Ungeniused is a show dedicated to covering the weirdest articles found on Wikipedia. Stephen Hackett and Myke Hurley are here to explain topics and share knowledge you'll never be able to use in real life. Hosted by Myke Hurley and Stephen Hackett.
206: Biosphere 2: The Missions
2/20/2024 • 11 minutes, 19 seconds
205: Biosphere 2: The Campus
2/6/2024 • 11 minutes, 28 seconds
204: Crystal Pepsi
1/23/2024 • 12 minutes, 3 seconds
203: OK Soda
1/9/2024 • 9 minutes, 22 seconds
202: Boxing Day
12/26/2023 • 9 minutes, 56 seconds
201: Clock of the Long Now
12/12/2023 • 12 minutes, 26 seconds
200: Dates Predicted for Apocalyptic Events
11/28/2023 • 14 minutes, 38 seconds
199: The Keene Pumpkin Festival Riots
11/14/2023 • 10 minutes, 20 seconds
198: Jack-o'-lanterns
10/31/2023 • 6 minutes, 45 seconds
197: Shoe-fitting Fluoroscope
10/17/2023 • 14 minutes, 11 seconds
196: Chain Letters
Listen to this episode and share it with five of your friends, or something bad may happen.
10/3/2023 • 11 minutes, 32 seconds
195: Worm Charming
Attracting earthworms from underground is one heck of a sport.
9/19/2023 • 14 minutes, 34 seconds
194: The Republic of Rose Island
In the late 1960s, the grooviest place to be was a platform off the coast of Italy... for two months, anyway.
9/5/2023 • 9 minutes, 29 seconds
193: John Hancock Tower
This 60-story, 790-foot skyscraper towered over Boston when it opened in 1976, and thankfully is still upright, despite some startling structural issues.
8/22/2023 • 10 minutes, 33 seconds
192: The Citicorp Center Engineering Crisis
The Citicorp Center's unique design turned heads when it opened in the 1970s. Little did people know that the building was in danger of collapse until secret repairs could be made.
8/8/2023 • 11 minutes, 56 seconds
191: Vantablack
“It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none — none more black.”
7/25/2023 • 10 minutes, 58 seconds
190: Buc-ee's
It's a gas station. It's a jerky bar. It's a set of very clean bathrooms. It's a gas station. It's a jerky bar. It's a bathroom. Are you getting it? This is not three highway stops. It's one highway stop. And they call it Buc-ee's.
7/11/2023 • 10 minutes, 57 seconds
189: Fainting Goats
We've all been startled by sudden noises, but some goats take being scared to an all-new level.
6/13/2023 • 8 minutes, 12 seconds
188: Jazz Design
It may have been a design for the lowly paper cup, but Jazz design has come to define much of the aesthetic we associate with the glory days of the 1990s.
5/30/2023 • 6 minutes, 18 seconds
187: Long-term Nuclear Waste Warning Messages
Storing nuclear waste comes with many safety challenges. One of them is keeping people away from the site... even tens of thousands of years after everyone involved is dead and gone.
5/16/2023 • 8 minutes, 52 seconds
186: The Mighty Spork
Do you need to use a fork, but could also use a spoon? Get you a utensil that can do both!
5/2/2023 • 8 minutes, 19 seconds
185: Three More Weird Sports
It's been too long since Stephen and Myke looked at some unusual sports. Today, that wrong is righted with discussions of wife-carrying, toe wrestling and mobile phone throwing.
4/4/2023 • 15 minutes, 50 seconds
184: World Sauna Championships
From 1999 to 2010, Finland hosted an annual endurance contest that ultimately ended in tragedy.
3/21/2023 • 10 minutes, 5 seconds
183: McBarge and Expo 86
In 1986, Vancouver held a World's Fair. One feature of the expo — a floating McDonald's restaurant — has made waves ever since.
3/7/2023 • 10 minutes, 53 seconds
182: The 1961 Goldsboro B-52 Crash
60 years ago, a B-52 carrying two nuclear weapons crashed in North Carolina.
2/21/2023 • 11 minutes, 58 seconds
181: Parking Chairs
Need to call dibs on a parking spot after you dug it out of the snow? Just grab a chair!
2/7/2023 • 11 minutes, 8 seconds
180: The Baltic Sea Anomaly
On the floor of the Baltic Sea rests the remains of a crashed UFO. Or a rock. Whatever.
1/24/2023 • 7 minutes, 56 seconds
179: The Videotape Format War
The 1980s were a magical time when the world enjoyed neon, disco and Betamax.
1/10/2023 • 8 minutes, 34 seconds
178: Twelve Drummers Drumming
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me twelve drummers drumming.
