Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

In this week's strange news segment, Ben, Noel and Dylan explore how a human gut biome may predict linear future. Conversations about social media ephemera. Ben cops to his "missing: boomerang" posters, shouts out The Daily Zeitgeist, and asks Noel to explain "6-7." Dylan shares a weird story about returning to the United States as the U.S. asks to read your phone at the border. All this and more in this week's strange news segment...

If you're not from Nova Scotia, you may have never heard of Africville -- it was a small community in Halifax. The larger government of Halifax seemed content to pretend Africville simply didn't exist. After the infamous Halifax Explosion of the early 1900s, the government changed their tactic, and aggressively conspired to erase Africville from history.

They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/...

Located in the eastern Pacific ocean, thousands of miles from other civilizations, Rapa Nui is home to an enduring mystery: hundreds of giant, stone sculptures called maoi. For centuries, outsiders had no idea how these were built, when, why or -- most importantly -- what happened to make the construction stop. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive deep into hidden history and the latest research... and just may, finally, f...

How can a star disappear? As Ben, Matt and Noel learn in this evening's Classic episode, there's more than a bit of weirdness involved: a few years back, an enterprising group of astronomers and astrophysicists found themselves transformed into full-on space detectives when a cursory observation of a luminous blue variable star located in the Kinman Dwarf galaxy revealed the star had simply... vanished. This is, according to what o...

It's almost the end of the year -- Disclosure looms, raccoons and humans alike pull heists, folks are housing Faberge eggs, fungi evolves in Chernobyl and pretty much everyone is trying to survive. Ben, Matt and Dylan want to tell you a joke at the beginning of this week's strange news segment. Stay tuned for the upcoming episodes inspired by this segment.

They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fi...

Warning: This episode contains graphic, accurate descriptions of unclean actions, and may not be appropriate for all listeners.

In 1981 and 1982, an horrific series of murders and mutilation gripped Chicago. Ultimately, investigators found four men guilty of the crimes: Edward Spreitzer, brothers Andrew and Thomas Kokoraleis, and the alleged ringleader, Robin Gecht. However, as Ben, Matt and Dylan discover in tonight's episo...

Hidalgo, Jimothy and Pure prompt Ben, Matt and Dylan to dive even deeper into the bizarre world of hidden structures underground -- including bunkers and top-secret missile siloes, just waiting for that launch command. Pastor Banks reaches out with a deep conversation about the nature of the soul, and Calamity Chris confirms the ancient folklore of dragon's teeth. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.

They don't wa...

As Russia and the West escalate their tensions, the world enacts sanctions meant to cripple the Russian economy -- "you can't sell oil," says the West. Ordinarily, a sanctioned country would have no recourse. Yet, as Ben, Dylan, Matt and Noel discover in tonight's episode, Russia took a different route: a secret navy of ragtag vessels sailing under fake papers, moving fossil fuels -- a genuine Ghost Fleet, immune from international...

Located in Surrey, the Princess Royal Barracks, Deepcut (more often known as the Deepcut Barracks) was once the headquarters of the British Army's Royal Logistic Corp. On paper, Deepcut seemed to be a successful military installation -- yet it had a dark side. Young trainees were routinely bullied and abused, with little high-level oversight. A series of controversial trainee deaths between 1995 and 2002 were all ruled suicides, an...

Recent changes in social media reveal a vast network of trolls, prompting Ben to ask the gang, once again, about the dilemma of anonymity. The FDA folds on new pesticides. As predicted, AI launches a religion. There's this whole thing about Campbell's soup. All this and more in this week's Strange News segment.

If you dig this weekly segment, check out our real episodes! Next up: Russia's Shadow Fleet.

They don't want you to ...

In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt at Noel separate fact from the fiction surrounding uncontacted peoples: Who's the most off-grid person you know? Have you ever fantasized about clocking out of the modern rat race, heading for the boonies, and living off the land with your loved ones? While 'uncontacted' communities are a huge part of film and fiction, it seems increasingly difficult for these folks to exist amid the breakneck pace o...

Did human beings first reach the continents we call North and South America by traversing a land bride across what's now known as the Bering Strait? That's been the most prominent theory about early human migration, and it's the one many children learn about in school -- but what if there's more to the story? Join the guys as they dive into the story of early human migration... as well as new evidence that may revolutionize every t...

Oof -- debt. People have it, companies have it, and a lot of countries do, too. In the US, the national debt becomes a hot-button issue every time elections roll around. But how does debt work when the country that owes the debt literally makes the rules around finance? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the dizzying (and sometimes terrifying) story of national debt.

They don't want you to read our book.: https://stati...

While democracy isn't always predictable, one thing's for sure -- no matter who wins an election, for any party, in any country, some part of the population will claim the game is rigged. That's what happened in Mexico in 1988, when Carlos Salinas de Gortari became president in a hotly-disputed election. For years rumors circulated about the illegal actions that led to this outcome, an opposition parties often accused Gortari's par...

While humanity's local solar system appears huge from Earth, it's actually a pretty tiny piece of real estate in the grand scheme of things. And, in recent years, technological breakthroughs have allowed astronomers and physicists to learn more about the things traveling to us from outside our patch of space. In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the story of 3I/Atlas -- along with the experts who believe this thing may ...

Saturn asks about the Longfellow Boom. Good Ol' Russ inspires Ben and Matt to do a Yule Cat prank. Beuford prompts a deep conversation about the First Amendment versus technology. Chef Ben revolutionizes the world with the Enchiladasagna - THE FUTURE IS NOW. 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/

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We've all heard the phrase: "Satanic Panic." Not too long ago, the United States -- and, later, the world -- was gripped with fear. According to the story, powerful devil worshippers conspired to kidnap, abuse, torture and even murder innocent children all in the service of Satan. So, what actually happened here? How did Patrick Swayze get mixed up in all this? In tonight's interview segment, Ben, Matt and Noel welcome Sarah Marsha...