In 2017 South Korean President Park Guen-hye was impeached and ousted from power as a result of a wide-reaching corruption scandal touching everything from big business to religion. In the aftermath, the world’s been left asking: What exactly happened? Was this another tragic case of nepotism and bribery, or … something more? Was South Korea’s President the victim of a cult?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.

The US Marshalls got hacked. Mexican President Obrador believes in cryptids -- and tweets about it. NASA confirms success in the earlier DART attempt to knock asteroids off course. All this and more in this week's Strange News.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.

Deep in remote forests half a world away from the gilded halls of New York, Michael Rockefeller seems determined to learn as much as he can about one tribal community in particular. After his disappearance and a country-wide search, the theories begin: Did Rockefeller die? Was he murdered, then eaten? And, the strangest of all: Could he be alive today?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.

2FAB describes government preparation exercises for disasters in New Orleans. Barefootcowgirl and others break down the great Eggspiracy. Multiple folks reach out to Ben, asking: Should prisoners be allowed -- or mandated? -- to sell their organs in exchange for a reduced sentence? All this and more in this week's 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.

Michael Rockefeller was -- or is -- a descendant of one of the most powerful families in the United States. In 1961, he disappeared in a rural part of modern-day Indonesia. Decades later, the mystery remains: What happened to Michael Rockefeller? Tune in for part one 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.

You've probably heard of the infamous (and controversial) Bermuda Triangle, that alleged site of numerous disappearing aircraft and oceangoing vessels... but have you heard of the Dragon's Triangle, its counterpart in the Pacific Ocean? Join the guys as they dive headfirst into the conspiratorial lore surrounding vile vortices, as well as the fact -- and fiction -- surrounding the so-called Devil's Sea.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.

Australia confirms it's busted multiple spies, apparently all working for the same country. Fox News faces a defamation lawsuit that may pose a serious threat to the network. Along the US-Canadian border, experts are warning folks to be on the lookout for a new invasive species: a crossbred mix of pig that's smarter, more aggressive, highly resistant to injury -- and wreaking havoc everywhere it goes. 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.

Nowadays, most people can agree that fascism is, well, a bad thing. But back in the 1930s, life absolutely sucked for most Americans, and fascism still had a sort of new car smell. Wall Street bankers were convinced they could take their country back from the clutches of ‘class traitors’ like Roosevelt, sink the New Deal and put the United States on a better – meaning more profitable – path.  They had the money. They had an army. Now all they needed was a leader.  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.

The 1912 sinking of the Titanic left an indelible mark on Western culture, so it's no surprise that more than a decade later revisionists and fringe theorists continue to claim there's something more to the tragic story. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they take a closer look at the true story of the Titanic.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 do private schools and revolution have in common? The answer may surprise you. Join the guys as they bring on their intern Sam Teegardin and for a firsthand look at an strange and insidious conspiracy reaching from the Eastern US seaboard and journeying through locations across the world to fundamentally rock the political foundations of the Turkish state.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.

Is an out-of-the-way ruin in South Africa the oldest human structure on the planet? Or did something other than humans build it? These are the rumors surrounding a place sometimes called Adam's Calendar -- but how do the rumors compare to the facts? Join Ben and Matt as they dive into the story of strange historical ruins.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.

Even without a Facebook profile, the average internet or smartphone user leaves a massive trail of digital breadcrumbs, from publicly available records to purchasing history, forum posts and GPS data -- so what happens when you try to delete this info? Join the guys as they collaborate with Part-Time Genius to explore the ins and outs of your online identity, as well as what you can -- or cannot -- actually delete from the internet.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.

The United States government propagandizes missions to shoot unidentified objects from the sky, while a small town in Ohio goes against rail tycoons in hopes of surviving an ecological catastrophe. All this and more in this week's Strange News.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.

When tech billionaire Elon Musk acquired Twitter, he also stated he would bring more transparency to the inner workings of the social platform. Partnering with several veteran investigative journalists, Musk shared copious internal documents, requesting only that the journalists publish their findings on Twitter first. The result came to be known as the 2022 Twitter Files. To some, this work proves several long-running conspiracy theories. To others, it seems little more than overblown hype. So what's the scoop? Tune in to learn 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.

A Conspiracy Realist prompts some serious questions about all the balloons making the news these days. Bobo asks whether politics have become a kind of religion. Another Government Worker shares their first hand experience dealing with conspiratorial family members. All this and more in this week's listener mail.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.

For all official purposes, criminal gangs and law enforcement agencies are natural enemies -- yet for decades, communities across the United States have argued a conspiracy is afoot: the same people paid to combat gangs have, themselves, become the monsters they claim to pursue. In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into a disturbing, dangerous question: What happens when cops have gangs of their own?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.

Could any real human beings have genuine superpowers? Join the guys as they take a closer look at extraordinary beings across the planet -- and, most importantly, ask who may be attempting to manufacture and control these abilities.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.

