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Society & Culture

Stuff You Should Know

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#43 in Society & Culture this week

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

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  • 91 episodes
  • daily
  • Avg 39 min
  • English

Episodes 91

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  • September 17 · 51 min

    The Cancer Episode

    Cancer is a terrible word in any language for at least two reasons: It’s incredibly difficult to get rid of once it grows in the body, and there’s a very good chance that you or someone close to you will be diagnosed with it. But hope is growing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • September 16 · 11 min

    Short Stuff: Leisure Suits

    You know the leisure suit, perhaps the tackiest suit to ever be invented. It was so huge in the 70s and spread as wide the lapels of the shirts worn with them. Then, as fast as they hit the scene they disappeared in shame. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • September 15 · 44 min

    How Boredom Works

    Are there benefits to boredom? Or is it all negative? Why do we get bored? What can we do to break free from boredom? The answers to those questions and more are coming your way today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • September 12 · 47 min

    Selects: Wasps: Not as cute as bees

    Wasps have a bad rap. Because their sting really hurts and they don't make honey like their cousins. But they are super cool and you shouldn't kill them. Listen to this classic episode and learn! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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  • September 10 · 49 min

    The Odyssey Episode

    Why does the story of The Odyssey endure this many years after it was first spoken? Listen in to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • September 9 · 11 min

    Short Stuff: Flappers

    In the 1920s, a certain set of women wanted to loosen up and have a good time. Today, we get into it with the flappers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • September 8 · 50 min

    Nickelodeon:The Best of Slimes

    Today we tell the story of the kids TV network that changed it all, Nickelodeon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • September 5 · 50 min

    Selects: Blacksmiths? You got that right!

    Blacksmiths? You got that right. Learn all about this age old occupation in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • September 3 · 47 min

    Social Identity Theory: Your Group Rules, Others Drool

    In the 80s, a pair of psychologists theorized why being part of a group can change people’s thoughts and feelings, both about themselves and other people. It sounds dry, but SIT explains everything from how people justify genocide to football rivalries. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • September 2 · 12 min

    Short Stuff: Hisashi Ouchi

    Japanese nuclear worker Hisashi Ouchi is often called on the internet “the world’s most radioactive man.” That’s not exactly true, but it gets the point across about how severe the fatal dose of radiation he received was. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • September 1 · 46 min

    Terry Fox: Greatest Canadian Hero

    It is to the great nation of Canada’s lasting credit that it has prized Terry Fox as one of the most beloved and admired citizens for nearly 50 years now. It’s difficult to get across how much he means to Canada. Lucky for us, his story speaks for itself. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • August 29 · 50 min

    Selects: Flagpole Sitting: A Real Fad

    The 1920s were just absolutely nuts. People got into weird fads really intensely and one of the strangest of all was flagpole sitting. It’s just what it sounds like – sitting on top of a flagpole for as long as you can. One man sat above them all. Learn all about him and many of these wild fads in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • August 27 · 43 min

    The Fall of the USSR, Pt II

    The break-up of the USSR was a tough one for Russia, being the jilted republic. For the entire decade after, the country plunged into a type of controlled chaos, with a rampantly corrupt kleptocracy taking the place of the toppled socialist society. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • August 26 · 55 min

    SYSK Tribute: Why does everyone love Dolly Parton?

    Today we dive in to celebrate the international treasure that is Dolly Parton. Why is she nearly universally loved? Listen in to find out. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • August 26 · 13 min

    Short Stuff: Cyclospora

    The US has an unusual number of outbreaks of food-borne illness going on in the summer of 2026, and the star of the show is cyclospora. How does this parasite make people sick, where does it come from? You may not want to know. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • August 25 · 41 min

    The Fall of the USSR, Pt I

    It’s rare that the downfall of an empire can be chalked up to the decisions of just one person. It’s even rarer, when the empire falls over the course of a year. That’s pretty much what happened with the Soviet Union when Mikhail Gorbachev dissolved it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
  • August 22 · 52 min

    Selects: How Narcolepsy Works

    Narcolepsy is one of those amazing rare disorders that everyone thinks they understand – people just fall asleep at random times, even in the middle of doing something. But there’s a lot more to it and – even better – we actually may be able to explain it. Josh and Chuck run it down in this classic episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    • Transcript
Showing 41–60 of 91 episodes