Stuff You Should Know

Short Stuff: Boston Molasses Flood Nov 11, 2026 11:30 In 1919 one of the most bizarre disasters in history took place in Boston’s North End when a really fast, towering wave of molasses covered the neighborhood, killing people and animals in horrific ways and knocking buildings from their foundations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Zorro! That guy with the sword! Nov 10, 2026 43:38 All Chuck knew of Zorro was from a couple of movies. So today the guys dive deeper on the legendary figure cutting so many Zs into so many things.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: The Taliesin Massacre Nov 7, 2026 43:56 Everyone knows who Frank Lloyd Wright is, but did you know there was a grisly massacre at his home in 1914? Find out all about it in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wilmington Massacre Nov 5, 2026 42:48 In the late 1800s, white supremacists in Wilmington, NC staged a coup and bloody massacre of its black citizens in order to stem the tide of black progress and stifle the vote. This is that story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Weather Balloons Nov 4, 2026 13:40 Weather balloons are the workhorse of the meteorological world, which is why they’ve been used daily around the world for most of a century. Let’s salute these unsung heroes of weather prediction by getting to know them better. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ba-Dum-Bum Goes Your Heart! Nov 3, 2026 46:44 Have you ever wondered what makes your ticker tick? Josh and Chuck take you back to high school biology for a stroll through the ins and outs of the little pump that keeps everything from your lowly pinky toe to your mighty brain going strong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: Salem Witchcraft Trials: More Bonkers Than You Know Oct 31, 2026 50:19 Looking back 300 years on, it’s easy to overgeneralize why the Salem Villagers decided to persecute (and execute) their neighbors. But as much as this story has become an American history chestnut, we still don’t understand why Salem lost its mind. Listen to this classic episode to find out what we think we know and what we don't.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The SYSK Annual Halloween Freaky Spooktacular 2026! Oct 29, 2026 51:51 Get yourself ready to freak out with this year’s extra-freak Halloween freak-fest, starring the voice acting talents of Chuck and Josh. This year we feature stories from WW Jacobs and WF Harvey, both of whom, if they were alive, would love this episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: The Enfield Monster Oct 28, 2026 13:55 Did a strange cryptid show up in Enfield, Illinois in 1973? Some people think so. DO YOU?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

(Don't Fear) The (Grim) Reaper Oct 27, 2026 48:39 Cultures have come up with lots of personifications of death: Young and attractive? Yes. Riding a black buffalo? Check. Covered in tongues and eyeballs? Uh-huh. But in the West there’s only been one go-to soul taker for hundreds of years: The Grim Reaper.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: John Lennon and the FBI Oct 24, 2026 43:03 Did you know that Richard Nixon had a FBI case file open on Beatle John Lennon? Well he did! Why? Listen to this classic episode to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Twilight Zone Episode Oct 22, 2026 46:07 Today, Chuck and Josh unlock a door with the key of imagination. Beyond it is another dimension. A dimension of sound, a dimension of sight, a dimension of mind. You're moving into a land of both shadow and substance, of things and ideas. You've just crossed over into... the Twilight Zone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Spooky Recommendations Oct 21, 2026 15:12 This week Josh and Chuck are trying something a little different, some recomemdations for the spooky season. For Josh, it's some movies, for Chuck, it's some books. Check it out and let us know what you think!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winnie the Pooh: Silly Old Bear Oct 20, 2026 52:07 On Dec 24, 1925, the world got a Christmas gift from a little-known writer named A.A. Milne when the first Winnie the Pooh story was published. Milne was inspired by the imaginative woodland strolls he shared with his son, the real-life Christopher Robin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: Sacagawea: Impressive Teen Oct 17, 2026 48:50 Sacagawea was only 16 when she joined the Corps of Discovery. That is one seriously impressive teenager. Find out all about her in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Disappearance of Dorothy Arnold Oct 15, 2026 42:14 When socialite Dorothy Arnold disappeared in 1910, no one imagined the case would remain forever unsolved. Today we tell her story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Currency Symbols Oct 14, 2026 13:05 In today's shorty, Josh and Chuck go over the stories behind some of the world's currency symbols.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asteroooooid De-FENSE! Oct 13, 2026 41:34 There’s no question that millions of asteroids are circling the Earth at incredible speed and every one of them is just dying to get a chance to smoosh our planet and wipe out life in the universe once and for all. But Earth has an ace up its sleeve: Us!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: What's the deal with swing states? Oct 10, 2026 47:45 Swing states are all the rage once again this election season, but the makeup has changed a bit. In this classic episode, learn all about what makes a swing state a swing state right now.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stand-Up Pt II Oct 8, 2026 48:24 The SYSK boys continue the episode on stand-up comedy in part two, placing it in the rarefied company of other two-parters like Evel Knievel, the Hoover Dam, and the Trail of Tears. In this ep: should anything be off limits for stand-up? Consensus: no.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: The Style Cycle Oct 7, 2026 13:22 Why do clothing styles get stale and then come back into fashion? Listen in to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Stand-Up Comedy Pt I Oct 6, 2026 45:18 Chuck and Josh do their best to tackle “the craft,” which most normal people call stand-up comedy. Stand-up dates back to the vaudeville days but it really started to take off in the 60s when comics stopped wearing suits and started getting edgy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: How Bras Work Oct 3, 2026 53:06 Bras are loved and hated, sometimes at the same time. But as difficult and restrictive as they can be, they rescued women from a much cruel contraption: corsets. The question remains, though, do women need bras at all? Listen to this classic episode to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let's Thank Universal Pictures for Monster Movies! Oct 1, 2026 43:45 Basically everything you think of when you think of vampires, mummies, werewolves, and Frankenstein all come from a spate of films made in the 1930s, and every one of them by Universal Pictures. Amazingly, they are still among the best films ever made.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: The Retirement Curse Sep 30, 2026 12:25 Is retirement bad for your health? Well it certainly can be if you don't take steps to prevent it. Listen in to learn more about the "retirement curse."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Good Walk Ruined: The History of Golf Sep 29, 2026 50:13 The history of golf is a bit muddled, but once it was truly born in Scotland, it started the beginning of lifelong obsessions for people dumb enough to pick up a club and give it a try. Learn all about the early history of the most frustrating game ever invented.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: Wetlands! Wetlands! Wetlands! Sep 26, 2026 46:20 It’s time to get jazzed up for some Earth science of the waterlogged variety. Join Chuck and Josh in this classic episode as they tour some of the most interesting ecosystems on the planet and learn why we need to stop destroying them post haste.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Introducing 3 Putt Bogey Sep 26, 2026 2:22 3 Putt Bogey is a golf podcast hosted by Chuck Bryant and Adam Pranica, two mid handicappers who are just good enough to know exactly how bad they still are. The name says it all: one great shot, followed immediately by the kind of self-inflicted disaster only a mid-handicap golfer can produce. That's the whole sport, really, and this show lives in that gap. Every week, Chuck and Adam break down t

Emily Post: Ettiquette Queen Sep 24, 2026 41:37 In today's episode, we detail the life and times of ettiquette queen Emily Post.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Mabon Sep 23, 2026 11:45 Mabon is often called the Pagan Thanksgiving but though it seems like it’s as ancient as Halloween, it’s actually only around 50 years old. But, pagan or not, it’s a great chance to really feel the fall and thank Mother Earth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Big Fat Dream Episode Sep 22, 2026 49:02 No you’re no dreaming – go ahead, pinch yourself – we’ve finally made an episode on dreams! We’ve done episodes on lucid dreaming, night terrors, sleepwalking, sleep paralysis – basically everything but dreams themselves. Well, at long last here it is!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: Fallout Shelters: Probably Useless (Let’s Never Find Out) Sep 19, 2026 47:50 The advent of nuclear weapons and the Cold War kicked off a craze in the US for building rec rooms with foot-thick reinforced walls and outfitted with survival rations and board games. Would they work? Probably not. Find out (but not really) in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SYSK Gets Weird Playlist: What is Collective Hysteria? Sep 18, 2026 42:04 Throughout the history of the world, there have been many cases of what is known as collective hysteria - groups of people, usually young women, who all exhibit the same physical symptoms of non-existent conditions. Is it psychosomatic? Is it group think?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SYSK Gets Weird Playlist: What was the Philadelphia Experiment? Sep 18, 2026 48:17 The Philadelphia Experiment is a bad movie from the 1980s, and also the conspiracy theory that refuses to die, despite virtually zero evidence of its occurrence. Learn all about this strange non-event in today's show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SYSK Gets Weird Playlist: Mermaids: Not a real thing Sep 18, 2026 41:08 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 today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SYSK Gets Weird Playlist: Will We Find Evidence of Aliens by Their Engineering Projects? Sep 18, 2026 45:22 In 1960 physicist Freeman Dyson suggested that in the hunt for alien life, we should search for evidence of massive engineering projects that encapsulate stars with solar arrays to harness their energy. Could we humans ever make one ourselves?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SYSK Gets Weird Playlist: The Mystery of the Mary Celeste Sep 18, 2026 1:01:56 When the Mary Celeste was discovered floating and abandoned in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean one day in 1872, the legend of the ghost ship was born. Why did the Mary Celeste’s crew disappear? Was it pirates? Mutiny? UFOs? Well, probably not that last one.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SYSK Gets Weird Playlist: The Max Headroom Incident Sep 18, 2026 47:59 In 1987, a very strange broadcast intrusion occurred in the city of Chicago. For just a couple of minutes, the odd TV character Max Headroom appeared onscreen in the middle of an episode of Dr. Who. He spoke in garbled tones, brandished a marital aid, and was spanked on the rear with a fly swatter by a person dressed in Annie Oakley garb. If this sounds weird, it is. It's the Max Headroom Incident

SYSK Gets Weird Playlist: Dragons: As Real as Mermaids Sep 18, 2026 40:05 Dragons are like mermaids in that they're not real. And that's about where the comparison ends. Learn all about dragons today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SYSK Gets Weird Playlist: The Creepy Legacy of the Hotel Cecil Sep 18, 2026 49:01 The Hotel Cecil in downtown Los Angeles has had no less than 16 unnatural deaths, from suicides to murders and everything in between. Listen in to the history of this decidedly creepy hotel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SYSK Gets Weird Playlist: What's the deal with blue people? Sep 18, 2026 46:18 The famous blue people of Kentucky are no longer blue. But why were they like that in the first place?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SYSK Gets Weird Playlist: Doppelgängers: Hey you, you're me! Sep 18, 2026 47:37 Seeing your near twin is probably pretty weird. But could there be a genetic commonality as well? You bet there could! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SYSK Gets Weird Playlist: The Story of the Nuclear Boy Scout Sep 18, 2026 41:07 David Hahn was a kid who was really into science. So much that he built a nuclear reactor in his mother's potting shed. And it worked. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Cancer Episode Sep 17, 2026 51:10 Cancer is a terrible word in any language for at least two reasons: It’s incredibly difficult to get rid of once it grows in the body, and there’s a very good chance that you or someone close to you will be diagnosed with it. But hope is growing.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Leisure Suits Sep 16, 2026 11:10 You know the leisure suit, perhaps the tackiest suit to ever be invented. It was so huge in the 70s and spread as wide the lapels of the shirts worn with them. Then, as fast as they hit the scene they disappeared in shame.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Boredom Works Sep 15, 2026 44:28 Are there benefits to boredom? Or is it all negative? Why do we get bored? What can we do to break free from boredom? The answers to those questions and more are coming your way today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: Wasps: Not as cute as bees Sep 12, 2026 47:05 Wasps have a bad rap. Because their sting really hurts and they don't make honey like their cousins. But they are super cool and you shouldn't kill them. Listen to this classic episode and learn!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Odyssey Episode Sep 10, 2026 49:54 Why does the story of The Odyssey endure this many years after it was first spoken? Listen in to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Flappers Sep 9, 2026 11:23 In the 1920s, a certain set of women wanted to loosen up and have a good time. Today, we get into it with the flappers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nickelodeon:The Best of Slimes Sep 8, 2026 50:23 Today we tell the story of the kids TV network that changed it all, Nickelodeon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: Blacksmiths? You got that right! Sep 5, 2026 50:19 Blacksmiths? You got that right. Learn all about this age old occupation in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Social Identity Theory: Your Group Rules, Others Drool Sep 3, 2026 47:32 In the 80s, a pair of psychologists theorized why being part of a group can change people’s thoughts and feelings, both about themselves and other people. It sounds dry, but SIT explains everything from how people justify genocide to football rivalries.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Hisashi Ouchi Sep 2, 2026 12:12 Japanese nuclear worker Hisashi Ouchi is often called on the internet “the world’s most radioactive man.” That’s not exactly true, but it gets the point across about how severe the fatal dose of radiation he received was.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Terry Fox: Greatest Canadian Hero Sep 1, 2026 46:47 It is to the great nation of Canada’s lasting credit that it has prized Terry Fox as one of the most beloved and admired citizens for nearly 50 years now. It’s difficult to get across how much he means to Canada. Lucky for us, his story speaks for itself.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: Flagpole Sitting: A Real Fad Aug 29, 2026 50:18 The 1920s were just absolutely nuts. People got into weird fads really intensely and one of the strangest of all was flagpole sitting. It’s just what it sounds like – sitting on top of a flagpole for as long as you can. One man sat above them all. Learn all about him and many of these wild fads in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fall of the USSR, Pt II Aug 27, 2026 43:50 The break-up of the USSR was a tough one for Russia, being the jilted republic. For the entire decade after, the country plunged into a type of controlled chaos, with a rampantly corrupt kleptocracy taking the place of the toppled socialist society.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SYSK Tribute: Why does everyone love Dolly Parton? Aug 26, 2026 55:10 Today we dive in to celebrate the international treasure that is Dolly Parton. Why is she nearly universally loved? Listen in to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Cyclospora Aug 26, 2026 13:52 The US has an unusual number of outbreaks of food-borne illness going on in the summer of 2026, and the star of the show is cyclospora. How does this parasite make people sick, where does it come from? You may not want to know.