Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

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 at-times brutal effects of heat and sunshine. Fast forward to the modern era -- sunscreen is a huge industry, and people across the planet use it on a daily basis. The science seems sound. Unlike some skin care products, sunscreen actually works... however, it appears sunscreen may also have a dark side. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

A listener asks about the amazing, terrifying future of gut biome tests. Another audience member reveals first-hand knowledge of just how closely Siri listens to you, and a fellow Conspiracy Realist asks about the future of automated law enforcement. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

In the second part of this 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 the criticisms, concerns, and bizarre accusations around Davos and the Great Reset. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

After an overwhelming wave of emails and messages from listeners, Matt and Ben finally present, in full, the the ghost story from their very first listener mail episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

A Cheer Mom creates deep fake photos in a revenge scheme targeting her daughter's rivals. The government of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) ghosts the US, refusing the new President's attempts to contact them. Over in the US, the Texas Rangers promise to stop hypnotizing people -- in other news, Texas law enforcement has been hypnotizing people for about 40 years. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

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 part of this two-part series, the guys explore the origins of the WEF. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

A caller reports possible cover-ups of murders in Canada. A listener asks about the rumoured relationship between MKULTRA and the Unabomber. A fellow Conspiracy Realist sets the guys on a journey into the world of Irish organized crime and boxing. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

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, appear to agree there exists a man inxeplicably able to summon rain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Although most people might assume that the Bible has always existed in its present state, that answer couldn't be any further from the truth. Tune in to this classic episode to learn more about how the bible has changed over time -- including what got added in, taken out and why Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Has the Chinese government been forcing officials from foreign countries to take an unexpectedly invasive anal swab COVID test? Can you really build magic, reality-shifting sigils online? Why on Earth is Iceland experiencing so many earthquakes? All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

In the late 19th century, several friends and Freemasons embarked on a strange endeavor -- creating their own secret society for the purpose of studying magic. While the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn may sound bizarre and obscure today, its existence had a profound impact on later, similar groups and systems. But what exactly was it? Perhaps more importantly -- did any of this magic work? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

A caller asks about the true motivations of the Minerva Research Initiative. A listener living in India provides their perspective on a possible information war at play in India's ongoing farmer protests. A Conspiracy Realist asks whether they should be concerned about what happens to their genetic info after they submit it to a commercial gene mapping company. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Eisenhower warned the public about the rise of the military-industrial complex back in his 1961 farewell address, and over the decades the public has become increasingly aware of the potential for corruption in the close relationship between the military and the private defense industry. But have you heard of the military-entertainment complex? It's the reason you see the US military in so many action films, and the reason Uncle Sam bankrolls video games. In this episode, the guys dive into the surprisingly close links between Hollywood and the Pentagon, exploring just how this relationship evolved -- and why it continues in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Did Nazis really have a department for paranormal investigations? Find out in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Today the far-flung Pacific archipelago of Hawaii remains the newest, most distant state in the United States. But not so long ago, it was an independent country all its own, with an ancient culture, community, and monarchy. In today's episode, Super Producer Codename: Doc Holliday and special guest Dana Schwartz dive into the disturbing story of a vast conspiracy, exploring how plantation owners and the US government orchestrated an overthrow of the native kingdom, annexing Hawaii and transforming it into the 50th US state -- a series of events that to some, including members of both the UN and the Hawaiian Sovereignty Movement, constitute an illegal occupation to this day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

John Parsons Wheeler III -- Jack to his friends -- was a mover and shaker in the Defense industry. Over the course of his career he worked with three different Presidential administrations, and also built a reputation for his tireless charity work. So how can we explain the strange series of events that led to his untimely death, his body discovered in a landfill? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

A listener relates a strange story about wolves in Idaho. Has US meth been outsourced to cartels, exploiting Native communities? A Conspiracy Realist asks to learn more about the role of non-governmental, 'private' intelligence firms. All this and more in this week's Listener Mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

When an unprecedented series of winter storms left millions of people throughout Texas struggling to survive without electricity or clean water, local authorities scrambled to get the lights back on--and to find a scapegoat. What exactly happened? What is it about Texas in particular that made the state so vulnerable to this weather, and what happens next? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Will your future online purchases, delivery food and more be delivered by drones? Will law enforcement fly them continuously over your city, town or neighborhood? Tune in to learn more about the possible future of drones in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Massive protests continue across India as farmers fear the government has betrayed them in the service of large corporations. It appears Edvard Munch hid a secret message on the canvas of his iconic painting, 'The Scream.' And it seems multiple airplane engines are failing mid-flight, prompting authorities to raise concern about possible future accidents. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Tales of ancient, advanced technologies have flourished in the last few decades. Is it possible that the stories of flying gods and machines contained in the Vedas — texts written in India over 3000 years ago — are based on real, now lost technological advancements? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

In this week's Listener Mail, Ben and Matt explore the mystery of ancient liquid mercury in burial sites across the planet. A listener asks about influenza, Covid and cover-ups. The guys share messages from your fellow Conspiracy Realists about the long-term, often unexplored, consequences of nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

From formula to pureed carrots, baby food is a massive -- and necessary -- industry. Each year millions upon millions of families search for the best, most nutritious food to feed their children, and there's no shortage of advice from experts and parents alike. However, it appears there's a secret to this industry: Numerous baby food products contain ingredients parents can't see on the label, including contaminants like mercury, lead, arsenic and more. How long has this been occurring? What did the manufacturers know, and when? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Whether you're sipping a soda, grabbing some fast food or eating ready-made snacks from the local grocery store, chances are that you're ingesting a number of "barely-food" chemicals used to preserve color, taste or texture. But what are these, exactly? Are they dangerous? Tune in to learn more in this week's classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Did the Pentagon just admit it's been secretly experimenting with wreckage from UFOs for decades? Did a Florida man really build an electric guitar from his uncle's skeleton? What exactly caused the collapse of the Texas power grid, and why were so many people left without power or clean water? All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The movement known as Falun Dafa or Falun Gong began in China in the 1990s, and today people across the planet consider themselves practitioners. Adherents claim this combination of meditation, breathing exercises, mindfulness and moral philosophy is a path to enlightenment -- but the government of China disagrees. For decades Chinese authorities have considered Falun Gong a dangerous, subversive element. Since 1999 the government has made concerted efforts to suppress this spiritual practice -- but why? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

A caller asks the gang to explore more of the larger dilemmas posed by social media censorship. A listener writes in to shed more light on the ongoing Mattress Firm enigma. An email about more augmented reality games inspires the gang to speculate about the increasing role of AR outside of gaming -- what happens when it becomes part of everyday life? All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Adrenochrome-- it's a real substance, and one sold openly online to labs with the proper paperwork. It's also mentioned in numerous works of literature, from Huxley's "The Doors of Perception" to Hunter S. Thompson's "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" and more. But what exactly is it? Why do people believe it's a sinister, evil drug used by hopelessly addicted elites in the worlds of finance, politics and entertainment? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

No, not the band featuring Sting. What if the actual, local law enforcement in the your neck of the global woods started using military-grade weaponry, patrolling the streets with the same door-to-door tactics used in occupied countries? According to some concerned advocates, this is a worldwide trend -- and it shows no signs of slowing. Listen to this classic episode to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The small town of Oldsmar, Florida barely escapes disaster when a hacker remotely compromises the system, creating dangerous levels of chemicals in the drinking water -- implying potential for other disasters like this in the future. Scientists prove naked mole rats have accents. Officer Valerie Cincinelli stands accused of hiring a hitman to murder her ex-husband, as well as a teenage girl. All this and more in this week's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Here's the story: In October of 1943, hundreds of people watched a top secret experiment go horribly wrong. The US Navy, attempting to create a kind of invisibility cloak for ships, accidentally transported the USS Eldridge through time and space, with disastrous consequences for the crew. It's a thrilling tale, but how much of it is true? Tune in as the guys explore the origin of this bizarre legend (and bust some myths about cream cheese along the way). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Why are there billboards warning about radioactive brine in parts of the US? What exactly is Australia's Stolen Generation? What's the insider scoop on the fracking industry and earthquakes? All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is a relatively tiny, remote place -- it's about halfway between Hawaii and Australia, with nothing but ocean on the horizon. And, for decades, this nation has been home to a terrifying secret. As the world entered the atomic age, the United States realized it needed a place to test its new weaponry, and to store the waste these nuclear experiments left behind. Tune in to learn more about US nuclear experiments in the Marshall Islands, and how the consequences of this conspiracy remain in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

You've probably heard about Nikola Tesla, but what about Thomas Henry Moray? Join Ben and Matt to learn why some people believe this little-known electrical engineer may have discovered a revolutionary zero-point energy device in this week's classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

The military of Myanmar institutes a coup (and later internet blackout). Scientists believe they may have finally solved the mystery of Dyatlov Pass -- and their argument is pretty convincing! More and more organizations realize they need to be prepared for the end of Adobe Flash. All this and more in this week's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

For many, the story began with the receipt of a mysterious card, which led them to a nondescript address in San Francisco. From there, new members of the Latitude Society found themselves living through a complex, enigmatic adventure in a secret society somewhere between a philosophical group, a city-wide theme park and a real-life conspiracy. But what exactly is The Latitude Society? What are its real origins, and where are the members today? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

One listener explains ways to communicate about QAnon with relatives and friends. Another writes in to explore the difference between private contractors and US soldiers. And someone finally asks a question that's bugged the guys for years: Why are there so many Mattress Firms? All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

How did a handful of otherwise unremarkable stocks become some of the most closely watched things on Wall Street? In today's episode, the guys explore the strange series of events that led to massive price fluctuations in GameStop and more. The media portrayed this as the 'little guys' -- amateur traders -- banding together to take revenge on heartless hedge funds. But how much of this is true? What's the real conspiracy, exactly? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

From hidden catacombs to wild rumors about a hollow earth, the world is full of subterranean stories. But which are total bunk, and which have the ring of truth? Tune in to learn more with Ben and Matt in this week's Classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Locals near an Ethiopian church claim encroaching rebels aren't just waging a war agains the government--they've come to steal the legendary Ark of the Covenant, which has allegedly rested in this spot for more than 3,000 years. Members of the Chinese government have doubled down on their own brand of COVID conspiracy theories, accusing the US of creating the virus. International observers are in an uproar as Mexico exonerates a former high-level government official accused of multiple counts of massive smuggling offenses. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Inspired by a listener mail, the guys explore an enduring, disturbing mystery from across the Atlantic: Between 1993 and the late 1990s, multiple women disappeared in an 80-mile area outside Dublin, which came to be known as the "Vanishing Triangle." But what led to these disappearances? Could one or more of them be connected? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Was Parler a long con funded by the same people responsible for Cambridge Analytica? A listener shares her disquieting story of an inexplicable encounter with a spectre. Over in Germany, the nation's public is in an outcry over revelations regarding a long-running program intentionally placing children in the care of known sexual abusers. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

On November 22, 2020, the United States withdrew from the Treaty on Open Skies. This treaty, signed in 1992, allows 34 member countries to perform unarmed aerial observations over foreign soil. Imagery captured is shared with the member countries. The U.S. cited Russia's activities with regards to the treaty as their reason for withdrawing. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Why do some people believe the Middle Ages never happened? Can we really trust our calendars? Do current world powers have a compelling interest in suppressing our knowledge of the past? Listen in and learn more with Matt and Ben in this week's classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

While detained by Russian authorities, opposition leader Alexei Navalny released a bombshell report on a secret, opulent compound allegedly owned in secret by Vladimir Putin. The Lizzie Borden house is officially for sale (as an AirBnB). And Mead, Nebraska struggles with largely unacknowledged, widespread contamination from a local ethanol plant. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

In this interview, award-winning musical phenomenon Kesha joins the guys on a wide-ranging exploration of everything from UFO disclosure to deep-dive studies of the human brain on psychedelics, allegations of paranormal activity, her new podcast "Kesha and the Creepies" and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

David recounts how he died for 14 minutes, only to return with an astonishing new outlook on life. Lucas asks about the true story of the notorious, unrepentant and unimprisoned cannibal, necrophile and murderer Issei Sagawa. Amy asks about the proposed recruitment/radicalization pipeline from gaming to social media. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

In the second part of this series, the gang dives into another aspect of the global livestock industry: the lives of the animals and humans involved. Learn more about the hidden reality of life for livestock--and how it could eventually impact the entire world, giving rise to superbugs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

It sounds like the plot of a James Bond film: Some shadowy supervillain holds the world for ransom while threatening to destroy civilization with an earthquake, floods or volcanic eruptions. But some believe that humanity has more control over Earth's than ever before. Why? Could someone really create a natural disaster -- and use it as a weapon? Learn more in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The COVID-19 relief bill contains some surprising-- and possibly groundbreaking -- new directives for UFO disclosure, along with a 180-day timeline that has UFOlogists across the planet freaking out. The guys examine the warnings and speculation regarding the possibility of more violence as the date of the Presidential inauguration approaches. All this and more in this week's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

War is an ugly, abhorrent thing--and it's been with humanity since the dawn of our species. While the practice itself is chock-full of conspiracy, corruption and horror, one aspect of war is often ignored: the practice of forcing children to participate. In today's episode, the guys dive into the disturbing stories of children forced into conflict--how the children are taken, how they are indoctrinated, and what happens afterward. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

An anonymous caller asks for more details on the infamous UN and Oxfam sexual abuse scandal. A listener describes their transformative experience using psychedelics as medicine. Another caller shares an Orwellian story of being kidnapped to work for the CIA. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The UK has ruled against extraditing Julian Assange to the US--not because they disagree with the merits of the accusations, but because they feel Assange has no reasonable guarantee of safety if sent to a US prison (paging Mr. Epstein). The technology used to keep novelty ice cream Dippin' Dots fresh could soon be used to store the Pfizer COVID vaccine. International tensions rise as Iran plans to further enrich nuclear material and a divided US seems unable to project a coherent policy message abroad. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On January 6th, 2021, the Capitol of the United States was attacked in an effort to disrupt the process of certifying the recent Presidential election. As authorities eventually received reinforcements, observers across the country and around the world drew stark contrasts between the way police treated the group invading the Capitol and the way they treated earlier protestors in 2020. In the aftermath of the events, observers, journalists, politicians and citizens alike raised questions about the 25th Amendment, the role of the current President--and to what degree this was planned in advance. Perhaps the biggest question on the world's mind is this: What happens next? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On January 6th, 2021, the Capitol of the United States was attacked in an effort to disrupt the process of certifying the recent Presidential election. As chaos mounted, Congress was evacuated and insurrectionists, self-identified 'revolutionaries' roamed freely through the building for hours after overwhelming the woefully understaffed authorities on the scene. Footage and images from the day appear to show some authorities assisting with the breach. Bombs were found at the local RNC and DNC offices. In the first part of this two-part episode, the guys explore the timeline of events--along with the evidence that everyone (except, apparently, local law enforcement) knew a storm was brewing well in advance. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A Conspiracy Realist arrives to defend Cyberpunk 2077. A caller's shoutout to Randonautica inspires Matt and Ben to delve into the nature of reality, intention, entropy and quantum physics. A mysterious letter from a practicing Discordian Magician sends the gang into a rabbithole of philosophy and phenomenology. All this and more in today's dizzying Listener Mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's often said there's a great crime at the heart of every great fortune, but what about institutions, inventions and other noble pursuits? In today's episode, Ben and Matt take a closer look at the deeply disturbing origins of some of the world's most lauded endeavors, from the world of medicine to environmentalism, academia and more. Get an up-close look at the skeletons in the closets of these generally good things. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could alien life forms really contact human beings? How would they do it? Is it possible that other humans could intercept the message -- and keep it secret? Listen to this classic episode to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Authorities continue to investigate a massive explosion that took Nashville, TN temporarily off the grid on Christmas Day. Experts warn that the pandemic has played a role in the rise of a powerful STI often referred to as "super gonorrhea." Join Ben and Matt for all this and more in the first Strange News of 2021. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Cadaver Gals is a weekly podcast hosted by three fun and flirty friends, who discuss all the bizarre ways people have died throughout history to cope with their own mortality! Listen and subscribe to Cadaver Gals on the iHeartRadio App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Would you clone yourself to make your own personal organ farm? What are the odds that aliens or cryptids might actually exist? Join the guys as they hang out with Lucky Yates, the prolific actor and voice of Dr. Krieger of FX's Archer, to explore everything from the frightening future of biotechnology to the (alleged) resurrection of the dodo and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A conspiracy realist from the military reveals a harrowing story about mysterious medical conditions, and circumstances that may mean he can never receive a vaccine again. A listener asks just how much energy we're inundated with on an average day. The gang explores the US government's bizarre research into hunches, vibes and intuition. All this and more in the final listener mail of 2020. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The global livestock industry employs millions of people in one way or another -- meat is a big business, and business is booming. In communities across the planet meat is often seen as a status symbol, a way to impress friends and announce one's own success -- but how much should meat actually cost? Critics argue every piece of meat, from a fast-food burger to high-end steak and everything in between, is actually riddled with hidden costs that will eventually be paid by everyone, whether or not they personally eat meat. Join Ben and Matt to learn more secrets of the livestock industry in part one of this series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It sounds like something out of a paranoid political thriller - one journalist stumbles across a vast international conspiracy involving the world's most important leaders and corporations. But could it be true? What is the Octopus, and what happened to Danny Casolaro? Join Ben and Matt for more in this week's Classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dozens of journalists working for Al Jazeera were hacked in an unprecedented cyber-attack. Emerging studies indicate there may, one day, be a way to not only prevent age-related cognitive decline -- but to reverse the effects of aging entirely. Ben, Matt, and Doc Holliday explore the weird, wide world of gaming. All this and more in the gang's last Strange News of 2020. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

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What's the most likely explanation for the recently-revealed photos of pilots encountering UFOs? What can investigators learn from the recent decryption of the Zodiac cipher? Keith from Chicago asks whether Nazis conspired to change our understanding of music. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On July 17, 1944, over 300 people died in a massive explosion. These weren't soldiers fighting overseas -- they were sailors and civilians near the pier, where hurried loading operations inevitably went wrong. To this day, no one knows what triggered the explosion -- but, in a terrible way, this was only the beginning of the story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Will someone alive today live forever? Can science create real-life zombies? Are there any real examples of the 'walking dead' around today? Tune in to learn more in this week's classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

There's a growing industry dedicated to forging proof of COVID-19 vaccinations. Another attempted coup goes widely unreported in the west -- and it's part of a larger pattern. Hackers -- Ben thinks Russian in origin -- just successfully cracked into multiple systems across the planet, including agencies of the US government. All this and more in this week's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Ghislaine Maxwell, long time associate of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, is currently incarcerated, charged with helping recruit, groom and abuse minors as young as 14 as part of a sex-trafficking ring allegedly operated by Epstein. Observers around the world have voiced concerns that, one way or another, Maxwell might never see a day in court. Part of this fear comes from the fact that Epstein died while in prison -- but there's another thread here, as well: Years earlier, Ghislaine Maxwell's father Robert Maxwell also passed away under mysterious circumstances. Could these deaths be related? If so, what does this mean for the future of Ghislaine Maxwell? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

New reports confirm the mysterious symptoms exhibited by State department employees in Cuba were not psychosomatic, but something else entirely. A caller from Ireland sets the guys on the tragic, unsolved case of the Vanishing Triangle. An anonymous email prompts an exploration of Nur-Sultan, the capital of Kazakhstan -- why does the capital seem riddled with bizarre occult symbols? All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

At just 24 years old, Rebecca Coriam had her whole life ahead of her. Her love of physical fitness and knack for teaching made her perfectly suited for her job in Youth Activities aboard the Disney Wonder, an enormous, high-class cruise ship. On March 22nd, 2011, Coriam vanished from the vessel. The distraught parents and friends of Rebecca puzzled over the cruise line's official explanation -- that a rogue wave had swept her overboard. Almost a decade later, the mystery remains: What happened to Rebecca Coriam? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

We've all heard about Neanderthals -- but what else was out there? Join Ben and Matt as they take a closer look at the facts behind the folklore, digging deeper to see if there's any grain of truth to the legends of giants, gnomes and more in this Classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

More monuments continue to appear across the planet -- and there may finally be an answer to the mystery. US law enforcement in communities throughout the country may soon use footage from home security cameras as a tool to fight crime (opponents worry this may spell trouble for privacy). And the former head of Israel's space program claims aliens are real, have made contact with us, and signed an agreement to keep their presence a secret. All this and more in this week's strange news. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's true that the founders of the United States all too often failed to live up to the values they espoused in the Constitution and other related documents -- but it appears they were up to even stranger things. In the second episode of this two-part series, the guys delve deeper into some of the strangest, most obscure alleged secrets of the founding fathers, including one terrifying story that is absolutely true. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A meteorologist writes in to break down the (very real) science of cloud seeding, as well as chiming in on Ben's dream of lightning achieving sentience. A listener provides updates on the bizarre art of the Denver airport. In a moment straight out of the Twilight Zone, a man finds himself slipping through time. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Today, the Founding Fathers of the United States are some of the most well-known figures in the country's history. They're memorialized in monuments, museums, currency, holidays -- the list goes on. For more than a century they were deified, held up as paragons of statecraft. Yet the way they've been portrayed in textbooks often skips over details that ran counter to the shining image sold to generations of school children. You see, the Founding Fathers had secrets... so many, in fact, that we had to make this a two-part episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Every year tax activists of one sort or another try to avoid paying federal or state levies -- but why? The answers get... pretty weird. Join Ben and Matt as they dive into the strange world of tax conspiracies in this week's Classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The monument in Utah that went viral has disappeared - and a copycat monument has surfaced in Romania. Amazon workers in 15 different companies coordinated a massive protest during Black Friday. Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was recently assassinated as tensions continue to rise in the Middle East... and observers make troubling speculations about the timing. All this and more in this week's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Food is one of the few things that unites the human species -- so it's no surprise the world of food is chock-full of conspiracies. In today's episode, the guys return to the world of conspiracy and cuisine, fielding some of the strangest, most disturbing urban legends and rumors about everything from fast food to livestock and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What exactly was renowned rocket scientist Jack Parsons getting up to in his free time... and how did he know Aleister Crowley? Whatever happened to those Russian scientists rumored to have discovered a super-intelligent, squid-like cryptid in Antarctica's subglacial Lake Vostok? All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The Russian government may soon pass an unusual law giving any former Russian president legal immunity -- not only from any crimes committed while in office, but for any acts before or after their presidency, as well. This lifetime immunity proposal has international spectators scratching their heads in confusion... and diving into conspiracy. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Over 200 years ago the British and Russian empires waged a largely silent war across Eurasia, vying for influence, power and access to resources. In what became known as "The Great Game" British and Russian forces would ultimately leave indelible marks on the face of the modern world. And, according to some, The Great Game never ended. Join Ben and Matt for more in this week's Classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Would you eat a steak grown from your own cells? The question may become increasingly plausible in the next few years. What's the story with the bizarre green slime flowing beneath Toronto? And who on (or off) Earth created that mysterious monument in Utah? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What makes a genre of music successful? Ideally, the art connects on a personal level with the audience, speaking truth to power, tapping into a universal experience.... but what if that isn't always the case? In 2012, an email from someone claiming to be a former music industry executive alleged that gangster rap was not an organic success. Instead, they claimed, the success of this genre was the result of a secret, high-level meeting in 1991, between members of the music industry's elite and representatives of the private prison industry. Making this music successful, they argued, would ensure the prison system became even more profitable for investors. It's a profoundly disturbing idea -- but could it be true? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

