Point Pleasant. If you chose to stop for gas in Point Pleasant, you might be shocked to see a 12-foot-tall metallic statue of the mythological creature known as Moth Man. Both because it's shocking that a town would erect such a statue on their main crossroad and because it's an utterly terrifying statue. Nestled on the West Virginia and Ohio border, Point Pleasant boasts scenic views of the Ohio River and the Western Appalachian Mountains. The town is host to a long history dating back to the United States' earliest days. However, it was one event on the night of November 16th, 1966, that lives on in infamy for the people of Point Pleasant. It was the day the Moth Man first arrived. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few places have sparked as much public intrigue as Skinwalker Ranch. Dubbed as the most paranormally active place in America, the ranch has books and tv shows in its honor. We can learn much by looking at the ranch owners over the years. When did that haunting begin? What is the nature of the hauntings? Most importantly, what do UFOs have to do with it? The history goes back long before the United States itself. Native Americans tell of legends of terrifying creatures whose names they wouldn't even say aloud. Today we investigate if the stories might be true or just an unbelievable cash grab. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The life story of the man who helped found the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is one that anyone would assume is full of intrigue. That is precisely the case with Jack Parsons, one of the lead members of the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory which led to the founding of JPL. However, for Jack, his scientific exploits are some of the least exciting points of his life. Parsons dealing with the occult and a few notable, perhaps questionable, colleagues led to his expulsion from the organization he helped found. Eventually, the very thing that brought him success became his downfall. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Video games have long been a joyous escape for many throughout the world. Few other outlets provide people with the same expanse of experiences as that of gaming. However, the profit timelines for game developers have always been a dicey issue. Due to long development time and short sales windows, game developers are often left with many months straight without a profit. Microtransactions were born to combat this reality. If used well, the feature could provide added benefits to both gamers and developers. Unfortunately, they have not been used well, and the effects are beginning to be felt across the industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bank Robbery is no easy feat. Many have seen the dollars that move in and out of banks every single day and dreamt of ways to procure the money moving within bank walls. However, few have gone through with a bank heist, and even fewer have pulled off a successful bank robbery. Anthony Curcio is responsible not only for a successful bank robbery but for one of the most well-planned bank heists in recent history. His plans included craigslist, a jet ski, inner tubes, and so much more. Let's take a look at the tale of the craigslist bank robbery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the mid-'90s, the internet took the world by storm. For the first time in history, everyone had access to an unprecedented amount of information. In those early years, the entire web was curated by skilled webmasters who understood the inner workings of the internet. Over time, new technologies allowed everyone to share their thoughts and ideas with the world. Recently, bots were let loose online to fulfill a variety of tasks. Most of these robots perform necessary and helpful tasks. Unfortunately, however, some were deployed for malicious purposes. Major sites across the web have documented the rapid increase in bot traffic on their platform over the past few years. The increased A.i. traffic has led some people to theorize that the internet is dead and the bots have taken over. The theory that we've lost control of the world wide web is known as Dead Internet Theory, and this is its story. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fifty years ago, pieces of an ancient wall peaked out from underground all around Rockwall, TX. Today, much of the wall has been buried, but this quiet Dallas suburb may be host to the oldest surviving structure in the United States. It seems pretty clear that this wall is man-made, or at least intelligently made. Yet, despite all the signs, the public discourse regarding the wall is that it is a natural formation. Even still, conspiracies about the wall abound. Some people are convinced that giants were involved. We don't know about that last part, but there's no way this thing is natural. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The globe is dotted with beautiful columns and archways popularized by the Beaux-arts style of architecture. Beaux-arts caught on and took the world by storm, as with many trends. Or did it? According to a relatively new internet, conspiracy buildings in this style are relics from a long-lost empire known as Tartaria. Much of our nation's capital buildings are really just repurposed Tartarian structures that were nearly destroyed by a worldwide mud flood. So, where do Tartarian truthers find the evidence for these extraordinary claims? Buckle up, and let's find out the origins of the tremendous Tartarian Empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humanity has been expanding and advancing for as long as we have existed. It seems like we have an insatiable desire for creating new things and developing our influence as far and wide as possible. Logically, and based on some recent experience, we will eventually