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Society & Culture
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Vasectomies: Stop Being A Wimp
You can uncross your legs you big babies. Getting a vasectomy isn’t bad at all – recovery time is a breeze, pain is minimal, and you can consider it a gift to your partner. Learn the real deal on vasectomies (and get 20% off with our code: STUFF).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
44:2527/09/2022
Selects: How LSD Works
In 1943 Swiss chemist Albert Hofman discovered he'd created what may be the most potent hallucinogen known to humankind. Then he took a bike ride. Learn about the chemistry, neurology, history and cultural impact of LSD-25 in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
01:16:5924/09/2022
Sitcoms Part II
Listen in now for part II of our homage to sitcoms. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
36:3622/09/2022
Short Stuff: Laugh Tracks
Laugh tracks have been around since the early 1950s and it’s all thanks to one (reviled) sound engineer who invented them. But as much as people like to hate laugh tracks most shows wouldn’t be at all funny without them.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
15:3121/09/2022
Sitcoms Part I
Traditional multi-camera sitcoms have fallen out of style in recent years, but the golden age of the genre lives on with streaming services. Sitcom will never go away completely. Join us for part I.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
31:1020/09/2022
Selects: Frida Kahlo: Painter, Icon, Genius
Frida Kahlo was a painter who transcended her own work to became an icon. Learn all about her fascinating and inspiring life and work in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
47:3617/09/2022
Pearls: Second Best Thing About Oysters
Pearls are super cool. And humans figuring out how to make them is even cooler. Learn all about the most interesting gemstone today!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
50:1915/09/2022
Short Stuff: Hangry?
When you’re hungry, you’re not yourself. So say the good people at Snickers and it turns out science backs it up. Being hangry is a verifiable thing, we’re just not quite sure yet what’s going on.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12:2614/09/2022
The Georgia Guidestones: The Elite Have a Laugh
In 1980 the “rural as rural can be” town of Elberton, Georgia erected a granite monument with a bizarre set of instructions (commandments?) that touched on eugenics, population control, and living in harmony with nature. Conspiracy theorists went wild.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
53:4013/09/2022
Selects: What Happened to the Neanderthals?
As recently as 40,000 years ago we lived among humans from an entirely different species – Neanderthals. About the same time our species showed up, Neanderthals suddenly vanished. Just what happened to the other guys? Did our ancestors do something … bad? Find out in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
50:5510/09/2022
Everything We Know About Squids
Squids are very closely related to our old friend the octopus, but there are some key differences. You can learn all of this and more by simply clicking the play button right now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
43:0908/09/2022
Short Stuff: RIP Man of the Hole
The Man of the Hole has died and we're pretty sad to hear it. Listen in to our tribute to this solitary hero today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12:1907/09/2022
Did Mallory Make it to the Top of Everest First?
George Mallory was a member of the first three European expeditions to Everest, world’s tallest mountain. He wanted to summit it so badly, he gave his life trying. Since that fateful day in 1924, climbers have wondered – was Mallory the first to summit?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
52:0606/09/2022
Selects: How the Pony Express Worked
For as long a shadow as it casts across the history of the Old West, the Pony Express was a failed business venture, doomed from the start, that only lasted 18 months. But since the last rider headed out with his bag of mail, its legend has only grown. Learn all about it in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
45:0103/09/2022
Rolling Stone Magazine
Part celebration and part take down, this episode on Rolling Stone magazine dives into the highs and lows of one of America's iconic rags.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
51:3901/09/2022
Short Stuff: Mason-Dixon Line
The dividing line between the North and South is purely political. But the story of its creation is pretty interesting.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12:3631/08/2022
We Need More Sustainable Packaging, Like, Yesterday
Since the advent of single-use plastics, we’ve become awash in waste. Barrels of petroleum are extracted, turned into plastics that contain products, which are then opened and the containers thrown away. It’s a bonehead process start to finish.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
50:3630/08/2022
Selects: Knife Throwing: Super Cool
Sure knives can cut through a steak or slash through jungle vines, but probably the coolest thing you can do with a knife is throw it. At a person mounted to a wooden wheel. Spinning around. While you’re blindfolded. Learn all about the impalement arts in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
41:3527/08/2022
Kissing Cousins: A History of Marrying Family
Despite the overall creepiness of it, marrying family members is way more common than you might think, both historically and today. Ewwww!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
49:3425/08/2022
Short Stuff: Marrying Up
The idea of "marrying up" is as old as the hills, but things are, and have been, changing for quite a while. And this episode explains it all.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
13:1324/08/2022
Introvert or Extravert: Which are you? (Probably both)
The world isn’t divided into cat people and dog people, or Beatles fans and Rolling Stones fans (or neither). What really divides us is introversion or extraversion, right? Turns out people just aren’t that binary and all of us are a little of both.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
47:3623/08/2022
Selects: How Gossip Works
You know what I heard? That Josh and Chuck hate each other and they're just faking being friends for the show. That's called gossip, folks and it can do serious damage. Learn all about it in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
36:5820/08/2022
How Enemas Work
If you think about it, enemas are kind of gross. And if you don’t now you definitely will by the end of this wild ride of an episode. All who make it through the whole way earn SYSK bragging rights. We now wonder why we ever chose to record it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
40:5118/08/2022
Short Stuff: Selling the Brooklyn Bridge
You've heard the phrase "If you believe that I have a bridge in Brooklyn to sell you." But did you know it's based in truth?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11:2417/08/2022
Mariachi: The Rodney Dangerfield of Music
Mariachi bands have a bad rap as nothing more than "restaurant music." But there is a rich and long cultural tradition many people are missing and the music deserves our respect. Listen in today!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
53:4616/08/2022
Selects: Desert Survival: Josh and Chuck Save Your Tookus
The chances are pretty low that you’ll find yourself lost in the desert, but on the off chance you do you’ll thank yourself that you listened to this classic episode, where we guide you to safety. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
45:3613/08/2022
The Origins of Breakfast Foods
Who doesn't love breakfast? But do you know where most of the typical breakfast foods come from? Well listen in to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
53:0511/08/2022
Short Stuff: The Berners Street Hoax
A full 200 years on, we're still talking about one of the most sweeping hoaxes of all time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
10:5710/08/2022
What's the deal with energy drinks?
Chuck hates them, Josh has flirted with them. Energy drinks. Listen in to learn all about this canned speed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
47:3909/08/2022
Selects: How Droughts Work
Droughts can be an inevitable feature of a local climate or a catastrophic result of human meddling. In this classic episode, learn the ins and outs of droughts including the American mother of them all, the Dust Bowl.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
51:3906/08/2022
Thrill to the Stunning Bicameral Mind Hypothesis
Psychologist Julian Jaynes came up with a stunning hypothesis in 1976, that human consciousness only developed in the last 3000 years. And he seemed to have proof in ancient texts. Scholars have been picking it apart ever since and today we join the club.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
49:4604/08/2022
Short Stuff: Divorcing Your Parents
It really happens! But most people call it emancipation of a minor. Either way, there's some interesting legal stuff in here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
12:1203/08/2022
Silly String: Disaster in a Can
It's been a while since we tackled a classic toy, so here we go with all you ever wanted to know about Silly String.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
39:2302/08/2022
Selects: Some Movies That Changed Filmmaking
An estimated 50,000 films were made worldwide in 2009 alone. Many are surely clunkers, but in this episode Chuck and Josh talk about the ones that emerged throughout cinema history to change the course of all movies that followed. Get your popcorn and lean back while you enjoy this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
57:0830/07/2022
How Menstruation Works
Two dudes talking about menstruation? You bet! And there’s no way you could be any more nervous to listen than we were to record it. But give it a listen, we think you’ll find it enlightening – whether you menstruate or not.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
57:3828/07/2022
Short Stuff: The Mars Rock with Signs of Life?
In 1996, real-deal NASA scientists announced they had discovered signs of ancient microbial life in a rock that had broken off Mars and landed on Antarctica. The news set off a controversy still going today. Do we already have proof of alien life?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
15:0827/07/2022
Where Did Human Intelligence Come From?
We humans are smart, to be sure, but if we’re so smart then how come we can’t figure how we got so smart in the first place? Think about that! We sure did and we go over some theories in this super interesting episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
46:0826/07/2022
Selects: What's the misery index?
Economists love their data because somewhere in the numbers lies the answer to the ills of the country. They also love to frame data in a way people can relate to. Such is the case with the famous "misery index." Learn all about it in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
44:5023/07/2022
Googie: The Architecture of the Space Age
You may not have heard of it, but you’ve definitely seen it before – 50s buildings with bright, loud colors, roofs at crazy angles, and space-age shapes like starbursts. It turns out that Googie architecture is as fun to look at as it is to say.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
55:5721/07/2022
Short Stuff: Death from Astral Projection
In 1975, yoga enthusiast Robert Antoszczyk retired to his room in a group house in Ann Arbor, MI to try a meditation technique that would allow him to astrally project his spirit. He died, never coming out of his meditative state. What happened?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
15:3320/07/2022
Supernovae: Best Around, Case Closed
Face it, supernovae are the most interesting phenomena in the universe. Black holes are cool, but did you know they sprout from a supernova? What could be cooler than a star exploding so powerfully, the flash it creates shines for months after?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
41:4519/07/2022
Selects: What Happens When the Government Thinks You're Dead?
It’s bad enough when the government knows you’re alive – there are taxes to pay, laws to be followed, all sorts of boring and unpleasant things. But each year, thousands of Americans find out life is far, far worse when the government thinks you are dead. Learn all about it in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
39:0216/07/2022
Why Bowling is Awesome
Bowling is awesome. It just is. And if you don't think so, maybe take a listen to today's episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
59:4014/07/2022
Short Stuff: Catatumbo Lightning
Catatumbo lightning is one of nature's most amazing displays of showiness, with strikes occurring 28 times per minute for nine hours a day, 300 days a year. So take cover and take a listen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11:2413/07/2022
Mangroves: Nature's Best Tree?
Mangroves are incredible survivors and adapters. They're also amazing at lessening the impact of tropical storms and climate change. And heck, they're cool looking. So jump into the brackish waters and have a listen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
44:0612/07/2022
Selects: How Ayahuasca Works
One day in the Amazon Basin, a shaman put together a plant containing DMT with a vine that allows the body to absorb DMT. The combination, a foul-tasting, wildly hallucinogenic brew called ayahuasca, has changed cultures throughout the Americas. Learn all about it in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
45:2309/07/2022
The Maya Civilization
After inspiration from Chuck's recent trip to the Yucatan, the fellas dive into the Maya Civilization. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
53:4607/07/2022
Short Stuff: Alligator Gar
The alligator gar is one scary looking fish. Learn all about these monsters in today's episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
11:0206/07/2022
How Ultraprocessed Foods Work
Ultraprocessed is a new term for junk food, but it means much more than that – it’s also a cautionary tale for the way we’re supposed to cook and eat, using real food and sitting down with friends and family. But who has the time and money to do that?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
57:2005/07/2022
Selects: How Freak Shows Worked
Not too long ago, people would pay money to gawk and stare at a performer with a physical disformity. They were called freak shows and they began in large part thanks to P.T. Barnum, whose circus we still enjoy today. Sounds awful, but some of these performers became rich folks as a result. Exploitive? You decide, after taking in this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
48:4002/07/2022