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
1
Selects: A Brief Overview of Punk Rock
Punk rock really needs about 10 episodes to do it justice, but we'll try and tackle anyway. Learn all about this movement right now in this classic episode.
52 min
2
Aleister Crowley: Blowhard Narcissist?
52 min
3
Short Stuff: Great Smog of London
In 1952 London was gripped by a acrid smog that settled throughout the city so thickly residents couldn’t see their own feet on the sidewalk.
12 min
4
Behold, National Parks!
54 min
5
Selects: How Tabloids Work
Having started as an egalitarian answer to 19th-century newspapers, tabloids came to peddle shock and sleaze. They've cleaned up a bit, but they remain the world's guilty pleasure. Learn more about the fascinating history of tabloids with Chuck and Josh in this classic episode.
50 min
6
How Effective Altruism Works
47 min
7
Short Stuff: Friends of Dorothy
The gay community had to use code not too many years ago and one way they identified was as “Friends of Dorothy.” So who was Dorothy?
13 min
8
What's the deal with phantom pain?
46 min
9
Selects: Is the Pied Piper About a Real Histori...
In the German town of Hameln a tragedy that took place on a specific date in 1284 and befell specifically 130 children is commemorated every year. Aside from those two details, the event is cloaked in mystery. What about the Pied Piper fairy tale is real? Find out in this classic episode.
41 min
10
How Mindfulness Works
52 min
11
Short Stuff: Commensalism
What's commensalism? Sort of nature's way of sponging off something, but that something doesn't mind. If that doesn't make sense, take 12 minutes to listen and find out for yourself.
13 min
12
The Improbable Story of Martin Guerre
48 min
13
Selects: How Moss Works
Think you have moss figured out? You probably don't. Join Josh and Chuck in this classic episode as they explore some of the surprising aspects of these most ancient and important plants on the planet.
33 min
14
The Ins and Outs of Albinism
37 min
15
Short Stuff: Cassowary
Australia is home to a kind of bird that is the second largest in the world and can kill a human being, making it the closest living version of a velociraptor? Of course it is!
12 min
16
Leeches: Oh Hell No!
50 min
17
Selects: The Ins and Outs of Beekeeping
Who wants fresh honey? We do! Learn all about the ancient art of beekeeping today in this classic episode.
64 min
18
Littering: Not Cool
53 min
19
Short Stuff: Schmidt Stinging Pain Index
If you want to know how the pain from that yellowjacket sting on your arm compares to stings from other insects, you need look no further than the body of work of entomologist Justin O. Schmidt.
12 min
20
The Chowchilla Bus Kidnapping
55 min
21
Selects: What's the Deal With Staring?
Gazing too long upon another person is almost universally viewed as anywhere from impolite to hostile, which is odd considering science isn't fully certain why we stare - and why we're so good at knowing when we're being stared at. Learn all about it in this classic episode.
35 min
22
How the Nobel Peace Prize Works
50 min
23
Short Stuff: Firewalking
It’s pretty amazing to see a human walk over a bed of hot coals – until you learn the physics beneath it. Then it’s just fairly impressive.
12 min
24
How Tacos Work
56 min
25
Selects: How Sloths Work
Everyone knows sloths are super slow, but do you know they’re slow because their bodies produce an astoundingly small amount of energy? And did you know that might be an adaptation that protects them from predators? Sloths are awesome and we prove it in this classic episode.
54 min