Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Could mysterious, possibly supernatural strangers really appear at just the right time to save someone's life? It's a question that's haunted humanity since the days of ancient empires. To many, these could be guardian angels or spirits of loved ones. However, modern scientists are increasingly researching the enigmatic "Third Man Factor" and, as Ben, Matt and Noel discover in the second part of this special two-part series -- the experts may have found some clues to the puzzle; small bits of information that, when combined, might not just explain the Third Man phenomena -- but also habve stunning implications for the interaction of science and spirituality overall. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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? They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine you are on the edge of death. You're summiting Everest, surviving on a space station, lost in the woods or losing consciousness after a car accident. Suddenly, a mysterious presence appears: "Keep going," it says, "take my hand. Stick around just a bit longer, and I will lead you home." This experience exists across cultures and time -- in the past, humans deemed it the intervention of the divine. Today, it's often called the "Third Man Factor." In the first chapter of this week's special two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the concept of a benevolent stranger appearing just in time to save your life -- then, once the danger has passed, disappearing without a trace. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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? They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's strange news segment, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the Anglosphere's need for active trade and craft. The Oxford "Word of the Year" -- "brain rot," occurring as a Vietnamese billionaire dodges execution; a Kansas detective, confronted with crimes, dies in a widely-reported story. All this and more as the asteroids move through the void -- if you survive, did you sense some presence inspiring you? They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, human civilization has grappled with global chaos -- and, even now, experts disagree on the provenance of this infection. How did it get here? Where did it come from? In tonight's interview, Ben, Matt and Noel sit down with Jenner Furst, the award-winning documentarian and creator of "Thank You, Dr. Fauci," to learn more about his terrifying exploration into the questions surrounding the emergence of COVID. Is the official narrative correct ... or is there Stuff They Don't Want You To Know? They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winter Juniper notes Falun Gong is accused of human traffikicking. Eye movement feedback may provide breakthroughs in therapy - the boys discuss "Genetic Memory." All this and more in this weekly listener mail segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What would you do if folks in your home country offered you the chance to travel abroad, all expenses paid -- with one caveat: do some crime? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the bizarre, conspiratorial world of crime tourism. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did a young, struggling German immigrant build one of the country's most successful criminal empires? In this classic 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. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A tragic airplane crash -- coupled with a series of sinister, earlier explosions -- prompts serious concerns that someone, cough, cough, Russia, may be executing test runs for global espionage. KFC steps back promise to stop using 'Frankenchickens' in the UK. Mobile game Pokémon Go may be in bed with militaries, leveraging data for mass surveillance. Dutch police find a gnome made of MDMA during a drug bust. A new revelation regarding the mysterious 1971 D.B. Cooper skyjacking, and much, much more in this weekly strange news segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did the real Paul McCartney die in a car accident, only to be replaced by a doppleganger? 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. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Darcy prompts a conversation about the etymology of "Kangaroo Court." Blue About Blue Zones inspires Ben, Matt and Noel to explore what may well be an ongoing conspiracy to ignore inconvenient facts. Beefy shares a first-hand experience with television programs appearing to be genuine courts. In Letters From Home, the guys learn multiple naughty puns. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment, brought to you by Thanksgiving and our good friends at Illumination Global, Unlimited. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From prince to pauper, from empress to enemy, literally everybody poops. And even now, in 2024, civilization is learning more about the fascinating, disturbing implications of gut flora -- the world hidden within you, as you listen to tonight's episode. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they explore the strange science of fecal transplants, the idea that you can put one person's poop in someone else and, just maybe, save their life. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 in tonight's Classic episode. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Swedish leader is terrified of bananas. A group of ne'er-do-wells get busted for bear fraud. Some Iraqi politicians want to lower the legal age of consent to 9 years old. The Onion buys Infowars. A US defense contractor pays out 43 million USD for its role in torturing Abu Ghraib detainees. Over in Peru, China's building a megaport - and no one's sure what will happen next. All this and more in this week's strange news segment. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Modern-day Myanmar remains home to a unique cultural heritage and stunning natural beauty -- yet today it's also home to a wide range of deeply disturbing conspiracies and crimes. In part two of this special two-part series, Ben and Matt explore the booming criminal industries of the country - especially entire communities dedicated to human trafficking and online scams. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's listener mail segment: Old Makalya responds to the hubbub surrounding the tragic death of Peanut the Squirrel. Bones prompts a larger conversation about elections and conspiracies. Anonymous Owl provides a step-by-step guide for saving animals in the wild. All this and more - plus, side note, we absolutely called it on the undersea cable sabotage. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most people in the global west aren't too familiar with Myanmar. Formerly known as Burma, the Southeast Asian country has a deep history as a cultural and geographical crossroads -- and this has become both a gift and a curse. In the first part of this special two-part episode, Ben and Matt explore the history of Myanmar, its descent into chaos, and how multiple forces conspired to make it a modern hotbed of instability, crime, and corruption. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's strange news segment: In the wake of the recent US Presidential Election, Russian President Putin's aide Nikolai Patrushev releases a bizarre statement about "obligations." A misprint on merchandise for the film adaptation of Wicked takes some consumers to adult content. The US FDA announced a proposal to remove oral phenylephrine from the market, citing evidence that it doesn’t work. All this and more, plus a lot of puns. They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.