Stuff You Should Know

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Latest Episodes:

How the Nintendo Entertainment System Changed Gaming Forever Dec 13, 2022

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For the holidays in 1986 (and ’87) (and ’88) the most stupendous, most wanted, most amazing thing any kid could possibly get – outside of a pony, *maybe* – was the NES. That year, video games came back from the dead and changed forever.

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Selects: How Polar Bears Work Dec 10, 2022

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Polar bears are more than just lovable creatures that roam the ice in search of food. They're one of the most fascinating animals on planet Earth. Sadly, as ice shrinks, so does their habitat. Learn all about these huggable beasts in this classic episode.

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True Crime: The Phantom of Heilbronn Dec 08, 2022

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After the murder of a cop in southwest Germany in 2007 a massive hunt was launched across Europe. The suspect was a female serial killer who had left DNA behind during a number of crimes. She was so slippery, she was known as The Phantom of Heilbronn.

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Short Stuff: Birthday Paradox Dec 07, 2022

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The Birthday Paradox involves math, so you know this one will go perfectly.

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How Face Blindness Works Dec 06, 2022

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It’s not that the person who can never remember meeting you is snobby or even absent-minded; they may have a fascinating – and often difficult – neurological condition called prosopagnosia, known more commonly as face blindness.

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Selects: The Rubik's Cube Episode Dec 03, 2022

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Rubik's Cubes. Ronald Reagan. Jerry Falwell. Just Say No. One of these things was awesome. Take a guess and hop on board this classic episode, aka the 80s train.

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How Down Syndrome Works Dec 01, 2022

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People with Down syndrome lead rich, complex lives like any other human, but it’s only been in the last few decades that everyone else stopped persecuting them long enough to notice this. As a result, both their IQ and their life expectancy skyrocketed.

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Short Stuff: Goosebumps Nov 30, 2022

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Goosebumps are a pretty cool evolutionary holdover from our earlier days as furry beasts. Don't believe us? Listen in.

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Peripersonal Space: Humans’ Got Talent Nov 29, 2022

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The space around you that you can reach with your arms is a very special place. It’s where we interact with reality. And although we are so good at using it we don’t give it a second thought, our ability to use it is one our most amazing abilities.

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Selects: How Umami Works! Nov 26, 2022

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For millennia humans have recognized four tastes, but in the 1980s a fifth taste first isolated in Japan gained worldwide acceptance - and took off like a rocket! Learn about meaty, musty, savory umami in this classic episode.

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