An anonymous caller shares their story about learning how to learn. A voicemail inspires the guys to explore the terrifying career of Georgia Tann, and they explore bizarre, first hand stories of mysteriously intelligent crows. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

World famous pop icon Britney Spears has sold millions of records, performed countless times, and regardless of whether you care for her music, you've certainly heard her hits. She also has an enormous, fiercely loyal fanbase that's convinced something is amiss, behind the scenes. You see, for years, Spears has been the subject of a legal conservatorship -- this arrangement, which the singer has described as voluntary multiple times, means Spears must have approval from several people for any financial decisions she wishes to make. In short, she does not control the financial side of her music empire. Some fans allege the singer sends coded messages to them via Instagram, asking for help. Others argue this conspiracy theory, as well-intentioned as it may be, will only make things worse for one of the world's most famous living musicians. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Neuromarketers claim that their techniques provide new and profound insights for consumers buying everything from soda to new cars. But can they really interpret data in a way that allows them to nudge a user's subconscious mind? And, if so, what does this mean for the future? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Humans may soon be able to control lightning, pointing it at targets. Voter fraud (but not the vote you're thinking of). Russian President Vladimir Putin is giving himself lifetime legal immunity from, well... anything. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

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US veterans find themselves unfairly targeted as they pursue post-combat careers. Questions remain regarding one of the world's largest Bitcoin wallets. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In cities across Canada, the US and other parts of the world, the cost of living continues to rise -- and housing becomes increasingly unaffordable. Rental rates outpace inflation. Owning a home becomes virtually impossible for millions. Economists have debated the usual causes of this crisis for years... but it appears there's a variable many people haven't considered, something a little stranger than domestic supply and demand. Investors from across the planet are pouring money into real estate, not for a home, but as a safe haven for storing cash. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Is the world really littered with underground military bases? How many are active today? Is it possible to find them on your own? Join Ben and Matt as they dive deep (underground) in today's classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Some cruise lines begin to reopen. In Virginia, locals were astonished to find a bizarre, potentially immortal creature invading -- the infamous (and alien-like) Hammerhead Worm. Tune in for more in this week's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From 1977 to 1978 the Brazilian Air Force investigated a series of alleged UFO sightings, with multiple witnesses, in and around a city called Colares, located in northern Brazil. The official investigation closed without concluding anything unusual was afoot -- but that may actually be where the real story begins. Tune in to learn more about the strange claims, the oddly specific commonalities between witness accounts... and the mysterious events that haunted the investigators, inspiring them to continue their own investigation after the official operation was shut down. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A caller shares a strange story of a possible curse. The guys explore the dark side of so-called conversion therapy. And a voicemail inspires the gang to finally begin exploring the controversial, conspiratorial death of the Hip Hop legend, the Notorious B.I.G. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In this episode, the guys sit down with seasoned conflict journalist Jake Hanrahan to hear his first-hand accounts of covering stories all too often ignored or misrepresented in the west -- as well learning more about his work exploring QAnon in his newest podcast, Q Clearance. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What's the difference between a cult and a religion? What are some of history's strangest cults? Are there any secret cults in the modern day? In this week's classic episode, Ben and Matt are (accidentally) prescient. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Confronted with multiple criminal charges, one New Hampshire woman came up with an innovative -- and bizarre -- plan: she impersonated a prosecutor and dropped the charges against herself. Nabisco has reportedly planned to create their own Oreo doomsday vault. In several cities across the US, Archbishops have performed city-wide exorcisms. All this and more in this week's strange news segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On August 19th, 2016 Saudi national and college student Abdulrahman Sameer Noorah was charged with first degree manslaughter for fatally hitting a 15 year old girl named Fallon Smart with his car in Portland, Oregon. Two weeks before his trial, he disappeared from the United States. Today, federal agents suspect he escaped with the help of the Saudi Arabian government -- and it seems he's not the only one. In fact, over the years, it seems dozens of Saudi nationals accused of various crimes in the US and Canada have illegally escaped prosecution, and will likely never see jail time or justice. And the US government hasn't done much to address this ongoing pattern of conspiracy. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Critics allege the rehabilitative program known as Narconon is a front for Scientology. Masons chime in to confirm that yes, you can get kicked out of the Masons. The disappearance of former cruise line worker Rebecca Coriam remains unsolved to this day. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The history of human civilization is, in many ways, a history of conflict. Empires rise and fall, countries come and go, and humanity soldiers on. Yet multiple investigations have found a troubling correlation -- it seems not all revolutions are the result of social instability or external rivals. In fact, the natural world itself may be one of history's most powerful (and dangerous) revolutionaries. Listen in to learn more about natural disaster and revolution -- and what this may mean for a world where natural disasters continue to increase. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could the pineal gland really have some sort of spiritual significance? What does it do, exactly, and why do so many people believe there's some sort of conspiracy to alter its function? Tune in as Ben and Matt explore the fact and fiction surrounding the pineal gland. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Former Burundian President Pierre Buyoya received a life sentence in court for the murder of another former President: Melchior Ndadaye. A recent study confirms the issues discussed in the previous COVID series, showing worldwide trends regarding fears and misconceptions about infection. A bizarre invasive species of mutated, clonal, entirely female crayfish have been expanding across Europe -- one graveyard in Antwerp claims they've already lost the battle to this creature that sounds like something straight out of a comic book. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The world's most powerful has numerous policies regarding equality -- but how do the policies on paper translate to action? In today's episode, the gang dives into the all-too-often unexplored, ongoing conspiracy taking place within the US Armed Forces: Supremacists and separatists are infiltrating the military, often with the active goal of later using their training and expertise to wage war against the very nation they were sworn to protect. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Multiple listeners reach out to share their experiences in the 'troubled teen' industry. The guys explore the fascinating -- and terrifying -- possibility of solar flares and coronal mass ejections. Ongoing massive protests in Nigeria prompt a conversation about whether lasting reform is possible. All this and more in this week's edition of Listener Mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's bizarre to think that -- not too long ago -- the idea of having something as powerful as a smart phone in your pocket would seem like something out of Star Trek. But now these handy devices go with us throughout most of our lives. A steady stream of feel-good chemicals from social media, dangerously convenient ways of buying things through apps, health and location tracking and more. And every piece of data is, somehow, tracked. While it's no secret that companies use information like this for targeted advertising, the true potential of this data aggregation, and the true danger this aggregation poses for society, has only recently come to light. Join the guys to learn more about what happens in a world where you become your phone. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

You're probably familiar with the horror film version of exorcisms: a righteous priest reciting holy verses as a demon-possessed person writhes and exhibits unholy powers. But what are exorcisms, really? How do they function across cultures? Is there any proof that they're real? Join Ben and Matt to find out in this week's Classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Multiple high-level government officials believed Garrison Courtney was a CIA officer offering them fat cat contracts -- by the time the FBI caught up with him, he was on the verge of getting billions -- and getting full immunity, as well. Rapper Nuke Bizzle was arrested on multiple counts of identity fraud... after explicitly bragging about his crimes in a music video. On the border of Mexico and the US, a small group of farmers may have just provided the spark to the world's next water war. All this and more in this week's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How many members does the Church of Scientology actually have? What are they doing in Clearwater, Florida? Perhaps most importantly, what is the future of Scientology? Join the guys as they continue their interview with Mike Rinder, creator and cohost of Scientology: Fair Game, in the second part of this two-part series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What actually happened to the Great Library of Alexandria, and how would the world be different if it hadn't disappeared? What made an anonymous tourist return pilfered objects to Pompeii? How are con artists, corporations and governments hacking your voice? All this and more in this week's Listener Mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Founded in 1953 by L. Ron Hubbard, the Church of Scientology describes itself as a religion that puts its adherents on a path toward complete and certain understanding of one's true spiritual nature. In the first part of this two-part series, the guys are joined by Mike Rinder, a former senior official of the Church and cohost of Scientology: Fair Game, for a first-hand, inside look at the organization. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Stories of ghosts predate written history, and cultures around the world believe in one form of spirit or another. But why? If there's no currently accepted scientific proof that ghosts exists, then what are millions of people around the world claiming to see? Join Ben, Matt, and Noel as they explore ghosts and the afterlife in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The UK goes public with plans to mount firearms on drones. Paris Hilton provides insight on the dangers of the 'troubled teen' industry. Retired US Senator Harry Reid doubles down on UFOs, arguing that Uncle Sam has some information the US government does not want you to know. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Everyone loves looking sharp - and saving money in the process. But what if there's a hidden cost to all this fast fashion and these trendy cosmetics? In the second part of this series, the guys return to the underbelly of the worldwide fashion and cosmetic industries, exploring how the global production process affects wildlife and spreads pollution -- and what these companies don't want you to know about the ultimate price of that next piece of clothing. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could Lyme disease be man-made? What insights can the Bible give us about the mysteries of the Bronze Age? Just how problematic is the foster care industry? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this week's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could a mysterious slab of stone near Kensington, Minnesota hold the key to a forgotten piece of ancient history? According to the true believers, this stone, discovered in the late 1800s, proves that Vikings made it deep into the interior of North America in the 1300s -- only to disappear soon afterward, leaving no trace but a grisly story carved in runes upon the stone. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What would you do if you woke up one day and found yourself in a world without electricity, cellphones or the internet? It sounds like the plot of a science fiction film, but if a powerful enough solar flare hits Earth's magnetosphere this could become a frightening reality. Join Matt and Ben as they explore the likelihood of a solar apocalypse in today's Classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Recently the US -- and the world at large -- learned that the President of the United States tested positive for COVID-19. As reporters and the public scrambled for more information, conspiracy theories proliferated like wildfire. In this week's Strange News segment, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the questions about the official timeline, other infections in the White House, and how world governments might react. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Almost a thousand years after the reign of the original Order of Assassins, you might think assassination tactics would be universally illegal -- however, that's not the case. Assassination is a valuable tool for both corporations and nations alike. It's also a big business, a web of conspiracies with an at-times global reach, evolving in step with the world's latest technological innovations. Listen in to learn more about assassination in the modern day in the second part of this two-part series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The guys dive into a bizarre website that may be an art project, the ramblings of a lunatic, or something more sinister. For years, LEGO bricks have been washing up along the coast of the UK. Multiple scientists, asking to remain anonymous, write in with disturbing details on the problem of micro- and nanoplastics. The good news? The guys were right about the problem. The bad news? The guys didn't know just how right they were. All this and more in this week's installment of Listener Mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What's the difference between an assassination and a garden-variety murder? Where does the term 'assassin' actually come from, and how did an obscure sect founded almost one thousand years ago fundamentally change the course of history as we know it? Tune in for the answers to these questions and more in the first part of this special two-part series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's true - the Soviet government really did have its own parapsychological research program. And, unlike MKULTRA and other US operations, the Soviet version continued until 2003, when it officially ended. Tune in to learn more with Ben and Matt in today's Classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have scientists discovered a new building material for future Martian colonies? Why might a vaccine for COVID-19 lead to the deaths of thousands of deep-sea sharks? Is it true that crows can think about thinking (and are they really in an unending, existential war with owls)? All this and more in today's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sometime between between c. 1250 - c. 1150 BCE, civilization as we knew it simply... collapsed. Once-thriving empires fell one after another. Trade routes disintegrated. Literacy plummeted. Mysterious raiders from the sea pillaged city after city. In less than a century, the known world became a distant dream. So what exactly happened? Perhaps more disturbingly, what can the Bronze Age collapse tell us about the modern day? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could the contagious schoolyard panics in Malaysia be caused by ergot poisoning or some other environmental contaminant? Join Ben and Noel as they dive into this question and more, exploring some of their favorite listener comments in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Love it or hate it, there's no denying that reality TV -- also known as unscripted television -- is a titan of the entertainment industry. In fact, if you have cable and turn on your TV right now, you'll probably find a reality show of some sort playing on multiple channels. Most people know this sort of programming isn't as 'real' as it may purport to be... but what made this stuff so successful? Perhaps most importantly: Why do some of its critics allege this content is worse than tacky? Why do some people think it's dangerous? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Serial killers are insane, prone to exaggeration and delusion, and often inveterate liars. Amid some of their wilder claims, several notable serial killers, such as David Berkowitz and Henry Lee Lucas, have stated that they were killing on the orders of a cult. Is there any way it could be true? Join Ben and Matt as they dive into the twisted stories of the Hand of Death, Four Pi and other alleged serial killer cults. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What exactly did scientists find in the atmosphere of Venus? A former Facebook employee claims the company actively ignored widespread political manipulation, and recently leaked documents highlight serious financial crimes by multiple international banks. All this and more in this week's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The world of professional sports is a multi-billion dollar industry -- and even the most ardent fans may not know what actually happens away from the bright lights and cheering crowds. Join Ben and special guest, journalist Tim Livingston, the creator of Whistleblower, as they dive into the strange, twisting tale of one of the NBA's biggest conspiracies -- a gambling scandal that rocked the industry and, disturbingly, may have repercussions that continue throughout the sport in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

As recent allegations of forced hysterectomies surface in the US, Ben alleges genocide. An anonymous caller asks Matt for more information about Eternal Blue. All this and more in this week's listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Look around -- how many objects in your immediate vicinity contain plastic? This malleable, durable material has become ubiquitous -- you can find in the depths of the oceans, at the summits of the highest mountains. And, if you're like most people, plastic will be here long after you're gone. Historically, manufacturers have claimed plastic pollution can be solved by recycling... but what if there's something they don't want you to know? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For much of recorded history, humans beings have been trying to devise unbreakable codes (and break the codes of their rivals). But is there any truly unbreakable code? And what exactly is Cicada 3301? Join Ben and Matt as they decipher cryptography in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A pod of Orcas is attacking ships. An 'artificial intelligence' writes an op-ed. Portland, Oregon, bans facial recognition. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For millennia, people in civilizations across the planet have claimed to perceive intangible energy emanating from people, animals, plants -- and even inanimate objects. And, in recent centuries, scientists and mystics alike have sought to explain this phenomenon. As you might imagine, not everyone agrees on what an aura could be -- or whether it exists -- in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What is life like for the actual staff of a cruise ship? Could Reiki function as physical healing? What exactly is Iron Mountain? All this and more in this week's edition of listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Flordelis dos Santos de Souza is a politician and cultural icon in Brazil. For a time, she and her husband Anderson Do Carmo were an evangelical power couple - along with their more than 50 adopted and biological children. In June of 2019, Anderson was murdered. The family said it was a robbery gone wrong. The investigators disagree. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What was the most widespread infiltration of the US government? According to some sources, it came from within. Tune in to learn more about the story of Operation Snow White -- and why the Church of Scientology and the US government still don't agree on what actually happened. Join Ben and Matt for this startling -- and bizarre -- classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A 'gender reveal' party in California has created a massive wildfire. Someone dumped loads of mail in the parking lot of a beauty salon. Science reveals how plants grow differently around corpses -- and how this may help us learn more about humanity's grisly past. All this and more in this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Up until July of 2018, 17-year-old Siti Nurannisaa was like many other kids finishing up their last year of high school - she was stressed out by exams, not sleeping well, and looking forward to getting the school year over with. However, her life took a sudden, unexpected turn when a sharp tap on her shoulder sent her into a strange, nightmarish series of visions from which she could not escape. Her nearby classmates watched as she fell to the ground, screaming uncontrollably -- and, moments later, they heard other children screaming throughout the school. Whatever happened to Sita appeared to be contagious ... and this was not the first case of what some authorities would later describe as "mass possession." Join Ben, Matt and Noel as the explore the bizarre case of "The Screaming Girls of Malaysia." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Do ghosts wander the tunnels of Gibraltar? Why are so many families (Ben's included) convinced they receive mysterious omens of the future in their dreams? Multiple listeners respond to the episode on the deaths at Deepcut, raising question about the deaths at Fort Hood, Texas, as well as the suicide epidemic in Bridgend, Wales. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How much power does the mind wield over physical matter? Could certain human beings, through the force of focused thought alone, walk on fire, lay on nails, and survive being buried alive for days at a time? Listen in to learn more about the fact, fiction and controversy surrounding the famous feats of the mystics. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The placebo effect is pretty freaky when you think about it: just believing that a harmless substance is a medicine can really produce measurable benefits. It sounds crazy, but the placebo effect is real, and its implications continue to fascinate scientists. So why does it appear to be getting stronger? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

An enterprising UK resident has found a new way to profit from the pandemic -- taking people on tours of the nearly-abandoned 'ghost ships' floating off the coast as the cruise industry struggles to survive the disastrous economic effects of COVID-19. The X-Files universe may soon have a new, animated spin-off. Investigations continue as US Marshals bust an enormous, insidious child trafficking ring in Georgia. Tune in for all this and more in this week's Strange News segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the world of spirits and apparitions, the poltergeist is a unique type of ghost -- one known for its alleged ability to move physical objects (often in violent, unpredictable ways), to target and torment specific human beings and, perhaps strangest of all, to suddenly, one day, disappear. While not everyone uses the name 'poltergeist,' legends of these and similar creatures occur in numerous civilizations throughout history. Some stories are proven hoaxes. But others, the true believers argue, are more difficult to explain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Is pop superstar Britney Spears really being held hostage? What is it like to witness a derecho firsthand, and live to tell the tale? Can human beings really, without warning, burst into a ball of mysterious, fatal flames? Learn the answers to these questions and more in this week's listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the ancient days, when medicine and spirituality were inseparable, people often used rituals and invocations to elicit help from divine sources. This practice continues today, through a number of techniques collectively known as faith healing. But what is it, exactly? How does it work? Could mere physical touch from the right person heal otherwise incurable medical conditions? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they dive into fact and fiction of faith healing. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

After being jilted a day before his wedding and narrowly surviving tuberculosis, Latvian immigrant Edward Leedskalnin spent almost 30 years building Coral Castle out of huge blocks of stone. But how did he make it, and why wouldn't he allow anyone to watch him at work? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the mystery of Coral Castle in today's classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A tragic homicide seems linked to online gaming. Facebook continues to be under fire for its long-running, previously established issues with censorship, or lack thereof. In North Korea, new reports claim that Kim Jong Un has been in a coma for some time -- and that all of his recent appearances are pretaped or faked (Ben also remains unable to enter the country). All this and more in this week's edition of Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could human dreams really, in some way, predict the future? At first, it sounds like the stuff of science fiction... but the real-life answer may not be as clear-cut as the plot of a sci-fi blockbuster. Instead, it turns out that probability, bias and, perhaps, the bleeding edge of physics may all play a role in the strange phenomenon known as precognitive dreams. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they search for a scientific take on precognition in the second part of this two-part series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What if Chris Cornell -- and Chester Bennington -- were actually murdered? How much do we really know about the early spread of COVID-19 in the US? And what's going on with that long-lost British base buried in the Rock of Gibraltar? All this and more in this week's edition of Listener Mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Dreams are one of the most mysterious aspects of human existence, and we still don't fully understand the strange phenomenon known as dreaming. For thousands of years, human beings have taken action in the waking world based on information they encounter in a dream -- and, every so often, people have felt their dreams aren't just reminding them of the past or recontextualizing the present. Instead, in virtually every culture and in every era of recorded history, people have claimed their dreams also, sometimes, tell them about the future. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they delve into the science of dreams, and the conspiracies our own brains may hatch against us. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From Atlantis to Ciudad Blanca, Troy and Shangri-La, history is full of legends about lost civilizations. But how does humanity lose an entire city, empire or society? Are any of the stories of lost cities true? Tune in to learn more in this week's classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A brutal derecho has caused somewhere around 4 billion dollars' worth of damage in Iowa. In Okinawa, multiple residents appears to fall sound asleep in active roadways -- and experts don't seem to know why. In the US, author Scott Dawson claims to have finally, conclusively solved the long-standing mystery of an entire colony that, according to most accounts, simply disappeared. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

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 thing we thought we knew about humanity's journey to the Americas. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Did a UFO really crash in Jackfish, Canada? What is 'morphic resonance,' and does psilocybin enhance it? Join the guys as they explore these questions -- as well as hear the first-hand, verified account of a person that successfully lived under a fake identity -- in this week's segment of Listener Mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In 2007, just days before her 4th birthday, Madeleine McCann disappeared from her parent's vacation apartment in Portugal, launching an international search involving thousands of members of law enforcement. People from around the globe wondered what exactly had happened to the child, who seemed, for all intents and purposes, to have vanished. In the absence of clear information, speculation thrived and theories abounded, some more plausible than others. Tune in as Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the case of Madeleine McCann -- and how it may have finally been solved this year. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The guys get a lot of questions, and one that crops up often is this: "Do you ever run into real conspiracies (rather than theories)?" Well, they're finally going to answer it. Tune in to hear the guys explain which conspiracy theories seem the most plausible, which former theories have been proven true and more in this classic episode of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Canada has officially ruled that terminal patients may legally use psilocybin. Over in Scotland, another alleged photograph of the Loch Ness Monster raises eyebrows -- and sets internet sleuths on the case. In California, DNA databases may have cracked Orange County's oldest cold case of homicide. Tune in for all this and more in this week's installment of Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Since before the dawn of recorded history, humans have been haunted by rumors of monsters beneath the waves -- and, as time wore on, it seemed at least some of those legends were based in truth. Today's question: could any sea serpents, leviathans or other cryptids remain alive in the modern day? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Does a viral infection spread through radio towers? Was COVID-19 somehow designed as the world's most cartoonishly ineffective bioweapon? What are 'standardized' tests actually measuring, and why should we care? Tune in for all this and more in this week's edition of listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Officially formed in 1999, Nunavut is the newest and most northerly territory of Canada. This sparsely-populated region is home unique wildlife, ancient culture and, it seems, a mystery. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they unravel the strange story of a bizarre, unexplained sound emerging from the seafloor -- it's allegedly terrified migratory animals, baffled local hunters, and inspired the Canadian government to launch an official investigation (which led to more questions than answers). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Is there really an ancient, shadowy secret society running the world? If so, what's their endgame - and why hasn't anyone conclusively proven their existence? Join Ben and Matt as they look back on their Illuminati series in this classic episode of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Authorities find a mysterious plane in Papua New Guinea -- one that may have crashed due to the sheer weight of the cocaine onboard. A cat has been busted smuggling drugs into a prison in south Asia, only to escape shortly afterward. And what's with all these people getting bizarre seeds from China in the mail? Join Ben, Matt and Noel for this week's Strange News. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Earlier this year, two children went missing in Milwaukee. Despite the pleas of their parents and loved ones, the local police did not treat these children as "critically missing," meaning they issued no Amber Alert. Desperate for answers, family members took matters into their own hands, tracing one of the missing children's phones to a duplex in town. Amid ongoing, unrelated protests, more and more citizens of Milwaukee began to believe the authorities were actively preventing a full investigation of the house in question. So what actually happened? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could the United States impose nationwide martial law? What is a Silkwood Shower? Do humans play host to mind-controlling parasites? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they explore these questions and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