1/5/2023 • 2 minutes, 33 seconds
177: Eleven Pipers Piping
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me eleven pipers piping.
1/4/2023 • 2 minutes, 25 seconds
176: Ten Lords A-leaping
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me ten lords a-leaping.
1/3/2023 • 1 minute, 1 second
175: Nine Ladies Dancing
On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me nine ladies dancing.
1/2/2023 • 3 minutes, 45 seconds
174: Eight Maids A-Milking
On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me eight maids a-milking.
1/1/2023 • 1 minute, 50 seconds
173: Seven Swans A-swimming
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me seven swans a-swimming.
12/31/2022 • 12 seconds
172: Six Geese A-laying
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me six geese a-laying.
12/30/2022 • 2 minutes, 5 seconds
171: Five Golden Rings
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me five golden rings.
12/29/2022 • 7 minutes
170: Four Calling Birds
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me four calling birds.
12/28/2022 • 3 minutes, 1 second
169: Three French Hens
On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me three French hens.
12/27/2022 • 3 minutes, 6 seconds
168: Two Turtle Doves
On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me two turtle doves.
12/26/2022 • 2 minutes, 12 seconds
167: A Partridge in a Pear Tree
On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me a partridge in a pear tree.
12/25/2022 • 3 minutes, 3 seconds
166: The Twelve Days of Christmas
First published in the 1700s, "The Twelve Days of Christmas" is a true holiday tradition, with people singing it worldwide each year.
12/24/2022 • 4 minutes, 37 seconds
165: Scrub Daddy
Dirty dishes deserve happiness too.
12/13/2022 • 12 minutes, 3 seconds
164: The Howard Street Tunnel Fire
In 2001, a freight train derailed in Baltimore, causing a fire that burned for five days and over $12 million in damages.
11/29/2022 • 7 minutes, 47 seconds
163: The Nottingham Cheese Riot
In 1766, England was suffering from rising prices and food shortages. One day in October, violence broke out over cheese.
11/15/2022 • 5 minutes, 45 seconds
162: The Gateway Arch
Rising from the shores of the Mississippi River, the Gateway Arch welcomes thousands of visitors a year to explore it's soaring heights through tiny windows at the top.
11/1/2022 • 14 minutes, 47 seconds
161: Waterbeds
Waterbeds have been around a lot longer than you might think. Join Myke and Stephen as they dive into the world of nighttime waves.
10/18/2022 • 9 minutes, 16 seconds
160: Dolly the Sheep
In 1996, history was made when a research team in Scotland cloned the first animal from genetic material harvested from an adult mammal.
10/4/2022 • 10 minutes, 52 seconds
159: Paris Syndrome
Paris is a beautiful destination for millions of tourists a year, but for some of them, it's a nightmare. And Paris isn't even the only city with its own syndrome.
9/20/2022 • 8 minutes, 42 seconds
158: Gummy Bears
They're small, chewy, colorful and tasty. What's not to love?
9/6/2022 • 9 minutes, 26 seconds
157: The West Fertilizer Company Explosion
On April 17, 2013, the town of West, Texas was home to a tragedy.
8/23/2022 • 11 minutes, 38 seconds
156: The Svalbard Global Seed Vault
In Norway, there is a building that contains a backup of the world's crops. The teams there are ready to help save humanity if things go sideways with the world's food supply.
8/9/2022 • 6 minutes, 53 seconds
155: Some More Non-Water Floods
The Great Molasses Flood could be the most famous non-water flood to have ever taken place, but there are several others that may sweep you off your feet.
7/26/2022 • 9 minutes, 46 seconds
154: The Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space Including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies and More
There are several treaties that manage what countries — and companies — can do in outer space. Some of them are more useful than others.
7/12/2022 • 6 minutes, 12 seconds
153: The Demon Core
In the wake of World War II, the U.S. continued its nuclear research. In that period, a single nuclear core was at the center of two fatal accidents.
6/28/2022 • 12 minutes, 16 seconds
152: Six Flags
From a small park in Texas to a sprawling corporation that then underwent bankruptcy, this is the story of Six Flags.
5/31/2022 • 8 minutes, 20 seconds
151: Six Flags New Orleans
In 2005, Six Flags New Orleans closed ahead of Hurricane Katrina. It would never reopen.
5/17/2022 • 15 minutes
150: Thingmaker
If the Easy-Bake Oven wasn't your jam in the 1960s (or 90s), Thingmaker was ready for you, giving you the chance to make bug-like creatures named Creepy Crawlers.
5/3/2022 • 11 minutes, 45 seconds
149: The Easy-Bake Oven & Juicero
One cooked treats with lightbulbs, the other made pressed juice for rich people. Both had their issues.
