Episodes
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Listener Mail: Card Heists, Phrexian Nightmares, Weaponized Absurdity and More
Big Cheese responds to the episode on smart dust, prompting a conversation about Magic: The Gathering. Privacy Guy shares a story about a trading card heist. Void inspires an exploration of weaponized absurdity. Plus Codename PinBrock reveals a huge mac and cheese conspiracy. Join Ben, Matt, and...
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What Is 'Smart Dust'?
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...
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CLASSIC: What was Operation Outside the Box?
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...
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Strange News: Space Wars, 'Flying' Cars, Gambling Karma, and More
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...
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Introducing: Curse of Miss America
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…
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The SeaWorld Episode
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…
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Listener Mail: Bad at Math, Flock Maps, Australia's Moth Plague, and More
Ron B. checks the boys on math. Vinny shares an astonishing Flock surveillance map. Rembrandt prompts a future episode on the West Nile virus. Join Ben, Matt, and Noel for all this and more in this week's listener mail segment. They don't want you to read our book.:...
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Are Smart TVs Too Smart?
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...
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CLASSIC: What is the Jersey Devil?
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...
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Strange News: Russian Plague, New Dinosaurs, Bank of America and More
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...
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October Surprise: A Live Q&A on Virgin Voyages
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. They don't…
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CLASSIC: The Nuclear Black Market: AQ Khan and the Smiling Buddha
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...
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An October Surprise, Live on Virgin Voyages
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...
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CLASSIC: Nevada's Corporate Innovation Zones: When Your Job Becomes Your Government
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…
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CLASSIC: Project SUNSHINE
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...
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Is "AI" Forming Civilizations?
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...
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CLASSIC: The Dark Side of Rehab
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....
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Land Ohne Vater: An Interview with Antonia Woloshyn
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...
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CLASSIC: India's Massive Farm Protests, Chapter Two
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…
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Strange News: Celebrity Sharks, Gas Prices Spike, AI Disasters
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…
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What is the Bilderberg Group? Chapter Two: The Bubble Bursts
The annual Bilderberg Conference is one of the world's most elite get-togethers. Aristocrats, banking tycoons, arms dealers and more claim this is just a few pals getting together to hang. They also claim these meetings result in no actual laws or policy -- yet as Ben, Matt, and Noel discover in...
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Listener Mail: Polybius, The Illuminati, and Conspiracy Suggestions
Jake asks for more details about the legendary Polybius game. Vengeance Rising inspires conversation about the real-life Illuminati. Willow walks through several long-standing conspiracies, from the death of Marilyn Monroe to the Epstein Files. Join Ben, Matt, and Noel for all this and more in…
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What is the Bilderberg Group? Chapter One: Everybody Wants to Rule the World
Have you ever wondered whether the Illuminati is real? Ben, Matt, and Noel sure do. In the first chapter of this two-part series, they explore how a coalition of elites put together a hang-out at the Bilderberg Hotel in 1954 to -- apparently -- prevent a third World War. Yet as time went on, the...
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CLASSIC: India's Massive Farm Protests, Chapter One
For several months, India has been in the grip of massive farm protests as millions gather to demonstrate against a series of controversial reforms collectively known as the Farm Bills. These bills, in theory, are meant to address problems with India's current agricultural system -- but a large...
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Strange News: El Niño, Robots in the Ring, Library Books, Shatner, Toys'R'Us, Germany, and Inconvenience Stores
Experts raise growing concerns about El Niño. An overdue library magazine is returned more than 130 years late. The rise of the far right in Germany echoes a global pattern. Toy'R'Us is back. William Shatner does metal. All this and more in this week's strange news segment. They don't want you to...
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Natural Causes, an Interview with Dr. James Stout
Have you visited the Darién Gap? Ever been upset about javelina chomping around on your golf course, or wondered why thousands of people across the Midwest suddenly got explosive diarrhea? Nature is amazing -- and it's no secret that much of the Great Outdoors is in trouble. Big businesses…
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CLASSIC: Can an Object be Haunted?