If you've been watching the news, you've probably heard journalists and pundits throwing around the word "antifa," often in relation to protests. The phrase, a portmanteau of "anti-fascist," has been used to describe multiple groups and individuals. It's become the subject of several conspiracy theories as well - but what exactly is "antifa"? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

After the fall of the Nazi regime, the dirty secrets of WWII-era Germany slowly came to public light. Amid the horrors of the Holocaust and bizarre proof of some official's occult aspirations, researchers discovered a wealth of groundbreaking research on aircraft and rocketry. But how far did the Nazis get? Did they really invent aircraft that could explain the old stories about UFOs? Join Ben and Matt as they delve into the secrets of Nazi aircraft research in this classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Law enforcement finally catches up with a mysterious grifter using CIA-level prosthetic mask technology. A man attempts to fake his death and forgets to run spellcheck. Uncle Sam gets increasingly weird about UFOs, yet again changing the offical story about government-supported research in unidentified aerial phenomena. Join Ben, Matt and Noel for their round up of Strange News -- and the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know -- in this weekly segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

If you're like the vast majority of people, you wear clothes. Clothing is one of the oldest pieces of human technology, and these days it's also a multi-billion dollar industry. People across the planet use clothing and fashion as a means of expression, a way to make a living, and a way to communicate. But, like any other industry of the size, the fashion industry also has a dark side (several, in fact). Tune in as the guys explore the at-times disturbing origin story of so many clothes we wear -- and why the source of the hottest fashions can often be the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Who was the mysterious Ronald Hadley Stark? Just how closely can companies and the government monitor commercial (and, eventually, civilian) vehicles? How do forced disappearances actually work -- and how common are they in reality? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they explore these questions and more in Stuff They Don't Want You To Know's weekly listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

More than 500 feet long and carrying missiles the size of small planes, the giant, nuclear-powered Kursk submarine was an apex predator of the high seas. At least, that is, until it was destroyed in one of the most catastrophic peacetime submarine accidents in history. The entire crew was lost and, decades later, some still believe this 'accident' was no accident at all. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's no secret that strong emotions can influence our thought processes, but just how much of a difference can they actually make? Can you trust your own brain? Don't be so sure. Join Ben and Matt as they explore the bizarre, at times deceptive, side of neuroscience in this episode of classic Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

As swarms of flying ants overtake the UK, radar in multiple cities is overwhelmed, mistaking the waves of flying insects for rain. Anti-mask sentiment is not unique to 2020. In New Jersey, an assassin posing as a FedEx driver shot the husband and son of Jude Esther Salas -- in a case that only grows stranger the further down the rabbit hole you go. Tune in for this weekly round up of some of the world's weirdest news -- and the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For most of modern history, the world has run on oil. In the US and abroad, the price of gasoline is often the subject of intense concern, and prices at the pump vary widely. The difference of a few dollars per gallon can incite widespread unrest. But there's a question rarely asked: How much should gas actually cost? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they explore the numerous factors, forces, institutions and conspiracies wrapped up in this question -- and why the true cost of gas is all too often Something They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What's the deal with those secret train stations rumored to exist beneath various cities? Could the upcoming US election be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic? Do gas manufacturers intentionally mix in additives to limit the shelf life of petrol? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they explore these questions and more in the first installment of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know's new listener mail segment. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

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 Halifx Explosion of the early 1900s, the government changed their tactic, and aggressively conspired to erase Africville from history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nowadays, Edward Bernays remains a relatively obscure historical figure. His legacy, however, is thriving around the globe, and his techniques are found in everything from the food we eat to the things we believe. But who was this man? How did he get his start, and how does his work affect you today? Join Ben and Matt for this classic episode on the man who made bacon a breakfast food, tied smoking to the suffrage movement, and even used advertising to convince Americans to support a coup. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Why is Kim Jong Un's sister getting special permission to watch DVDs of US holiday celebrations? Why do so many countries want to ban TikTok? How did a woman win the lottery based entirely on a vision from her dreams? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they introduce the new Strange News segment, a once-a-week round up of some of the weirdest news -- and the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In a world of ubiquitous information, protests, activism and propaganda exist in the digital world as much as the physical. The war for control of a given narrative is waged as much online as it is on the street. So how do we as individuals understand the discrepancy between the stories presented between various factions of the media? Join the guys as they sit down with Linqua Franqa and Dope Knife, hosts of iHeart's new podcast Waiting on Reparations to learn more about activism in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How can a star disappear? Recently, 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 our species understands, impossible. Something this big should leave some sort of trace. So what happened? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they explore the ongoing cosmic conundrum, exploring the story of this galactic noir mystery -- and, ultimately, attempting to learn what led to its untimely disappearance. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

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, and, despite complaints and calls for investigation from grieving family members, forensic experts and more, this remains the official conclusion of the UK government today. Almost a decade since the last documented death, questions remain. Does the British Army have something to hide? Tune in to learn more of the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know about the Deepcut Four. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Ships across the planet rely on sonar to safely navigate the world's oceans. This fascinating technology has revolutionized everything from maritime research to international trade and war -- but, somewhere along the way, experts realized sonar might have a hidden price. Listen in to learn more about sonar's effects on marine animals -- and why, for decades, it was the stuff the world's militaries didn't want you to know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When a young missionary named Renee Bach left her life in the US to start a malnutrition program in rural Uganda, she was one of thousands of like-minded people hoping to make the world a better place. But as her work in Uganda continued, rumors and speculation grew... and people began blaming Bach for the deaths of patients. So what exactly happened? Join the guys as they interview journalist Rajiv Golla, cohost of the new podcast, The Missionary. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

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 party of rigging the vote. And, in 2004, another person stepped forward to confirm the election was rigged. This wasn't a fringe journalist, either -- it was former President of Mexico Miguel de la Madrid, Gortari's predecessor, who had worked to ensure his chosen candidate 'won' the vote. Tune in to learn more about this strange story ... and what makes it so important today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The US civil rights movement of the 1950s and 60s sparked nationwide protests, marches and action, resulting in fundamental changes for a nation that had long touted democracy and equality abroad while oppressing vast swathes of its own citizens at home. It remains one of the most significant times in recent history, but there's another twist to the story -- half a world away, the USSR joined the movement... though its intentions for dong so were anything but altruistic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It seems the nearly 8 billion people living on Earth can't seem to agree on anything, much less cooperate to achieve a goal. But what if there was some way to unite them, to push the millions of different communities on the planet toward working together? One of the proposed answers is something called 'Project Blue Beam' -- the idea that, if you can't find a messiah, you can use technology to make one. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Juarez, located just over the US-Mexico border, has an ongoing crisis that hasn't made the news: hundreds of women have gone missing, and many of the ones who disappear are later found dead, their wrists often bound, with strange symbols carved on their bodies. Journalists Monica Ortiz Uribe and Oz Woloshyn dive deep into this tragic mystery in their podcast Forgotten: Women of Juarez, searching for answers to the femicides that were all too often ignored by law enforcement. What did they find? Join the guys as they interview Oz Woloshyn about the ongoing investigation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Most people have heard of Three Mile Island — but what about the multiple other nuclear events on US soil? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the strange, largely untold story of the Tatum Salt Dome. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, long-standing inequalities have exacerbated the crisis in historically neglected US communities. In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the native US community. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

You've probably heard of the Atlantis before, but have you heard the legends of another lost city, somewhere out in the endless sands of the Arabian Peninsula's Rub' al Khali (or "Empty Quarter")? Tales of this city, known as Ubar or Iram of the Pillars, surface in countries throughout the region. The city is even mentioned in the Quran. And, like Atlantis, over the centuries numerous people have tried to find it -- but there's one important difference between Iram and Atlantis... it appears someone actually found Iram. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Protests against systemic injustice and police brutality are sweeping the United States and the world at large. In the US, protesting isn't just a tactic -- it is a right, explicitly described in the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Protests can be powerful tools to push for change, but other forces, from corporations to militias, intelligence agencies and more also seek to use the power of protest against itself. Listen in to learn more about the history -- and future -- of the agent provocateur. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Typically, when you hear someone bring up the concept of chemtrails, it's either to dismiss the idea as a conspiracy theory or to claim there's something dangerous up there in the sky -- something the mainstream doesn't want you to know about. But a growing group of experts think something like chemtrails might just be the key to literally saving life on Earth. Tune in and learn more about stratospheric aerosol injections. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Most US residents are vaguely familiar with the nuclear disaster known as Three Mile Island -- but that's only one of several similar stories. Join the guys as they explore the strange events of July 1959, when the Santa Susana Field Laboratory partially melted down -- and the government conspired to cover it up. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mere days after the horrific events of 9/11, someone began sending letters laced with anthrax spores to senators and the offices of major media outfits -- by the time the attacks ended, seventeen people were seriously injured, and five victims had died. Today the FBI maintains the case has been solved: scientist Bruce Edwards Ivins, acting alone, was responsible. Ivins died of an overdose in an apparent suicide before any possible trial, and today, numerous people familiar with the case believe the official story doesn't add up. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A few years back, Julian Assange was a household name in the West. The founder and face of Wikileaks, one of the world's most well-known destinations for leaks of classified information, Assange was hailed as a hero by some and a villain by others. And, whether you think he's a soldier in the war for transparency or some sort of super-villain, there's no denying that many people in power wanted him neutralized by any means possible. In our last episode, we left Assange at the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he'd been living, and fighting extradition charges, for several years. Then he seemed to disappear from the headlines. So what happened? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Wells Fargo is one of the most popular retail banks in the United States, and its gigantic customer base uses it for everything from savings accounts to loans and more. However, a few years bank the bank came under fire for perpetuating a conspiracy all its own -- more and more customers found they had multiple accounts and lines of credit opened without their consent, and further investigation found that was just the beginning of the problem. Tune in to learn more about this real-life banking conspiracy, how it was discovered and the consequences (or lack thereof). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

HIV and AIDS, the syndrome the infection causes, have become the subject of numerous conspiracy theories. Over the decades people have proposed the infection was purposely designed to kill certain segments of the public, or that it was a lab experiment gone wrong, or that it didn't exist at all. For a time these theories enjoyed massive popularity in the US and abroad... but there was another conspiracy at play, one that most people weren't aware of: tune in to learn more about Russia's Operation Infektion. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

As governments work to fight COVID-19 and industries struggle to survive, more and more people are concerned society will never actually return to normal. World leaders have been disappearing (and reappearing). Millions are unemployed. Governments and tech companies are rolling out vast surveillance schemes that would make a supervillain blush. And, around the world, people are wondering -- did we start fighting this too late? Are we opening too soon? Tune in to learn more in part four of this continuing series on the coronavirus pandemic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

As governments work to fight COVID-19 and industries struggle to survive, more and more people are concerned society will never actually return to normal. World leaders have been disappearing (and reappearing). Millions are unemployed. Governments and tech companies are rolling out vast surveillance schemes that would make a supervillain blush. And, around the world, people are wondering -- did we start fighting this too late? Are we opening too soon? Tune in to learn more in part four of this continuing series on the coronavirus pandemic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For centuries the U.S. government conspired to persecute, attack and marginalize the native population. When open warfare became too expensive, some factions of the government proposed a different approach -- what if, they wondered, we erase native culture? This inspired a massive industry of forced assimilation. Thousands of children were forced into boarding schools where they were taught to act more 'European' while being abused, exploited and placed into forced labor. Tune in to learn more about the conspiracy of forced assimilation, and how its long-reaching consequences affect the country in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On June 22nd, 1983, 15-year-old Vatican City resident Emanuela Orlandi disappeared after attending a music lesson. Over the decades, numerous people claimed to have seen Orlandi, or reached out with leads on her fate. Yet even now, the case remains unsolved. Join the guys as they explore the facts of the case, the wide-ranging possibilities, the allegations of conspiracy, crime and cover-ups, ultimately asking: What happened to Emanuela Orlandi? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In September of 1961, on an empty country road in rural New Hampshire, Barney and Betty Hill experienced the most profound, bizarre night of their lives in what would become the first widely-publicized account of an alien abduction in US history -- the case that would go on to influence hundreds, if not thousands, of abduction cases to follow. But what exactly happened that September night? Join the guys as they sit down with author Toby Ball, host of the Strange Arrivals podcast, to explore the facts, the claims, and the questions that remain unanswered in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Propaganda has always been a powerful tool, and humanity's recent technological innovations have only amplified its reach. Long-standing laws in the US were meant to prevent US propaganda for foreign audiences from reaching the domestic population, but over time those laws have been eroded... and, as it turns out, Uncle Sam was secretly pushing propaganda on the people for years beforehand. Tune in to learn more about Operation Mockingbird. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

As anyone who's worked in a kitchen or the hospitality industry can readily attest, there's an entirely different world behind the doors of every kitchen, a world that most diners and restaurant patrons never see. Join the guys as they sit down with world famous chefs Hugh Acheson and Richard Blais to learn more about what really happens behind the scenes in restaurants and cooking shows, as well as how the industry has been been affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's no secret that modern automobiles are incredibly convenient. They're almost like rolling computers, chock-full of GPS capabilities, infotainment systems, back-up cameras, security systems connected to the cloud and so on. But there's a potential dark side to all this convenience, and some observers are becoming increasingly concerned about what corporations and governments may do with this technology over the long term. Are we entering a world where Big Brother can brick your car the same way some tech companies can brick your gadgets? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Weeks into the global pandemic, countries across the planet are trying to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Governments are taking extreme actions, businesses are going bust and conspiracy theories are proliferating. Today's question: What if some of those theories are true? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Korean pop music, or K-pop, originated in South Korea but has become a powerful, global phenomenon. This multi-billion dollar industry manufacturers scores of pitch-perfect idols and groups, performers who become lead trendsetters in the world of fashion, dance, music and more. Yet there's a dark side to this fame, and a peek behind the curtain reveals a brutal, dangerous world of cut-throat competition, financial corruption and abuse. Tune in to learn about the dark side of K-Pop. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Whether you consider yourself a true conspiracy theorist or a diehard skeptic, you've definitely heard of chemtrails. True believers are certain that, unlike the contrails made by aircraft, chemtrails are insidious chemicals dispersions meant to poison unsuspecting, innocent civilians across the planet. The concept of chemtrails has been more or less dismissed by scientists and the mainstream media, but it turns out that, in at least one country, something like chemtrails was very much a reality. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

If you were cut off from everything for 72 hours, what would you need to survive? If you found yourself in the middle of nowhere -- or if you needed to leave a dangerous place -- what would you carry with you? In this episode, your fellow Conspiracy Realists explore the essentials of the Bug Out Bag. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Tune in for this much-needed update on the continually evolving state of the COVID-19 pandemic, in which we explore the new revelations about the spread of the infection, the various ways world governments have responded to the outbreak and, of course, some of the conspiracy theories proliferating across the globe as terrified people search for answers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the 1980s, a mysterious organization terrorized candy companies in Japan - then disappeared. What was the Monster with 21 Faces, and what happened to it? Are any members alive today? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's no secret that the border between the United States and Mexico has been the subject of recent, intensely divisive debate. There have been numerous reports (some more reliable than others) detailing the rise or decline of crime along the border -- after all, chaotic times create opportunities for crime -- but one story slipped through the cracks. It appears that there was an active serial killer on the US border, and he worked for Uncle Sam. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

India controls numerous islands in the Indian Ocean, and they have a strange set of rules for North Sentinel Islands -- a tiny, remote place most people wouldn't visit anyway. You see, the Indian government maintains a 'zone of exclusion' surrounding the island, with no ships, helicopters or people allowed within miles of the shore. Ordinarily one might assume this is a secret military base or the site of an environmental disaster -- but the real answer is even stranger. Tune into to learn more about the mystery of North Sentinel Island. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Genghis Khan was one of the world's most successful conquerors, and his empire left an indelible mark across Eurasia. Yet upon his death his body was spirited away to an unmarked grave, and everyone associated with the burial -- so far as we know -- was put to death in an effort to keep the location secret. So what exactly happened to Genghis Khan? Could it be possible that someone actually knows where it is, and has somehow kept the location hidden for almost 800 years? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

At the close of the Paris Peace Accords, the US and Vietnam agreed to return any POWs to their home country -- however, for decades after the close of the conflict, people in country reported seeing missing American soldiers, sometimes held by foreign officials, sometimes on their own in the jungle. So what happened to the hundreds of missing soldiers in the Vietnam War... and how much did the US government actually know about it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Months after the murder of Teresita Basa, her former coworker began falling into trances, a voice identifying itself as Teresita issuing from her mouth. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, these statements turned out to be true, leading to the conviction of 32 year-old Allen Showers. But what's the real story? Was this justice beyond the grave or beyond the law? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

After years of listener requests, Ben, Matt and Noel are finally exploring the mysterious story of the legendary Georgia Guidestones. Who built this monument, and why? Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Recently employees at the US Embassy in Cuba reported a strange and disquieting phenomenon. They complained of vertigo, nausea, hearing loss and more accompanied by a strange hum and whine that followed them into their homes. The State Department refused to comment on the cause of these symptoms even as they shipped employees back home to the States. However, some anonymous government officials stated that the employees fell victim to an unorthodox, top-secret, sound-based weapon. Could it be true? You can turn back now, or learn The Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In 2013, Canadian college student Elisa Lam disappeared while on a solo trip through California. For weeks law enforcement was at a loss to explain the disappearance -- until, that is, a maintenance worker at the Cecil Hotel discovered her body in a water tank. And with that, what should have been the end of a tragic tale instead became the prologue to a mystery that, according to many, remains unsolved in the present day: What happened to Elisa Lam? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Did a group of private assassins use a series of sleazy websites as fronts for their base of operations? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they delve into the mysterious story of Lake City Quiet Pills. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

After years of rumors, recent releases have confirmed the US government knew much more about UFOs than they'd originally let on. And, despite the recent waves of revelations and classifications, Uncle Sam is still refusing to release everything. When pressed on the issue, the government stated that disclosing certain files would pose "an extraordinarily grave threat to national security" -- so what exactly is on these files? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Like many other regions of the world, China has its own folklore about ancient, humanoid giants. In most cases, these legends have a mundane cause -- a misidentified fossil, for example, or a translation error. However, this case appears to be unique, because it turns out the giants have been found... it just depends on what you mean when you call someone a 'giant.' Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

While the human species is inarguably successful (for now), hundreds of millions of people struggle under daily threats of starvation, physical danger, lack of shelter and disease. And, perhaps more troubling, the numbers indicate it's possible to feed and shelter virtually every single person on the planet -- or is it? Is there enough for everyone, and, if so, why isn't humanity transforming this potential into a reality? Join the guys as they explore the answers to this question, along with its disturbing implications. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the foggy, early evening of November 7th, 1990, two people at a Montreal hotel noticed something bizarre in the sky. Soon, multiple people in the hotel had gathered on a rooftop terrace to observe a genuine UFO -- and, soon after that, people across the city began reporting the object (if it was an object). In the almost three decades after this sighting, numerous witnesses, experts, fringe researchers and skeptics have attempted to explain exactly what was hovering over the sky for hours that evening. Join the guys as they delve into the case. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

We all know weather can affect a person's mood, but just how far does it go? Could the activity of the sun be driving widespread human conflicts throughout history? That's the theory Alexander Tchijevsky stumbled across when he found wars across the planet seem to coincide with solar cycles — meaning we may be little more than slaves to the sun. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Make no mistake -- being a farmer is hard work. Farming outfits often have to carry a huge amount of risk from one season to the next, and any number of things may ruin their prospects, from unexpected weather, market volatility and so on. To mitigate these dangers, world governments often provide funding, or subsidies, to agribusiness in order to lower risk and increase chances of farmers staying in business. In the US, these subsidies are a multi-billion dollar industry... but where does all that money actually go? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Located in Jefferson Davis Parish, the town of Jennings, Louisiana wasn't a particularly well-known place -- in fact, many people in the US would probably have lived their entire lives without ever hearing of the town until a few years ago. You see, Jennings had a secret, a dark criminal underbelly that seethed just below the surface. Over the course of several years, multiple women were murdered under mysterious circumstances, inspiring journalists and federal investigators alike to dive into the increasingly strange connections between each homicide. And today the question remains: What happened to the Jennings 8? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Every ten years, the United States conducts the census, a crucial survey of the country’s population meant to help Uncle Sam figure out how to plan infrastructure and distribute funding over the coming decade. In recent years, people have argued for and against including a question about citizenship on the census for any number of reasons ... including accusations of conspiracy. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

While many people weren't familiar with the term "coronavirus" until a few months or weeks ago, we've all had one of these in the past - this term describes any number of RNA viruses capable of infecting animals and humans alike, from SARS to the common cold. However, a newly emerged, novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 may well be one of the most dangerous coronaviruses the world has ever seen. Tune in as the guys explore the evolution of what some experts believe may become the world's newest pandemic, separating fact from fiction and asking why so many people are convinced there's a coronavirus conspiracy afoot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For almost 80 years, Lockheed Martin has been working hand in hand with the US government to create cutting-edge, classified tech and craft, working in secret to build some of the world's most iconic spy planes. Nowadays, the so-called "Skunk Works" are more open about their projects ... or are they? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In December of 2019 the Denver Post began reporting a strange pattern over the night sky of northeast Colorado. Around 7pm each night, at least 17 drones -- large ones -- emerged from somewhere and flew over the region in what appeared to be a search pattern, disappearing between 9:30 and 10pm. No one, from federal agencies on down, seemed to know where these drones were coming from, who controlled them, or what they were doing up in the sky. If, that is, they existed at all. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you written to the guys on Facebook or Twitter? Sent an email, or called 1-833-STDWYTK? Then tune in as they answer your questions and more on air in the latest listener mail edition of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How far would you go for justice? Join the guys as they interview award-winning investigative journalist Phil Stanford about the strange, twisting tale behind his podcast, Murder In Oregon. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