4/19/2022 • 10 minutes, 8 seconds
148: False Memory
You may remember hearing this episode. Or you may not.
4/5/2022 • 10 minutes, 9 seconds
147: Another Trio of Weird Sports
It's time for some more weird sports: combat juggling, deep-water soloing and land sailing.
3/22/2022 • 11 minutes, 3 seconds
146: Memphis Tanker Truck Disaster
In 1988, almost a dozen people were killed, with many more injured, when a truck carrying liquefied propane crashed and exploded in Memphis, TN.
3/8/2022 • 8 minutes, 49 seconds
145: The Spacecraft Cemetery
On occasion, a large, remote area of the Pacific Ocean will catch a falling satellite or spacecraft.
2/22/2022 • 9 minutes, 44 seconds
144: The Costa Concordia Disaster
In January of 2012, the capitan of the Costa Concordia went off-course, striking a reef and sinking his cruise ship with over 4,000 people on board.
1/25/2022 • 15 minutes, 31 seconds
143: Sleeved Blankets
If it's cold outside when you listen to this, Stephen and Myke have just the product for you!
1/11/2022 • 9 minutes, 53 seconds
142: Spite Houses
Sometimes, building something is the best form of revenge.
12/14/2021 • 10 minutes, 32 seconds
141: The Spaghetti-Tree Hoax
On April 1, 1957, a BBC program ran a piece about a family in Switzerland who were farming ... spaghetti.
11/16/2021 • 7 minutes, 38 seconds
140: Flamingos 🦩
Flamingos are weird and pink and can fly and some are bigger than others and some are smaller than others.
11/2/2021 • 12 minutes, 59 seconds
139: Big Food
This recording is about the world of food world records.
10/5/2021 • 12 minutes, 10 seconds
138: Tardigrades
This time, Myke and Stephen explore the tiny, weird world of tardigrades.
9/21/2021 • 8 minutes, 49 seconds
137: The San Francisco Cable Car System
The cable car system is a famous part of San Francisco, with history dating back over 150 years. In that time, a lot of things have changed about the system, but some haven't.
9/7/2021 • 16 minutes, 17 seconds
136: The Voyager Golden Records
Almost 12 billion miles away from Earth, two spacecraft are speeding away from our Solar System, each carrying a small sample of what it means to be human.
8/24/2021 • 12 minutes, 38 seconds
135: A Reading of SPAM-Kus
Please enjoy this small collection of SPAM-related poems, as read by Stephen.
8/10/2021 • 2 minutes, 9 seconds
134: SPAM
It's more than a food; it's a lifestyle.
7/27/2021 • 13 minutes, 10 seconds
133: Microsoft Bob
Most people think of Microsoft in the 1990s as a juggernaut in the software industry, but that doesn't mean they didn't have some ... weird ... products that made it to market.
7/13/2021 • 8 minutes, 16 seconds
132: Chess Boxing
It's chess with punching. Or boxing with a chess board. It's hard to tell.
6/29/2021 • 11 minutes, 20 seconds
131: Rocket Mail
Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds ... especially if a rocket can be used.
6/15/2021 • 7 minutes, 8 seconds
130: Sputnik 1
By modern spacecraft standards Sputnik 1 was extremely basic, but it marked the start of the Space Race between the Soviet Union and the United States.
6/1/2021 • 9 minutes, 38 seconds
129: Crime in Antarctica
You may think being at the bottom of the world would be safe. Just keep an eye on sharp objects if a chess game goes sideways.
5/18/2021 • 10 minutes, 43 seconds
128: The Quadro Tracker
Need to find some drugs or a lost person or maybe a hidden weapon? We have the device just for you.
5/4/2021 • 10 minutes, 49 seconds
127: The Crash at Crush
Who doesn't love a festive event with games, food, drinks and ... a deadly train collision that had been purposefully designed?
4/20/2021 • 10 minutes, 30 seconds
126: Saturn the Alligator
Rumor had it that a particular alligator had been a pet when it lived in Berlin, but that's probably not true.
4/6/2021 • 10 minutes, 1 second
125: The Grumman Long Life Vehicle
If you've ever wondered about those funny little trucks used to deliver the mail, Stephen and Myke have you covered in this episode. Just be sure to bring a fire extinguisher...
3/23/2021 • 11 minutes, 23 seconds
124: The Halifax Explosion
In December 1917, two ships collided in Halifax Harbor. The resulting explosion killed over 1,600 people, injured another 9,000 and leveled everything within a 1.6 mile radius.
3/9/2021 • 15 minutes, 1 second
123: Decimal Day
After decades of false starts, in 1971 the United Kingdom moved to a decimalized monetary system. Leading up to the change, banks had to take on massive amounts of work and people across the country had to get used to new coins and updated prices for goods.
