Stuff You Should Know

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Society & Culture
201
Selects: What was the Philadelphia Experiment?
The Philadelphia Experiment is a bad movie from the 1980s, and also the conpiracy theory that refuses to die, despite virtually zero evidence of its occurance. Learn all about this strange non-event in this classic episode.
48 min
202
Space Junk, Ahoy!
The orbits hundreds to thousands of miles above Earth are littered with garbage. Space garbage, sure, but it’s still garbage. Littering in space is bad enough but it poses practical problems too – like space junk crashing into satellites or astronauts.
48 min
203
Short Stuff: Cellphones on Airplanes
Are we finally at the place where we can make cell phone calls on airplanes? PLEASE NO! Listen in to find out.
13 min
204
What is biophilic design?
Biophilic design is all about bringing the outside in. But it's also much more than that. Open your windows and have a listen!
50 min
205
Selects: How Lighthouses Work
People have been burning fires on cliffs as long as other people have used boats, but after the Age of Exploration, lighthouses took their unmistakable form and the great stories of the people who kept the lights around the world began. Learn all about them in this classic episode.
45 min
206
The Texas City Disaster of 1947
In 1947 the port town of Texas City, Texas became the site of the largest industrial disaster in American history. An enormous explosion blew ships out of the water, created a tidal wave that flooded the town, and killed hundreds of people instantly.
40 min
207
Short Stuff: Brazilian Jars
In the 1970s big news was made when some underwater artifacts were found in a bay by Rio de Janeiro that would have rewritten history. Then it just kind of petered out.
15 min
208
The Parrot Episode
If you think parrots are simply mimics that fly, you're wrong. Tune in and learn about these colorful friends today.
51 min
209
Selects: Please Listen to How Plasma Waste Conv...
There is a way to not only sustainably get rid of our household waste, but also produce enough energy from it to power the process and even create electricity for the grid. The future is here. Learn all about it in this classic episode.
36 min
210
Karaoke: Tuesday Night Fever
Listen in and learn all about the fascinating history of everybody's favorite pastime... karaoke!
53 min
211
Short Stuff: Tooth Fairy: Not Real
Today we break down the history of everyone's favorite home invader, the tooth fairy.
12 min
212
Dragons: As Real as Mermaids
Dragons are like mermaids in that they're not real. And that's about where the comparison ends. Learn all about dragons today.
39 min
213
Selects: Mermaids: Not a real thing
Mermaids aren't real. That much we know. But the history and lore of these magical and sometimes menacing creatures of the sea is pretty interesting stuff. Learn all about these half women/half fish in this classic episode.
41 min
214
Why is the Equal Rights Amendment still not rat...
The United States is one of only 28 countries in the world that doesn’t have equal protection for women under the law enshrined in its constitution. There was a moment in the 70s where it came very close, but then the conservative movement was born.
49 min
215
Short Stuff: Dog Suicide Bridge
A bridge at the town of Dumbarton in Scotland has a terrible reputation as a site where dogs inexplicably leap to their death on the rocks 50 feet below. There is no shortage of theories why, but none fully explain it.
12 min
216
Is the Free Radical Theory of Aging Wrong?
In the 1990s we thought we’d identified the root cause of aging: nasty molecules called free radicals that wreaked havoc on our cells. Even better, we’d figured out how to counteract them with loads of antioxidants. Then science started raising questions.
50 min
217
Selects: Bridges: Nature Abhors Them
From prehistoric logs across streams to the 102-mile Kunshan Grand Bridge, nature works ceaselessly to take down spans. In this classic episode, learn about the fascinating ins and outs of bridge design and building and the mind-boggling challenges structural engineers face.
57 min
218
How Bruce Lee Worked
Bruce Lee may have introduced more Westerners to Asian culture than any person in history. And, because he died young just as he became an international superstar, he’s become a legend. Josh and Chuck try to uncover the man underneath.
51 min
219
Short Stuff: The Body in the Cylinder
In 1945, residents of a Liverpool neighborhood found a desiccated body in a long cylinder they’d been using for years using as a bench. It launched a mystery that’s still alive today.
14 min
220
What Will Farming 4.0 Look Like?
The human population is expected to increase by a couple billion people in the next 30 years and those who are paying attention are wondering exactly how we’ll feed all those extra mouths. Will going high tech or getting back to nature save us?
48 min
221
Selects: How Chili Peppers Work
Born and raised in South America, chilis were the earliest crop domesticated in the continent and among the first items brought back to Europe by Columbus. Today people are really, really into them. Find out all about 'em in this classic episode.
52 min
222
How Blue Holes Work
Geologists and biologists have recently realized that the planet’s oceans and coasts are littered with a unique type of ecosystem called blue holes, submerged sinkholes that were once dry caves. They are turning out to be weird and amazing places.
36 min
223
Short Stuff: Freedom House Ambulance Services
As part of Black History Month, we wanted to share the little known story of the Freedom House Ambulance Service. Listen in to learn all about this seminal group of EMTs.
16 min
224
The Disappearance of Lars Mittank
In 2014, a young German man walked into an airport in Bulgaria with a flight booked, then suddenly ran out leaving all his posessions behind, never to be heard from again. This is the story of Lars Mittank.
42 min
225
Selects: Why Are So Many Disembodied Feet Washi...
Between 2007 and 2016, 17 disembodied feet - still wearing shoes - have washed ashore between Washington and British Columbia. What's behind the sudden influx of Vancouver's mystery feet? Find out in this classic episode.
37 min