Strange News: Iraqi Prank Shows, The East Valley Rapist and the Colonial Pipeline Hack

Well, folks, the results are in: 2025 was a rough year for American science. Massive funding cuts to research and development aren't just slowing the pace of innovation -- they're also sending thousands of the nation's best and brightest out of the country... and straight into the arms of nations that would love to have them. What does this mean for the future? What does this mean for the families affected? Perhaps most importantly: Why is Uncle Sam hamstringing science in the first place? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive deep into the new era of Brain Drain.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.

9 Tammi 1h 8min

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.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.

8 Tammi 1h 1min

As Ben, Matt and Noel return from a holiday break, they recall a shocking discovery from their earlier investigation into the Atlas Network. What exactly is the 'National Endowment for Democracy'? Why does this... quasi-private, government-funded, global entity have so many people so concerned?Also, why are so many people calling it 'a new CIA'? We're back, baby! Tune in.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.

7 Tammi 1h

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 reprecussions that continue throughout the sport in the modern day.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.

6 Tammi 51min

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?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.

5 Tammi 59min

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).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.

2 Tammi 59min

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.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.

1 Tammi 54min

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 re-contextualizing 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.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.

31 Joulu 202559min