2/23/2021 • 14 minutes, 24 seconds
122: Dazzle Camouflage
During World War I and II, the U.S. and Royal Navies turned to camouflage as a way to protect their ships and planes. One such method was a little more ... exciting than the others.
2/9/2021 • 14 minutes, 38 seconds
121: The Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster
On January 28, 1986 the space shuttle *Challenger* broke up after launch, killing seven crew members, including one school teacher.
1/26/2021 • 13 minutes, 22 seconds
120: Sandboarding
If shredding fresh powder is just too mainstream for you, this could be the sport for you.
1/12/2021 • 11 minutes, 31 seconds
119: The Battle of Palmdale
When your Navy drone runs away, calling the Air Force isn't always the best idea.
12/15/2020 • 9 minutes, 41 seconds
118: Black Friday
It's the most ... terrible time of the year.
12/1/2020 • 12 minutes, 20 seconds
117: The Dead Sea
As its name implies, there is a lot of weird stuff going on with the Dead Sea.
11/17/2020 • 7 minutes, 45 seconds
116: Government Cheese
Sometimes, Uncle Sam has to step in and rescue the dairy industry.
11/3/2020 • 9 minutes, 10 seconds
115: The Waffle House Index
When it comes to assessing storm damage, keeping an eye on cheap breakfast food may be the best way to do things.
10/20/2020 • 8 minutes, 40 seconds
114: Comic Sans
The typeface almost everyone loves to hate.
10/6/2020 • 12 minutes, 44 seconds
113: The Cannonball Run Challenge
Some see a cross-country drive as a way to visit the nation's wonders. Others see it as a race with no rules.
9/22/2020 • 11 minutes, 1 second
112: The Water Speed Record
For over a century, people have tried to go faster and faster in water-based vehicles, turning to things like jet engines to reach new speeds. Sadly, this race for the record has resulted in many terrible and tragic accidents.
9/8/2020 • 16 minutes, 48 seconds
111: Rock Paper Scissors
Rock Paper Scissors is an ancient way of solving problems and owning your friends.
8/11/2020 • 12 minutes, 5 seconds
110: Geomagnetic Storms
From time to time, the sun ejects plasma into space. If those particles hit Earth, some bad, bad things can happen.
7/28/2020 • 9 minutes, 8 seconds
109: Viral Internet Challenges
People do weird and sometimes dangerous things for their moment in the social media spotlight.
7/14/2020 • 8 minutes, 54 seconds
108: Some Cool Winter Olympic Games
This week: a PSA from Stephen (and a begrudging Myke) about how the Winter Olympics are the coolest games in town.
6/30/2020 • 8 minutes, 59 seconds
107: The Olympic Flame & Torch Relay
Every four years, a flame is lit in Greece and travels the world, lighting the way to the Olympic games.
6/16/2020 • 9 minutes, 54 seconds
106: Project A119
The late 1950s were a weird time between the United States and the Soviet Union, like that one time both countries thought about nuking the moon.
6/2/2020 • 8 minutes, 33 seconds
105: What REALLY Happened to the Titanic?
In 1912, the world's largest passenger sank. Ever since, people have had theories about what happened.
5/19/2020 • 12 minutes, 16 seconds
104: The Norwegian Butter Crisis
The 2011 holiday season was almost ruined by a butter shortage in Norway. It was so serious people smuggled the spreadable staple in across the border to avoid tariffs.
5/5/2020 • 10 minutes, 29 seconds
103: Even More Unusual Sports
This week, Stephen and Myke cover three more weird sports — fox tossing, speed typing and rocket racing.
4/21/2020 • 10 minutes, 7 seconds
102: Pink Lakes
Not all bodies of water are blue, and not all saltwater is the same. On this episode, Myke and Stephen belly flop into the weird world of pink lakes.
4/7/2020 • 10 minutes, 54 seconds
101: $2 Bills
They may seem fake, but they are very real.
3/24/2020 • 7 minutes, 7 seconds
100: Beanie Babies
Beanie Babies may be cute, floppy toys, but they became one of the Internet's first fads, creating a mania for collectors and billions in profits for a reclusive business owner.
3/10/2020 • 10 minutes, 48 seconds
99: Air Guitar
Air guitar is far more than a cool way to impress a potential date. It's a worldwide phenomenon, complete with championships with complex rules and a wild scoring system.
2/25/2020 • 10 minutes, 57 seconds
98: NACA
Before that was NASA, there was NACA. Its engineers did some wild stuff.
2/11/2020 • 10 minutes, 59 seconds
97: Body Farms
Body farms are used to help scientists and law enforcement officials understand how external factors affect human decomposition.
1/28/2020 • 13 minutes, 39 seconds
96: Expiration Dates
What's the deal with "Best By" and "Sell By" dates? Will taking old medicine hurt you? All of that and more, as Stephen and Myke explore the rather non-specific world of expiration dates.
1/14/2020 • 14 minutes, 43 seconds
95: Nominative Determinism
They say a name can define a person. Sometimes, it just defines their job.
12/31/2019 • 9 minutes, 48 seconds
94: Two Talented Squirrels
Two (or more) small furry animals — Twiggy and Tommy — live on, in our hearts.
12/17/2019 • 8 minutes, 6 seconds
93: The Loch Ness Monster
Deep under the waters of Loch Ness swims a mystery that has haunted humankind for centuries ... or it could be exploding logs and hoaxes. Who knows?
12/3/2019 • 16 minutes, 49 seconds
92: Zone of Death
Due to an obscure legal loophole, it's theoretically possible that a criminal could get away with any crime — including murder — in a small corner of Yellowstone National Park.
11/19/2019 • 7 minutes, 26 seconds
91: The United States Navy Marine Mammal Program
For six decades, the United States Navy Marine Mammal Program has trained sea lions and dolphins to carry out missions around the world. This work includes detecting underwater mines, defending against attack swimmers and more.
11/5/2019 • 11 minutes, 17 seconds
90: SEALAB
In the 1960s, the U.S. Navy studied long-term diving techniques through the SEALAB program, which included a dolphin assistant, sabotage and a fatal accident.
10/22/2019 • 10 minutes, 20 seconds
89: Water Slides & Log Flume Rides
This week, the guys talk about water slides and give everyone some fast flume facts and FAQs.
10/8/2019 • 10 minutes, 8 seconds
88: Bouncy Castles, Tube Men and Other Inflatable Goods
From bouncy castles to dancing Tube Men, inflatable goods make life more exciting, unless you consider the danger or local laws.
9/24/2019 • 8 minutes, 43 seconds
87: The Buttered Toast Phenomenon & Buttered Cat Paradox
If toast always lands butter-side down, and cats always land on their feet, what happens when a cat falls off a table with a piece of toast strapped to its back?
9/10/2019 • 9 minutes, 36 seconds
86: The Great Exhibition and Crystal Palace
The first (official) World's Fair — and the building that housed it — were both incredible feats for their day.
8/27/2019 • 11 minutes, 36 seconds
85: World's Fairs
World's fairs have been held for over 200 years to highlight advances in technology and progress as the nations continue to march toward the future.
8/13/2019 • 9 minutes, 31 seconds
84: Balloonfest '86
It sounds like releasing 1.5 million balloons to raise money would be a good idea, but in 1986, the people of Cleveland, Ohio learned that it is not.
8/1/2019 • 8 minutes, 4 seconds
83: Plastic Flamingos and Garden Gnomes
There are a wide range of garden decorations out there, but some are far classier than others.
7/16/2019 • 9 minutes, 29 seconds
82: Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow was hugely influential on a generation of kids, but you don't have to take our word for it.
7/2/2019 • 9 minutes, 7 seconds
81: High Fives
High fives can be used as a rad greeting or a sick burn, and they can even help you keep from getting sick.
6/18/2019 • 9 minutes, 53 seconds
80: The Winchester Mystery House
San Jose, California is home to the Winchester Mystery House, a sprawling mansion built over nearly four decades.
6/4/2019 • 8 minutes, 47 seconds
79: The Seventh-inning Stretch
If you think baseball is boring and slow, there is good news: you get to take a break, even as a fan!
5/21/2019 • 8 minutes, 49 seconds
78: Rain of Animals
It isn't cats and dogs, but rains including fish, frogs and spiders have been recorded around the world.
5/7/2019 • 9 minutes, 25 seconds
77: 420
Started as a terrible codename by some high school friends in the early 1970s, 420 is now a worldwide phenomenon.
4/20/2019 • 10 minutes, 32 seconds
76: Three More Unusual Sports
This time, Stephen and Myke discuss extreme ironing, lawn mower racing and egg tapping.
4/9/2019 • 17 minutes, 55 seconds
75: Chicago Tylenol Murders
In 1982, a series of murders rocked the country and changed consumer packaging forever.
3/26/2019 • 11 minutes, 2 seconds
74: Pi Day
Happy 3/14, everyone!
3/14/2019 • 12 minutes, 40 seconds
73: Rainbows
These optical phenomena can make anyone's day a little brighter.
2/25/2019 • 9 minutes, 34 seconds
72: The Future of Earth
One day, our Pale Blue Dot will become a fiery landscape of destruction.
2/12/2019 • 11 minutes, 46 seconds
71: Animals with Fraudulent Diplomas & The Work of F. D. C. Willard
Between diploma mills and lazy physicists, some animals have a pretty impressive educational status.
1/29/2019 • 10 minutes, 12 seconds
70: The National Geographic Society
From magazines to television, conservation and preservation, the The National Geographic Society has been working to make the world a better place since 1888.
1/15/2019 • 11 minutes, 23 seconds
69: Times Square Ball
Every January 1, New Yorkers count in the new year by dropping a ball. As it turns out, that's is more complicated than it would seem.
1/1/2019 • 12 minutes, 57 seconds
68: Hermitage Cats & The Chief Mouser
From a Russian art museum to 10 Downing Street, cats are hard at work, keeping mice at bay.
12/18/2018 • 9 minutes, 49 seconds
67: The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist
Between 2011 and 2012, nearly 3,000 tons of maple syrup were stolen from the International Strategic Reserve. Yes, that's a thing.
11/20/2018 • 8 minutes, 44 seconds
66: Pneumatic Tube Mail in New York City
Back in the day, some residents of New York City received their mail via a complex underground tube system. This episode was recorded live in Manhattan.
11/6/2018 • 12 minutes, 30 seconds
65: The Raising of Chicago
In the 1850s and 60s, engineers and crews worked to raise many of Chicago's buildings to help keep water from Lake Michigan out of the city. This episode was recorded live in Chicago, safely above the water line.
10/23/2018 • 11 minutes, 35 seconds
64: Chemtrails
We've all seen the vapor trails left behind by jets as they streak across the sky, but are these clouds good or bad?
10/10/2018 • 11 minutes, 40 seconds
63: Challenge Coins
From World War I to podcasts today, challenge coins makes those who hold them far cooler.
9/25/2018 • 11 minutes, 36 seconds
62: The 11 foot 8 Bridge
The Norfolk Southern–Gregson Street Overpass is Internet famous for destroying the trucks of oblivious drivers.
9/11/2018 • 11 minutes, 2 seconds
61: The Coca-Cola Company
From its origins after The Civil War to its mysterious ingredient list, we tackle all the Coca-Cola questions that have bubbled up since our previous episode.
9/1/2018 • 14 minutes, 30 seconds
60: The Cola Wars and New Coke
At the height of a marketing battle with Pepsi, the Coca-Cola Corporation did the unthinkable and changed an American icon.
8/14/2018 • 20 minutes, 13 seconds
59: Draft of Common Misconceptions
This week, we pick some of our favorite misconceptions people believe.
8/1/2018 • 21 minutes, 15 seconds
58: Hans Island
Hans Island is a small uninhabited island between Canada and Greenland, and is the center of one of the oddest (and most adorable) land disputes in modern times.
7/17/2018 • 10 minutes, 45 seconds
57: Left vs. Right-Hand Traffic
Why we drive on the side of the road we do, and why others do the opposite.
7/3/2018 • 12 minutes, 9 seconds
56: Glasgow Ice Cream Wars
In the 1980s, Glasgow-based drug cartels waged war on each other from ice cream vans.
6/19/2018 • 10 minutes, 30 seconds
55: Food Trucks and Ice Cream Vans
From chuckwagons after the Civil War to ultra-modern cuisine, food trucks have been part of the rural and urban landscape for decades.
6/5/2018 • 12 minutes, 41 seconds
54: Jack the Ripper
From 1888–1891, an unknown assailant killed five women in the East End of London, going down in history was one of the world's most famous serial killers.
5/22/2018 • 14 minutes, 20 seconds
53: Serial Killers
When it comes to serial killers, terminology and classifications are important things to understand.
5/8/2018 • 10 minutes, 4 seconds
52: Area 51
Area 51 is a highly classified U.S. Air Force Base that has been home to numerous avionic projects over the years, and is often at the center of some of the world's more outlandish conspiracy theories.
4/24/2018 • 12 minutes, 36 seconds
51: Toilet Paper Orientation
Recording live in Atlanta, this week Stephen and Myke talk about one of the great debates in modern culture: which way toilet paper should hang from its roll.
4/15/2018 • 11 minutes, 4 seconds
50: Pez
Everyone's favorite pocketable candy has a long history of making people smile.
4/10/2018 • 10 minutes, 47 seconds
49: Death by Coconut
A falling coconut can be deadly, but it's not as common as a tragedy as the press makes it out to be.
3/27/2018 • 10 minutes, 33 seconds
48: The Boeing 2707: America’s Answer to Concorde
America wasn't going to take Europe's supersonic transport project lying down. The federal government helped fund the Boeing 2707, a response to Concorde that would never fly.
3/13/2018 • 14 minutes, 29 seconds
47: The New England Vampire Panic
Today, we all know vampires are fictional, but in the late 1800s, many believed they inflicted disease on their still-alive family members.
3/6/2018 • 8 minutes, 54 seconds
46: The Presidential State Car
Sitting Presidents have a pretty set of wheels, but they aren't allowed to drive.
2/28/2018 • 10 minutes, 49 seconds
45: Valentine's Day
Is it a day to celebrate love, or a scam by greeting card companies? Dive into this and the weird history of Valentine's Day this week with Stephen and Myke, who neglected to exchange gifts to mark the holiday.
2/14/2018 • 11 minutes, 49 seconds
44: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch and Friendly Floatees
The Pacific Ocean may be home to a giant soupy mass of plastic and chemicals, but far more adorable litter has ridden its waves in the past, too.
1/31/2018 • 12 minutes, 11 seconds
43: Emoji
Stephen is joined by Jeremy Burge, the founder of Emojipedia, to discuss the small images that define so many of our digital conversations.
1/24/2018 • 17 minutes, 39 seconds
42: Helicopter Prison Escapes
Prison escapes via helicopter may seem cool, but they rarely end well.
1/17/2018 • 14 minutes, 55 seconds
41: Y2K
It was feared that the year 2000 would arrive with worldwide calamity as the computers in our homes to the systems running our nation's power grid and nuclear power plants ground to a halt. Thankfully, that didn't happen, thanks to the work of software engineers... or luck. Maybe both.
1/3/2018 • 15 minutes, 54 seconds
40: Film and Television Accidents
Creating movies and TV shows can be a dangerous business.
12/20/2017 • 17 minutes, 42 seconds
39: The Max Headroom Broadcast Signal Intrusion
The story of Max Headroom spans from a science fiction character in a made-for-TV movie to the central character in an infamous TV signal hijacking in the late 1980s.
12/6/2017 • 10 minutes, 56 seconds
38: The World’s Longest-Lasting Light Bulbs
The world's oldest working light bulb was first lit in 1901, but as it turns out, there's some drama surrounding that fact.
11/22/2017 • 11 minutes, 23 seconds
37: Small Animal Racing
People have raced hamsters, pigs and even turtles for years. Dive into the world of illegal betting on backyard race tracks and ... whatever it is turtles do when they are in competition with one another.
11/8/2017 • 11 minutes, 39 seconds
36: The Collyer Brothers
The sad tale of two siblings who lived their entire lives together and died just feet apart from one another.
10/25/2017 • 14 minutes, 24 seconds
35: The SS Eastland
Recorded live in Chicago, the story of a horrific and deadly accident involving a ship that took place a mere 20 feet from shore.
10/16/2017 • 12 minutes, 5 seconds
34: Project Pluto
In 1957, the U.S. Air Force started a project to build a nuclear-powered missile that would rain down radiation and atomic bombs as it screamed overhead, just above the treetops.
10/11/2017 • 12 minutes, 36 seconds
33: The Yellow Fleet
From 1967 to 1975, over a dozen cargo ships were stranded in the Suez Canal after the Six-Day War. Crews on these ships created a small civilization that lasted until the Canal was cleared and they could be towed home.
9/27/2017 • 8 minutes, 42 seconds
32: Numbers Stations
A numbers station is a shortwave radio station characterized by broadcasts of formatted numbers, which are believed to be addressed to intelligence officers operating in foreign countries.
9/13/2017 • 11 minutes, 13 seconds
31: Exploding Lakes
While only observed twice, limnic eruptions are both terrifying and deadly.
8/16/2017 • 8 minutes, 22 seconds
30: Bat Bombs, Bird-Guided Missiles and More
All of these topics are terrible.
8/2/2017 • 10 minutes, 11 seconds
29: Going Over Niagara Falls
Many people have gone over Niagara Falls in things like barrels and giant rubber balls. You shouldn't try it.
7/19/2017 • 11 minutes, 3 seconds
28: The Sodder Children Disappearance
Christmas Eve 1945 brought tragedy to the home of the Sodder family. A fire leveled their home, and four children disappeared, with little evidence left that they perished in the flames.
7/5/2017 • 15 minutes, 21 seconds
27: The Oak Island Mystery
For centuries, treasure hunters have been digging up a tiny island off the coast of Nova Scotia in search of a pirate treasure. The thing is, there is very little evidence of it actually existing.
6/21/2017 • 13 minutes, 57 seconds
26: The Texas City Disasters
The port city of Texas City, Texas has witnessed not one, but two, explosive accidents over the last century. With hundreds dead and even more injured, this city has seen more than its fair share of disasters.
6/7/2017 • 11 minutes, 58 seconds
25: Three Unusual Sports
Things like basketball and football are so mainstream. Maybe it's time to stand out as at athlete in a more unique sport.
5/24/2017 • 8 minutes, 43 seconds
24: Six Modern Pyramids
When Myke was young, he wanted to be an Egyptologist. Unaware of his co-host's childhood dreams, Stephen booked a world-wide tour of modern pyramids.
5/10/2017 • 12 minutes, 41 seconds
23: Moon Landing Conspiracy Theories
From 1969 to 1972, twelve astronauts walked on the moon. OR DID THEY?
4/12/2017 • 17 minutes, 43 seconds
22: Selfie-related Deaths
Getting that perfect snap is not worth your life.
3/29/2017 • 13 minutes, 50 seconds
21: Palace of the Parliament
"Go big or go home" certainly describes the home of The People's House, a 3.9 million square foot mammoth of a building in Romania.
3/15/2017 • 14 minutes, 38 seconds
20: The Great Molasses Flood
On January 15, 1919, the Great Molasses Flood killed 21 and injured 150 more in Boston.
3/1/2017 • 10 minutes, 26 seconds
19: The Caning of Charles Sumner
On May 22, 1856, Preston Brooks attacked Charles Sumner on the floor of the U.S. Senate, striking him repeatedly with a cane until he was unconscious.
2/15/2017 • 10 minutes, 2 seconds
18: Centralia, Pennsylvania
Get out your maps! We're going to a mining town.
Or what's left of one, at least.
2/1/2017 • 13 minutes, 45 seconds
17: Concorde
London to New York in three hours. Welcome to Concorde.
1/18/2017 • 17 minutes, 11 seconds
16: D. B. Cooper
On November 24, 1971, a hijacker parachuted out of the back of a Boeing 727 and into the history books.
1/4/2017 • 25 minutes, 17 seconds
15: Festivus
We find tinsel distracting.
12/23/2016 • 6 minutes, 56 seconds
14: The Philadelphia Experiment
Some claim the United States Navy was experimenting with electromagnetism in 1943. Stories say it rendered a ship invisible and teleported it over 200 miles.
12/7/2016 • 10 minutes, 45 seconds
13: Flat Earth Societies
Not everyone believes the planet beneath our feet is spherical. The groups have been around for centuries, and survive today, thanks to the Internet.
11/23/2016 • 7 minutes, 48 seconds
12: Spontaneous Human Combustion
Are you ever concerned that a loved one may burst into flames in their sleep? You probably don't have to worry about spontaneous human combustion. Probably.
11/10/2016 • 8 minutes, 41 seconds
11: Non-human Electoral Candidates
Republicans and Democrats have you down this election cycle? Why not consider a non-human candidate?
10/26/2016 • 9 minutes, 17 seconds
10: The 1904 Summer Olympics
The Games of the III Olympiad were marred by exploitation, experimentation and a near-deadly marathon.
10/12/2016 • 11 minutes, 34 seconds
9: The Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle is a loosely-defined region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean, where a number of aircraft and ships are said to have disappeared under mysterious circumstances.
9/28/2016 • 12 minutes, 8 seconds
8: The Principality of Sealand
The Principality of Sealand is an unrecognized micronation off the coast of England with a very colorful history.
9/14/2016 • 10 minutes, 48 seconds
7: The Emu War
In 1932, farmers in Western Australia were having their crops destroyed by a migrating emu population. Their solution? Soldiers armed with machine guns.
9/1/2016 • 11 minutes, 4 seconds
6: The Hum
The Hum is a phenomenon involving widespread reports of a persistent and invasive low-frequency humming, rumbling, or droning noise not audible to all people.
8/17/2016 • 12 minutes, 40 seconds
5: The World's Littlest Skyscraper
There's more to the Newby-McMahon Building in Wichita Falls, Texas than meets the eye.
8/4/2016 • 9 minutes, 32 seconds
4: Inventors Killed by Their Own Inventions
History is full of people tragically killed by their own inventions. This episode is full of their stories.
7/21/2016 • 15 minutes, 18 seconds
3: The Ghost Army & Inflatable Tanks
During World War II, the United States Army deployed a division made up of artists armed with inflatable tanks, sound equipment and more, all designed to deceive and manipulate the enemy.
7/7/2016 • 17 minutes, 35 seconds
2: Dancing Mania
In mainland Europe between the 14th and 17th centuries, large groups of people would dance in the streets. Were they sick? Was it just a form of escape? Did someone curse them?
6/23/2016 • 19 minutes, 40 seconds
1: Action Park
Action Park claimed six lives in the 1980s. From water slides with loops to racing tracks on the sides of mountains, the amusement park's shocking history raises lots of questions about what was allowed at the time, and what people are willing to risk for a few shots of adrenaline.