Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

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://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.

25 Apr 201840min

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://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.

20 Apr 201853min

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://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.

18 Apr 201854min

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://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.

13 Apr 201853min

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://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.

11 Apr 201844min

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://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.

6 Apr 201848min

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://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.

4 Apr 201849min

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://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.

30 Mars 201858min