New York's former top FBI counterintelligence agent, Charles F. McGonigal, has been indicted for shady dealings with oligarchs. A man in Singapore attempts, for the second time, to sue a woman for rejecting his romantic advances. As mass media keeps people focused on spy balloons, the top-secret Kosmos 2499 Russian satellite appears to disintegrate in orbit -- no one knows what it was doing up there, or why it began to break up. All this and more in this week's Strange News.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 folks these days have never heard of Dag Hammarskjöld, but in his time he was a global mover and shaker. As the son of the Swedish Prime Minister, he grew up in halls of power, teaching at a prestigious university, running a bank and, eventually, heading the newly-formed United Nations. Yet his stellar career was cut short by a tragic plane crash while on a secret mission to stop a war. And, more than 60 years later, Ben, Matt and Noel are increasingly certain he was murdered. Was this death an unfortunate plane crash -- or a genuine assassination? Tune in to learn 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.

Jingle calls, prompting a conversation about glitter and taggants in tasers. Ghost writes in with a deeply disturbing story of MAID -- Medically Assisted In Death -- programs in Canada. Nial hips the gang to the strange, allegedly Neolithic site sometimes called "Adam's Calendar." Agent Winter writes a joke so terrible that we had to put it on air. All this and more in this week's listener mail.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.

For decades, the humble egg was seen as a reliably inexpensive, versatile source of nutrition. While the price might spike occasionally, it would inevitably return to normalcy. Until, that is, quite recently. Across various social media platforms, local chicken owners are reporting that not only have eggs been rising in price -- but something in the feed is preventing their own chickens from laying eggs. Is there a conspiracy afoot? Tune in to learn 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.

It sounds like pure fiction: A tiny part of the United States, tucked away in Yellowstone, where you can commit any crime you like and never go to trial. So what is this so-called Zone of Death, exactly? How does it work? Perhaps most importantly -- could you really get away with... anything?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.

The bioscience company working to de-extinct the Mammoth and the Tasmanian Tiger (if it's actually gone) sets its sights on a new goal: resurrecting the Dodo. TikTok outpaces the LAPD in capturing a Tesla road rager. The CDC announces a disturbing warning about antibiotic-resistant bacteria in eyedrops. All this and more in this week's Strange News.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.

Ben has disappeared, giving Matt and Noel the perfect chance to catch up on a slew of voicemails in this special listener mail segment. More Broccoli calls in to ask about what makes our taste change -- do kids detect things adults simply can't? A Conspiracy Realist with experience in fire suppression weighs in on the mysterious NYPD Warehouse Fire. A call asks about the alleged underwater pyramids of of the Azores. Tune in for all this 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.

M writes in with some (frankly disturbing) stuff the military doesn't want you to know. Snag Daddy shares a strange tale about haunted planes from over in the Pacific. Kevyn prompts a conversation about the nature of style -- can it be copyrighted? All this and more in this week's Listener Mail.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.

We've all been there - you're at a gathering of friends or family, when someone starts to go off the rails, expounding a strange series of unfounded conspiracies (or worse). How do you connect with this person, and help guide them away from the cognitive brink toward the world of critical thought? In the second part of this two-series, the guys explore the tricky process of navigating Conspiracy Realism without judgement or condescension.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.

Join the guys as they hang out with Lucky Yates, the prolific actor and voice of Dr. Krieger of FX's Archer, to explore everything from the frightening future of biotechnology to the (alleged) resurrection of the dodo 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.

NATO countries pledge tanks to Ukraine, triggering the Doomsday Clock. Ticketmaster is back in the spotlight, and Congress may intervene on behalf of Taylor Swift fans? Stunning breakthroughs in gene therapy pose a series of amazing -- and potentially horrific -- possibilities. All this and more in this week's Strange News.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.

Even if you've never seen her films or know her by name, you will almost certainly recognize Marilyn Monroe. This famous Hollywood icon rose to global fame as a model, actress, and socialite -- only to die, officially from an overdose, at the young age of 36. And ever since that day, people around the world have spent decades asking whether there's something more to the official story: Who killed Marilyn Monroe?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.

Conspiracy Realist Mike describes his first hand experience working in the mental health field in the 1990s. A letter about synesthesia prompts a discussion on the nature of experience -- and whether this particular sensory phenomenon can be taught. Toad reaches out to relay some insider info explaining anomalous sonic booms -- and and a (completely unrelated) listener writes in with some distressing observations about farts. All this and more in this week's listener mail.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.

With all the news about art programs like Midjourney, chat applications like ChatGPT and so on, it's no wonder more and more people are concerned 'AI' -- however defined, may put their jobs in danger. But how true is that? Is 'AI' coming for you? Tune in to learn more in the first part of this ongoing 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.

If you had a chance to save a loved one, would you take it? How far would you go? It's the gang's collective birthday this month, so as a way of saying thanks to you Conspiracy Realists around the world (and beyond), the guys have teamed up with their extended conspiracy family to present a unique tale of morality, of good and evil, and... fast food.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 letter from the self-described 'ultra rich' argues the rich must be taxed to prevent catastrophic inequality. Getty images files a legal complaint on companies making AI-assisted image software. In an interview on state-funded news, 58-year-old serial killer Mikhail Popkov volunteers to join the Russian military. All this and more on today's Strange News.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.

More than a century since the Wright brothers made history at Kitty Hawk, aircraft still seem like a stunning, new -- and potentially terrifying -- invention. It's no wonder that flight, like so many other forms of transit, has become embedded in the the human psyche. In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel delve deep into stories of 'haunted' aircraft.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.

Ben follows up on augmented reality and the ongoing communications from protestors in Iran. A caller asks for information about the alleged disappearance of the young inventor Max Loughan. A listener writes in to provide a Peruvian perspective on birthrates in agrarian economies. All this and more in this week's listener mail.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's a lot of information out there these days -- and, unfortunately, a lot of it isn't true. But how can we learn to discern fact from fiction? In today's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the basis of critical thought and skepticism, and how your own brain can conspire against you in your search for the truth. 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.

The rumors are true -- the US government has multiple, highly-fortified shelters and compounds dotting the American landscape, staffed and fully prepared to protect the President and other federal or state officials from widespread disease, natural disasters, nuclear war and more. But how do these things get built? Where are they and -- perhaps most importantly -- what happens to everyone else when the bombs hit? Join the guys as they interview Garrett M. Graff, the author of "Raven Rock: The Story of the U.S. Government’s Secret Plan to Save Itself — While the Rest of Us Die."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.

New research indicates multiple obscure fungal infections are spreading much further than originally thought. On the heels of the attempted coup in Brazil, former president Jair Bolsonaro remains in the United States. Over in Utah, hapless park officials ask people to stop planting strange electronic rigs in mountains near Salt Lake City (spoiler from Ben: I'm pretty sure this is related to crypto). All this and more in this week's Strange News.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.

It's a story you might not have heard much about in the global west. While the world has eyes on the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, another international border may be on the brink of exploding into open war. For decades the nuclear-capable nations of China and India have quietly been waging a dispute high in the Himalayas -- a conflict fought with sticks, stones and hand-to-hand combat to determine a border. Problem is, neither side ever agreed to a border in the first place. Instead, they call it the "Line of Actual Control." Tune in to learn 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.

It's a tale that dates back centuries -- a bizarre, spherical ship washes ashore in Japan, containing a single passenger. Visibly female and humanoid, but clothed in strange garments, with unusual hair and skin. Fast forward to the modern day -- experts still aren't sure what exactly happened. What was Utsuro Bune? Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they delve into the mystery.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.

Humanity has always had one biological mission: to grow and expand its population. And, since the days of antiquity, great thinkers have been terrified by the idea that, one day, there will simply be too many people on the planet. In today's episode, Ben and Noel explore the numerous concerns about overpopulation, separating fact from fiction as they delve into one of the most disturbing genres of conspiracy: What if the most powerful people in the world are conspiring to murder the less fortunate, all in the name of the Greater Good?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.

Each year, thousands of people visit national parks across the US. And, tragically, some of them don't return. Join the guys as they interview David Paulides, the prolific author of the Missing 411 series, to learn more about his work and research into these disappearances.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.

It's 2023 -- and more shady companies are selling body parts on the sly. Infrastructure attacks continue across the United States, prompting questions about a larger pattern at play. Canada is banning foreign homebuyers, and Japan is begging people to move out of Tokyo. Join Ben and Matt for all this and more in this week's Strange News.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.

As the investigation into the brutal death of the Shermans dragged on, seemingly with no solid leads, the public and members of the Sherman family grew increasingly disturbed. Both the authorities and the family searched desperately for clues -- and the court of opinion began drawing conclusions of its own. Could a business rival of Barry Sherman's have ordered a hit? Could a foreign government be involved? What should we make of the accusations levied against Barry Sherman's own son? Tune in to learn more in part two 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.

For many people, the word "pyramid" instantly conjures up images of ancient Egypt -- of pharaohs and mummies, treasure and (maybe) curses. But while the pyramids of Egypt may be the most well-known, they are far from the only example of these structures. Join the guys as they explore the stories of pyramids across the globe, including their alleged uses 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.

In 2017, Canadian billionaires Barry and Honey Sherman were discovered dead in their Toronto-area mansion, in a gruesome tragedy that remains unsolved in the modern day. Police initially declared the case a murder-suicide -- a conclusion no one found accurate. In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the troubling details of this crime, from the initial investigation up to the profoundly disturbing details of how the murders were carried out, all leading to a single, still-unanswered question: Who killed the Shermans, and why?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 2017, Elon Musk laid out plans to build a permanent colony on Mars -- one with at least a million human inhabitants. What would this colony look like? How would it work? Most importantly, could we use a Martian colony as an opportunity to improve on the socioeconomic practices of Earth? To find these answers, Ben, Matt and Noel went to the smartest guy they know: Marshall Brain, the founder of HowStuffWorks and author of "Imagining Elon Musk's Million-Person Mars Colony."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 warehouse fire in Brooklyn destroys incalculable amounts of NYPD evidence. The app Lensa prompts a conversation about the future of art (which Ben partially predicted). Human-made nuclear fusion is finally real -- but will it work the way humans hope? All this and more in this week's Strange News.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.