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Fall of the USSR, Pt I Aug 25, 2026 41:22 It’s rare that the downfall of an empire can be chalked up to the decisions of just one person. It’s even rarer, when the empire falls over the course of a year. That’s pretty much what happened with the Soviet Union when Mikhail Gorbachev dissolved it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: How Narcolepsy Works Aug 22, 2026 52:42 Narcolepsy is one of those amazing rare disorders that everyone thinks they understand – people just fall asleep at random times, even in the middle of doing something. But there’s a lot more to it and – even better – we actually may be able to explain it. Josh and Chuck run it down in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rope, yeah ROPE! Aug 20, 2026 43:31 Rope is one of the unsung heroes of the world of inventions. Think about it. Then let us tell you about it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Did a shipwreck double the size of the United States? Aug 19, 2026 11:47 Did a shipwreck double the size of the United States? Sort of. Listen in to find out what the heck that means.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Isn't It Ironic, Dontcha Think? Aug 18, 2026 49:18 Irony is one of those things that you know when you see it, but it’s almost impossible to define. Well, that’s not quite right – there are a ton of definitions for irony but none of them quite capture it fully. Want to know what irony is? So do we!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: The Manhattan Grid Aug 15, 2026 47:32 Ever wanted to know more about how the Manhattan grid was made? Well this is your chance. Find out all about it in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who was Robert Maxwell? Aug 13, 2026 46:52 Robert Maxwell was a lot of things, publisher, mogul, spy, politician, crook. But was he murdered when he fell from his yacht?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Nero and His Fiddle Aug 12, 2026 12:13 Did Nero play his fiddle while Rome burned during the Great Fire of 64 CE? Absolutely not. Find out how we know when Chuck and Josh bust a two thousand year-old myth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bonnie and Clyde Aug 11, 2026 54:29 You've probably seen the movie, but what else do you know about this legendary crime couple? Listen in to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: Iran-Contra Affair: Shady in the 80s, Part 2 Aug 8, 2026 43:04 As the operation expands it also begins to unravel. Word starts to leak out of the illegal stuff the Reagan administration was up to, Congress and the press investigate and people start to point fingers. Spoiler alert – they all got off scot free. Find out how it all wraps up in part 2 of this classic story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: Iran-Contra Affair: Shady in the 80s, Part 1 Aug 8, 2026 45:59 When Ronald Reagan was president, America got involved in some deeply shady stuff, not the least of which was the Iran-Contra scandal – a convoluted operation that managed to combine an illegal covert war in Nicaragua with secretly selling arms to Iran. Learn all about it with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Reggae: Kingston’s Gift to the World Aug 6, 2026 55:18 Although it was built atop some musical styles that came before, reggae is mostly its own thing. It evolved as local music in the Trenchtown neighborhood in Kingston, Jamaica but after Bob Marley and the Wailers came along, it became a global phenomenon.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Phone Books Aug 5, 2026 15:00 Once upon a time there were these things called phone books. Inside you could find the phone number and address of just about everyone in your town. Can you imagine?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beans and Rice Feeds the World Aug 4, 2026 43:25 To call beans and rice a staple is to undersell the importance of beans and rice. Today we break down the ubiquity of this beloved food combo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: How Peanut Butter Works Aug 1, 2026 56:43 No food is more all-American than peanut butter – 80 percent of homes in the country have a jar of it in the pantry right now. And while the rest of the world might find peanut butter peculiar, maybe even gross, the rest of the world is wrong. Enjoy a smooth ride through one of our top condiments in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How Russia Shapes What the World Thinks Jul 30, 2026 43:15 Operation Doppelganger was a Russian propaganda project discovered in 2022, a minor part of the enormous, ongoing disinformation and chaos-sewing campaign Russia spreads across the world through social media. And some of your views may have come from it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Shark Arm Murders Jul 29, 2026 16:05 Get yer info on one of Australia’s great true crime cases he-re! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Beloved Judy Blume Jul 28, 2026 44:56 Judy Blume is more than an author. She's a legend in teen literature for her frank and honest portrayals of adolescence. Today we pay tribute to her.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Selects: Plant Migration Jul 25, 2026 45:47 Climate change is having sweeping effects on our climate and this is changing the world, not just for humans and other animals, but plants too. Will the Earth’s flora manage to find safe refuge in time? Josh and Chuck run down the odds in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What's the deal with Swiss neutrality? Jul 23, 2026 47:34 We all know Switzerland is neutral. But why? Listen in and you might learn something.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Short Stuff: Sardines! Jul 22, 2026 12:05 Josh implored Chuck to try sardines. Did he? Listen in to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Tobacco Master Settlement: That Time We Got Em Jul 21, 2026 46:37 By the 1990s, cigarette makers had been hooking and killing off their customers for about a century. And they’d gotten good at both as well as covering up their harms. In 1994 they were still denying cigarettes were addictive. Then, the 50 Attorneys General of the US rode into town to take them on.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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