Stuff You Should Know

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Short Stuff: Benin Bronzes Feb 21, 2024

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One of the world’s cultural treasure troves were created in West Africa. But for over a century they’ve been held in museums outside of Africa. In fact, an estimated 95 percent of Africa’s cultural heritage is kept in museums overseas.

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Ray and Charles Eames: More than Chairs Feb 20, 2024

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Charles and Ray Eames were superstar designers who dreamed up some of the most iconic pieces of furniture ever made. And they did much more than that.

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Selects: Geodesic Domes: The Wave of the Future That Wasn't Feb 17, 2024

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Sometimes a good idea doesn’t pan out in real life. Take Buckminster Fuller’s geodesic dome: It requires less energy to heat and cool, it’s cheap, and it’s durable enough to withstand a hurricane – but it’s also godawful ugly and that was its undoing. Learn more with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode.

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Like, here's the episode on "like" Feb 15, 2024

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Like is a very divisive word. Purists think it's like, a filler word born in the 80s that's like, destroying the English language. Turns out none of these are like, true.

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Short Stuff: The Original Snake Oil Salesman Feb 14, 2024

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There’s a great origin story behind snake oil salesmen, and it has to do with just one guy who singlehandedly gave it a bad name.

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What Americans Ate When There Were No Food Laws Feb 13, 2024

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There was a brief period in America’s history – after people left the farm to work in the city and before the government started regulating it – when there was a total, lawless free-for-all in the food industry. Things were bad. Really, really bad.

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Selects: The Unabomber: Misguided to say the least Feb 10, 2024

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The Unabomber was one of the most notorious and longest lasting cases in the history of the FBI. Just because the manifesto reads like he was a fortune teller doesn't make his actions any less deplorable. Learn all about this fascinating case in this classic episode.

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What's the Pygmalion Effect? Feb 08, 2024

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Do teachers and managers give special treatment to those who they're told have great academic or professional promise? Does this create a self-fulfilling prophecy, regardless of the truth? That's just part of the fascinating Pygmalion Effect.

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Short Stuff: School Bus Yellow Feb 07, 2024

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Why are all school buses the same color? Because one man made it so. This is that story.

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Clue(do): Third Best Board Game Ever Feb 06, 2024

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Whether you know it as Clue or Cluedo, the whodunnit mystery board game is one of the best of all time. Learn all about the history behind the game’s development, and strategies on how to crush your fellow players as soundly as Chuck’s wife crushes him.

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