With a growing number of Western countries decriminalizing or outright legalizing cannabis, the controversial plant seems set to become an acceptable alternative to some preexisting treatments for appetite loss, chronic pain and more. Yet some supporters of medicinal marijuana products argue the chemicals in this plant can do much more than just make someone hungry or ease their pain -- marijuana, they argue, may actually cure cancer, and this is something the established pharmaceutical industry doesn't want you to know. So how do these claims hold up? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Is there any truth to the stories of mysterious, unidentified alloys, secretly held in some hidden bunker straight out of the Indiana Jones films? How far along has our species actually come with nanotechnology, and could a government really suppress space-age tech, hiding it from the masses? Join the guys as they sit down with chemical engineer Christopher Cogswell, host of the Mad Scientist Podcast, to dive into the science behind these claims and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On paper, non-governmental organizations often sound like something everyone can get behind: these institutions are often dedicated to addressing some of the most dangerous, long-running problems on the planet. It may be surprising, then, to learn that a growing number of nations are taking increasingly aggressive actions to ban NGOs, especially foreign ones. Supporters of NGOs argue these nations are attempting to fight progress in hopes of saving their own corrupt regimes -- but the opponents inside these countries claim many of those do-gooder NGOs are more sinister than they'd have you believe: instead of saving the world, critics argue, these institutions are foreign-owned fronts for everything from illegal activities of intelligence agencies to acts of industrial espionage, forced regime change and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The last time you bought something, did you use a card, cash or something else? If you automatically thought "who uses cash nowadays", you're far from alone. More and more people are eschewing physical currency for digital dollars, and this move seems largely supported by big banks as well some countries. Proponents argue a cashless society has no shortage of benefits for everyone involved, but critics suspect there are more than a few dangerous possibilities at play -- and something sinister may be afoot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Whether rich or poor, young or old, everyone on the planet has to eat. Government institutions monitor the safety, cleanliness and consistency of our favorite foods, but as with any global industry, there are more than a few skeletons in the collective closet of the food and beverage business. Join Ben and Matt as they dive down the gastronomic rabbit hole of food conspiracies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could a group of serial murderers be kidnapping, drugging and drowning young men across the United States? Scores of young male college students have been found dead in what law enforcement calls accidental drownings -- but a team of retired detectives believe there's something more sinister at work. Join the guys as they dive into the strange, twisting story of the Smiley Face Murders -- the fact, the fiction, the controversy and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Odds are you've heard of the Dead Sea scrolls -- when the first of these ancient texts were discovered in the 1940s, the scrolls revolutionized our understanding of the past, and, in some cases, gave historians and archaeologists more questions than answers. One scroll, discovered in 1952, remains unique in the collection. It doesn't contain religious information, and it doesn't recount earlier stories from the region. Instead, this scroll (the only one written on copper) appears to be a treasure guide. So what happened to the gold, silver and artifacts catalogued on the scroll? Were these caches discovered thousands of years ago... or are these hidden treasures still somewhere out there today, waiting to be discovered? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What if the stories and narratives you hear in the average mainstream media reporting aren't the entire truth? What if there's something else going on, a secret war between a shadowy cabal and a small group of brave, outnumbered good guys fighting back against their insidious plans for world domination? This is, according to QAnon proponents, a true story. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they dive into the origins of this uber-theory, the fact and fiction surrounding it, as well as the implications involved. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The legendary civilization of Atlantis was first mentioned in the works of Plato, in dialogues that claimed to recount information from translations of ancient Egyptian texts. And people have been searching for this city ever since. So what was Atlantis, exactly? A metaphor, a work of fiction ... or a real, physical place? Join the guys as they explore the fact and fiction of the ancient legend of Atlantis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you ever experienced something bizarre -- some unexplainable coincidence, chilling interaction or even a run in with what some might call the supernatural? If so, then you may have the next story for Radio Rental. In this episode, the guys interview Payne Lindsey, creator of Up and Vanished, Atlanta Monster and more, about the inspiration behind his newest podcast, Radio Rental. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's one of the most enduring enigmas in American history -- how did an entire colony disappear from Roanoke island? Join the guys as they explore the facts, fiction and speculation surrounding the mysterious fate of the colonists, the clues they may have left behind and the search that continues in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Born in 1940, Samuel Little was known in multiple states as a drifter, petty criminal and man occasionally capable of violence. Like many people living on the fringe of society, he seemed to slip through the fingers of justice despite numerous arrests. Yet intrepid investigators and improvements in DNA testing eventually proved Little was more than an itinerant drug addict and shoplifter -- according to the FBI, he is the most prolific serial killer in US history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The United States invaded Afghanistan on October 7th, 2001 and remains embroiled in the conflict almost two decades later, making this the longest war in US history. Leaders from both of the dominant political parties continually argued that this was a winnable war, proposing new strategies, more troops, and more surges. Yet documents obtained by The Washington Post show that the long-running internal conversations painted a different -- and vastly more disturbing -- picture. Tune in to learn more about the Afghanistan Papers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In his day, American labor union leader James "Jimmy" Riddle Hoffa was one of the most well-known figures in the US. On July 30th, 1975, Hoffa disappeared. He has not been seen, living or dead, since that day. In the decades following his death numerous investigators have tried (and failed) to figure out what exactly happened to this infamous American icon. So what actually happened to Jimmy Hoffa? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In 1933, a composer named Rezső Seress created one of the world's most infamous tunes -- a melancholy, mysterious piece known as 'Gloomy Sunday.' Over the following decades, this song became notorious for the sinister effects it had on anyone who listened to the song in full. Join the guys for a special end-of-the-year episode as they explore the story of the original recording -- where it came from, who wrote it, and, most disturbingly, why. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When corporate defense lawyer Rob Bilott first learned about Wilbur Tennant's dying livestock, the frustrated West Virginian farmer was at his wits' end. He'd sought help from numerous local authorities to no avail, but he was certain DuPont was poisoning his livestock, as well as the surrounding area. Bilott's investigation led him down the rabbithole, deep into a web of contamination, chemical pollution and corporate cover-ups. Join the guys as they speak with Mr. Bilott to learn more about his first-hand experience bringing this mighty company to justice. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For centuries, it was often understood that "seeing was believing" -- while people might embellish a story, and write whatever falsehoods they wished, visually witnessing an event was solid proof of what actually happened in any given situation. Yet this no longer holds true in the modern age. Photographs have been faked since, well, the invention of photography, and video followed shortly thereafter. However, new technology is enabling the creation of fake video with an unprecedented level of sophistication and believability. So what happens when we can no longer believe our own eyes? How will the world react to the rise of the Deep Fake? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Amelia Earhart was a living legend -- this high-flying aviation pioneer garnered international acclaim and accolades for her daring flights across the planet. On July 2nd, 1937, midway through a flight around the world, Earhart's plane disappeared. Although she was declared legally dead on January 5th, 1939, theories about the true story of her disappearance linger in the public consciousness today. So what really happened to Amelia Earhart? Why do some people believe she didn't actually die on that fateful flight? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the United States, people accused of crimes are entitled to certain well-known protections under the law. And, in the international sphere, global agreements theoretically guarantee certain rights to prisoners of war. However, in the wake of 9/11 elements of the US government felt these protections were preventing them from obtaining justice. They needed locations off the books. Places where the normal rules didn't apply -- places that, officially speaking, did not exist. Tune in to learn more about the rise of black sites. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Did someone really hang themselves on camera in the Wizard of Oz? Did Stanley Kubrick hide a secret message in Eyes Wide Shut? It's no secret that the world of film is fraught with conspiracy -- both on and off the screen. But do any of these strange rumors and urban myths hold any sand? Join the guys with their special guest and long-time friend, Charles W. "Chuck" Bryant, cohost of Stuff You Should Know and creator of the Movie Crush podcast, as they separate fact from fiction in the world of conspiracies and film. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For thousands of years, people have been convinced that the weather and the position of the moon can wreak profound havoc on human behavior. This belief continues in the modern day, with numerous law enforcement officers, medical professionals and more swearing people act strangely during the full moon. Additionally, science shows certain environmental factors, such as an extended lack of sunlight, can spark measurable changes in mood. So what's the truth here? Can the weather really make people go crazy? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Look around you as you listen to today's episode -- how far did these objects travel to meet you here? In centuries past, the average person would be surrounded by local objects. Today, the most mundane of possessions may have traveled more than halfway across the world to become your fabrics, your electronic components, your favorite snacks. Make no mistake: The world as we know it will collapse if our species stops shipping things across the planet. Global trade is dangerously close to a religion -- literally every nation has a set of laws applying to the passage of goods. So why are these laws so easily broken? Why do the same nations and conglomerates touting 'rule of law' seem to obey another set of rules? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you ever felt you've encountered something beyond this mortal veil -- a spirit, a presence, something else? Would you consider yourself a psychic? Join the guys as they interview Julie Rieger and Brenda Villa, hosts of Insider's Guide To The Other Side, about their experiences in the world of psychics, their own personal journeys, advice for would-be psychics and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The majority of human beings currently live in urban areas -- and this trend seems set to continue. According to the most recent estimates, two-thirds of humanity will live in urban areas by 2050. However, not all cities are created equally. In fact, countries throughout the world are home to cities that, in one sense or another, do not officially exist. So what exactly are these secret, closed cities. What goes on there? Why are these areas hotbeds of the stuff they don't want you to know? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

We’re all familiar with the spooky, stereotypical witch depicted in film, fiction and folklore – a creepy crone with a pointy hat, riding a broom through the sky and cackling at the moon, often accompanied by her animal sidekick. But how accurate are these depictions? Were there ever really any covens, any infernal Black Masses and secret rituals dedicated to the powers of darkness? Join Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know as the guys explore fact, fiction and controversy around the real-life stories of witches and covens. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the months following the death of Jeffrey Epstein, numerous people have raised concerns regarding the official cause of the disgraced financier's death, pointing to various irregularities surrounding the prison where he died, as well as raising questions regarding the official autopsy. Join the guys as they look into the debate over Jeffrey Epstein's death, and why some experts still reject the official narrative: Epstein, they argue, did not take his own life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Everyone's heard of Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster -- but what about the hundreds of other cryptids rumored to exist around the world? Join the guys as they delve into the stories of cryptids you may have never heard of. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you written to the gang lately? If so, tune in -- you might be on the air. Join the guys as they dip into the conspiratorial mailbag, sharing your fellow listeners' strangest stories, important updates, follow-ups to existing stories and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Each year, millions of people across the planet grapple with some form of cancer. Doctors work around the clock to create better treatments methods, early diagnosis techniques and more, but for many people these innovations will sadly come too late. With so many lives on the line, it’s no surprise that multiple, unrelated individuals have claimed that they possess the cure for cancer — and that powerful forces are conspiring to keep this cure hidden from the masses. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On March 8th, 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished during a routine flight from Kuala Lumpaur to Beijing. While public -- and, later, private -- entities from across the region searched for signs of the craft, no one was able to figure out what exactly happened. Join the guys as they delve into a mystery that remains largely unsolved three years later -- the disappearance of MH370, and why some people claim there's a conspiracy afoot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It began in August -- five photographs of what appeared to be a sinister figure dressed as a clown loitering in a Green Bay, Wisconsin parking lot went viral. Eight days later, a local filmmaker admitted this was just an attempt to garner PR for an upcoming indie film... but the clowns kept coming. In the space of just a few months numerous people around the world reported being attacked or stalked by clowns. So what exactly was going on? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Was there a conspiracy to assassinate JFK? Is this universe real, or merely a simulation? How far would you go to be included in an elite, shadowy cabal? In this episode, the guys join special guest Dan Harmon, creator of Community, Rick and Morty and more, to explore these questions and more in what may well be described as their strangest episode yet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Toward the end of World War II, German forces realized they were in an unsustainable situation, on the losing side of a war rapidly drawing to a close. In an effort to prop up their wartime economy, the Nazi party stole and fenced tons of gold and other valuables -- and, depending on who you ask, some of that gold remains hidden away and forgotten in the modern day. Join the guys as they delve into the abiding rumors of hidden nazi treasure, as well as the Nazi banking conspiracies that may still be at work in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nic Pizzolatto's "True Detective" series was one of the most highly-rated shows of 2014. The gritty, Southern Gothic-meets-Hardboiled Crime tale follows two deeply flawed detectives as their investigation into a ritualistic murder leads them into an intergenerational cult, a deadly conspiracy extending throughout Louisiana and beyond. Pizzolatto cited numerous sources of inspiration for this disturbing story -- but could "True Detective" be based on a genuine, real-life cult? Join the guys as they unravel the actual conspiracy -- the real Louisiana-based cult -- that may have inspired True Detective. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

If you're like more than 90% of Americans, you own a cellphone of some kind -- and it's no wonder. Like tablets or smart speakers, these handy devices are incredibly convenient, providing a universe's worth of knowledge at your fingertips... at a price. What exactly do your smart devices know about you, and where is all that information going? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you ever felt as if somebody was watching, following or even stalking you? If so, you're not alone. Most people have, at some time or another, had an experience like this -- and, tragically, many people are physically stalked every year. Yet there's a strange twist to the tale: More and more people are claiming they're being stalked by a group of people -- a gang. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Like Amazon, eBay or multitudes of others, overstock.com is a company that allows consumers to buy goods online, often at a deep discount. The CEO, Patrick M. Byrne, resigned in August of 2019 -- and not for the usual reasons executives resign. The company wasn't closing down, and Byrne wasn't retiring to spend time with his family. So what happened? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the strange story of Patrick Byrne, the FBI, spies, honeypots and (allegedly) the Deep State. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

As World War II drew to a close, multiple Nazi officials saw the writing on the wall: Germany would lose the war, and members of the Nazi party would have to answer for their crimes -- if, that is, they were caught. In a desperate bid to avoid justice, various factions of the SS and other Nazi officials created secret international escape routes called ratlines. Just how big was the operation? Tune in to learn more about the mysterious organization called ODESSA, and why it remains a subject of intrigue and controversy in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When the guys get together to trace the story of secret societies, they aren't expecting a surprise guest to crash their podcast, revealing first-hand experience with some the most elite, secretive organizations in the United States. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Evidence indicates human beings have been using psychedelics since ancient times, and a recent paradigm shift has launched a new renaissance in psychedelic research. Over the years psychedelics (and psilocybin specifically) have been the subject of both extremely positive and severely negative claims -- so what's the truth? In this episode, special guest Robert Lamb, host of Stuff To Blow Your Mind and Invention, joins the guys to explore the fact, fiction and future of psychedelics. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Whether as beasts of burden, scouts, sentries or attack dogs, animals have been conscripted into human conflict since the dawn of recorded history. This practice hasn't changed in the modern day -- it's only evolved. Join the guys as they delve deep into some of modern history's strangest rumored (and confirmed) tales of animals in warfare, from would-be weaponized bats to tales of cyborg sharks, surveillance birds and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When philanthropist, business magnate and political activist David Koch passed away, the media scrambled to address his legacy - but what is that legacy, exactly? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the life of David Koch, and the bizarre, insidious ways the political engine he helped create still welds enormous influence on the U.S. after his demise. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Everyone loves a good heist film -- but how accurate are they? Join Ben and Matt as they delve into the stories of modern history's biggest heists, actual criminal conspiracies carried out across the world to steal millions of dollars' worth of loot. Who got caught? Who got shot? Perhaps most importantly... who got away free, and where might they be living today? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It sounds like a quandary straight out of science fiction -- given the opportunity, would you erase your own painful or traumatic memories? Join Ben and Matt as they separate science fiction from science fact (along with the fuzzy border in between), delving into the murky mechanics of memory, the treacherous way our brains handle recollections, and the profound implications posed by living in a world where memories can be artificially created, monetized, or erased. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From ancient stories of shapeshifters to works of fiction like "The Island of Dr. Moreau", humanity has always been fascinating with the line between people and non-human animals -- but modern technology may finally allow us to create real-life chimeras. In fact, it already has. The only question here is how far scientists have actually gone in this regard (and whether that's something they don't want us to know). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the 1990s international media was captivated by a bizarre epidemic of church arsons in Norway, often attributing these crimes to so-called Satanic groups and individuals in Norway's black metal scene. This was wrapped up in the larger phenomenon of "Satanic Panic", a widespread fear that shadowy, devil-worshipping cabals secretly control human civilization. So is there any truth to the story? Tune in as the guys explore the true story of the infamous Scandinavian church burnings. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Since the late 1990s the former British colony of Hong Kong has existed in a tense, liminal state with mainland China. The region is governed by the "one country, two systems" policy, yet a recently-proposed extradition bill has triggered massive, ongoing protests as the citizens of the region fear their rights will increasingly erode under the thumb of the PRC. Both pro-autonomy and pro-Beijing forces are convinced a conspiracy is afoot -- so which, if any, of their conspiracy theories are true? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Religions are as old as humanity, and predate the written word. They've also been home to a great many secrets -- in fact, some religions have been predicated on secrecy, and others are amalgamations of two preexisting belief systems. Join the guys as they explore the strange rise of religions, the ways in which they have melded over time and, ultimately, ask whether there are any real secret religions active in the world today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On March 13th, 1997, thousands of people in Nevada, Arizona and Mexico reported seeing bizarre lights in the evening sky -- today, more than two decades later, the Phoenix Lights are still considered to be one of the most significant UFO sightings in recent history. But what exactly were they? What really happened that night in March? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Across the course of his strange and checkered career, pilot and smuggler Barry Seal was called many things: An informant, a criminal, an asset for America's alphabet soup of intelligence agencies and more. He met an ignoble end in February of 1986, when he was fatally shot outside the Salvation Army facility where he'd been ordered to work in court-mandated public service. However, it turns out the official explanation of his death hasn't convinced everyone -- to this day, journalists, theorists and more continue to ask: Who really killed Barry Seal? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Born Nur Maznah Binti Ismail in Kangar, Perlis, the musician Mona Fandey achieved national success with her song Ku Nyanyikan Lagu Ini in 1987 -- yet her career seemed destined to slowly fade away, with Mona and her husband living out their lives in comfortable obscurity. Until, that is, in 1993, when Mona Fandey became the prime suspect in a gruesome murder that led many people to believe she'd secretly been an evil bomoh, practicing the art of dark sorcery for decades before finally being brought to justice. So what's the truth? Was Fandey mentally ill? Was she framed? Or was there something more sinister and sorcerous afoot? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Earlier this year the guys traced the rise of the enigmatic financier and child abuser Jeffrey Epstein, discovering a quagmire of crime, corruption and cover-ups implicating some of the world’s most powerful individuals. It seemed Epstein’s connections effectively placed him above the law - at least, that is, until renewed public scrutiny and criminal investigations found Epstein arrested once again and, this time, placed in a real prison. Many speculated Epstein would never go to trial. On August 10th, he was found dead in what the media described as an “apparent suicide”. So what happened?  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Love it or hate it, Facebook is one of the world's most popular social media platforms. Over a relatively short span of time, the company has exploded into numerous areas of human interaction (and created no small amount of controversy along the way). In May of 2009, Facebook experimented with a virtual currency concept called Facebook Credits. It didn't last long, but there may be a new scheme on the horizon. Join the guys as they explore the fact, fiction and conspiracy surrounding the Facebook Libra, the proposed virtual currency that -- according to critics -- could allow this social media platform to function like a central bank. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From the late 1970s to the 1980s, the US Government paid for intelligence officers to undergo weeklong training sessions at a remote place called the Monroe Institute. Training sessions themselves aren't particularly abnormal -- but these officers weren't learning new languages, the latest news about satellites and so on. Instead, the Institute was using hypnosis to teach them astral projection, ESP and clairvoyance. The news went public via a declassified CIA document released in 1984, but questions remain: Was this all a waste of money? Or was there something else to the story? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

As police officers, researchers and other professionals can attest, delving into the darkness can take an unexpected — and heavy — toll. In today’s episode, the guys sit down with returning guest Scott Benjamin to learn more about his journey through the world of true crime, the unanticipated consequences of staring into the abyss of human depravity and more in his new podcast Monster Presents: Insomniac. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How did a young, struggling German immigrant build one of the country's most successful criminal empires? In this live episode, the guys join with Holly Frey, cohost of the award-winning podcast Stuff You Missed in History Class, to explore the life, times and reign of America's first mob boss, Marm Mandelbaum. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Henry Kissinger has worn many hats over the course of his long life. To some, his geopolitical career is a study in the ruthless, brilliant application of realpolitik. To others, he is a war criminal responsible for massive waves of death in multiple countries across the globe. Join the guys as they delve into the strange, at times disturbing career of Henry Kissinger -- including the Stuff He Doesn't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Did the real Paul McCartney die in a car accident, only to be replaced by a doppelgänger? What about the similar stories surrounding Taylor Swift, Avril Lavigne, Saddam Hussein and more? Join the guys as they explore the facts, fiction and plausibility of celebrity body doubles, replacements and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What does the science say about climate change? Why do some people seem dead-set against the idea that human beings are driving rises in temperature, pollution rates and so on? Join the guys as they sit down with award-winning journalist Amy Westervelt, creator and host of the podcast Drilled, to explore the rise of climate change denialism -- and the identities of the people and industries funding it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

There have always been conspiracy theories about secret structures on the lunar surface, and in modern decades numerous fringe researchers have alleged that various governments have already built some sort of permanent structure on the moon. It sounds pretty out there, but could there be a grain of truth to the stories? Tune in to learn more about Project Horizon. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In 1982, in Titusville, Florida, construction worker Steve Vandejagt happened across a skull amid the muck and debris of the job site. And this was only the beginning of the mystery. Steve had accidentally uncovered one of the oldest gravesites in the United States, proof of an ancient, mysterious culture that existed more than 7,000 years ago. Join the guys as they dive into the story of the Windover Bog Bodies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Ads are ubiquitous on the internet, and even if you use an ad blocker or two, you're bound to see a few things slip through. Luckily, those ads don't really give advertisers any new information about you unless you interact with them... right? Not so fast. Eye tracking technology can glean an enormous amount about your attention, as well as your reactions to a given image or piece of language, just by watching how you watch, gaze or glance at an ad. So how much can they learn, exactly? Does eye tracking allow companies to, in some sense, read your thoughts? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Until the day we're able to manufacture affordable, reliable organs from scratch, organ transplants will remain the only hope for millions of sick and dying people across the planet. For this reason, organs have been a big business for decades -- and not all aspects of the business are legal. For years rumors have been brewing about the organ trade in China. Why is the waiting time for a transplant so low? Where are all these organs actually coming from? The answer may terrify you. Strap in as the guys dive into the stuff China doesn't want you to know about the organ trade. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Flying saucers are perhaps the most iconic genre of UFO -- since the 1940s they've become the mainstay vehicles for extraterrestrials in all sorts of fictional stories. But, according to declassified files, the US Government was intensely interested in building some flying saucers of its own. So far did they get? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Through the process of vaccination, millions of people have avoided serious (at times fatal) medical conditions, but opposition to the practice began almost immediately after vaccinations became widespread. And in the modern day the anti-vaccination movement has seemed to gain more ground than before -- so what's going on here? Join the guys as they dive into the history of vaccination, the claims of the anti-vaxx movement and why some people insist there's a conspiracy afoot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

While the vast majority of people identifying as Satanists don’t buy into the idea of a nefarious, evil entity opposed to the forces of good, there are a few genuine theistic Satanists out there. Join the guys as they explore the strange story of the organization known as “The Nine Angles”. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

David Icke is one of the most well-known, controversial people in the world of conspiracy theories. In this episode, the guys speak with Mr. Icke for a first-hand look at everything from his former career to his beliefs on the nature of reality, the accusations of his critics and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In October of 2012 a huge explosion rocked Camp Minden, a little-known government compound located in Louisiana. The explosion shattered windows 4 miles away. A 7,000-foot mushroom cloud contaminated the area and eyewitnesses understandably wondered whether they'd been the victims of a nuclear detonation. So what exactly did happen? Tune in to learn more about the conspiracy afoot at Camp Minden.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