expand past our world and begin to colonize the cosmos. However, such a feat will require massive amounts of energy. In 1964 Nikolai Kardashev proposed a scale that measures an intelligent civilization based on the amount of energy consumption and control that the society possesses. He separated civilization into a four-part scale measuring the technological advancement of society. Eventually, his scale came to bear his name and be known as The Kardashev Scale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sixto Rodriguez was an aspiring musician in the late '60s. After little success, he retired from music and worked as a day laborer in Detroit, Michigan. While Rodriguez spent his days doing odd jobs, his music made waves overseas. This is the story of Sixto Rodriguez, the rock icon that sold more records than Elvis Presley in South Africa. The only problem? He had no idea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Walt Disney had an issue with the way cities were built in his day. He spent much of his adult life in Los Angeles, notorious for traffic and dangerous corridors. Disney believed he had all the answers, and after the success of Disney land, he began formulating a plan for a new city. Eventually, Epcot would become the project's name, which stood for the Experimental Prototype City of Tomorrow. This city was romantic, to say the least. If Walt had succeeded, it would've been one of the most incredible places on earth. However, many critics point to the glaring flaws with the strategy. The argument is moot, though. The city of Epcot never saw the light of day. After Disney's untimely death, his brother Roy took the reigns of the project and converted it to a larger iteration of the prosperous Disney land. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've all had these questions before. What is the Internet? Who invented it? When was the internet invented? How does it even work? The story is often treated like a mythic tale, but it's a timeline that we can somewhat pinpoint. The way it works seems almost ethereal today. It's a collection of data that floats through space and into our devices, right? The explanation of the inner workings of the internet is as explicable as the invention of the revolutionary system. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This story isn't for you if you have a weak stomach. Honestly, if you're human this story isn't for you. This is easily the most disgusting story we've ever told on this show. But, here it is. The Dave Matthews Band Chicago River Incident. Trust us, nothing can prepare you for what you are about to learn. We're deeply sorry about this. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know Dasher and Dancer and vicious misuse of a historical figure for profit. But, do you know the story of how St. Nick turned into the Santa Claus we know today? The story is a long one that flows through many changes throughout history. The jolly bearded man didn't become what he is today until relatively recently. It wasn't until Capitalism got its greedy hands on old St. Nick that he became the main mascot of Christmas. Here's the story of the transformation from Saint to Santa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you know what you know? That's a weird question. It's an important question to ask, though, and that question is at the heart of epistemology. Briefly, epistemology is a philosophical school of thought that seeks to understand knowledge. At its core, the hope is to determine if evidence can justify our beliefs. The system of thought has birthed all forms of skepticism. Therefore, many have claimed that the system exists to poke holes in ideas and find reasons to deny one's way of thought. While, in some cases, it is true that people are skeptical for the sake of being skeptical, the thought process provides the foundation on which scholars built the scientific method. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Throughout history, generations watched as the younger generation took the helm. With each transition of power, the older generation has often disapproved of the behavior and decisions of the younger. This was particularly evident in the early 20th century. Events like the roaring '20s, the world wars, and the great depression left people wondering if the world was ending. Some in that era believed that the overpopulation of the cities of the earth was leading to negative changes in human behavior and morality. Researcher John Calhoun set out to discover if the behavioral sink was a reality. For some, Calhoun proved the phenomena. For others, he only showed the importance of accountability structures in the world. The story of the mouse utopia experiments might just make you lose hope in humanity or maybe make you more hopeful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's talk about Satan. The devil is one of the scariest creatures in the whole Biblical story. The problem? Well, the Bible never describes the devil in the way the creature is described today. The Bible rarely ever refers to Satan as a single figure or the chief of evil. The picture we are given from the Bible is far different. So, where did our modern understanding come from? Years and years of cultural influence and cherry-picking from other mythologies have given us a lord of the underworld that there is no Biblical basis for. This is the story of how Satan became a monster. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jose Canseco was one of the greatest home run hitters in MLB history, with over 450 on his long career. He had a little help, though. Many regard him as the man who introduced steroids in the MLB. While he probably wasn't the first, he was one of the first to be open about his PED use. That openness seems to be why he was excluded from the hall of fame despite his storied career. However, his steroid use is probably the least exciting part of his story. Jose's life is full of fights (both legally and illegally), strange business decisions, and missing fingers. This is Jose Canseco's wild story. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawn Chair Larry, also known as Larry Walters, had always dreamed of flying. As a kid, he planned on becoming a pilot in the airforce. Unfortunately, he was turned by air force recruiters away due to his poor eyesight. In the wake of the death of his dream, Larry became a truck driver. However, his vision of flying never left him, even though the airforce was no longer an option. One day this dream drove him to do something crazy. Larry strapped 45 balloons to his lawn chair and took flight over Long Beach, CA. The event made headlines. From that day forward, Larry Walters became known as Lawn Chair Larry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Timothy Dexter might actually be the luckiest man ever to live. Dexter was a prolific business mam at the dawn of the United States. He was one of the first people in U.S. history to rise from the lower class to the upper class. His business success, however, was entirely a stroke of luck. Few things that he succeeded in can be attributed to his intelligence or business prowess. He made most of his fortune off of tips from contemporaries trying to ruin him. Timothy Dexter, being none the wiser, took these tips and somehow got very lucky with them. This man is eclectic, lucky, and illiterate (but his book sales beg to differ). This is the story of the wild life of Lord Timothy Dexter. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today!  This episode of the Things I Learned Last Night Podcast was filmed live with an audience at the Rino in Kansas City, MO on October 30th, 2021. Thank you to all who came out, watched online, and worked to make it happen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ferdinand Waldo Demara is quite possibly the most legendary imposter to ever live. This man lied his way into almost every career known to man. Throughout his long life, Demara was a correctional officer, a prisoner, a soldier, a medic, a lawyer, a surgeon, and so much more. All the while being unqualified and his contemporaries being none the wiser. Even after Ferdinand Waldo Demara became famous for fraud, he managed to fake his way into various careers. It's hard to believe how good he was at lying. This is the wild story of Ferdinand Waldo Demara. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Valiant Thor is the subject of a truly unbelievable story. We mean it. Tim doesn't even buy this one. Here's the story. Valiant Thor, or Val as his friends called him, was a humanoid alien living in an apartment inside the Pentagon. Val had a tight-knit relationship with President Eisenhower and was passionate about ending the possibility of nuclear war. Like many Aliens who have come to earth, Val had a goal for humanity, and he used the existing power structures to see it through. Thanks to his human-like appearance, Val was thought to be nothing more than an advisor to Eisenhower. Crazy story, but it does have a shred of believability because many high-ranking government officials speak of him as if he really was there. This is a story that would be revolutionary if it were true. This is the story of Valiant Thor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all remember the days sitting through history class learning about all the presidents in the short history of the United States. We learned all about each of these presidents and the things they did while in office. However, there's a good chance you were not taught about the first and only Emperor of the United States. In 1859, Joshua Abraham Norton laid claim to the position of Emperor of the United States of America. Now before you assume this was just the meaningless musings of the town drunk, you should know that he was actually sort of recognized as Emperor. He had enacted a few laws adhered to by the public, the police saluted him on sight, and he had strong diplomatic relationships with government officials in more than one international province. This is the unbelievable tale of Joshua Norton, Emperor of the United States. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We went viral on TikTok earlier this year with our "Cat Daddy" voicemail reactions. Since then, our listenership has grown by the tens-of-thousands and we also received a lot more voicemails! So we decided to react to more of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the wake of World War I, virtually everyone on earth knew that we could not afford another war as treacherous as the great war. In the US, a group of military leaders forged a small group that would come to be known as the Bomber Mafia. Their theory sounds primitive today, but at the time, it was groundbreaking. To put it simply, the Bomber Mafia hoped to win wars with bombs rather than with ground troops. Furthermore, they believed that they could ensure a minimal loss of life by targeting the most valuable targets for the enemy. In theory, this plan could revolutionize warfare, and it did, but not in the ways they expected. The members of the Bomber Mafia have long since died, but their ideals are still in practice. Even with the advent of modern technology that makes their dreams far more attainable, their legacy is arguably worse than what they were trying to prevent. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stanley Meyer was a prolific inventor in the late 20th century. While working for a local lab, Meyer was on the team that had filed for numerous patents rumored to total in the hundreds if not thousands. However, personally, Meyer is the owner of just over a dozen patents. Regardless, the local patent office respected Meyer so much that they allegedly approved anything with his name on it on sight. Maybe that's what happened when he filed for a patent for a water-fueled car. Unfortunately, the groundbreaking technology seemed too good to be true. Despite many scholars claiming the authenticity of the impressive vehicle, he was eventually sued for his claims and lost. While all signs pointed to the water-fueled car being nothing more than a scam, something phenomenal happened. Stanley Meyer died in a pretty mysterious fashion which has sparked theories of foul play.  Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! ————————————————————————————  Episode link: https://tilln.com/stanleymeyer ————————————————————————————  MERCHANDISE: https://tilln.com/merch​ PATREON: http://patreon.com/tillnpodcast​  FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/tillnpodcast​ TWITTER: http://twitter.com/tillnpodcast​  INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/tillnpodcast​ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@tillnpodcast?lang=en  ————————————————————————————  Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch.  ————————————————————————————  Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts http://bit.ly/tillnpodcastapp​  Listen on Spotify http://bit.ly/tillnonspotify​  ————————————————————————————  Questions or comments about an episode? [email protected] ————————————————————————————  Follow Jaron  Website: http://jaronmyers.com​  Instagram: http://instagram.com/jaronmyers​  Facebook: http://facebook.com/jaronmyerscomedy​  Twitter: https://twitter.com/jaronmyers​  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jaronmyerscomedy?lang=en YouTube: https://youtube.com/jaronmyers​  ————————————————————————————  Follow Tim  Instagram: http://instagram.com/timstagram182​  Twitter: https://twitter.com/timstone182​  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@timstone182?lang=en ————————————————————————————  Alex Garnett – Audio Engineer https://www.alexgarnettaudio.com/ Connor Betts - Videographer https://connorbetts.com/ Christian Taylor - Producer https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiantaylor-2097/ Kaleb Walker - Producer Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BlackRock inc. is the largest bank in the world. How big, you ask? Well, it manages an estimated total of $9 trillion. This corporation controls more money than many nations. The staggering amount of funds under its control has led many to suggest that BlackRock owns the world. The scary truth is, they kind of do. The decisions BlackRock makes with its assets have ramifications worldwide. The effects of those decisions could be and have been some of the most wildly felt financial events in recent history. So, why haven't you heard of them? That, too, seems to be by design. Some claim that BlackRock is the world's largest shadow bank. Regardless, the history of BlackRock and its position in the global economy is shocking.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the rooftops of Seattle lurks a hero the city never asked for and barely needs. In $10k dollar armor Phoenix Jones rushes down fire escapes and across alley ways in downtown Seattle night after night. This vigilante superhero is on a mission to make Seattle a safer place. Even though things started out well for Phoenix he and his team of caped crusaders, known as the rain city superhero collective, have fallen out of favor with the locals over the course of the past few years. This is the tale of the misunderstood Phoenix Jones, Seattle's real live superhero.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the United States first landed on the moon 50 years ago, the dream of a space colony has been alive in the American consciousness. Is a space colony really possible, though? After 40 years of near inactivity in space, things are changing. Governments are beginning to reinvest in space exploration. Private organizations are also beginning to invest in a new frontier of business; the space industry. Here's everything you need to know about the space industry, space colonies, and space exploration.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nascar has long been the pinnacle of the racing world. However, within the Nascar community, there stands no track greater than the Talladega Super Speedway. This racetrack is the track of dreams. Nascar Drivers spend their careers chasing qualifications for a chance on that pavement. In 1982 one aspiring driver rose through the ranks to earn his qualification at the Winston 500 held on Talladega's hallowed grounds. There was only one problem. This racer was no Nascar Driver. In fact, he was no driver at all. Yet, somehow this driver managed to scam not only an entire race team but the whole of Nascar. Whatsmore, after the Winston 500, he vanished and hasn't been found to this day. This is the unbelievable DB Cooperesque story of LW Wright.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About 50 miles outside downtown Atlanta lies Lake Lanier. This artificial reservoir spans 59 square miles and boasts an impressive 692 miles of shoreline. For years people from all around Georgia have journeyed to the lake to escape the heat and enjoy all the trappings of lake life. Unfortunately, many of those who made this trip never returned. Since the lake's opening to recreation, well over 500 people (more than 700 according to some sources) have lost their lives in boating accidents and drownings on Lake Lanier. The shocking amount of deaths at the lake, coupled with its eerie history, have left many asking, is Lake Lanier haunted? Well, it kind of seems like it. This is the story of the deadly Lake Lanier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Freeway Rick Ross built an empire of drug dealing and real estate in the mid-'80s. His reputation was stout, but he knew what he was doing and evaded legal trouble for years. His ability to stay one step ahead of law enforcement put him in a position to amass an estimated $900 million, all while hiding his nefarious activities from his mother. Unfortunately for Ross, one misstep cost him everything. This is the story of Freeway Rick Ross, and no, he's not the rapper. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tesla held its special AI day yesterday and showcased all kinds of incredible new technologies in its autonomous vehicles. Then at the end of their conference, something strange happened. First, a video rolled on the screen showcasing what looked like a new robot design. Then as the lights came up, a robot came walking across the stage. Tesla quickly showed the live robot to be nothing more than a joke, but Elon Musk then gave a ten-minute presentation about their newest project Tesla Bot. The new robot, codenamed Project Optimus, is driven by AI technology and will theoretically do repetitive, boring, or dangerous tasks for humanity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every nation in the world has had its fair share of embarrassing moments. But only one has lost a war to flightless birds. In 1932, the Australian military sent a small group of soldiers to the outback to rid the area of emus who were destroying local crops. The Australian government didn't expect the decision to lead to The Great Emu War. However, these emus were ready for the battle and exhibited unified tactics and resilience, unlike anything the Australian forces had ever seen. This is the story of a war that Australia wishes it could stamp out from history. This is the great emu war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every Presidential candidate makes promises throughout their campaign to sway voters to earn their spot as president. For many candidates, only a few of these promises come to fruition. Other promises haunt them throughout their presidency. These promises present challenges for the White House in a few unique scenarios long after the president who made them is gone. That is exactly what happened when Jimmy Carter promised to spur the economy for dairy farmers. This is a story of government employees traveling the country tasting cheese, warehouses full of cheese stacked to the ceiling, and the government's hurried effort to get rid of its cheese through the Government Cheese program. This one sounds like a joke, but we promise it's a true story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few things are more dangerous than extended distance flights. Yet, occasionally, brave pilots will attempt to fly extreme distances in one go. A single flight around the world is dangerous business. A flight around the world is child's play compared to flying around for 8 years, straight, with nuclear bombs on board. That is exactly what the United States Military did from 1960 to 1968. It was the height of the cold war, and fear of the looming nuclear apocalypse birthed one of the most ambitious defense strategies ever composed. Operation Chrome Dome put a handful of pilots in the sky 24/7 for 8 years straight while carrying a nuclear payload, just in case. Needless to say, this was incredibly dangerous and nearly ended in disaster multiple times. With a name like Chrome Dome, you know this is a wild story Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At this point, we are all familiar with the Fyre Festival disaster. The Netflix and Hulu documentaries about the absolute failure of a concert captured the American youth. However, Fyre Fest was not the first music festival to crash and burn. In fact, it's quite common for music festivals to end in disaster. Whether it be due to the kind of crowd music festivals attract, or the kind of people who are crazy enough to plan these events, or a fundamental flaw with the concept, they always seem to scrape right along the lines of disaster. As wild as Fyre Festival was, though, it's nothing compared to the Erie Canal Soda Pop Festival, AKA Bull Island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You have to be a pretty crazy person to assassinate a United States President. But, for Charles J Guiteau, the man who assassinated the 20th President James A. Garfield, the assassination of the president was the least crazy thing he ever did. From a shady political career to cult ties to ax-wielding outbursts, Charles J Guiteau was certainly unhinged. He was so insane that his lawyers made the first-ever insanity plea while representing him in court following his assassination of President Garfield. This is the story of the absolutely crazy life that Charles J Guiteau lived. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1877 Alexander Graham Bell founded the Bell Telephone Company. It was the world's first telephone company and would one day become AT&T. Even though Alexander Graham Bell sold his ownership stake in the company after just a couple of years with the company, AT&T would become the largest telephone company in the company the world. In fact, AT&T grew so large that the United States government spent well over 50 years trying to break up what they believed was a monopoly. They succeeded in their goal. However, 35 years after the break up almost all of the subsidiaries have reunited to rebuild the monopoly of old. AT&T is now almost as big, if not bigger than it was before the monopoly was broken up. This is the story of how AT&T became a monopoly, twice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fans of the Things I Learned Last Night podcast know that the United States has made some missteps over the years. However, everything we've discussed pales in comparison to the colossal failure that is the Salton Sea, California. This story has everything; capitalism, floods of biblical proportion, tourist traps, environmental disasters, and nuclear bombs. Yeah, of course, there are nukes in this story. Why not? We can't even begin to overplay how unreal every step in this strange lake's journey truly is. This is the bizarre tale of the incredible Salton Sea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 32, we talked about John McAfee, the man who created McAfee antivirus and that's the LEAST interesting thing about him. For years, he has said that the government is after him. This week, he died in prison... mysteriously... Tim updates us about what we know, what we think could have happened, and where we go from here.Listen to our episode about John McAfee This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5714661/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've been putting signs up at Starbucks and on social media asking for weird voicemails! This time, we put up a sign that said "Have you been abducted??". Here are a few of the voicemail responses we got and our reactions to them!This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5714661/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do Salvation Mountain, East Jesus, and West Satan have in common? If you guessed they're locations in a video game then you're only half right. These eclectic phrases are names of subdivisions in the infamous Californian town known as Slab City. Home to mostly squatters and vagabonds, Slab City has been hailed as the last free city in the world. Residents enjoy no modern amenities like running water or electricity. However, they relish their off-grid lifestyle in one of the strangest places left on earth. Not only is the town itself incredibly unique, but the geographic location tells a story of its own. This is the unbelievable Slab City, California.Is it the last free place on earth? Not really, but it is probably the closest city on earth to it. Slab City is an eclectic place where people who can't fit into modern society thrive. The residents love their homes and are thankful for the community that they have built there. The city may not be the prettiest in the world and it may lack much of what people in the U.S. have become accustomed to, however it offers its residents the life they've always dreamed of. For that, the locals love it.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5714661/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Mexico, 1964, Police Officer Lonnie Zamora was tending to his typical daily routine of ticketing speeders outside the city of Socorro. Zamora found himself in pursuit of a speeding vehicle when he saw something that would change his life forever. The UFO he witnessed that day would officially be listed in the secretive Project Blue Book as "unknown" a designation only afforded 700 of the 12,000 reports included in the mysterious report. To this day proponents of UAP research point to the Lonnie Zamora Incident as strong evidence of the existence of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. Lonnie is, after all, considered a trained observer with an ability to discern the difference between natural aerial phenomena and Unidentified Flying Objects. This is the unbelievable story of the Lonnie Zamora Incident.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5714661/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When tribal groups first make contact with cultures and civilizations outside their own there are often unexpected consequences. Throughout history moments of 'First Contact' have led to disease outbreaks, war, and genocide. However, there is also a relatively new and incredibly odd phenomenon tied to first contact events known as Cargo Cults. These strange religions are largely formed out of a single campaign during World War 2. In short, tribal groups across the pacific experienced allied military might, and the resource that followed these military groups during the war in the pacific. The groups only found one appropriate response to these godlike forces; worship. These are the unbelievable stories of the Cargo Cults, namely John Frum.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5714661/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever heard of Eels? Yeah, we're talking about the really weird snake-like fish that sometimes electrocute people. Sidebar, electric eels actually aren't even eels. They're a totally different kind of fish, it's a misnomer. Eels are incredibly odd because no one knows where they come from. These sea creatures lack reproductive organs of any kind. Their lack of obvious reproductive organs has enshrouded eels for thousands of years. This is the story of the incredibly strange eel.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5714661/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 15, 1919, a 40-foot tidal wave ripped through Boston. This tidal wave did not come from the sea. No, it was a wave of molasses. This thick, sweet liquid tore through the city streets causing serious damage, injury, and even death. This is the strange and nearly unbelievable tale of the Boston Molassacre (AKA The Great Molasses Flood).This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5714661/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was the dawn of the modern Olympic era. St. Louis boasted the pleasure of being the 3rd host of the soon-to-be world-renowned games. Everything went off without a hitch. That is everything, except the men's marathon. This race was so mind-numbingly stupid that it has gone down in the annals of athletic history with infamy. This is the story of the 1904 Men's Olympic Marathon, the worst race of all time (we actually think it's the best, but it's all just about your perspective).This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5714661/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices