Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Remember a few years back, when it seemed everyone was excited -- or terrified -- about the "internet of things"? Tonight, Ben, Matt, and Noel are diving deep into the next step: swarms of tiny, interconnected sensors collectively called 'smart dust'. Predicted by science fiction writers decades ago, his technology can have thousands of applications, and can likely save lives in the future. Yet along with all this potential for goo...

As the guys continue exploring the strange, silent war over who gets to own nuclear weapons, they stumble across the little known story of Operation Outside the Box. When the Israeli military learned its regional rival Syria might be building a nuclear facility, they felt they had only one course of action -- and they were certain that, whatever the consequences, they must do anything in their power to prevent Syria from getting th...

Canadian Brady Rogers wins a local election by telling folks he doesn't really care about it. Tesla unveils a new 'flying' car. Florida gambling helpline director Philip Sullivan embezzles more than a million dollars for -- wait for it -- gambling. Russian satellites prompt growing concerns about war in space. Join Ben, Matt, and Noel for all this and more in this week's strange news segment.

They don't want you to read our book.: h...

Hello, Stuff They Don't Want You To Know Listeners! We want to share a new show you might enjoy, it’s Curse of: Miss America!!!

About the Show: Miss America used to be a national icon. At its peak, the pageant was appointment television, drawing TV audiences that rivaled the Superbowl. But now, the crown is slipping. 

The organization is at the center of a tabloid courtroom drama. Two people are claiming to be ...

For millions of children growing up in the US, a visit to SeaWorld was the peak of vacation. You could finally see magnificent marine mammals up close and personal -- and even interact with them. Yet there was a dark side beneath the waves, one a lot of people didn't realize until the debut of the 2013 Blackfish documentary. Following up on the earlier Elephant Shows episode, Ben, Matt, and Noel dive deep into the hidden story -- a...

Even in the days of ubiquitous mobile devices, virtually everyone you know has some sort of access to a television. TV is a legendary success story, going from a tiny, unreliable, and expensive piece of pretty tech to an absolute 'must-have' for billions of people. Yet, as Ben, Matt, and Noel discover in tonight's episode, modern TV sets are no longer dumb screens relaying audio and video. In a very real (and disturbingly conspirat...

According to the legend, the Jersey Devil was born to a Quaker named Mother Leeds in 1735 -- a hideous, deformed thing with wings, hooves and horns, it let out a blood-curdling scream after being born, and flew out the chimney and into the woods. For centuries since then, people in the area have reported sightings of the Devil, making it one of North America's most popular cryptids. But what is it, exactly? Could there be a grain o...

As Ben, Matt, and Noel return from the high seas, they learn that a new plague may have broken out in Russia. Whistlebowers allege the CIA is searching genetic mapping companies for 'evidence of alien/human hybrid DNA'. A new kind of mega raptor is discovered in Europe. The rise of Peru's Hitler Mussolini. Yet another (unelected) European official falls under suspicion of selling state secrets. Tune in for all this and more in this...

As Ben, Matt, and Noel wrap up their live show at sea on Virgin Voyages, they turn the microphone to the audience for a wild question and answer session that surprises the crowd as much as it surprises the audience themselves. Everyone, please remember to stop asking about the FBI.

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As World War II drew to a close, nations across the planet scrambled to take stock, to recover, to rebuild and survive. But the looming spectre of nuclear technology continued to grow -- the US went against allies and enemies alike to keep its military edge. So how did countries traditionally considered enemies of the US gain nuclear technology? In many cases, the conspiracy goes down to a single man: AQ Khan. Terrified by what Ind...

Whenever it's time for an election in the United States, a curious thing happens. A domestic scandal, a crisis, a hostage situation: whatever the specifics, these events are known as 'October Surprises'. In tonight's episode, recorded live at sea on Virgin Voyages, Ben, Matt, and Noel dive deep into the conspiracies afoot -- and what they can teach us about the days, months, and years ahead.

They don't want you to read our book.: ht...

Nevada is currently considering new legislation that will allow businesses to create their own increasingly autonomous communities. Fans of the idea paint it as an innovative, new way to get jobs and tax dollars to Nevada. Opponents worry it creates a corporate government, giving private businesses control of things a local government would usually do -- like run the fire department, conduct elections and more. So what exactly is a...

The US experienced a massive economic boom in the years following the close of World War II. The country managed to avoid the destruction that laid waste to parts of Asia and Europe -- and it was also in possession of nuclear technology. As many Americans (but far from all) saw their quality of life increase, experts and military officials alike scrambled to maintain their strategic nuclear edge: To understand as much as possible a...

It seems that no matter where you look these days, 'AI' is everywhere. It's tremendously controversial -- and, to its champions, tremendously convenient. Yet a funny thing happened not too long ago: in a series of actual conspiracies, it appears groups of AI agents formed secret communities to break their testing sandbox, hack other companies, and hide their actions from their creators. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt, and Noel ask...

Millions of people in the US struggle with substance abuse issues every single year -- experts work around the clock to help folks with substance abuse issues and other addictions to break free of these dangerous, sometime fatal cycles. And this means rehabilitation, or rehab, is a big business. Like many other large industries, rehab also has a dark side -- a series of disturbing conspiracies that continue, largely unabated, in th...

Between 2007 and 2008, multiple small-business owners were brutally assassinated in Germany during what the local media would later dub the "Doner Murders". Germany's authorities were apparently baffled, until the world learned there was a nation-wide, far-right conspiracy at play -- and some of the same authorities investigating may have been compromised. In tonight's interview segment, the guys welcome the journalist and writer A...

As the protests over India's Farm Bills continues, multiple groups argue there's a conspiracy afoot. Many protestors believe the government is selling them out to corporations. Members of the media claim the protests are a cover for a separatist movement -- or that foreign intelligence agencies are riling up the crowds as a way of destabilizing India. Tune in as Ben and Matt separate the conspiratorial fact from fiction in the seco...

Belgium has a serious laughing gas problem. South Korea has embraced a huge shark stranded in a local canal. Gas prices are spiking, causing further concern about economic collapse (and conspiracy). Join Ben, Matt, and Noel 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.