The Ongoing Amish Abuse Scandal

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://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.

19 Juni 201956min

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://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.

14 Juni 201951min

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://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.

12 Juni 201947min

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://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.

7 Juni 201937min

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://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.

5 Juni 201957min

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://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 Maj 201946min

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://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.

29 Maj 201956min

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://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 Maj 201944min