Stuff You Should Know

Mariachi bands have a bad rap as nothing more than "restaurant music." But there is a rich and long cultural tradition many people are missing and the music deserves our respect. Listen in today!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The chances are pretty low that you’ll find yourself lost in the desert, but on the off chance you do you’ll thank yourself that you listened to this classic episode, where we guide you to safety. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who doesn't love breakfast? But do you know where most of the typical breakfast foods come from? Well listen in to find out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A full 200 years on, we're still talking about one of the most sweeping hoaxes of all time. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chuck hates them, Josh has flirted with them. Energy drinks. Listen in to learn all about this canned speed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Droughts can be an inevitable feature of a local climate or a catastrophic result of human meddling. In this classic episode, learn the ins and outs of droughts including the American mother of them all, the Dust Bowl.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Psychologist Julian Jaynes came up with a stunning hypothesis in 1976, that human consciousness only developed in the last 3000 years. And he seemed to have proof in ancient texts. Scholars have been picking it apart ever since and today we join the club.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It really happens! But most people call it emancipation of a minor. Either way, there's some interesting legal stuff in here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a while since we tackled a classic toy, so here we go with all you ever wanted to know about Silly String.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

An estimated 50,000 films were made worldwide in 2009 alone. Many are surely clunkers, but in this episode Chuck and Josh talk about the ones that emerged throughout cinema history to change the course of all movies that followed. Get your popcorn and lean back while you enjoy this classic episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two dudes talking about menstruation? You bet! And there’s no way you could be any more nervous to listen than we were to record it. But give it a listen, we think you’ll find it enlightening – whether you menstruate or not.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1996, real-deal NASA scientists announced they had discovered signs of ancient microbial life in a rock that had broken off Mars and landed on Antarctica. The news set off a controversy still going today. Do we already have proof of alien life?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We humans are smart, to be sure, but if we’re so smart then how come we can’t figure how we got so smart in the first place? Think about that! We sure did and we go over some theories in this super interesting episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Economists love their data because somewhere in the numbers lies the answer to the ills of the country. They also love to frame data in a way people can relate to. Such is the case with the famous "misery index." Learn all about it in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You may not have heard of it, but you’ve definitely seen it before – 50s buildings with bright, loud colors, roofs at crazy angles, and space-age shapes like starbursts. It turns out that Googie architecture is as fun to look at as it is to say. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1975, yoga enthusiast Robert Antoszczyk retired to his room in a group house in Ann Arbor, MI to try a meditation technique that would allow him to astrally project his spirit. He died, never coming out of his meditative state. What happened? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Face it, supernovae are the most interesting phenomena in the universe. Black holes are cool, but did you know they sprout from a supernova? What could be cooler than a star exploding so powerfully, the flash it creates shines for months after? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s bad enough when the government knows you’re alive – there are taxes to pay, laws to be followed, all sorts of boring and unpleasant things. But each year, thousands of Americans find out life is far, far worse when the government thinks you are dead. Learn all about it in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bowling is awesome. It just is. And if you don't think so, maybe take a listen to today's episode.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Catatumbo lightning is one of nature's most amazing displays of showiness, with strikes occurring 28 times per minute for nine hours a day, 300 days a year. So take cover and take a listen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.