German immigrant John Jacob Astor was the first multimillionaire in the United States, and his descendants would go on to play prominent roles in the country's history -- but how exactly did he get this enormous fortune? According to the official story, he started off in the fur trade and later expanded into real estate. Yet for more than a century people rumors about the real origin of Astor's wealth have been floating around the fringes of conversation -- what if he wasn't a legitimate businessman in the beginning, but instead engaged in less savory endeavors? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When most people think of pyramids, we imagine the pyramids of Egypt -- but they're by no means the only example of this ancient architecture. In this episode, the guys explore more stories of strange, lesser known pyramids, concentrating on the increasingly bizarre claims of pyramids hidden in the planet's northern climes, from Alaska to Antarctica. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For years, fast radio bursts have mystified astronomers across the planet. These millisecond-long blips of intense, unexplained radio signals pop up all over the sky, temporarily outshining radio pulsars despite being perhaps a million times farther away. Before 2013, many astrophysicists doubted that they even existed. Now their existence is undeniable — but what exactly are they? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The local authorities only discovered the elaborate series of tunnels under Danbury Road when the house above them was burning down. When brilliant and disturbed former hacker Daniel Beckwitt felt the collapse of civilization was imminent, he decided to make a plan, building a series of secret underground tunnels beneath his home in Maryland. As the construction continued, he employed various people to help dig out the structure, living beneath the ground for days at a time. Join the guys to learn more about this strange story about hackers, doomsday prepping, nuclear war, hidden tunnels, fire and what may arguably be murder. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you given the guys a call lately? If so, tune in: You just might be on the air. Join the gang as they respond to some of your fellow listeners' most intriguing -- and in some cases, strangest -- calls. Want to be part of the next one? Just give us a ring at 1-833-STDWYTK. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On paper, the US government is a meritocracy. This means that, unlike older monarchical systems of government, state and federal positions are earned on the basis of individual talent, experience and skill, rather than being awarded as an entitlement due to a person's parentage. However, in practice, this doesn't always seem to be the case. Nepotism makes the world go 'round, and it seems even top US officials aren't immune to the siren call of unearned favoritism. While numerous critics have disparaged the practice, Presidents from the 1800s to the modern day tried (with varying success) to install their family members in positions of power -- and some people still wonder whether this is actually legal. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Located in Staffordshire, England, the Shepherd's Monument is a bas-relief recreation of Nicolas Poussin's painting “Shepherds of Arcadia”. However, the sculpture has several key differences -- one of which has baffled historians, experts and others for centuries: What's that mysterious inscription? What on Earth could it mean? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

While serial killers may seem like a relatively new phenomenon, the human species hasn't changed as much as we all might like to think. Join the guys as they dive into the mysterious, grisly stories of proven and suspected serial killers from ancient civilizations across the planet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When Princess Diana died as a result of a horrendous car crash in Paris, the United Kingdom was shaken to the core. As more details emerged, some people became convinced that Diana's death was not an accident. Why? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

If you live in the global west, odds are you haven't heard of Aleksandr Dugin. The author of "Foundations of Geopolitics" doesn't have a global profile, and he holds no official position in the Russian government. However, despite his lack of official government credentials, western officials are increasingly worried that this author may be at the helm of Russia's global chess game, from the annexation of Crimea to proven interference in election systems and more. So who is the mysterious Aleksandr Dugin -- a quack? A genius? Listen in to learn why some believe he may be a new Rasputin. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For most of its history, outsiders saw Keith Raniere's NXIVM as a multi-level marketing and self-help company -- a little eccentric, sure, but overall a harmless hobby for those involved. This all changed when allegations of sexual abuse, financial manipulation and cult-like practices emerged, exposing a conspiracy encompassing everyone from everyday civilians to A-list actors. So what was it like inside NXIVM, before the group's inner workings were exposed? Join the guys as they sit down with musician Jon Bryant to talk about his first-hand experience with this organization, as well as how surviving the ordeal informs his art and philosophy today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Over the years, people have described Wikileaks founder Julian Assange as everything from a hero to a villain -- and, in recent years, a captive. From 2012 to April of 2019, Assange lived in the Ecuadorian Embassy of London, unable to leave the grounds for fear of instant arrest and possible extradition to the United States. This April he was removed from the embassy. So what happened? More importantly, what happens next? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

While the United States is home to some of the world's most advanced medical technology, it's no secret that it has a terrible healthcare system -- millions of people are one bad diagnosis away from bankruptcy or death if they cannot pay the insurance companies controlling their access to life-saving treatments, medicines and therapy. Yet the US also has the world's highest incarceration rate, with over 700 people out of every 100,000 currently serving time -- what happens when they get sick? Tune in to learn the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know about healthcare in prison. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In 1967 the tiny fishing community of Shag Harbor became ground zero for one of the most infamous UFO sightings in Canadian history. More than 50 years later, people still haven't forgotten the bizarre series of lights they saw that October night... but what exactly were they? Listen in to learn more about the mysterious event known as Canada's Roswell. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Ticketmaster was founded in 1976, and since that time it's grown to be one of the most powerful forces in the industry -- whether you've gone to symphonies, concerts or plays, odds are you've run into Ticketmaster while trying to get your seats for the show. Yet numerous people allege that this company wields enormous, dangerous influence over artist, venues and fans alike. Tune in to learn more about the rise of Ticketmaster. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Whenever you tune into the news nowadays, it seems like there's yet another tragic disaster on the airwaves. And, over recent years, some fringe researchers have been arguing that disaster has a season -- not some part of the year wherein disasters are naturally more likely to occur, but a time of the year when certain forces are purposefully creating tragedies. Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

During the hectic news cycle of 2015, numerous stories popped up in headlines, only to disappear as soon as another event (or scandal) came to light. One story in particular remains enigmatic in the modern day: During the investigation into the Clinton email scandal, an FBI report found that "There was a powerful group of very high-ranking State [Department] officials that some referred to as 'The 7th Floor Group' or 'The Shadow Government.'" What exactly did this mean? Was there really a shadow government operating in Washington? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Earlier, the guys explored the fact, fiction and speculation surrounding MKULTRA programs, during which the Central Intelligence Agency financed and directed multiple illegal experiments on US citizens. The program was officially disbanded before it became public knowledge, but thousands of people aren't buying the official story -- instead, they say, insidious operations continued throughout the country. Where do these claims come from? Is there any proof? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The rumors spread for decades: Somewhere in the US, our own government was conducting dangerous, heinous and illegal experiments on citizens from all walks of life. This conspiratorial tale seemed set to remain little more than an urban legend -- until, that is, intrepid reporters and members of Congress managed to expose MKULTRA, the insidious series of experiments run by the Central Intelligence Agency with almost no oversight. In the decades since the revelation, MKULTRA has been featured in countless works of fiction, documentaries and more. But what exactly was it? Join the guys as they separate the MKULTRA fact from fiction. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It sounds like a darkly comic tale worthy of Vonnegut -- Rodney Hyden, a down-on-his-luck Florida businessman, hears a modern urban legend from Julian, the local town hippy: Years back, the story goes, Julian was living the simple life in Puerto Rico when a huge parcel of cocaine washed ashore. Not being sure what to do, Julian buried the drugs and more or less let them be. As the 2008 crash put Rodney in dire financial straits, he began assembling a team to retrieve the cocaine in a mission that was a combination of a heist, a search for buried treasure, and an international drug deal. Join the guys as they sit down with director Theo Love for a peek behind the curtain of this strange, true story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Across the span of modern human history, the Arctic has been a desolate, dangerous wasteland of freezing ice, inaccessible waters and more than a bit of myth. Yet as the ice recedes, countries and corporations around the globe are already gearing up to take possession of the region's future trade routes -- and billions of dollars' worth of previously untouchable resources. The pieces are already on the chessboard, with multiple groups accusing each other of cover-ups and deceptive tactics. One questions looms larger and larger with each passing season: Who will control the Arctic? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Love them or hate them, protests are as American as apple pie. Each year thousands of people exercise their right to free speech and assembly, often to publicly denounce a policy, project or phenomenon. This is entirely legal, so long as the protestors have the right permits and things don't turn violent. However, many veteran protestors will tell you there's more going on behind the scenes. Most protestors, they argue, don't want things to devolve into physical conflict. However, those people wearing facemasks, throwing bricks and antagonizing the police aren't part of the actual gathering... instead, they're agents of something much more sinister. Tune in to learn more about how protests get infiltrated and compromised. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On January 2, 1935, a man checked into room 1046 at the Hotel President in Kansas City. He gave his name as Roland T. Owen, and listed his a home address in Los Angeles. Later, he was found brutally beaten, exhibiting signs of torture. He passed away shortly thereafter... and there the mystery begins. Roland, you see, was a fake name used by one Artemus Ogletree, from Birmingham, Alabama. Join the guys as they unravel the strange, twisting story of Artemus Ogletree's murder. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Four centuries before Columbus reached the western hemisphere, Cahokia was a prosperous pre-American city with a population similar to London’s. In fact, it was probably the largest North American city north of Mexico at that time. While Cahokia was a major population centre around AD1050, by 1350 it was largely abandoned by its people – and, even today, no one is sure why. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Washington, D.C. is home to numerous organizations and institutions created to broker deals and funnel power from one place (or policy) to another. Many of these organizations operate more or less openly, while others pride themselves on their discretion and ability to stay out of the public eye. The Family is one of the latter -- a secretive group founded in 1935 as a religiously-motivated movement to bring its interpretation of Christianity to the halls of Congress and beyond. But what exactly is the Family? More importantly, what exactly are they up to? Join the guys as they peer behind the curtain. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In Malay folklore, the Orang Minyak is an supernaturally agile, humanoid creature coated in an oily, slippery substance. It is primarily known for abducting young women at night. There are other, similar creatures in folkloric beliefs across the planet -- boogeymen meant to warn children against disobeying their parents or social mores. But something about the Orang Minyak is different: Since the 1950s, it's been a prime suspect in numerous assaults and attempted crimes, with authorities and bystanders both claiming there was something supernatural about these crimes.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

If you met a person from the year 1019, they would be, in many ways, much like you. But what if you met a person from 3019? How different will human beings be one thousand years from today? Will humanity as we understand still be around? Join the guys with special guests John Goforth and Brent Hand, hosts of Hysteria 51, as they explore the strange twists and turns the future may hold for our species... assuming, of course, that we survive. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The Panama Papers are a collection of over 11 million leaked documents exposing shady financial dealings from more than 200,000 offshore entities, some dating as far back as the 1970s. When Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia began connecting the dots between corruption in her home country and information in the Panama Papers, she may have finally crossed a line organized crime wasn't willing to tolerate -- in October of 2017, she was killed by a car bomb outside of her home. Today, the murder remains officially unsolved. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Playwright William Shakespeare is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential writers in the English language, and his plays have been read or performed millions of times around the world. He was also quite prolific: Between about 1590 and 1613, Shakespeare wrote at least 37 plays and collaborated on several more. Yet for more than a century various researchers known collectively as anti-Stratfordians have argued that Shakespeare didn't actually write some -- or all -- of his work.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's no secret that the border between the United States and Mexico has been the subject of recent, intensely divisive debate. There have been numerous reports (some more reliable than others) detailing the rise or decline of crime along the border -- after all, chaotic times create opportunities for crime -- but one story slipped through the cracks. It appears that there was an active serial killer on the US border, and he worked for Uncle Sam. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you given the guys a call lately? If so, tune in: You just might be on the air. Join the gang as they respond to some of your fellow listeners' most intriguing -- and in some cases, strangest -- calls. Want to be part of the next one? Just give us a ring at 1-833-STDWYTK. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What if you could travel outside your body at will, sending your consciousness across the planet and beyond? While it may sound like a tale of science fiction to some, the phenomenon known as remote viewing was the subject intense government scrutiny for years. Join the guys as they interview physicist and author Russell Targ, creator of the new film Third Eye Spies, to learn more about his experience researching remote viewing, his work with the government, the future of remote viewing and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Higher education offers millions of people the opportunity to pursue their dreams and make meaningful contributions to civilization -- but it often doesn't come cheap. At $1.5 trillion, the student loan debt in the United States alone is worth more than the value of Facebook and Microsoft combined. So how did we get here? Why do so many people believe the government and private financial interests have conspired to put people under the thumb of life-long, crippling debt? And, perhaps most disturbingly, what will happen if the debt bubble bursts? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you given the guys a call lately? If so, tune in: You just might be on the air. Join the gang as they respond to some of your fellow listeners' most intriguing -- and in some cases, strangest -- calls. Want to be part of the next one? Just give us a ring at 1-833-STDWYTK. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On Thursday, February 5, 1987, two men were arrested on suspicion of kidnapping six children and transporting them to Tallahassee, Florida. While the children were reportedly filthy and hungry, initial reports of abuse didn’t hold up. The mothers confirmed they knew the men, and the charges were eventually dropped. But this isn’t how the story ends -- instead, this is where the story of the Finders cult begins. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Belief in supernatural, divine beings like angels dates back into antiquity and occurs throughout numerous religions. Even in the modern day, numerous Americans are convinced that angels (or something like them) exist and intervene in human affairs. So, outside of anecdotes and personal opinion, is there any proof these creatures exist? To one enormously influential scientist, magician and philosopher, Angels left one indisputable proof of their existence: A secret language, predating humanity -- one with the power to reveal the secrets of the universe. Listen in to learn more about Enochian language and John Dee. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Smart phones have fundamentally changed the world -- at times, it's difficult to imagine life without one of these handy computers. There's a world of people you can call, a universe of information at your fingertips and millions of specialized programs to make everyday life that much easier. In fact, it sounds too good to be true... and, according to some critics, that might just be the case. So how do we separate the fact from fiction when it comes to smart phones and cancer? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The Black Panther Party For Self-defense was founded in Oakland, California in 1966 by Huey Newton and Bobby Seale. They originally wanted to protect local residents from police brutality. One prominent Black Panther activist, Fred Hampton, was killed during an FBI/Chicago Police Force raid on December 4th, 1969. Officially speaking, his death was an unfortunate accident. However, 50 years later multiple scholars, journalists and historians believe there’s more to the story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The nation of China recently made international news by successfully completing an unmanned landing on the far side of Earth’s moon, marking a pivotal point in the resurgent space race. So why do some observers believe there’s more to the story? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's true that romance and relationships in general are a minefield for almost everyone -- but for a group of people who call themselves incels, there's an active conspiracy running against them. Short for 'involuntarily celibate', this group has generated huge amounts of controversy with with incitement of violence, encouragement of sexual assault, and militant misogyny that one could easily mistake for trolling. Join the guys as they explore the origins, growth and devolution of the incel movement -- including what happens when internet conversations result in real-world catastrophe. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Death is one of humanity's great unifiers. Before the dawn of recorded history our species and others like it venerated, feared and honored the dead. The practice of commemorating our loved ones continues today -- and it's become a big business. Join the guys as they delve deeper into the fact, fiction and controversy of the funeral industry to determine whether or not a secret monopoly is at play. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In recent history more and more analysts have been concerned about the rise of privately-owned, multinational corporations wielding the type of geopolitical power once relegated to states and nations. These concerns usually name drop the best known large companies, such as Nestle, Unilever, Halliburton and so on -- but many more companies operate just as effectively in relative obscurity. Tune in to learn more about the controversies surrounding the prestigious and murky world of the global management consulting group McKinsey and Company, an organization so powerful it's often referred to as, simply, "the Firm". Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On November 11, 2018, seismologists began puzzling over a weird low-frequency rumble that rang through the entire planet. The wave wasn’t connected to any known events, and scientists remain mystified by the mysterious phenomenon. Join the guys as the explore the theories behind the world’s weirdest earthquake. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Join the guys as they explore more strange and mysterious cases of famous lost grave sites — some of which were lost on purpose. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In an earlier episode, the guys delved into the modern mystery of Genghis Khan's hidden grave, and found he was far from the only famous historical figure lost to secrecy and the inevitable march of time. Travel with the gang as they unravel more stories of humanity's famous lost tombs, hidden corpses and more in the first part of this two-part series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

You can find phrases touting "natural" flavoring on products throughout most modern supermarkets, from beverages to cereal to more -- but what exactly does this mean? Join the guys as they delve into the fact (and fiction) surrounding the use of "natural" in advertising... and why there might be more to the story than you think. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Also known as the Security Service, MI5 is the United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency, dealing with threats inside the kingdom. However, recent revelations have shown that, in some cases, the organization may have helped to aid and abet some crimes in the course of (theoretically) preventing others. Tune in to learn more about the morally grey world of covert operations and MI5. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jeffrey Epstein made a name for himself as a mysterious money manager with friends in very high places, from Bill Clinton to Donald Trump, British royalty and more. His firm refused to do business with anyone worth less than one billion dollars, and Epstein traveled the globe, often throwing exclusive parties on his own private island. Yet this jet-setting money whiz was also dogged by rumors -- rumors of ongoing sexual abuse with multiple victims. At least some of these rumors turned out to be true. Any other person would have spent years in jail ...so why is Jeffrey Epstein walking free today? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Join Ben and Matt as they interview Aaron Mahnke, the creator of the world-famous Lore podcast, about Unobscured, the new series where he dives deep into the true story of the Salem witch trials. How many people were tried? How many actually died? What does Hollywood get wrong and, perhaps most importantly, was there something the people of Salem didn't want future generations to know? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Regardless of how you feel about one conspiracy or another, there’s no denying that 2018 was chock-full of insane allegations (and some disturbingly true stories). Join the guys as they look back on little-known stories from the past year, as well as updates and predictions for the cover-ups, conspiracies and allegations of 2019. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Chances are that you've heard of the alleged war on Christmas, which some believe is an effort to distance the celebration from its origins. But what are those origins, exactly -- and where do modern Christmas traditions come from? Tune in to learn more. Join Ben and Matt as they delve into some of the murky origins of what we call Christmas in today's classic episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How long do humans have left on Earth? As species go, humanity has had a brief, incredibly transformative run here on Earth. We've mined resources, farmed food, hunted animals, built cities and polluted ecosystems across the globe. There's no denying we've also made tremendous technological breakthroughs -- but could some of those same innovations ultimately become the agents of our collective demise? Join the guys as they interview Stuff You Should Know cohost Josh Clark about the science behind his newest podcast, The End Of The World. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Out of all the states in the Union, it seems like Florida is home to the craziest shenanigans. Every few days another story about a weird, madcap crime in the Sunshine state makes the circuit in mass media, and it’s created a nationwide stereotype about the state and its residents. But how did we get here? Is there any truth to the bizarre stereotype? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When controversial transhumanism activist and erstwhile CEO Aaron Traywick was found dead in a sensory deprivation tank on April 29th, 2018, many of his critics and colleagues suspected there was more to his death than an apparently accidental ketamine overdose. Was there foul play? Suicide? Pseudocide? Listen in to learn more about the life, times and mysterious death of Aaron Traywick. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

 In 2007, a new father in the small Czech town of Kurim installed a baby monitor only to find that, instead of picking up the feed from his own home, he was receiving a camera signal from his neighbors’ house. The feed showed two young, filthy boys locked in a cellar, being tortured. This was only the beginning of the strange and twisted tale of the Kurim cult. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Did a race of red-haired, not-quite-human, cannibalistic giants really terrorize the Paiute people in ancient America? For a long time, according to the story, this tale was thought to be little more than a piece of imaginative folklore -- until, that is, the fall of 1911, when guano miners stumbled upon a thousands of artifacts hidden in a mysterious cave just outside of Lovelock, Nevada. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Located just a few miles away from Alice Springs, Australia, Pine Gap is known as one of the country's hotbeds of surveillance and secrecy -- but what exactly goes on there? What is it these over 800 Australian and U.S. employees do every day? Join the guys as they delve into the fact and fiction surrounding Australia's Pine Gap. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Non-stick pans are incredibly convenient -- they save hours of time, and make cooking less labor-intensive. Some might say the technology sounds too good to be true! As it turns out, that just might be the case. Tune in to learn how 3M, DuPont and other corporate entities conspired (for decades) to suppress research indicating serious medical dangers posed by Teflon and related substances. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Spies aren't just relegated to the Cold War and James Bond -- in fact, spycraft played a crucial role in the Revolutionary War. One of the government's most effective spies was so accomplished that, even in the modern day, their identity remains a mystery. Join the guys as they unravel the strange story of the enigmatic Agent 355. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The recent film Above Majestic looks at the origins, history and conspiracies behind the "Majestic 12," an alleged, secret group of military and corporate figureheads charged with reverse-engineering extraterrestrial technology. Join the guys as they interview the creator of the film, David Wilcock, about his theories, his beliefs, and the experiences that inspired him to create the film. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nestlé is the world's largest food and beverage company, and it's no surprise that an entity this large would, at some point over the decades, become embroiled in a controversy or two. However, according to critics and numerous advocacy groups, Nestlé has a dark side that goes far beyond the occasional ethical misstep. Join the guys and special guest Lauren Vogelbaum, host of Savor, as they unravel the story of Nestlé's cover-ups and conspiracies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What should people be allowed to say online? What sort of control should states or private entities have over images, concepts, speeches and other content created by individuals, groups or the public? Join the guys as they explore the controversial phenomenon of censorship, from moments where it's arguably necessary to times where censorship functions as conspiracy or cover-up -- ultimately asking how censorship works in the future.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From the secret signs of homeless communities to Toynbee tiles, the world of advertisement and even the US dollar, the world is chock-full of hidden signs, languages and symbols. Recently, the guys hit the road, traveling across the northeast and exploring these secret images on their first live tour. Tune in to learn more about the strange world of hobo code, the weird images on US currency and the murky origins of the Federal Reserve. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When most people hear the phrase "concentration camp" we immediately think of the atrocities of World War II. Sadly, that's not the end of the story. Despite global efforts to cover up the existence of detainment, re-education and concentration camps, the practice of detaining, capturing and torturing groups of people continues in the modern day. Listen in to learn the stuff they don't want you to know about modern, secret detainment camps. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Music is one of the first human languages, and today it's also a multi-billion dollar industry. Each year, multitudes of would-be superstars pour blood, sweat, cash and tears into their dream of making it big on the public stage. So what sets the successful music stars apart from the rest? Why do certain songs get played more than others? Who really writes them? Join the guys as they explore the truth behind the speaker, and hunt down the people who control the music you hear. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Stubborn, determined and tenacious, Gary Webb was the quintessential investigative journalist. In his work for a newspaper called The Mercury News, Gary explored the relationship between right-wing revolutionary Contras in Nicaragua, the crack cocaine epidemic in the United States, and the actions of the Central Intelligence Agency. While the series was published, multiple mainstream newspapers joined together to write editorials criticizing him, and ultimately his own editors turned on him, as well. Gary Webb later died from two gunshots to the head. This was officially deemed a suicide, and there's no wonder people think there's more to the story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Depending on who you ask, voter fraud is a widespread threat to the U.S. democratic system or a piece of "fake news". How often are people fraudulently voting? Is there really a cover-up or conspiracy to corrupt the vote? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the strange, murky world of voter and election fraud. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

DARPA is the source of numerous astonishing technological innovations — as well as some terrifying ones, and often the research associated with this organization remains under wraps for years. However, it’s possible to make some pretty good guesses about what DARPA has up its sleeve for the future, even when it’s the stuff they don’t want you to know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The rise of the Internet Age allowed billions of people to access virtually endless stores of information, but it had a dark side -- one of which was the rise of a new kind of army: Groups that used viruses and software the way other militaries use missiles, spies and bombs. Join the guys as they explore the rise of the mysterious entity known as GhostNet -- what it did, how it got away with it, and why no one's been able to stop it. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

YouTube is huge — as you’re reading this sentence, millions of people are clicking through videos to watch their favorite celebrities, learn new skills, listen to music and more. Yet there’s more to this platform than the casual viewer might suspect. Tune in as the guys explore the strange, hidden mechanics governing what YouTube wants you to watch, and why. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Among all the continents of Earth, Antarctica remains both the most inhospitable and the most mysterious. Today the only humans on the landmass are researchers and their support staff, charged with studying climate change, the local ecosystem and the unique creatures that call the freezing, ice-riddled continent home. Yet for centuries various researchers have argued there's more to the history of Antarctica -- that, before it was ever 'officially discovered', Antarctica was home to a long-forgotten civilization, the existence of which could fundamentally rewrite the story of human history.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On October 6th, 1993, living legend Michael Jordan shocked the world when he abruptly announced his retirement from the Chicago Bulls. Was the world's most famous basketball player really just tired of the game? In the days, months and years following Jordan's retirement, rumors began to spread, claiming there was more -- much more -- to the official story. Join the guys as they welcome special guests Jacquis Neal and Edgar Momplaisir, the hosts of Culture Kings, to separate the fact from fiction and explore the real reason why Michael Jordan decided (or was forced) to retire. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Does someone have real-life superspeed? Can people telepathically control machines? When the guys originally began investigating real-life superpowers, they had no idea how many extraordinary abilities they would end up discovering. Tune in for the superpower sequel, with all new powers (and a few abilities that might be more like a curse). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For most fans, the music industry can be a relatively obscure enterprise — we might know our favorite singers, MCs or bands, but often we have no idea what goes on behind the scenes as managers, labels and government agencies attempt influence, spread or suppress the music you hear. In this episode Ben, Matt and Noel meet with J. Prince, the founder of Rap-A-Lot records, to learn more about what the music industry does — and does not — want its listeners to know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Over the years, the guys have explored stories of cryptids across the planet, but in all their podcast journeys they somehow never made it to Australia -- at least, that is, until today. Tune in as they investigate the tales of Australian cryptids with a special guest appearance by Savor cohost and frequent globetrotter Anney Reese, who for a time lived with an indigenous community on the continent. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Jack Parsons was a rocket engineer and rocket propulsion researcher responsible for astonishing breakthroughs in his field. However, Parsons had a double life -- a private passion for the occult that led him to eventually join Aleister Crowley's new Thelemite religion, attempt the Babalon Working and hobknob with L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. Tune in to learn more about the rocket scientist and real-life wizard Jack Parsons. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

You've heard the guys mention their new call-in line on previous episodes -- but what actually happens to all those messages from your fellow Conspiracy Realists? Listen in as Ben, Matt and Noel field your calls in today's episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

As one of the biggest musical acts in human history, the Beatles didn't just fundamentally change the course of music -- they also affected society at large in numerous ways, evolving beyond musicians to larger-than-life icons in the public eye. And, over the decades, they've also become the subject of multiple conspiracy theories. Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Pyramids aren't just for Egypt! Join Ben and Matt as they dive into the strange story of a hidden pyramid in China, an ancient lost civilization that, recently uncovered, holds disturbing secrets in the modern day.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they interview Payne Lindsey, the creator of Atlanta Monster and Up and Vanished, for a behind-the-scenes look at Payne's process for developing these shows (as well as a sneak peek on Up and Vanished Season 2).  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The Ark of the Covenant is the legendary wooden chest said to hold Ten Commandments, engraved on stone tablets. For thousands of years people have searched for the Ark with little to no success. However, according to the guardians of The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, the ark itself has been hidden in Ethiopia for millennia.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

If you're an American, you're probably familiar with the famous 'Satanic Panic' of the 80s and 90s -- but did you know Italy experienced something extremely similar? And, even crazier, did you know that Italy has a documented case of an active Satanic conspiracy? Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you joined the Here's Where It Gets Crazy facebook group? If so, tune in -- you just might be on the air in today's episode of listener mail.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the era of the Cold War, intelligence agencies on both sides of the iron curtain desperately raced to secure any possible technological advantage, even if it meant breaking the law along the way. Join the guys as they interview filmmaker Bret Wood, the creator of The Control Group podcast, about the real-life events that inspired the first fiction podcast by HowStuffWorks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On the surface, NXVIM seemed like any other multi-level marketing company or self-help group. It offered numerous development seminars and executive success programs, just like those of other, similar institutions. Yet NXVIM had a sinister side, a hidden circle in which abuse, sexual slavery, fraud and physical branding were commonplace. Tune in as the guys answer the question: At what point does a company move from being an MLM to becoming a cult? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Named for the orange stripe lining the 55 gallon barrels containing this herbicide and defoliant, Agent Orange was one of the most widely-used "rainbow herbicides" of the Vietnam war. But it wasn't just harmful to plants. Soon after it was deployed in Vietnam, Vietnamese citizens and US veterans alike reported crippling, life-threatening symptoms. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Legendary auteur Stanley Kubrick is considered one of the most important single individuals in the history of modern film. There’s no question that his techniques, approach and body of work have influenced countless filmmakers -- but, according to some people -- he’s affected the public in much more disturbing ways. Join the guys as they dive into the conspiratorial allegations surrounding Stanley Kubrick. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

India controls numerous islands in the Indian Ocean, and they have a strange set of rules for North Sentinel Islands -- a tiny, remote place most people wouldn't visit anyway. You see, the Indian government maintains a 'zone of exclusion' surrounding the island, with no ships, helicopters or people allowed within miles of the shore. Ordinarily one might assume this is a secret military base or the site of an environmental disaster -- but the real answer is even stranger. Tune into to learn more about the mystery of North Sentinel Island. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the U.S. doctors often prescribe opioids for pain management, and it's no secret that these substances are a big business for pharmaceutical companies -- and, increasingly, it's no secret that exposure to these legal pills are turning patients into unwilling addicts. So how exactly did the U.S. come to find itself in the grip of an opioid epidemic, and who should be held responsible? Perhaps most importantly, how can the nation recover? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On September 16, 1994, teachers and school officials at the Ariel School in Ruwa, Zimbabwe were amazed when the school's students reported that a flying object had landed on the school grounds. What makes this sighting unique? What differentiates it from other UFO reports? Join the guys as they interview Randall Nickerson about his investigation of the sighting, and his upcoming documentary on the Ariel School UFO encounter. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Imagine that you could possess a genuine, real-life spellbook -- something that could enable you to summon and command otherworldly powers, to accrue riches and shed light on the dark mysteries of the heavens. People who believe such a thing is possible often point to the legendary Key of Solomon as proof that genuine grimoires exist. But what is this book, exactly? Tune in as the guys attempt to separate the fact from fiction surrounding the Key of Solomon. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Genghis Khan was one of the world's most successful conquerors, and his empire left an indelible mark across Eurasia. Yet upon his death his body was spirited away to an unmarked grave, and everyone associated with the burial -- so far as we know -- was put to death in an effort to keep the location secret. So what exactly happened to Genghis Khan? Could it be possible that someone actually knows where it is, and has somehow kept the location hidden for almost 800 years? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

UFO researchers, also known as ufologists, make frequent appearances in pop culture, and many are professional, full-time experts in their field. But how exactly does one become a ufologist? Join the guys as they dive into this question, searching for the most (and least) credible paths to becoming a genuine ufologist. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

According to the U.S. Constitution, the President of the United States has the power to pardon pretty much anyone. This is a broad, sweeping power that past administrations have used in a variety of ways, some more controversial than others. However, in recent years scholars, voters and politicians have wrestled with a strange question: Can a standing President pardon him- or herself? In today's episode, the guys speak with Professor Brian C. Kalt, the author of “Constitutional Cliffhangers: A Legal Guide for Presidents and Their Enemies” to learn about the history and future of pardons -- and what to expect if a standing President attempts to pardon themselves. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

If you're like millions of other people, you hate making phone calls. "Why can't I just text," you might think, "and only call if there's an emergency?" Google may soon have a solution with Duplex, a new technology for conducting natural conversations to carry out “real world” tasks over the phone. For many this feels like a startling and innovative convenience -- no more awkward conversations making appointments or routine check-ins, right? Yet critics of this concept warn we may be approaching something much bigger, and much more dangerous, than a simple piece of helpful software. If computers begin effectively impersonating you, how will you be able to prove your own identity? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Often in the mainstream media the term "conspiracy theory" is used as a way of dismissing a claim or idea immediately -- and it's a technique that works more often than you might think. However, despite the ardent efforts of various powerful groups across the planet, numerous events initially called conspiracy theories turned out to be conspiracy facts. Join the guys as they explore conspiracies that turned out to be true.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Over the course of his career with NASA, legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin changed the course of human history. From his groundbreaking work with EVA techniques to his walk on the moon with Apollo 11 mission commander Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin has seen and done astonishing things. In 2018, news outlets claimed Buzz Aldrin had one more astonishing achievement under his belt, an event kept secret until the modern day: Apparently, he had seen a UFO in space.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

During the Vietnam War, the U.S. government was desperate to maintain order and combat the growing domestic opposition to the war effort -- both the U.S.S.R. and the U.S. waged a war of ideas, of propaganda that could, in its own way, wield as much power as a bullet or a bomb. When U.S. deserters fled the war and traveled to the U.S.S.R. or neutral countries, they became a propaganda tool of immense proportions -- and the U.S. wanted them back, regardless of what laws might get broken, or how many people might be injured along the way. Join the guys as they explore the strange, secret story of Operation Chaos. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

If you've ever spent time on Facebook or Instagram, you've probably seen a few strange posts advertising tremendous opportunities to start your own business -- along with a friend or acquaintance -- selling anything from cosmetics to nutritional supplements. And the opportunities don't stop there! You can also recruit your friends, loved ones and complete strangers to sell these products for you. It might sound too good to be true... and often it is. Join Ben and Matt as they delve into strange world of multi-level marketing, and the stuff its supporters don't want you to know.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The Kennedy family is one of the most well-known and influential dynasties in US politics, and the family members are enormously wealthy. Yet despite successfully seeding nepotism at the heights of government, functioning as pseudo-celebrities and racking up substantial profits over the generations, the family has historically been fraught with personal tragedy. Join the guys as they crack the case of the Kennedy curse. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nowadays Canada has a well-earned international reputation as an incredibly polite and considerate country, but like any nation Canada has more than a few skeletons in its historical closet. Join the guys as they explore the strange story of Canada's quest to 'scientifically' detect the sexual orientation of employees -- and to fire them for the perceived results. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

At the height of their success, the band Blink-182 became a key force in the development of pop punk. Despite their worldwide fame, guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge eventually left the band. Why? Join Ben, Matt and special guest John Goforth of Hysteria 51 as they explore the story behind DeLonge's new mission -- a project he and his supporters believe could change the world. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In small towns, neglected glades and college campuses across America, small groups of bearded wanderers in homespun clothes are spreading a message -- that the End of Times is upon us, and only the truly righteous shall be saved. Living primarily off the grid and on the fringes of society, this group has proven extremely effective at hiding its converts from law enforcement and concerned relatives. In fact, it's difficult to get a grip on exactly what this group is and what they wish to do. Join Ben and Matt for a closer look at the mysterious group 20/20 called "The Garbage Eaters". Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Compared to other countries, the US has a massive incarceration rate. While the prison system has passionate supporters and ardent opponents, there's another aspect to the story -- one often ingored and forgotten: What happens to the children of prisoners? Join the guys and special guest Julian Wyatt as they explore the untold story of children caught in the web of the prison industry. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Google -- or, more properly, Alphabet -- is a huge company, and is at the bleeding edge of numerous technological innovations. So, while it wasn't necessarily a surprise that Uncle Sam wanted Google's help building AI, it certainly disturbed a great many people, some of whom were Google's own engineers. So what exactly happened? Join the guys as they dive into the strange story of Project Maven. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For years residents of Windsor, Ontario have been haunted by a strange, disruptive noise. Sometimes compared to a truck idling or distant thunder, numerous residents say the noise has damaged people’s health and quality of life, But what exactly is the Windsor hum? Join the guys as they dive into the mystery. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you checked out Stuff They Don't Want You To Know's new facebook community page? Join the guys as they delve into your comments, suggestions and threads on Here's Where It Gets Crazy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's a common trope in film and TV -- a police department at their wits' end calls in a favor and makes contact with a genuine psychic, someone in tune with the greater mysteries of life, death and the universe. In works of fiction these individuals often do possess some spark of extraordinary ability, but what about in real life? Join the guys as they delve into the world of true crime and allegations of ESP to discover whether any real-life psychics have solved actual crimes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It’s official -- after decades of dead ends, tantalizing theories and frustrating leads, justice has finally caught up with The Golden State Killer, also known as The Original Night Stalker. 72 year old Joseph James DeAngelo seemed set to quietly disappear from history, known only as a grandfather with a weird temper problem -- one of the cranky old men so common in neighborhoods across suburban America. But new DNA anaylsis leveraging the massive, growing databases in both federal and private hands led law enforcement down a trail they'd long thought had grown cold. Tune in to learn more about how justice finally caught up to the Golden State Killer. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What if everything you encounter in your day-to-day interactions is somehow prescient? Are the games you play and the films you watch meant to normalize genres of experience -- and, if so, to what end? Ben and Matt explore the idea of weaponized mass media from the early days of deification to a startling story by Edgar Allan Poe and beyond. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Whether in fiction or in real life, the concept of the serial killer occupies a unique space in the American zeitgeist. Audiences across the planet flock to films about serial killers, and readers across the world peruse headlines of true life crimes with morbid (in some cases, obsessive) curiosity. And, for many, this fascination goes further than reading a book or watching a film. Join the guys as they shine a light on the controversial, secretive trade of relics known as murderbilia. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's one of the most ancient practices in human civilization, and one that continues in the modern day. In recent decades experts, military officials and activists alike have argued over the definitions of torture -- and, most importantly, whether it actually works. So how much truth is there to the claims that, while unethical, torture delivers results? What's the Stuff the Authorities Don't Want You To Know about what goes on in those unobserved black sites hidden across the planet? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

You might have heard this one before -- for years, various fringe researchers and commentators have argued that the government or some other shadowy entity is purposefully changing the gender of amphibians (specifically, frogs) throughout the United States. So what's the truth behind the headline? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they separate the hilarious fiction from the disturbing facts of the case. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The Islamic Republic of Iran, located in western Asia, has historically been the seat of several massively influential empires. Today, it's home to over 81 million people and some of the world's most lucrative petroleum supplies. Currently tensions between Iran and the West are ratcheting up at an unprecedented rate, and both sides portray the other as unrepentent antagonists hellbent on destruction. So how did we get here? Join the guys as they delve into the strange history of Iran, imperialism, the West and war.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Despite diligent, time-consuming efforts by institutions across the planet, human beings have yet to find any universally-accepted proof of extraterrestial life. For many, this is a simple function of the math involved -- the universe is just too large for us to plausibly meet creatures from another planet. But according to several fringe researchers, we're just looking in the wrong place. We should focus, they argue, not on life from other planets... but on life from other dimensions. Listen in to learn more about the strange story of the Ultraterrestrial theory. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When Louis XIV expanded his father's old hunting pavilion he created one of the greatest achievements in French 17th century art -- a massive, opulent compound that became the seat of high society and French government. In the modern day, the Palace of Versailles remains an enormously popular tourist attraction and, according to some, a hotspot for for paranormal activity, including ghosts and time travel.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the third segment of this recurring series, Ben, Matt and Noel return to the grisly world of true crime, killers who not only committed multiple murders but were never caught and, in some cases, may well be alive and free today. Several of these murderers may be people you've never heard of, while others may be infamous. One thing's for sure, however: Many of these cases remain open and unsolved, and you or someone you know may be the person who can finally provide a lead, solve the crime and finally put these monsters behind bars. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On May 9th, 2017, then-FBI Director James Comey was fired. His most well-known recent investigations involved the Clinton campaign's email scandal and the allegations of Russian election interference in 2017. In the aftermath of the dismissal, he wrote "Higher Loyalty", a book depicting events and experiences that he believed the public needed to know. So what exactly did he reveal? Is this a man sincerely pursuing what he sees as transparency and the truth, or a cynical ploy to sell more books? Tune in to learn more about the Comey revelations. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In Stuff They Don't Want You To Know's inaugural podcast, Ben and Matt explored the strange career of Edward Bernays, the then-obscure Father of Public Relations responsible for selling the American public on everything from bacon as breakfast to corporate-driven wars in South and Central America. All for some greater good packaged as 'democracy'. Today, many institutions, governments and organizations remain publicly convinced that some form of democracy is the superior -- or simply the least worst -- way to run these large groups of people we call countries. However, not everyone agrees. Join the guys as they delve into the story of Walter Lippmann, the Bernays-esque figure responsible for pushing the argument against democracy (and toward governance by an elite cabal) into the public sphere. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Love it or hate it, Facebook is one of the biggest success stories of the past century. Billions of people have profiles, and for many users it's the only source of online news or social interaction. And Facebook collects as much information as possible on each of these users, ostensibly to better target advertising campaigns. So what happens when someone starts using this vast collection of data for something else? What is Cambridge Analytica, and how deep does this rabbit hole go? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From imaginary friends to tulpas, the idea that that the human mind can create life through focused thought alone is as old as recorded civilization. But what does science have to say about imaginary friends? Are they pure hallucinations, part of a healthy psychological process, or something else? Join the gang as they delve into the fact and fiction surrounding the strange idea of a living thought. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nowadays it seems like a few times a year we’ll hear about a food scandal -- contaminated meat, perhaps, or recalled yogurt. We’ll also inevitably hear something like “studies show coffee is good, or bad, for you.” When you add up all these complaints, studies and articles it becomes alarmingly easy to think the world is going to hell in a handbasket. Or, rather, breadbasket. So what's the truth of the matter? Grab a snack and join the guys as they explore several troubling, possible terrifying foods consumed every day in the good ol' U.S. of A. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For decades one the world's largest auto manufacturers lied to governments and the public, polluting the planet and evading the same environmental standards they themselves publicly championed. Of course, this is unfortunately a common occurrence in the murky world of corporate power, but here's one big difference: Volkswagen actually got caught. So what happened? Who perpetrated this vast, real-life conspiracy, and how were they caught? Join Ben and his returning special guest, CarStuff's Scott Benjamin, as they explore the strange, twisting tale of Volkswagen's attempt to swindle the public, exposing a genuine conspiracy and asking, perhaps most importantly: What happens next? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On July 18th, 1969, campaign strategist Mary Jo Kopechne and Senator Ted Kennedy were involved in a single-car accident while departing a reunion held at Chappaquiddick island. Only one of them made it it out of the car alive. In the hours, days, weeks, years and decades since, numerous people have tried and failed to come up with conclusive answers about the sequence of events leading to Kopechne's tragic death. Join Ben and Matt as they interview Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan, the screenwriters behind the film Chappaquiddick, as they retrace their steps researching and writing the story, including their inspirations, their beliefs about what actually occurred, and why it's crucial to remember this incident in the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you ever written in to Stuff They Don't Want You To Know? If so, you might be in today's episode. Ben, Matt and Noel often point out that you, the listener, are the most important part of the show, and in this episode they're putting their money where their collective mouth -- er, microphone -- is. Join the gang as they respond to some of the most fascinating, insightful emails, suggestions, responses and more from around the internet.  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Today Benjamin Franklin is known as one of the founding fathers of the US, and there’s no doubt that he played a tremendously influential role in the creation of the country. But Franklin, known then and now as a bit of an eccentric. But what about his darker side? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

50 years ago today, the American Civil Rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. His legacy lives on in recorded speeches, memorials across the country, photographs by legendary photojournalist Ernest C. Withers and more. Withers remains a hero in his hometown of Memphis, and his career is inextricably intertwined with the Civil Rights era. However, there may be much more to the story of Withers than the public originally believed. Join the guys as they sit down with veteran investigative journalist Marc Perrusquia to learn about his explosive discoveries regarding Withers, revelations that would take him all the way to Federal Court in his quest to finally answer the question: Was Ernest Withers a mole for the FBI? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the first part of this two-episode series, the guys interviewed tech expert Jonathan Strickland on the mechanics of bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. In this episode, Jonathan returns to field some of the weirdest, funniest and most disturbing conspiracy theories orbiting the world of digital currency. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

You've heard of bitcoin before. It's the entirely digital, decentralized currency that supporters tout as the next step in financial evolution -- and critics call a massive scam. But what exactly are cryptocurrencies? How do they work, and why do some people believe they're as much a tool for conspiracy and crime as a tool for trade? In part 1 of this series, the gang invites returning guest Jonathan Strickland to explain the nuts and bolts of bitcoin, along with the advantages and flaws of the system. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Recently employees at the US Embassy in Cuba reported a strange and disquietening phenomenon. They complained of vertigo, nausea, hearing loss and more accompanied by a strange hum and whine that followed them into their homes. The State Department refused to comment on the cause of these symptoms even as they shipped employees back home to the States. However, some anonymous government officials stated that the employees fell victim to an unorthodox, top-secret, sound-based weapon. Could it be true? You can turn back now, or learn The Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

One person's cult is another person's inarguable truth, and over millenia many spiritual or cultural belief systems have been called cults. Typically organizations called cults have a few commonal traits, one of the chief of which is isolation. So can cults continue to exist in the digital age, where the average smartphone user is only a few clicks away from learning almost anything they desire? What do these movements look like in the era of instantaneous communication? Join the guys as they delve into the strange concept of digital cults. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nowadays, most people in the West associate exorcism with horror movies instead of real-life terror. However, people around the world still feel that they have been possessed, and experts from various faiths across the planet still conduct exorcisms in the modern day. Join the guys as they delve into the story of the Catholic organization founded to fight possession: The International Association of Exorcists. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

