Stuff You Should Know

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Latest Episodes:

Selects: Nuclear Semiotics: How to Talk to Future Humans Dec 30, 2023

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The nuclear waste we produce will be dangerous for a very long time. We’ve figured out how to safely store it in the earth until it’s no longer a biohazard. Now we just have to figure out how to warn humans 10,000 years in the future to stay away from it. Find out about our best ideas in this classic episode.

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How Primitive Will Our Descendants Find Us? Dec 28, 2023

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It’s all fun and games to think about how backwards and misguided some things people did in the past were until you realize we’ll be “the past” one day. What do we do now that will seem primitive then and how will they be better in the future?

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Short Stuff: Scheele's Green Dec 27, 2023

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Can you imagine a color so alluring that even though you know it’s toxic you’d still use it to your heart’s content? The Victorians certainly could.

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How Snails Work Dec 26, 2023

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They seem gross and bothersome at first, but once you get down to ground level and get to know snails, we’ll bet you’ll grow quite fond of them. They are living in a whole world we’re largely unaware of.

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Selects: How Fireplaces Work Dec 23, 2023

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They are dirty, harmful to your health, bad for the environment and utterly charming. Wood-burning fireplaces have been with us for centuries and, despite their many drawbacks, are sticking around. Learn more than you thought possible about the fireplace, in this classic episode.

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The 2023 SYSK Ho-Ho-Holiday Spectacular! Dec 21, 2023

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Happy Holidays, friends! Tune in today to listen to our annual ad-free holiday extravaganza. There will be talk of merriment and joy!

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Short Stuff: Christmas Lights Dec 20, 2023

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Just three years after the lightbulb was invented a compadre of Thomas Edison thought to use them to decorate his Christmas tree. It set off a sensation that’s gotten more popular each year since.

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Beanie Babies: Reigning Toy Craze Champion Dec 19, 2023

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The world has seen a lot of weird investment bubbles in its time, but few of them rival the fever that gripped the world in the 90s after Beanie Babies took off. Let’s visit this strange chapter in toy history together.

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Selects: Star Wars Holiday Spectacular Dec 16, 2023

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Long ago, in a galaxy not so far away, George Lucas allowed the Star Wars Holiday Special to be made. What happened on the night of November 17, 1978 can never be fully explained, but we make our best effort in our annual special edition of SYSK. May the force be with us all.

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Selects: How Dictators Work Dec 15, 2023

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There are many types of dictators, from so called "benevolent" ones to the kind who rule with an iron fist. There are also many ways they can come into power, and they don't all include violence. Learn all about dictators past and present in this classic episode.

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