According to the authors of horror stories, haunting isn't just for houses. In countless works of fiction, all sorts of objects can become to a spirit -- and, over the centuries, countless people have sworn they encountered a haunted object in real life. Today's episode asks whether an object can...
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Why Does the US Want Greenland? Chapter Two: War or Peace
While Denmark and the United States have allegedly reached an "agreement" regarding the fate of Greenland, the world is still deeply concerned that Uncle Sam may take economic or military action to gain full control over the world's largest island. In the second chapter of this special two-part...
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CLASSIC: Boxing and Crime: The Kinahan Saga
In tonight's Classic episode: It's a match for the ages. Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury, boxing heavyweight champions in their own right, will soon vie for the title of the world's undisputed boxing champion. Irish native and current Dubai resident Daniel Kinahan has a life-long love of boxing --...
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Strange News: Uncle Sam's New Space Weapons, World's Oldest Drug Use, The FBI and Beastiality
The United States officially confirms they have active weapons in space... but they're not saying exactly what these weapons are, or what they can do. Archaeologists have discovered the world's oldest evidence of habitual drug use. An athlete apologies for pooping like crazy during an event. FBI...
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Why Does the US Want Greenland? Chapter One: Frozen Land and Hot Real Estate
Let's be honest: most Americans aren't super familiar with Greenland, and even fewer have actually traveled there. Located far north in the Arctic, the world's largest island has historically been seen as remote, inaccessible, and brutal. So a ton of people were surprised when the United States...
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Listener Mail: Smart Dust, Haunted Missile Silos, Charlie Kirk and More
Jai Shree RĀM hips the guys to the bizarre -- and possibly terrifying -- technology of 'smart dust'. Duke Nukem shares his first-hand experience with strange events in a missile facility. Weshiwan follows up on the recent Charlie Kirk episodes. Also, congratulations to Megatron on the pineapple....
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Exploding Mics: The Assassination of Charlie Kirk, Chapter Two
In mere hours after the assassination of Charlie Kirk on September 10th, 2025, conspiracy theories metastasized across the internet net. Within 33 hours, authorities claimed they had captured the assassin, and began to map out a timeline of the murder. However, a lot of people weren't buying the...
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CLASSIC: What the Heck is an NFT?
In tonight's Classic episode: a new player has entered the strange, often confusing world of Bitcoin -- the non-fungible token, or NFT. This digital token, which can be virtually anything, is technically unique. It's a one-of-a-kind thing existing in an entirely intangible state. Numerous…
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Strange News: The DHS Traces Your Finances, No Water For You! Plus: You Can See Everything, Drone Shenanigans, and More
Recent revelations confirm that the Department of Homeland Security and other parts of law enforcement are secretly accessing your financial records -- and taking you in, even if you haven't committed a crime. Plus, US courts rule people have no right to clean water. A sinister Cat in the Hat AI...
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Exploding Mics: The Assassination of Charlie Kirk, Chapter One
A year and a day ago, American political activist Charlie Kirk was murdered during a public debate at Utah Valley University. While his name was unfamiliar to many, he was a rising superstar in the world of U.S. conservatives. In the first chapter of this special two-part series, Ben, Matt, and...
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CLASSIC: The Episode Where We Ruin Sunscreen
Since ancient times, human beings have known the sun can be dangerous. Too much exposure to its rays can burn and prematurely age the skin. In fact, the concept of sunscreen may be a non-human invention, as various types of animals coat themselves in protective layers of mud to stave off the...
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The Underwater Episode
Even now in 2026, much of the world's oceans remain mysterious and thoroughly unexplored. Prompted by news from The Ocean Census, which has discovered thousands of new species (and hopes to discover a hundred thousand more), Ben, Matt, and Noel dive deep into the latest oceanographic research......
