The Hidden History of Assassins, Part I: An Origin Story

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://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 Sep 202058min

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://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 Sep 202015min

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://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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 Aug 20201h 7min

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://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

28 Aug 202052min

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://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

27 Aug 202042min

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://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

26 Aug 202057min

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://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

26 Aug 202024min

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://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comThey 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.

24 Aug 202056min