for shirts that won't rub your skin off. Every year a new challenger appears for these hobbyists to overcome. However, there has never been a more formidable foe for the marathon runner than the Barkley Marathons. This infamous race tests not just its runner's physical endurance but also their mental fortitude. It's a marathon built on the intent that only 1% of runners will complete it. It's a race not for the faint of heart; this is the Barkley Marathons. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: https://www.patreon.com/tillnpodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Moving into a new home can be stressful. In the best-case scenario, the new neighbors are helpful or maybe distant, depending on how social of a person you are. But we've all been in that scenario where our neighbors aren't exactly the type of people we wanted to live near. However, noisy or rude neighbors are nothing to the neighbor that the Broaddus family endured after moving into their New Jersey home in June of 2014. While many neighborhoods come complete with a neighborhood watch, this quiet street included its own watcher. The startling true story tells of a family tormented by a stalker who communicated with the family through a series of letters left in their mailbox. Despite the family's efforts, the police, and multiple private investigators, no one ever revealed the true identity of the watcher. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

These days just about anyone can tell you a thing or two about Scientology. Most of the public exposure to the church of Scientology has come from Leah Remini's documentary series on Netflix. Even though the average person knows the church, few understand exactly what it does or from where it came. Scientology's members' secrecy and financial actions have led most to label it a cult. It is a label that is fitting. Despite this fact, followers hail the founder for his revolutionary new way of thinking. Against all odds, and despite any accreditation, L Ron Hubbard managed to found his own religion. An endeavor that made him very wealthy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the idea of other universes, timelines, and dimensions has become mainstream. We've all become well-versed in the possibility of other worlds out there. But how realistic is the idea? Some serious thinkers believe that the sort of universe in the MCU is possible. M Theory is a subset of string theory that seeks to explain all of the other possible dimensions and what is possible. Spoiler alert, there are 11 dimensions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine a theme park that surveyed the history of the United States while being shaped like the continental United States. How could that not excite you? In the '60s, the US of A was all the rage in the US, and C.V. Wood saw the hype as an opportunity to capitalize on patriotism. The disgraced Disney Park manager somehow landed a 13-million dollar investment from one of New York's most prolific real estate investors to build the park. Unfortunately, much like his previous attempts at park design, Wood's endeavor would prove a monumental failure. Freedomland met the same fate as the trash in the landfill on which it stood. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Point Pleasant. If you chose to stop for gas in Point Pleasant, you might be shocked to see a 12-foot-tall metallic statue of the mythological creature known as Moth Man. Both because it's shocking that a town would erect such a statue on their main crossroad and because it's an utterly terrifying statue. Nestled on the West Virginia and Ohio border, Point Pleasant boasts scenic views of the Ohio River and the Western Appalachian Mountains. The town is host to a long history dating back to the United States' earliest days. However, it was one event on the night of November 16th, 1966, that lives on in infamy for the people of Point Pleasant. It was the day the Moth Man first arrived. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few places have sparked as much public intrigue as Skinwalker Ranch. Dubbed as the most paranormally active place in America, the ranch has books and tv shows in its honor. We can learn much by looking at the ranch owners over the years. When did that haunting begin? What is the nature of the hauntings? Most importantly, what do UFOs have to do with it? The history goes back long before the United States itself. Native Americans tell of legends of terrifying creatures whose names they wouldn't even say aloud. Today we investigate if the stories might be true or just an unbelievable cash grab. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The life story of the man who helped found the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is one that anyone would assume is full of intrigue. That is precisely the case with Jack Parsons, one of the lead members of the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory which led to the founding of JPL. However, for Jack, his scientific exploits are some of the least exciting points of his life. Parsons dealing with the occult and a few notable, perhaps questionable, colleagues led to his expulsion from the organization he helped found. Eventually, the very thing that brought him success became his downfall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Video games have long been a joyous escape for many throughout the world. Few other outlets provide people with the same expanse of experiences as that of gaming. However, the profit timelines for game developers have always been a dicey issue. Due to long development time and short sales windows, game developers are often left with many months straight without a profit. Microtransactions were born to combat this reality. If used well, the feature could provide added benefits to both gamers and developers. Unfortunately, they have not been used well, and the effects are beginning to be felt across the industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bank Robbery is no easy feat. Many have seen the dollars that move in and out of banks every single day and dreamt of ways to procure the money moving within bank walls. However, few have gone through with a bank heist, and even fewer have pulled off a successful bank robbery. Anthony Curcio is responsible not only for a successful bank robbery but for one of the most well-planned bank heists in recent history. His plans included craigslist, a jet ski, inner tubes, and so much more. Let's take a look at the tale of the craigslist bank robbery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the mid-'90s, the internet took the world by storm. For the first time in history, everyone had access to an unprecedented amount of information. In those early years, the entire web was curated by skilled webmasters who understood the inner workings of the internet. Over time, new technologies allowed everyone to share their thoughts and ideas with the world. Recently, bots were let loose online to fulfill a variety of tasks. Most of these robots perform necessary and helpful tasks. Unfortunately, however, some were deployed for malicious purposes. Major sites across the web have documented the rapid increase in bot traffic on their platform over the past few years. The increased A.i. traffic has led some people to theorize that the internet is dead and the bots have taken over. The theory that we've lost control of the world wide web is known as Dead Internet Theory, and this is its story. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fifty years ago, pieces of an ancient wall peaked out from underground all around Rockwall, TX. Today, much of the wall has been buried, but this quiet Dallas suburb may be host to the oldest surviving structure in the United States. It seems pretty clear that this wall is man-made, or at least intelligently made. Yet, despite all the signs, the public discourse regarding the wall is that it is a natural formation. Even still, conspiracies about the wall abound. Some people are convinced that giants were involved. We don't know about that last part, but there's no way this thing is natural. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The globe is dotted with beautiful columns and archways popularized by the Beaux-arts style of architecture. Beaux-arts caught on and took the world by storm, as with many trends. Or did it? According to a relatively new internet, conspiracy buildings in this style are relics from a long-lost empire known as Tartaria. Much of our nation's capital buildings are really just repurposed Tartarian structures that were nearly destroyed by a worldwide mud flood. So, where do Tartarian truthers find the evidence for these extraordinary claims? Buckle up, and let's find out the origins of the tremendous Tartarian Empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humanity has been expanding and advancing for as long as we have existed. It seems like we have an insatiable desire for creating new things and developing our influence as far and wide as possible. Logically, and based on some recent experience, we will eventually expand past our world and begin to colonize the cosmos. However, such a feat will require massive amounts of energy. In 1964 Nikolai Kardashev proposed a scale that measures an intelligent civilization based on the amount of energy consumption and control that the society possesses. He separated civilization into a four-part scale measuring the technological advancement of society. Eventually, his scale came to bear his name and be known as The Kardashev Scale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sixto Rodriguez was an aspiring musician in the late '60s. After little success, he retired from music and worked as a day laborer in Detroit, Michigan. While Rodriguez spent his days doing odd jobs, his music made waves overseas. This is the story of Sixto Rodriguez, the rock icon that sold more records than Elvis Presley in South Africa. The only problem? He had no idea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Walt Disney had an issue with the way cities were built in his day. He spent much of his adult life in Los Angeles, notorious for traffic and dangerous corridors. Disney believed he had all the answers, and after the success of Disney land, he began formulating a plan for a new city. Eventually, Epcot would become the project's name, which stood for the Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow. This city was romantic, to say the least. If Walt had succeeded, it would've been one of the most incredible places on earth. However, many critics point to the glaring flaws with the strategy. The argument is moot, though. The city of Epcot never saw the light of day. After Disney's untimely death, his brother Roy took the reigns of the project and converted it to a larger iteration of the prosperous Disney land. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've all had these questions before. What is the Internet? Who invented it? When was the internet invented? How does it even work? The story is often treated like a mythic tale, but it's a timeline that we can somewhat pinpoint. The way it works seems almost ethereal today. It's a collection of data that floats through space and into our devices, right? The explanation of the inner workings of the internet is as explicable as the invention of the revolutionary system. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This story isn't for you if you have a weak stomach. Honestly, if you're human this story isn't for you. This is easily the most disgusting story we've ever told on this show. But, here it is. The Dave Matthews Band Chicago River Incident. Trust us, nothing can prepare you for what you are about to learn. We're deeply sorry about this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know Dasher and Dancer and vicious misuse of a historical figure for profit. But, do you know the story of how St. Nick turned into the Santa Claus we know today? The story is a long one that flows through many changes throughout history. The jolly bearded man didn't become what he is today until relatively recently. It wasn't until Capitalism got its greedy hands on old St. Nick that he became the main mascot of Christmas. Here's the story of the transformation from Saint to Santa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you know what you know? That's a weird question. It's an important question to ask, though, and that question is at the heart of epistemology. Briefly, epistemology is a philosophical school of thought that seeks to understand knowledge. At its core, the hope is to determine if evidence can justify our beliefs. The system of thought has birthed all forms of skepticism. Therefore, many have claimed that the system exists to poke holes in ideas and find reasons to deny one's way of thought. While, in some cases, it is true that people are skeptical for the sake of being skeptical, the thought process provides the foundation on which scholars built the scientific method. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout history, generations watched as the younger generation took the helm. With each transition of power, the older generation has often disapproved of the behavior and decisions of the younger. This was particularly evident in the early 20th century. Events like the roaring '20s, the world wars, and the great depression left people wondering if the world was ending. Some in that era believed that the overpopulation of the cities of the earth was leading to negative changes in human behavior and morality. Researcher John Calhoun set out to discover if the behavioral sink was a reality. For some, Calhoun proved the phenomena. For others, he only showed the importance of accountability structures in the world. The story of the mouse utopia experiments might just make you lose hope in humanity or maybe make you more hopeful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's talk about Satan. The devil is one of the scariest creatures in the whole Biblical story. The problem? Well, the Bible never describes the devil in the way the creature is described today. The Bible rarely ever refers to Satan as a single figure or the chief of evil. The picture we are given from the Bible is far different. So, where did our modern understanding come from? Years and years of cultural influence and cherry-picking from other mythologies have given us a lord of the underworld that there is no Biblical basis for. This is the story of how Satan became a monster. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jose Canseco was one of the greatest home run hitters in MLB history, with over 450 on his long career. He had a little help, though. Many regard him as the man who introduced steroids in the MLB. While he probably wasn't the first, he was one of the first to be open about his PED use. That openness seems to be why he was excluded from the hall of fame despite his storied career. However, his steroid use is probably the least exciting part of his story. Jose's life is full of fights (both legally and illegally), strange business decisions, and missing fingers. This is Jose Canseco's wild story. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawn Chair Larry, also known as Larry Walters, had always dreamed of flying. As a kid, he planned on becoming a pilot in the airforce. Unfortunately, he was turned by air force recruiters away due to his poor eyesight. In the wake of the death of his dream, Larry became a truck driver. However, his vision of flying never left him, even though the airforce was no longer an option. One day this dream drove him to do something crazy. Larry strapped 45 balloons to his lawn chair and took flight over Long Beach, CA. The event made headlines. From that day forward, Larry Walters became known as Lawn Chair Larry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timothy Dexter might actually be the luckiest man ever to live. Dexter was a prolific business mam at the dawn of the United States. He was one of the first people in U.S. history to rise from the lower class to the upper class. His business success, however, was entirely a stroke of luck. Few things that he succeeded in can be attributed to his intelligence or business prowess. He made most of his fortune off of tips from contemporaries trying to ruin him. Timothy Dexter, being none the wiser, took these tips and somehow got very lucky with them. This man is eclectic, lucky, and illiterate (but his book sales beg to differ). This is the story of the wild life of Lord Timothy Dexter. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! This episode of the Things I Learned Last Night Podcast was filmed live with an audience at the Rino in Kansas City, MO on October 30th, 2021. Thank you to all who came out, watched online, and worked to make it happen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ferdinand Waldo Demara is quite possibly the most legendary imposter to ever live. This man lied his way into almost every career known to man. Throughout his long life, Demara was a correctional officer, a prisoner, a soldier, a medic, a lawyer, a surgeon, and so much more. All the while being unqualified and his contemporaries being none the wiser. Even after Ferdinand Waldo Demara became famous for fraud, he managed to fake his way into various careers. It's hard to believe how good he was at lying. This is the wild story of Ferdinand Waldo Demara. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Valiant Thor is the subject of a truly unbelievable story. We mean it. Tim doesn't even buy this one. Here's the story. Valiant Thor, or Val as his friends called him, was a humanoid alien living in an apartment inside the Pentagon. Val had a tight-knit relationship with President Eisenhower and was passionate about ending the possibility of nuclear war. Like many Aliens who have come to earth, Val had a goal for humanity, and he used the existing power structures to see it through. Thanks to his human-like appearance, Val was thought to be nothing more than an advisor to Eisenhower. Crazy story, but it does have a shred of believability because many high-ranking government officials speak of him as if he really was there. This is a story that would be revolutionary if it were true. This is the story of Valiant Thor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all remember the days sitting through history class learning about all the presidents in the short history of the United States. We learned all about each of these presidents and the things they did while in office. However, there's a good chance you were not taught about the first and only Emperor of the United States. In 1859, Joshua Abraham Norton laid claim to the position of Emperor of the United States of America. Now before you assume this was just the meaningless musings of the town drunk, you should know that he was actually sort of recognized as Emperor. He had enacted a few laws adhered to by the public, the police saluted him on sight, and he had strong diplomatic relationships with government officials in more than one international province. This is the unbelievable tale of Joshua Norton, Emperor of the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We went viral on TikTok earlier this year with our "Cat Daddy" voicemail reactions. Since then, our listenership has grown by the tens-of-thousands and we also received a lot more voicemails! So we decided to react to more of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the wake of World War I, virtually everyone on earth knew that we could not afford another war as treacherous as the great war. In the US, a group of military leaders forged a small group that would come to be known as the Bomber Mafia. Their theory sounds primitive today, but at the time, it was groundbreaking. To put it simply, the Bomber Mafia hoped to win wars with bombs rather than with ground troops. Furthermore, they believed that they could ensure a minimal loss of life by targeting the most valuable targets for the enemy. In theory, this plan could revolutionize warfare, and it did, but not in the ways they expected. The members of the Bomber Mafia have long since died, but their ideals are still in practice. Even with the advent of modern technology that makes their dreams far more attainable, their legacy is arguably worse than what they were trying to prevent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices