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Ungeniused

English, Social, 1 season, 206 episodes, 1 day, 13 hours, 36 minutes
About
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.
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206: Biosphere 2: The Missions

2/20/202411 minutes, 19 seconds
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205: Biosphere 2: The Campus

2/6/202411 minutes, 28 seconds
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204: Crystal Pepsi

1/23/202412 minutes, 3 seconds
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203: OK Soda

1/9/20249 minutes, 22 seconds
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202: Boxing Day

12/26/20239 minutes, 56 seconds
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201: Clock of the Long Now

12/12/202312 minutes, 26 seconds
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200: Dates Predicted for Apocalyptic Events

11/28/202314 minutes, 38 seconds
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199: The Keene Pumpkin Festival Riots

11/14/202310 minutes, 20 seconds
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198: Jack-o'-lanterns

10/31/20236 minutes, 45 seconds
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197: Shoe-fitting Fluoroscope

10/17/202314 minutes, 11 seconds
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196: Chain Letters

Listen to this episode and share it with five of your friends, or something bad may happen.
10/3/202311 minutes, 32 seconds
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195: Worm Charming

Attracting earthworms from underground is one heck of a sport.
9/19/202314 minutes, 34 seconds
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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.
9/5/20239 minutes, 29 seconds
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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.
8/22/202310 minutes, 33 seconds
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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.
8/8/202311 minutes, 56 seconds
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191: Vantablack

“It's like, how much more black could this be? And the answer is none — none more black.”
7/25/202310 minutes, 58 seconds
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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.
7/11/202310 minutes, 57 seconds
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189: Fainting Goats

We've all been startled by sudden noises, but some goats take being scared to an all-new level.
6/13/20238 minutes, 12 seconds
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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.
5/30/20236 minutes, 18 seconds
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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.
5/16/20238 minutes, 52 seconds
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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!
5/2/20238 minutes, 19 seconds
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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.
4/4/202315 minutes, 50 seconds
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184: World Sauna Championships

From 1999 to 2010, Finland hosted an annual endurance contest that ultimately ended in tragedy.
3/21/202310 minutes, 5 seconds
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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.
3/7/202310 minutes, 53 seconds
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182: The 1961 Goldsboro B-52 Crash

60 years ago, a B-52 carrying two nuclear weapons crashed in North Carolina.
2/21/202311 minutes, 58 seconds
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181: Parking Chairs

Need to call dibs on a parking spot after you dug it out of the snow? Just grab a chair!
2/7/202311 minutes, 8 seconds
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180: The Baltic Sea Anomaly

On the floor of the Baltic Sea rests the remains of a crashed UFO. Or a rock. Whatever.
1/24/20237 minutes, 56 seconds
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179: The Videotape Format War

The 1980s were a magical time when the world enjoyed neon, disco and Betamax.
1/10/20238 minutes, 34 seconds
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178: Twelve Drummers Drumming

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me twelve drummers drumming.
1/5/20232 minutes, 33 seconds
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177: Eleven Pipers Piping

On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me eleven pipers piping.
1/4/20232 minutes, 25 seconds
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176: Ten Lords A-leaping

On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me ten lords a-leaping.
1/3/20231 minute, 1 second
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175: Nine Ladies Dancing

On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me nine ladies dancing.
1/2/20233 minutes, 45 seconds
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174: Eight Maids A-Milking

On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me eight maids a-milking.
1/1/20231 minute, 50 seconds
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173: Seven Swans A-swimming

On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love sent to me seven swans a-swimming.
12/31/202212 seconds
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172: Six Geese A-laying

On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me six geese a-laying.
12/30/20222 minutes, 5 seconds
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171: Five Golden Rings

On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me five golden rings.
12/29/20227 minutes
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170: Four Calling Birds

On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love sent to me four calling birds.
12/28/20223 minutes, 1 second
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169: Three French Hens

On the third day of Christmas, my true love sent to me three French hens.
12/27/20223 minutes, 6 seconds
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168: Two Turtle Doves

On the second day of Christmas, my true love sent to me two turtle doves.
12/26/20222 minutes, 12 seconds
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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.
12/25/20223 minutes, 3 seconds
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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.
12/24/20224 minutes, 37 seconds
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165: Scrub Daddy

Dirty dishes deserve happiness too.
12/13/202212 minutes, 3 seconds
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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.
11/29/20227 minutes, 47 seconds
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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.
11/15/20225 minutes, 45 seconds
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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.
11/1/202214 minutes, 47 seconds
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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.
10/18/20229 minutes, 16 seconds
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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.
10/4/202210 minutes, 52 seconds
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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.
9/20/20228 minutes, 42 seconds
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158: Gummy Bears

They're small, chewy, colorful and tasty. What's not to love?
9/6/20229 minutes, 26 seconds
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157: The West Fertilizer Company Explosion

On April 17, 2013, the town of West, Texas was home to a tragedy.
8/23/202211 minutes, 38 seconds
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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.
8/9/20226 minutes, 53 seconds
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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.
7/26/20229 minutes, 46 seconds
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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.
7/12/20226 minutes, 12 seconds
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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.
6/28/202212 minutes, 16 seconds
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152: Six Flags

From a small park in Texas to a sprawling corporation that then underwent bankruptcy, this is the story of Six Flags.
5/31/20228 minutes, 20 seconds
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151: Six Flags New Orleans

In 2005, Six Flags New Orleans closed ahead of Hurricane Katrina. It would never reopen.
5/17/202215 minutes
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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.
5/3/202211 minutes, 45 seconds
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149: The Easy-Bake Oven & Juicero

One cooked treats with lightbulbs, the other made pressed juice for rich people. Both had their issues.
4/19/202210 minutes, 8 seconds
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148: False Memory

You may remember hearing this episode. Or you may not.
4/5/202210 minutes, 9 seconds
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147: Another Trio of Weird Sports

It's time for some more weird sports: combat juggling, deep-water soloing and land sailing.
3/22/202211 minutes, 3 seconds
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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.
3/8/20228 minutes, 49 seconds
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145: The Spacecraft Cemetery

On occasion, a large, remote area of the Pacific Ocean will catch a falling satellite or spacecraft.
2/22/20229 minutes, 44 seconds
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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.
1/25/202215 minutes, 31 seconds
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143: Sleeved Blankets

If it's cold outside when you listen to this, Stephen and Myke have just the product for you!
1/11/20229 minutes, 53 seconds
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142: Spite Houses

Sometimes, building something is the best form of revenge.
12/14/202110 minutes, 32 seconds
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141: The Spaghetti-Tree Hoax

On April 1, 1957, a BBC program ran a piece about a family in Switzerland who were farming ... spaghetti.
11/16/20217 minutes, 38 seconds
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140: Flamingos 🦩

Flamingos are weird and pink and can fly and some are bigger than others and some are smaller than others.
11/2/202112 minutes, 59 seconds
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139: Big Food

This recording is about the world of food world records.
10/5/202112 minutes, 10 seconds
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138: Tardigrades

This time, Myke and Stephen explore the tiny, weird world of tardigrades.
9/21/20218 minutes, 49 seconds
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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.
9/7/202116 minutes, 17 seconds
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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.
8/24/202112 minutes, 38 seconds
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135: A Reading of SPAM-Kus

Please enjoy this small collection of SPAM-related poems, as read by Stephen.
8/10/20212 minutes, 9 seconds
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134: SPAM

It's more than a food; it's a lifestyle.
7/27/202113 minutes, 10 seconds
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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.
7/13/20218 minutes, 16 seconds
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132: Chess Boxing

It's chess with punching. Or boxing with a chess board. It's hard to tell.
6/29/202111 minutes, 20 seconds
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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.
6/15/20217 minutes, 8 seconds
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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.
6/1/20219 minutes, 38 seconds
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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.
5/18/202110 minutes, 43 seconds
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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.
5/4/202110 minutes, 49 seconds
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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?
4/20/202110 minutes, 30 seconds
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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.
4/6/202110 minutes, 1 second
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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...
3/23/202111 minutes, 23 seconds
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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.
3/9/202115 minutes, 1 second
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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.
2/23/202114 minutes, 24 seconds
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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.
2/9/202114 minutes, 38 seconds
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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.
1/26/202113 minutes, 22 seconds
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120: Sandboarding

If shredding fresh powder is just too mainstream for you, this could be the sport for you.
1/12/202111 minutes, 31 seconds
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119: The Battle of Palmdale

When your Navy drone runs away, calling the Air Force isn't always the best idea.
12/15/20209 minutes, 41 seconds
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118: Black Friday

It's the most ... terrible time of the year.
12/1/202012 minutes, 20 seconds
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117: The Dead Sea

As its name implies, there is a lot of weird stuff going on with the Dead Sea.
11/17/20207 minutes, 45 seconds
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116: Government Cheese

Sometimes, Uncle Sam has to step in and rescue the dairy industry.
11/3/20209 minutes, 10 seconds
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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.
10/20/20208 minutes, 40 seconds
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114: Comic Sans

The typeface almost everyone loves to hate.
10/6/202012 minutes, 44 seconds
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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.
9/22/202011 minutes, 1 second
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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.
9/8/202016 minutes, 48 seconds
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111: Rock Paper Scissors

Rock Paper Scissors is an ancient way of solving problems and owning your friends.
8/11/202012 minutes, 5 seconds
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110: Geomagnetic Storms

From time to time, the sun ejects plasma into space. If those particles hit Earth, some bad, bad things can happen.
7/28/20209 minutes, 8 seconds
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109: Viral Internet Challenges

People do weird and sometimes dangerous things for their moment in the social media spotlight.
7/14/20208 minutes, 54 seconds
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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.
6/30/20208 minutes, 59 seconds
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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.
6/16/20209 minutes, 54 seconds
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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.
6/2/20208 minutes, 33 seconds
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105: What REALLY Happened to the Titanic?

In 1912, the world's largest passenger sank. Ever since, people have had theories about what happened.
5/19/202012 minutes, 16 seconds
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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.
5/5/202010 minutes, 29 seconds
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103: Even More Unusual Sports

This week, Stephen and Myke cover three more weird sports — fox tossing, speed typing and rocket racing.
4/21/202010 minutes, 7 seconds
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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.
4/7/202010 minutes, 54 seconds
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101: $2 Bills

They may seem fake, but they are very real.
3/24/20207 minutes, 7 seconds
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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.
3/10/202010 minutes, 48 seconds
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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.
2/25/202010 minutes, 57 seconds
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98: NACA

Before that was NASA, there was NACA. Its engineers did some wild stuff.
2/11/202010 minutes, 59 seconds
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97: Body Farms

Body farms are used to help scientists and law enforcement officials understand how external factors affect human decomposition.
1/28/202013 minutes, 39 seconds
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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.
1/14/202014 minutes, 43 seconds
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95: Nominative Determinism

They say a name can define a person. Sometimes, it just defines their job.
12/31/20199 minutes, 48 seconds
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94: Two Talented Squirrels

Two (or more) small furry animals — Twiggy and Tommy — live on, in our hearts.
12/17/20198 minutes, 6 seconds
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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?
12/3/201916 minutes, 49 seconds
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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.
11/19/20197 minutes, 26 seconds
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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.
11/5/201911 minutes, 17 seconds
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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.
10/22/201910 minutes, 20 seconds
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89: Water Slides & Log Flume Rides

This week, the guys talk about water slides and give everyone some fast flume facts and FAQs.
10/8/201910 minutes, 8 seconds
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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.
9/24/20198 minutes, 43 seconds
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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?
9/10/20199 minutes, 36 seconds
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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.
8/27/201911 minutes, 36 seconds
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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.
8/13/20199 minutes, 31 seconds
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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.
8/1/20198 minutes, 4 seconds
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83: Plastic Flamingos and Garden Gnomes

There are a wide range of garden decorations out there, but some are far classier than others.
7/16/20199 minutes, 29 seconds
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82: Reading Rainbow

Reading Rainbow was hugely influential on a generation of kids, but you don't have to take our word for it.
7/2/20199 minutes, 7 seconds
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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.
6/18/20199 minutes, 53 seconds
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80: The Winchester Mystery House

San Jose, California is home to the Winchester Mystery House, a sprawling mansion built over nearly four decades.
6/4/20198 minutes, 47 seconds
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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!
5/21/20198 minutes, 49 seconds
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78: Rain of Animals

It isn't cats and dogs, but rains including fish, frogs and spiders have been recorded around the world.
5/7/20199 minutes, 25 seconds
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77: 420

Started as a terrible codename by some high school friends in the early 1970s, 420 is now a worldwide phenomenon.
4/20/201910 minutes, 32 seconds
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76: Three More Unusual Sports

This time, Stephen and Myke discuss extreme ironing, lawn mower racing and egg tapping.
4/9/201917 minutes, 55 seconds
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75: Chicago Tylenol Murders

In 1982, a series of murders rocked the country and changed consumer packaging forever.
3/26/201911 minutes, 2 seconds
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74: Pi Day

Happy 3/14, everyone!
3/14/201912 minutes, 40 seconds
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73: Rainbows

These optical phenomena can make anyone's day a little brighter.
2/25/20199 minutes, 34 seconds
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72: The Future of Earth

One day, our Pale Blue Dot will become a fiery landscape of destruction.
2/12/201911 minutes, 46 seconds
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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.
1/29/201910 minutes, 12 seconds
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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.
1/15/201911 minutes, 23 seconds
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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.
1/1/201912 minutes, 57 seconds
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68: Hermitage Cats & The Chief Mouser

From a Russian art museum to 10 Downing Street, cats are hard at work, keeping mice at bay.
12/18/20189 minutes, 49 seconds
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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.
11/20/20188 minutes, 44 seconds
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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.
11/6/201812 minutes, 30 seconds
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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.
10/23/201811 minutes, 35 seconds
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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?
10/10/201811 minutes, 40 seconds
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63: Challenge Coins

From World War I to podcasts today, challenge coins makes those who hold them far cooler.
9/25/201811 minutes, 36 seconds
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62: The 11 foot 8 Bridge

The Norfolk Southern–Gregson Street Overpass is Internet famous for destroying the trucks of oblivious drivers.
9/11/201811 minutes, 2 seconds
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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.
9/1/201814 minutes, 30 seconds
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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.
8/14/201820 minutes, 13 seconds
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59: Draft of Common Misconceptions

This week, we pick some of our favorite misconceptions people believe.
8/1/201821 minutes, 15 seconds
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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.
7/17/201810 minutes, 45 seconds
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57: Left vs. Right-Hand Traffic

Why we drive on the side of the road we do, and why others do the opposite.
7/3/201812 minutes, 9 seconds
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56: Glasgow Ice Cream Wars

In the 1980s, Glasgow-based drug cartels waged war on each other from ice cream vans.
6/19/201810 minutes, 30 seconds
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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.
6/5/201812 minutes, 41 seconds
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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.
5/22/201814 minutes, 20 seconds
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53: Serial Killers

When it comes to serial killers, terminology and classifications are important things to understand.
5/8/201810 minutes, 4 seconds
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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.
4/24/201812 minutes, 36 seconds
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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.
4/15/201811 minutes, 4 seconds
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50: Pez

Everyone's favorite pocketable candy has a long history of making people smile.
4/10/201810 minutes, 47 seconds
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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.
3/27/201810 minutes, 33 seconds
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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.
3/13/201814 minutes, 29 seconds
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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.
3/6/20188 minutes, 54 seconds
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46: The Presidential State Car

Sitting Presidents have a pretty set of wheels, but they aren't allowed to drive.
2/28/201810 minutes, 49 seconds
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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.
2/14/201811 minutes, 49 seconds
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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.
1/31/201812 minutes, 11 seconds
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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.
1/24/201817 minutes, 39 seconds
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42: Helicopter Prison Escapes

Prison escapes via helicopter may seem cool, but they rarely end well.
1/17/201814 minutes, 55 seconds
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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.
1/3/201815 minutes, 54 seconds
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40: Film and Television Accidents

Creating movies and TV shows can be a dangerous business.
12/20/201717 minutes, 42 seconds
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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.
12/6/201710 minutes, 56 seconds
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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.
11/22/201711 minutes, 23 seconds
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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.
11/8/201711 minutes, 39 seconds
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36: The Collyer Brothers

The sad tale of two siblings who lived their entire lives together and died just feet apart from one another.
10/25/201714 minutes, 24 seconds
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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.
10/16/201712 minutes, 5 seconds
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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.
10/11/201712 minutes, 36 seconds
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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.
9/27/20178 minutes, 42 seconds
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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.
9/13/201711 minutes, 13 seconds
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31: Exploding Lakes

While only observed twice, limnic eruptions are both terrifying and deadly.
8/16/20178 minutes, 22 seconds
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30: Bat Bombs, Bird-Guided Missiles and More

All of these topics are terrible.
8/2/201710 minutes, 11 seconds
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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.
7/19/201711 minutes, 3 seconds
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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.
7/5/201715 minutes, 21 seconds
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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.
6/21/201713 minutes, 57 seconds
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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.
6/7/201711 minutes, 58 seconds
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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.
5/24/20178 minutes, 43 seconds
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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.
5/10/201712 minutes, 41 seconds
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23: Moon Landing Conspiracy Theories

From 1969 to 1972, twelve astronauts walked on the moon. OR DID THEY?
4/12/201717 minutes, 43 seconds
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22: Selfie-related Deaths

Getting that perfect snap is not worth your life.
3/29/201713 minutes, 50 seconds
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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.
3/15/201714 minutes, 38 seconds
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20: The Great Molasses Flood

On January 15, 1919, the Great Molasses Flood killed 21 and injured 150 more in Boston.
3/1/201710 minutes, 26 seconds
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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.
2/15/201710 minutes, 2 seconds
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18: Centralia, Pennsylvania

Get out your maps! We're going to a mining town. Or what's left of one, at least.
2/1/201713 minutes, 45 seconds
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17: Concorde

London to New York in three hours. Welcome to Concorde.
1/18/201717 minutes, 11 seconds
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16: D. B. Cooper

On November 24, 1971, a hijacker parachuted out of the back of a Boeing 727 and into the history books.
1/4/201725 minutes, 17 seconds
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15: Festivus

We find tinsel distracting.
12/23/20166 minutes, 56 seconds
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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.
12/7/201610 minutes, 45 seconds
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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.
11/23/20167 minutes, 48 seconds
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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.
11/10/20168 minutes, 41 seconds
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11: Non-human Electoral Candidates

Republicans and Democrats have you down this election cycle? Why not consider a non-human candidate?
10/26/20169 minutes, 17 seconds
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10: The 1904 Summer Olympics

The Games of the III Olympiad were marred by exploitation, experimentation and a near-deadly marathon.
10/12/201611 minutes, 34 seconds
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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.
9/28/201612 minutes, 8 seconds
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8: The Principality of Sealand

The Principality of Sealand is an unrecognized micronation off the coast of England with a very colorful history.
9/14/201610 minutes, 48 seconds
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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.
9/1/201611 minutes, 4 seconds
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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.
8/17/201612 minutes, 40 seconds
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5: The World's Littlest Skyscraper

There's more to the Newby-McMahon Building in Wichita Falls, Texas than meets the eye.
8/4/20169 minutes, 32 seconds
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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.
7/21/201615 minutes, 18 seconds
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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.
7/7/201617 minutes, 35 seconds
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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?
6/23/201619 minutes, 40 seconds
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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.
6/8/201640 minutes, 34 seconds