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Strange News: Bank of America Stabbing, LARPing as an Insult, Chinese Blockbusters, Robot Dogs and More
32-year-old Bank of America Vice President Erin Piacenti was fatally stabbed in New York's Time Square. LARPing has become an insult. A low-budget animated film from China becomes a surprise hit. ICE may be buying robot dogs. After a career built on oppossing immigration, far-right political...
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CLASSIC: Davos & The Great Reset, Chapter II
In the second part of this Classic two-part episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the Great Reset. While it's sometimes called a conspiracy theory, the allegations and speculation circling the WEF and Davos are more like a mix of multiple, at-times contradictory ideas. Listen in to learn more about...
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The Data Center Conspiracy
Modern civilization depends on data centers - these facilities, which can be as small as a single room or as large as gigantic, stand-alone compounds, house the servers and computers that make the digital world spin 'round. However, as Ben, Matt, and Noel discover in tonight's episode, the newest...
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Listener Mail: DARPA's SHINE Program, Elephant Intelligence, AI Emergency Lines and More
An Expectant Rebel explains how DARPA's strange SHINE initiative may hack human brains to revolutionize learning -- and possibly create real-life Manchurian candidates. Luke shares a terrifying story about elephants. Shep prompts a conversation about 'AI' and emergency phone numbers. Jai Shree…
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Putin's Plan To Live Forever
Since the dawn of civilization, the greatest rulers on the planet have tried -- and, so far, failed -- to extend their lives past the natural limits of humanity. It seems the present day is no different. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt, and Noel dive into the latest conspiracy surrounding…
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CLASSIC: Davos & The Great Reset, Chapter I
In June of 2020 the World Economic Forum held its annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. The city was on lockdown as the world's most powerful people met to discuss something called "The Great Reset" -- the idea of rebuilding society and the global economy in the wake of COVID-19. In the first…
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Strange News: A Mystery Trip to Moscow, Robots vs. Usain Bolt, Meta in Hot Water, and More
CIA head John Ratcliffe visited Moscow in a trip Uncle Sam wanted to keep quiet -- but why? A Chinese robot breaks Usain Bolt's 100-meter sprint world record in the recent humanoid bot games. Meta agrees to an 18 billion dollar settlement over online child safety... though the end result may not…
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Introducing: Natural Causes
Natural Causes is a podcast about the politics and practicalities of going outside in a world on fire, hosted by Dr. James Stout. It approaches the outdoors, conservation, agriculture, food sovereignty, and Indigenous land rights as interconnected issues. We want to combine unflinching journalism...
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A CIA Heist: The Strange Saga of David J. Rush
Spoiler: it's kind of difficult to get a job with the CIA. This pre-eminent spy outfit has high standards, exhaustive background checks, and a mandate to do everything it can to keep foreign forces from compromising it. So how did one career CIA officer manage to steal millions in gold, currency...
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Listener Mail: Sleeper Agents, Devil Corp, Automated Book Scanners, and the Gandalf Protest!
Ms. Squared writes in with a fascinating tale of sleeper agents and the Fort Orange Club. Vegan Bookworm weighs in on AI companies and destructive book scanning. CODENAME: Box Boy chats music. MissMegolas hips the guys to a phenomenal Gandalf-themed protest, and Psycubnaut introduces the gang to...
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Conspiracy in Sudan: Who's Running the Civil War?
It's no secret that most Americans aren't too familiar with the nation of Sudan. This ancient, beautiful land has long been beset with challenges, conflict and resource extraction. In fact, as Ben, Matt and Noel learn in tonight's episode, there's a civil war happening in Sudan right now. And…
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CLASSIC: The Devil and The Rain: The Case of Don Decker
Here's the story: When Don Decker went on furlough to attend his abusive Grandfather's funeral, he experienced something extraordinary -- water fell upward from the floor of his hosts' home, he levitated, recoiled from religious symbols. Multiple witnesses and investigators, some professional,...