We’ve heard the legends of vampires for thousands of years, and while the vast majority of modern humans relegate the stories to the domain of myth and folklore, more and more experts are wondering if technology will allow us to create something very much like the monsters of myth. Could transfusing blood from the young rejuvenate the bodies of the old? What ethical consequences could we encounter? How far has the research already gone? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For decades Saudi Arabia has been at the heart of numerous controversies, from the policies of its strict theocratic, gender-segregated government to its influence over the oil market and continual involvement with religious extremist groups. Recently, the young Mohammad bin Salman became Crown Prince. Over the past few months since his ascension, Salman has spearheaded numerous reforms, routed many of the country’s billionaires, and signaled a fundamental change in the course of Saudi Arabian history. At least, to some, this appears to be the case. To others serious questions remain unanswered: What’s going on behind the scenes? What is the future of Saudi Arabia? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Recently, the New York Times broke a story that baffled most ordinary readers -- until about 2012, the Pentagon had run a multi-million dollar, secretive program to collect numerous reports of unexplained aerial phenomena and unidentified flying objects. So what did the Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program actually find? Join the guys as they interview returning guest and filmmaker Jeremy Corbell for a peek behind the curtain into the Pentagon's search for UFOs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For decades people knew that sexual abuse occurred in Tinseltown. It was an open, dirty secret just behind the curtain of the most popular films, tv and stage shows in the country. And the victims of abuse rarely spoke out -- when they did, they risked the ruination of their careers (or worse). In 2017 this began to change. World famous producer Harvey Weinstein was outed as a serial sexual and physical abuser, prompting his exile from his film company and encouraging numerous other victims of abuse to speak out. As the world wrestles with these revelations, more and more questions surface: Who knew what, and when? How far does this system go? And what happens next? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sure, we worked way too hard for that pun in the title, but it's a serious question: CERN, or the European Organization for Nuclear Research is one of the world's largest, most prominent centres for scientific research. The experts at CERN use the world's largest and most complex scientific instruments to study the fundamental building blocks of matter, and over the years it's become the subject of numerous rumors, allegations, concerns and conspiracy theories. Join the guys as they delve into the fact, fiction and controversy surrounding CERN and the Large Hadron Collider. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The Grand Canyon is a breath-taking natural formation, and every year more than 4 million people visit. Despite its popularity, areas of the canyon remain dangerously remote, and it’s no secret that numerous people have disappeared in or around the canyon over the years. But what if there was more to the story than missing couples and individuals? Is it possible that an entire civilization went missing in the canyon? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For centuries people in countries across the planet have reported seeing mysterious, glowing lights that appear to move of their own volition through the darkness. Whether you call them Ghost Lights, Spook Lights, Will o' the Wisps or any other number of names, chances are there's a local version of this legend somewhere in your region. So what exactly are these things? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What’s going on with all these stories about strange skeletons? From legends of the crystal skull to allegations of ancient extraterrestrial remains and giants, it seems the world is chock-full of mysterious, semi-humanoid remains. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they delve into some of the strangest cases, attempting to separate fact from fiction … and cover stories from coverups. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the near future, your doctor may begin prescribing 'smart pills,' medicines that remain in contact with your hospital, pharmacy or doctor's office and tell your health care providers whether you're sticking to the treatment schedule, along with other medical information. To the supporters of smart pills, this is a life-saving breakthrough. To critics, however, the potential threats of this technology outweigh the benefits. Are smart pills a new way to keep patients healthy longer, or another step in the construction of a biomedical Big Brother? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In 1933, a composer named Rezső Seress created one of the world's most infamous tunes -- a melancholy, mysterious piece known as 'Gloomy Sunday.' Over the following decades, this song became notorious for the sinister effects it had on anyone who listened to the song in full. Join the guys for a special end-of-the-year episode as they explore the story of the original recording -- where it came from, who wrote it, and, most disturbingly, why. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Disney World is one of the planet’s most well-known travel destinations, and over the decades it’s been the subject of bizarre rumors -- some more plausible than others. But how did this gigantic park get started? Join the guys as they delve into the murky history of Disney World’s foundations, the story of how Walt Disney himself raised the Magic Kingdom above the law. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When authorities arrested members of the Manson Family for the Tate-LaBianca murders, they'd intended it to be the final chapter of a terrifying story. However, as the trial progressed, it quickly became evident that this was only the beginning of a much longer, stranger saga. In the years following the murder, conspiracy theories concerning Manson, his followers, the US government, splinter religions, secret drugs and the occult all proliferated wildly throughout the American zeitgeist. So do any of these theories have a grain of truth? Join the guys as they separate fact from folklore in the conclusion of this two-part series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

After spending decades in prison, former cult leader Charles Manson passed away in November of 2017. In the wake of his death, millions of people re-examined his strange, disturbing life story, tracing his evolution from an abused child to one of the most infamous prisoners in U.S. history. So how exactly did he get started? What led him and his followers down their grisly path? Join the guys as they separate fact from folklore in part one of this two-part episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

We've all seen the space-age secret bases in science fiction and blockbuster films, but could a government or corporation really build a secret, permanent deep-sea base? Where would they do it? Why? Join the guys as they dive into (get it?) the murky world of militaries beneath the waves. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How old is the phenomenon we call consciousness, and where did it come from? Was humanity always capable of metacognition -- the ability to think about thinking? If it wasn't, then how did our ancestors process the world around them, and how did they struggle with internal conflicts? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they interview returning guest Joe McCormick about the strange theory of the bicameral mind. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For decades after the assassination of President Kennedy in 1963, hundreds of thousands of Americans -- and millions of people across the planet -- have had lingering, troubling problems with the US government’s official narrative of the tragedy. Now, recently declassified documents may shed light on the story, either confirming or contradicting the official tale of Kennedy’s death. Or will they? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Today's episode comes from the heart of the Cold War -- when Lionel 'Buster' Crabb disappeared on a mysterious spying mission, his relatives and colleagues refused to believe the official story. Over time, this story changed. As investigators attempted to separate fact from fiction, they found themselves stonewalled, tangled within a web of rumor, speculation and conspiracy. So what really happened to Commander Crabb? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What if believing in success became the same thing as succeeding? Religious figures around the world encourage their followers to equate financial donations with future material gains. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they dive into the heart of Prosperity Theology to find the facts, fiction, and the stuff Prosperian Theologists don't want you to know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For decades people around the globe have insisted that they were abducted and, via implants, tagged like animals. Join the guys as they interview documentarian Jeremy Corbell about his experience diving into the strange world of alleged abduction and implants in his new film, Patient Seventen. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In 2017 South Korean President Park Guen-hye was impeached and ousted from power as a result of a wide-reaching corruption scandal touching everything from big business to religion. In the aftermath, the world’s been left asking: What exactly happened? Was this another tragic case of nepotism and bribery, or … something more? Was South Korea’s President the victim of a cult? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

You've probably heard of the infamous (and controversial) Bermuda Triangle, that alleged site of numerous disappearing aircraft and oceangoing vessels... but have you heard of the Dragon's Triangle, its counterpart in the Pacific Ocean? Join the guys as they dive headfirst into the conspiratorial lore surrounding vile vortices, as well as the fact -- and fiction -- surrounding the so-called Devil's Sea. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The 1912 sinking of the Titanic left an indelible mark on Western culture, so it's no surprise that more than a decade later revisionists and fringe theorists continue to claim there's something more to the tragic story. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they take a closer look at the true story of the Titanic. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What do private schools and revolution have in common? The answer may surprise you. Join the guys as they bring on their intern Sam Teegardin and for a firsthand look at an strange and insidious conspiracy reaching from the Eastern US seaboard and journeying through locations across the world to fundamentally rock the political foundations of the Turkish state. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Ben, Matt and Noel record new episodes every Friday -- this afternoon, they're in the studio one day before a group of people believes the world will end on September 23rd, 2017. Join the gang as they take a closer look at the group's reasoning, and settle a few conspiratorial scores before civilization as we know (possibly) collapses. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Even without a Facebook profile, the average internet or smartphone user leaves a massive trail of digital breadcrumbs, from publicly available records to purchasing history, forum posts and GPS data -- so what happens when you try to delete this info? Join the guys as they collaborate with Part-Time Genius to explore the ins and outs of your online identity, as well as what you can -- or cannot -- actually delete from the internet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could any real human beings have genuine superpowers? Join the guys as they take a closer look at extraordinary beings across the planet -- and, most importantly, ask who may be attempting to manufacture and control these abilities. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For centuries scholars, church officials, historians and skeptics alike have argued back and forth about the evolution of Christianity, the life and deeds of Jesus Christ and more. For many one version of another of the official narrative is satisfactory -- to others, however, there may be much more to the story. Join the guys as they interview Tansy Baigent, the daughter of prolific Grail theorist and author Michael Baigent. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It sounds like pure fiction: A tiny part of the United States, tucked away in Yellowstone, where you can commit any crime you like and never go to trial. So what is this so-called Zone of Death, exactly? How does it work? Perhaps most importantly -- could you really get away with... anything? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Join the guys as they hang out with Lucky Yates, the prolific actor and voice of Dr. Krieger of FX's Archer, to explore everything from the frightening future of biotechnology to the (alleged) resurrection of the dodo and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

If you had a chance to save a loved one, would you take it? How far would you go? It's the gang's collective birthday this month, so as a way of saying thanks to you Conspiracy Realists around the world (and beyond), the guys have teamed up with their extended conspiracy family to present a unique tale of morality, of good and evil, and... fast food. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The rumors are true -- the US government has multiple, highly-fortified shelters and compounds dotting the American landscape, staffed and fully prepared to protect the President and other federal or state officials from widespread disease, natural disasters, nuclear war and more. But how do these things get built? Where are they and -- perhaps most importantly -- what happens to everyone else when the bombs hit? Join the guys as they interview Garrett M. Graff, the author of "Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself — While the Rest of Us Die." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's a tale that dates back centuries -- a bizarre, spherical ship washes ashore in Japan, containing a single passenger. Visibily female and humanoid, but clothed in strange garments, with unusual hair and skin. Fast forward to the modern day -- experts still aren't sure what exactly happened. What was Utsuro Bune? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they delve into the mystery. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Each year, thousands of people visit national parks across the US. And, tragically, some of them don't return. Join the guys as they interview David Paulides, the prolific author of the Missing 411 series, to learn more about his work and research into these disappearances. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For many people, the word "pyramid" instantly conjures up images of ancient Egypt -- of pharaohs and mummies, treasure and (maybe) curses. But while the pyramids of Egypt may be the most well-known, they are far from the only example of these structures. Join the guys as they explore the stories of pyramids across the globe, including their alleged uses and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In 2017, Elon Musk laid out plans to build a permanent colony on Mars -- one with at least a million human inhabitants. What would this colony look like? How would it work? Most importantly, could we use a Martian colony as an opportunity to improve on the socioeconomic practices of Earth? To find these answers, Ben, Matt and Noel went to the smartest guy they know: Marshall Brain, the founder of HowStuffWorks and author of "Imagining Elon Musk's Million-Person Mars Colony." Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Since before the dawn of recorded history, the power of belief has been a driving force for human civilization. Spiritual movements have risen and fallen, only to be replaced by other belief systems. Today much of the developed world is considered increasingly secular -- or is it? Join the guys as they explore the strange and troubling question: What if, instead of becoming less religious, the world has simply switched to another religion… the church of money? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For centuries, cultures around the world have told tales of "wild men" lurking in the woods, and reports of these creatures continue in the modern day. So what exactly is Bigfoot? Join the guys as they interview David Bakara, the creator of Expedition: Bigfoot, to learn more about his search for the creature and the inspiration behind his museum. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Experts believe that millions of undiscovered species exist in the modern day -- but most are tiny microbes and insects. What if there are much larger undiscovered creatures out there? What would they look like? Where would they be? And, if they exist, will human beings ever find them? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the early 20th century, Europe was a smoldering powder keg of international tension, imperial ambitions and long-held resentments between great powers. Although extensive diplomatic efforts attempt to reconcile and repair relationships between nations, a single assassination by a secret society launched Europe in all-out war. So what was the Black Hand? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It sounds like something straight out of a noir film -- an unidentified killer goes on a murder spree and disappears in a clean getaway, taunting the cops before disappearing. Unfortunately, this phenomenon isn't limited to the world of fiction. Listen in to learn more about killers who (so far) vanished into thin air. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Since the 1980s, Russian and US sources have repeatedly claimed that various groups of terrorists are dangerously close to acquiring a mysterious substance known as 'red mercury.' But what exactly is this stuff -- and why can't anyone agree about its chemical makeup, uses, or effects? Tune in and learn why there might be more to the story. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Every year, thousands of people across the planet report seeing unidentified flying objects -- and thousands more believe world governments keep secret information about these objects hidden from the public eye. Join the guys as they interview the founder of CSETI and The Disclosure Project, Dr. Steven M. Greer, about the future of government secrets, UFOs and disclosure. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

You've heard of facial recognition technology before -- but how does the actual tech work? What don't authorities want you to know about it? Join the guys and special guest Jonathan Strickland as they explore the disturbing facts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A section of Interstate 85 caught fire and fell to pieces and within days a sinkhole emerged in Interstate 20. The city and media proposed several official explanations, but Ben, Matt and Noel can’t help but wonder if there’s more to the story behind Atlanta’s collapse. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For decades, mysterious tiles have appeared in dozens of cities across North and South America, touting a strange -- and strangely consistent -- message. But what are the Toynbee Tiles? What is their purpose and who made them? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On April 30th, 1945, one of the most infamous men in recent history died by his own hand as Allied forces bore down on his bunker. At least, that’s the official story. Yet for decades historians and theorists across the planet have questioned this narrative -- so what actually happened to Adolf Hitler? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Manhattan is home to some of the world's most iconic buildings -- but it's also home to something more mysterious: A looming, windowless skyscraper in the heart of Tribeca. The press doesn't have much to say about it, and neither does the telecom that owns the building. So what exactly is going on inside? Tune in as Ben, Matt and Noel explore bizarre buildings and the future of surveillance in this episode, recorded live in Brooklyn during NYCPodfest. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For millenia people across the planet have reported seeing bizarre objects in the sky. However, efforts to collect and analyze these reports have often fallen victim to poor methodology, a lack of funding or an overt agenda. Luckily, the situation has changed for the better in recent years. So what does the latest info tell us about UFO sightings? Where are they occur most frequently? The answer might surprise you. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How did the human species become the most self-aware, successful primate on the planet? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Did a group of private assassins use a series of sleazy websites as fronts for their base of operations? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they delve into the mysterious story of Lake City Quiet Pills. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the US, the 1960s were a crucible of culture -- college students, veterans, the disadvantaged and activists across the country sought to overthrow the status quo and build their own vision of a better world. This period in time produced some of the most influential art, music and prose in recent history, and introduced LSD to the mainstream. So why do so many people think it was ultimately a CIA operation? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Like most other militaries of the time, the Nazi army conducted extensive classified research into all aspects of warfare, from rocketry to drugs, tank improvements and so on. They also delved into more exotic realms, and their endeavors remain a subject of enduring fascination in the modern age. Perhaps the most famous of these legendary experiments is something known as Die Glocke, or the Nazi Bell. But what is it supposed to be, exactly? What does it do? And, if it is real, where did it end up? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Everyone knows sugar in excessive amounts can have damaging effects on your health -- but just how bad is it, and why do people in the US still consume so much? Join the guys as they delve into the strange story of the decades-long sugar conspiracy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

At the close of the Paris Peace Accords, the US and Vietnam agreed to return any POWs to their home country -- however, for decades after the close of the conflict, people in country reported seeing missing American soldiers, sometimes held by foreign officials, sometimes on their own in the jungle. So what happened to the hundreds of missing soldiers in the Vietnam War... and how much did the US government actually know about i99t? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nowadays many people are familiar with the US government's bizarre psychic experiments -- but what about China's? Join the guys as they explore the strange phenomenon of China's psychic children. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's one of the most outlandish conspiracy theories in history -- the idea that the world is secretly ruled by a shadowy cabal of half-human, half-alien reptilian creatures. And its most famous proponent has kept this idea in the public eye for decades. So who is David Icke? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In 2013, Canadian college student Elisa Lam disappeared while on a solo trip through California. For weeks law enforcement was at a loss to explain the disappearance -- until, that is, a maintenance worker at the Cecil Hotel discovered her body in a water tank. And with that, what should have been the end of a tragic tale instead became the prologue to a mystery that, according to many, remains unsolved in the present day: What happened to Elisa Lam? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Since the 1950s, the National Security Agency has been responsible for collecting, analyzing and verifying a vast amount of signals intelligence, ostensibly to protect the people of the United States. Over the decades the agency has grown to become one of the world's premiere repositories of intelligence -- everything from internet search histories to phone calls and texts, as well. In the final days of President Obama's administration the NSA was quietly allowed to share this information with every other US intelligence agency. So what happens next? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From fictional works like the Necronomicon to the all-too-real Key of Solomon, humanity has long been obsessed with the idea of ancient tomes holding hidden, unholy and possibly dangerous secrets. But where do these grimoires come from? How many are hoaxes, and are there any legitimate works out there? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Make no mistake: the United States is a car culture, and the extreme sprawl of the country means the vast majority of citizens can’t realistically live without their cars. This has inevitably led to enormous amounts of pollution and (some would argue) wars over the resources needed to keep the car culture going. So what if there was an alternative? Why would someone cover it up? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you written to your favorite conspiracy show lately? If so, tune in: Your message just might be on the air! Join Matt and Noel as they explore the latest, greatest - and, at times, strangest - tweets, emails and messages from the best audience in the history of podcasts. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For centuries self-assured academics believed Troy was a mythological city -- until, that is, the ruins were discovered. Over the span of history, the human species has lost people, cities and entire civilizations. Occasionally, governments don't want these lost empires to be found. So what happens when a controversial linguist claims to discover an ancient people spanning Iran to Southern China? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For centuries communities in France and Spain practiced a brutal, widely-accepted system of discrimination against a group of families and individuals known as Cagots -- but who were these people? Where did they come from, and where are they now? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For centuries various groups claimed they'd discovered the remnants of Noah's Ark, the legendary wooden ship of Biblical fame. Despite controversy, skepticism and numerous dead ends, the search continues into the present day. And, what's more, several Ark hunters believe there's a conspiracy afoot -- the secular world knows the Ark is real, they argue, but work to suppress the truth. Why? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From the old stories of Viking Berserkers to the rise of the Assassins and more, humanity has spent millennia using drugs as a way to explore spirituality, repair the body -- and, sometimes, to gain an edge in combat. But how prevalent was this practice? How does it continue in the modern day? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The internet, while amazing, has given rise to the dangerous proliferation of misleading - or, in some cases, entirely fictitious- stories masquerading as news. So how can we outsmart the conspiracy of disinformation? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How many secret military bases exist around the world? How many of those are active, and how many abandoned? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they explore both the specific discovery of Project Iceworm and the larger practice of building top-secret bases around the globe. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

After years of listener requests, Ben, Matt and Noel are finally exploring the mysterious story of the legendary Georgia Guidestones. Who built this monument, and why? Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

As of 2014, North Dakota has a population under 500,000 -- so you, like many others, may be wondering why over 1.6 million people used social media to check in to the state's Standing Rock reservation. Listen in to learn more about the protests over the Dakota Access Pipeline, along with allegations of media suppression, state-sponsored violence and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For decades various individuals and organizations with the Catholic Church were dogged by rumors of horrific abuse – and, eventually, it turned out that several of those rumors were true. But how far back does this abuse go, and how widespread is it? Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Mere days before the US election, it seems overwhelmingly likely that either Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump will become the next President of the United States. Both candidates have been the source of great controversy, and in the second part of this series we explore the facts, fiction, controversy and conspiracy theories surrounding the Clinton campaign. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Donald Trump has captured global attention in his campaign for the Presidency – and, like his Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton, no small amount of controversy. So is there any truth to the massive conspiracy theories surrounding Trump? Tune in to hear more about the facts and fiction of the Trump campaign, from the rumors of tax dodging to false flag candidates and more. (And don’t worry, folks, part II is all about the Clinton campaign.) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Tucked away in a stretch of rural land in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland, the radio quiet zone is 13,000 square miles of near-total electronic silence. What’s going on in this area where cellphones don’t work and microwaves are illegal? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you sent the guys an email, tweet or FB message? If so, tune in – you might just be on the air in this special episode of listener mail. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the wee hours of February 25th, 1942, air raid sirens resounded across LA. Anti-aircraft guns fired the better part of 1500 shells at something. To many people, that mysterious UFO has yet to be identified, more than half a century later. So what really happened? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How common are psychopaths? Is it possible that you've met one? Join the guys as they explore the fact, fiction and controversy surrounding one of the world's most widely misunderstood mental illnesses. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For nearly half a century people around the world have believed the moon landing was faked. If that were true, how could people possibly perpetrate such a massive hoax? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they interview Matt Johnson about his newest film Operation Avalanche. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could your favorite sports be fixed? Join Ben, Matt and Noel for their continuing interview with author Brian Tuohy as they explore the murky world behind the sports headlines - a world comprised of illegal gambling, extortion, blackmail and organized crime. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could it be possible that your favorite sports are fixed? Join the guys as they interview Brian Tuohy, author of The Fix is In, on the murky connections between sports, gambling, politics and organized crime in the first part of this two-episode series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Cannibalism is an ancient taboo, but how often has it actually occurred? Join the guys as they explore the grisly rumors and frightening facts behind history’s stories of cannibalism. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Did the Quaker Oats company really do experiments on children? Join Matt and Ben as they dig into the checkered past of this cereal monolith. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What if you had a credit score that measured more than just your wallet? What if it took into account your political leanings, Internet traffic, and social media statements -- and what if the same stuff from your friends could affect your score? These are the concerns of Sesame Credit. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Months after the murder of Teresita Basa, her former coworker began falling into trances, a voice identifying itself as Teresita issuing from her mouth. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, these statements turned out to be true, leading to the conviction of 32 year-old Allen Showers. But what's the real story? Was this justice beyond the grave or beyond the law? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Earlier this summer Wikileaks released a cache of internal emails from the Democratic National Committee. "Unnamed experts" trace this event back to Russian hackers. But who are these hackers? What proof exists? And, most importantly, who hacked democracy? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the conclusion of their two part interview with Robert Mazur, the guys explore the ins and outs of money laundering. Tune in to learn how dirty money gets clean - and what happens (or doesn't happen) to the bad guys when they're caught. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the first part of this two-episode series, the guys interview the legendary US Customs and Drug Enforcement agent Robert Mazur. Using the cover identity of Bob Musella, Mazur and his team tracked the shadowy financial dealings of drug traffickers all the way to the international bank that aided them - and brought that bank down. Listen in as Mazur gives an eyewitness account of his harrowing experience, close calls, ultimate victory and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Modern civilization relies on the concept of debt. Wars are fought over it, loves lost and revolutions launched. So what would happen if, one day, it disappeared? Is it even possible? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Public wifi can be an enormously convenient thing -- it helps people dodge data charges in coffee shops, airports and other places around the globe. But how safe is it? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Since the dawn of civilization humanity has attempted to understand the nature of reality, and (relatively) recent breakthroughs in technology have allowed our species to move from encountering reality to creating different forms of it. But there's a dark side to this technology that goes beyond gaming. In their first live show, the guys examine the future of VR. (The audio's a little rough, but hey - first try!) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For the majority of human history, a failing vital organ was a death sentence. Yet hard-won lessons from countless tragic medical experiments have given modern humans the amazing ability to swap a failing organ from a healthy one, often with good odds of surviving the operation. So where do the organs come from? Is there really any truth to the rumors of an illegal organ trade? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For millennia humankind has dreamed of reaching the heavens, and in recent decades several countries have begun turning these dreams into reality. Yet the path to the stars isn't all altruism and noble scientific advancement -- in fact, human activities in space have often been shrouded in secrecy, and the practice continues today. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How reliable are your memories? Is it possible that, somehow, history is changing? People around the world believe the past isn't as static as it might appear. Join the guys as they delve into the strange phenomenon known as the Mandela effect, touching on allegations of the multiverse, conspiracies and the tricky nature of memory. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you ever searched for something online, only to find an eerily related series of ads popping up at each website you visit afterward? If so, you've encountered the Brave New World of targeted online advertising. But is it a force for good? For ill? Join the guys and special guest Jonathan Strickland as they explore the facts, fiction and controversy surrounding online ads. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Look -- up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's a ...chemtrail? You've probably heard of these allegedly poisonous strips of stuff streaking across the sky, but what are they, exactly? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For decades Ed and Lorraine Warren claimed to investigate paranormal phenomena, confronting the forces of darkness with the power of faith. They've inspired numerous films and become a part of American folklore -- so how much of their story is true? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From 1979 to 1986, an unknown serial killer assaulted and murdered at least 10 people. He remains uncaught to this day. So who was he? Is it possible to find the Original Night Stalker? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

To outside observers, the US primary elections can seem pretty confusing. So how do political parties use this system to select candidates - and why do critics feel the process is so corrupt? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Forget everything you learned about 'genies' from Aladdin - tales of the Jinn, also called Djinn, are ancient and not at all as family-friendly as Disney might have you believe. So what are these mysterious creatures, exactly? Join the guys as they delve into the strange story of smokeless fire, parallel worlds and hidden, sentient life. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

You've probably heard of shell companies, tax havens and offshore trusts. But how common are they? How many people use these techniques as a way to squirrel away money from the prying eyes of taxpayers, governments and non-billionaires? What exactly did these Panama Papers reveal? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In 2015 alone more than 300 million people visited the US national park system. Some stayed for a few hours, others for a few days - and, occasionally, some never make it out. Join the guys as they take a closer look at the fact, fiction and conjecture surrounding disappearances in national parks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The advent of social media technology has made global communication easier than ever before - yet this innovation creates opportunities for evil as well as good. Learn how ISIS is using social media to manipulate, groom and ultimately recruit people across the planet. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What's in the water in Flint? Did city officials really cover up a potentially deadly situation? Tune in as Ben, Matt and Noel look into the Stuff They Don't Want You to Know about the Flint water crisis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Given the sheer size of the universe, it's overwhelmingly likely that some form of alien life exists - so where the heck are they? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In this episode, the guys welcome returning special guest Damien Patrick Williams (aka @Wolven) as they explore the bizarre confluence of the occult and technology in the modern age, from AI oracles to the nature of consciousness, secret codes of cities and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In today's episode, the gang joins forces with special guest Damien Patrick Williams (aka @Wolven) as they explore the origins of alchemy, as well as its strangest secrets, famous practitioners and effects on the modern day. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In ancient days civilizations across the world believed Earth was some sort of plane, a flat space in the absolute center of the universe. In recent days some celebrities have revived the concept, alleging a vast conspiracy exists. Is this a genuine belief or a marketing ploy? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's true - scientists around the world are increasingly concerned that antibiotics are losing their effectiveness, leading to a future filled with unstoppable bacteria. But could it actually happen? How did we get here, and what happens next? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Are nefarious forces really moving through ranches in the night, mutilating livestock? How? Why? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you ever found yourself infuriated by someone's opinion posted online? Or, perhaps, taken it a step further and attempted to argue with them? Why can't you win an argument online? The answer leads into a cognitive conspiracy that might surprise you. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Every election season conspiracy theories proliferate across the political spectrum -- and some may be less crazy than others. Join Ben, Matt and Noel Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Gnosticism may be one of the oldest conspiracy theories in human civilization - but what is it, exactly? Join Ben, Matt, Noel and special guest Joe McCormick as they take a closer look at Gnostic mysteries, myth and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

There's no two ways about it: oil spills and gas leaks are disastrous, causing massive amounts of ecological damage in a matter of days or hours. So how many occur each year? How many are actually reported, versus covered up? Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On January 2nd, 2016, Ammon Bundy and a group of like-minded individuals occupied the Malheur Wildlife Refuge as a protest against what they saw as federal over-reach and unjust sentencing practices. So what's the real story? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nostradamus. Edgar Cayce. Baba Vanga. Have any of history's alleged psychics successfully predicted the future? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as look at humanity's efforts to predict the future, from ancient oracles to the bleeding edge of science. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's the last podcast of 2015, and the guys look back on some of their favorite stories of the year. Listen in to hear updates, extras, and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What if the Revolutionary War didn't happen the way it's described in textbooks? Tune in and learn why some people believe the UK still controls the US in this special collaboration with our friends at AllTime Conspiracies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

You've probably heard some of the accusations regarding recent tragedies -- that the official story is wrong, and aspects of certain events are either misrepresented or staged completely. But could that be true? What are 'crisis actors?" Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

While humanity has yet to generate any universally-accepted proof of ghosts or hauntings, millions of people around the world report seeing apparitions or experiencing ghostly encounters every year (and sometimes these events cluster around specific areas). Why? Is there any possible explanation for the purported appearance of ghosts? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's no secret that voters distrust Washington, D.C. In numerous polls, citizens of every political overwhelmingly disapprove of Congress. But why? What's the source of this distrust and, perhaps most importantly, is there something Congress doesn't want you to know? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is tasked with safeguarding the country and its citizens from environmental harm. But how well is the agency actually doing at this incredibly important job? Join Matt, Ben and Noel as they explore the facts and fiction behind the EPA. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Recently the World Bank stated that climate change may push more than 100 million people into poverty by 2030, and innovations in robotics may eliminate the need for millions of human workers. But how much of this is alarmism, and how much is inescapable fact? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What's the most intense nightmare you've ever had? Have you ever felt trapped in one? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they explore the phenomenon known as sleep paralysis. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Join Ben, Matt and Noel for a very special episode of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. This year the gang cracks open the listener mail vault to bring you a very creepy (true?) story. Lauren and Casey from the HowStuffWorks collective guest. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

TV, film and fiction have given the public a set of stereotypes about serial killers -- one of the biggest being that they always get caught. Join Ben, Matt, Noel and special guest Christian Sager as they explore the disturbing stories of uncaught serial killers in the second episode of their series on true crime. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For decades women have been abducted, murdered and forgotten along an isolated stretch of Canadian highway. Join the guys and special guest CarStuff's Scott Benjamin as they explore the terrifying history - and disturbing future - of Canada's serial killer hunting ground. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Why have rumors of dark arts so often dogged musicians? Have any of the rock stars of yesteryear ever actually believed they contacted the underworld? Join Ben, Noel and Matt as they explore the murky relationship between music and the occult. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the months leading up to July 15th, 2015, people across the US began to believe there was something fishy afoot. What was Jade Helm 15 actually designed to do? Would it be the first step toward a New World Order? Join Ben and Noel as they take a closer look at Jade Helm 15. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Big Pharma gets a bad name in the press, and the actions of multinational pharmaceutical companies are often the subject of various conspiracies - but are any of the allegations true? Learn more about theories behind political corruption, tainted medicine and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Is Elvis alive? What really happened to Tupac, Kurt Cobain and Andy Kaufman? Join Ben and Super Producer Noel Brown as they explore the fact, fiction and controversy surrounding celebrity death conspiracies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When US forces finally tracked down terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden -- living in Pakistan, likely with support of the ISI -- he was killed and, according to the official story, buried at sea. So why doesn't everyone believe this is true? When did Osama Bin Laden actually die? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

When oil is traded in US cash, the currency is called a petrodollar. It's a fundamental part of international trade -- but it's also a continual source of conspiratorial allegations. Join Matt and Ben as they explore the fact and fiction surrounding the petrodollar. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

While it's comforting to imagine slavery as a barbaric practice in humanity's distant past, nothing could be further than the truth. Join Ben and Matt to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Death - the most mysterious, unknowable, and terrifying event in human experience. Some philosophers believe society is shaped, ultimately, by the fear of death. So what actually happens when you die? Is there anything after? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In the 1980s, a mysterious organization terrorized candy companies in Japan - then disappeared. What was the Monster with 21 Faces, and what happened to it? Are any members alive today? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On December 1st, 1948, Somerton beachgoers discovered a well-dressed, anonymous corpse. Almost 50 years later, investigators still aren't sure what happened. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's no secret that DC is home to numerous conspiracy theories -- but how many are true? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The digital age has revolutionized propaganda - how can you really know who's writing what online (and why)? Join the guys and special guest Joe McCormick as they explore the future of online manipulation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Antarctica is one of the most mysterious places on the planet. If the ice melted, what would we find beneath? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Pundits have predicted the beginning of WWIII since, essentially, the end of the last World War. But could it really happen? How? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

We hear about this mysterious force all the time in fiction and film -- but what is it actually supposed to be? Is there any evidence that it might be real? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Is there really a secret hotspot of paranormal and UFO activity just southeast of Ballard, Utah? Join Ben and Matt as they explore the fact (and fiction) surrounding the bizarre Sherman Ranch. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Each year, the horrors of addiction claim thousands of lives -- but what if some substances can break the cycle of drug abuse? Join Ben and Matt to learn more about hallucinogens and addiction. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

How often do you think news outlets bury, skip or distort an important story? The answers -- or, at least, the accusations -- might surprise you. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Assassins murdered President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Five years later, his brother Robert was assassinated. Coincidence? On the anniversary of RFK's murder, Ben, Matt and Noel take a closer look at the events surrounding the tragedy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What's the future of online privacy? Filmmaker Alex Winter joins Matt and Ben to talk about his new documentary "Deep Web", following the story of the infamous Silk Road and its creator, Ross Ulbricht. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you written to the guys on Facebook or Twitter? Sent an email? Then tune in as they answer your questions and more on air in this special listener mail edition of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The news about the so-called "EM Drive" has been all over the headlines... but is it true? Join Matt and Ben to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Would the federal government really try to take over states via a military exercise? What do politicians, voters and officials think? Join Matt and Ben as they explore the history of military exercises and the upcoming Jade Helm 15. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Nowadays comics are considered anything from light-hearted entertainment to a unique art form and genre of literature all their own. Yet for decades they were considered a gateway to sin. Join Ben and special guest Christian Sager as they explore the moral panic, censorship and collusion that led to the rise of the comics code. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Modern historians generally mark the beginning of the Armenian Genocide as 24 April, 1915 -- one hundred years ago this week. However, people and nations still can't seem to agree on whether it actually was a genocide. Why? And why do both sides accuse the others of a conspiracy? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Imagine if a government disguised its operatives as members of some other organization -- and then attacked itself. While this might sound crazy, several historians have argued that false flag attacks are more than just conspiracy theories. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

We hear about "big data" more and more these days - but how much of it is sensationalism, and how much is true? The answers may surprise you. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Easter is one of the most important celebrations in Christianity. So why does it involves a rabbit and painted eggs? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

At the close of WWII, US allies created secret, "stay-behind" armies, designed to protect the population in the event of a Communist invasion. So why are they linked with terrorist groups? What were these secret armies actually doing, and - perhaps more importantly - did they ever stop? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On December 9th, 1965, multiple witnesses saw a bright object shoot through the sky and - allegedly - land in Kecksburg, Pennsylvania. So what actually happened? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Did you know that there's no systematic, comprehensive study of police shootings across the United States? Some blame a distaste for paperwork, while others think there's something sinister afoot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The FCC's 2015 Open Internet ruling is either a victory or a disaster, depending on whom you ask. But what is it, exactly? Join Matt and Ben as they explore the facts and fiction surrounding the Open Internet and Net Neutrality. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In an age of global connectivity, North Korea remains one of the most isolated -- and enigmatic -- countries on Earth. How much do we really know about it? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you written to the guys on Facebook or Twitter? Sent an email? Then tune in as they answer your questions and more on air in the latest listener mail edition of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Diamonds: according to the ads, they're a girl's best friend, and the only thing worth picking for an engagement ring. But how did diamonds become so important -- and why? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A large part of North America is sitting on a geothermal timebomb. Could it explode in your lifetime? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Each year, millions of US residents consume pharmaceutical products designed to somehow improve their lives. These drugs could tackle anything from ADHD to allergies and diseases. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Why did the US practice prohibition? Do current prohibition policies really protect the public, or are they meant to do something else entirely? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's often said money can't buy happiness -- but what exactly can it do? Could it change the way you think? ...could it make you a bad person? Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Did North Korea really wage cyberwar to stop The Interview from airing? How did this happen -- and is there a conspiracy afoot? Join Ben and Matt as they welcome HowStuffWorks tech expert Jonathan Strickland for the second part of their series on the Sony hacks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Did North Korea really wage cyberwar to stop The Interview from airing? How did this happen -- and is there a conspiracy afoot? Join Ben and Matt as they welcome HowStuffWorks tech expert Jonathan Strickland onto the show for a discussion of the recent Sony hacks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Are psychic powers actually possible? Join Ben and Matt as they investigate the truth about clairvoyance. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

We always hear stories about Big Oil and other conspiracies, but are any of these true? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sure, the Trans-Pacific Partnership sounds like a snoozefest... but why does it matter? Why should you care about this secretive international agreement? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's ancient, it's huge, and it's cited in all sorts of fringe theories, from stories of lost civilizations to ley lines and more. But what is Stonehenge, really? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you written to the guys on Facebook or Twitter? Sent an email? Then tune in as they answer your questions and more on air in this special listener mail edition of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From the Opium Wars to prohibition and the modern drug trade, human civilization has been irreversibly influenced by wars over drugs. Has it worked? Could it ever? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could there really be groups of people conducting Satanic rites -- not philosophical stances, but actual devil worship via ritual or even sacrifice? Where are these groups, if they exist? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Join Ben and Matt for a very special episode of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know, from conspiracy theories to spooky stories, listener mail and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Sure, cults are weird. The doomsday prophecies, claims of superpowers and tendency toward brainwashing are all strange, but what if the situation got even weirder? What if intelligence agencies were secretly involved with everything from the Manson family to the People's Temple and more? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's no secret that inequality is rising in countries around the world, but what does this mean for the future? What is the middle class, exactly -- and why do some people believe it's going extinct? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Is it possible that one day all the world's decisions will be made by AI? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Is it possible that someone has been playing both sides of the financial fence, seeking to destabilize markets for their own purposes? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The ascendance of Pope Francis has led to a revival of Jesuit conspiracy theories. But why? Who are the Jesuits, exactly? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What triggered the massive explosion over Tunguska in 1908? Join Matt, Ben, and special guest Joe McCormick as they take a closer look at one of the most mysterious catastrophes in history. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

They're supposed to help people across the planet -- so why doesn't everyone trust NGOs? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From Iran to London, it seems that being a scientist has become an increasingly dangerous occupation. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In today's episode, our friends at TechStuff join us for a closer look at the tricky business of staying anonymous on the internet, as well as the facts about the NSA's surveillance program. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's here! After an overwhelming wave of emails and messages from listeners, Matt and Ben are finally presenting, in full, the the ghost story from the first listener mail episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

File this under "stranger than fiction": In more than a dozen sites across Gabon, scientists have found evidence of ancient nuclear reactors. How ancient? Try two billion years. But how did this happen? Why? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Although most people might assume that the Bible has always existed in its present state, that answer couldn't be any further from the truth. Tune in to learn more about how the bible has changed over time -- including what got added in, taken out and why. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Did Nazis really have a department for paranormal investigations? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Will your future online purchases, delivery food and more be delivered by drones? Will law enforcement fly them continuously over your city, town or neighborhood? Tune in to learn more about the possible future of drones. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Whether you're sipping a soda, grabbing some fast food or eating ready-made snacks from the local grocery store, chances are that you're ingesting a number of "barely-food" chemicals used to preserve color, taste or texture. But what are these, exactly? Are they dangerous? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

No, not the band featuring Sting. What if the actual, local law enforcement in the your neck of the global woods started using military-grade weaponry, patrolling the streets with the same door-to-door tactics used in occupied countries? According to some concerned advocates, this is a worldwide trend -- and it shows no signs of slowing. Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

You've probably heard about Nikola Tesla, but what about Thomas Henry Moray? Listen in to learn why some people believe this little-known electrical engineer may have discovered a revolutionary zero-point energy device. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From hidden catacombs to wild rumors about a hollow earth, the world is full of subterranean stories. But which are total bunk, and which have the ring of truth? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Why do some people believe the Middle Ages never happened? Can we really trust our calendars? Do current world powers have a compelling interest in suppressing our knowledge of the past? Listen in and learn more with Matt and Ben. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It sounds like the plot of a James Bond film: Some shadowy supervillain holds the world for ransom while threatening to destroy civilization with an earthquake, floods or volcanic eruptions. But some believe that humanity has more control over Earth's than ever before. Why? Could someone really create a natural disaster -- and use it as a weapon? Learn more with Ben and Matt. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Could alien life forms really contact human beings? How would they do it? Is it possible that other humans could intercept the message -- and keep it secret? Listen in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Have you written to the guys on Facebook or Twitter? Sent an email? Then tune in as they answer your questions and more on air in this special listener mail edition of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It sounds like something out of a paranoid political thriller - one journalist stumbles across a vast international conspiracy involving the world's most important leaders and corporations. But could it be true? What is the Octopus, and what happened to Danny Casolaro? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Will someone alive today live forever? Can science create real-life zombies? Are there any real examples of the 'walking dead' around today? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Every year tax activists of one sort or another try to avoid paying federal or state levies -- but why? Tune in to learn more about taxation conspiracy theories. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

We've all heard about Neanderthals -- but what else was out there? Join the guys as they take a closer look at the facts behind the folklore, digging deeper to see if there's any grain of truth to the legends of giants, gnomes and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Over 200 years ago the British and Russian empires waged a silent war across Eurasia in what became known as "The Great Game". Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Neuromarketers claim that their techniques provide new and profound insights for consumers buying everything from soda to new cars. But can they really interpret data in a way that allows them to nudge a user's subconscious mind? And, if so, what does this mean for the future? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Is the world really littered with underground military bases? Is it possible to find them on your own? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What's the difference between a cult and a religion? What are some of history's strangest cults? Are there any secret cults in the modern day? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What's going on between Ukraine and Russia? Could it spark a widespread conflict? Join Ben and Matt for their first installment of the "Behind the Curtain" series, where they cut past the rhetoric to explore the truth behind murky international affairs. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What does the pineal gland do? Some people believe it represents the mystical "third eye" from ancient teachings. Could it possibly be used to see beyond our physical world? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For centuries people believed that human beings could transform into wolves. Why? Could werewolf legends simply be cover stories for the violent acts of deranged humans? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

A recent spate of suicides by high-level banking officials has shaken the financial world. Coincidence? Or conspiracy? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What are exorcisms, really? How do they function across cultures? Is there any proof that they're real? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What was COINTELPRO? What made it controversial? Do government agencies continue to infiltrate activist organizations in the modern day? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Stories of ghosts predate written history, and cultures around the world believe in one form of spirit or another. But why? If there's no currently accepted scientific proof that ghosts exists, then what are millions of people around the world claiming to see? Join Ben and Matt as they explore ghosts and the afterlife. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What would you do if you woke up one day and found yourself in a world without electricity, cellphones or the internet? It sounds like the plot of a science fiction film, but if a powerful enough solar flare hits Earth's magnetosphere this could become a frightening reality. Join Matt and Ben as they explore the likelihood of a solar apocalypse. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What was the most widespread infiltration of the US government? According to some sources, it came from within. Tune in to learn more about the story of Operation Snow White -- and why the Church of Scientology and the US government still don't agree on what actually happened. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

It's true - the Soviet government really did have its own parapsychological research program. And, unlike MKULTRA and other US operations, the Soviet version continued until 2003, when it officially ended. Tune in to learn more with Ben and Matt. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Serial killers are insane, prone to exaggeration and delusion, and often inveterate liars. Amid some of their wilder claims, several notable serial killers, such as David Berkowitz and Henry Lee Lucas, have stated that they were killing on the orders of a cult. Is there any way it could be true? Tune in to learn more about the Hand of Death, Four Pi and other alleged serial killer cults. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The international community has agreed not to wage war in space, but that hasn't stopped the nations of Earth from cramming outer space with spy satellites, orbital junk and classified spacecraft. So what's up there, exactly? Could there really be a war in space? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The placebo effect is pretty freaky when you think about it: just believing that a harmless substance is a medicine can really produce measurable benefits. It sounds crazy, but the placebo effect is real, and its implications continue to fascinate scientists. So why does it appear to be getting stronger? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

For much of recorded history, humans beings have been trying to devise unbreakable codes (and break the codes of their rivals). But is there any truly unbreakable code? And what exactly is Cicada 3301? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Things get weird as Matt and Ben sift through a backlog of listener requests, questions and conspiracies. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

On July 16th, 1945 the first atomic bomb test ushered in a new era of warfare, with weapons capable of killing millions. But how many countries own nukes today, and how did they get them? The answers may surprise you. Tune in to learn more Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Chances are that you've heard of the alleged war on Christmas, which some believe is an effort to distance the celebration from its origins. But what are those origins, exactly -- and where do modern Christmas traditions come from? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

What happened to Chelsea Manning? What will Edward Snowden and Glenn Greenwald reveal next? And how long will Julian Assange remain in London? Join Matt and Ben as they give you the latest updates on the lives of the world's most well-known whistleblowers. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

From Atlantis to Cuidad Blanca, Troy and Shangri-La, history is full of legends about lost civilizations. But how does humanity lose an entire city, empire or society? Are any of the stories of lost cities true? Tune in to learn more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Ben and Matt get a lot of questions, and one that crops up often is this: "Do you ever run into real conspiracies (rather than theories)?" Well, they're finally going to answer it. Tune in to hear the guys explain which conspiracy theories seem the most plausible, which former theories have been proven true and more. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Is there really an ancient, shadowy secret society running the world? If so, what's their endgame - and why hasn't anyone conclusively proven their existence? Join Ben and Matt as they look back on their Illuminati series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The search for life-saving medical innovations has a dark side: human experimentation. And, while history is unfortunately chock-full of horrifying experiments on innocents, it isn't all stuff from the ancient past. In fact, experiments on unconsenting humans may continue in the modern day. Tune in to learn more with Ben and Matt. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Why do so many consider cryptozoology a "pseudoscience"? Have any of the mysterious animals known as cryptids ever been found? How many species exist on Earth today? The answer might surprise you. Tune in to learn more with Ben and Matt. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

As Edward Snowden lives a life of exile in Russia, his leaked revelations about the reach of NSA surveillance have shocked the world. But what's next for Snowden? And how should the world handle whistleblowers? Is there a real difference between a whistleblower and someone who steals state secrets for other reasons? Learn more with Ben and Matt. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers