The podcast Stuff You Should Know began back in 2008 and quickly rose to the ranks of the most-ed podcasts, consistently placing in the top 10 most-ed podcasts in the country. This stellar performance is in no small part thanks to the host's good humor, excellent research, and genuine interest in the topics they discuss.
While "educational with comedy" is not a terribly unique concept for a podcast, Stuff You Should Know has perfected the formula. Nearly every episode (aside from their 'shorts') clocks in right around an hour, keeping things light and breezy. But both Josh and Chuck know how to properly research and structure the stories they tell.
Can You Treat Mental Illness With Psychedelics? - Oct 2010
Mental illness is a topic that is often very difficult to discuss, but this episode of the podcast approaches it with care. The general idea of psychedelics as a ive treatment for mental illness has been in the news for quite some time now and in this episode, Josh and Chuck cut through a lot of the hype and skepticism.
This episode proves to be so good not only because it is a great introduction to how the boys approach a topic, but also for how prescient it is. Even today, over a decade later, psychedelics are moving forward in the realm of psychiatry as a genuine possibility for treating a variety of mental illnesses, including PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder.
The Tylenol Murders - Mar 2022
The Tylenol Murders were a string of deaths in the Chicago area stemming from a number of Tylenol bottles that had been laced with cyanide. These murders took place in the '80s, and have since completely altered the way our food and drugs are packaged. Few incidents have caused such widespread panic and change.
This is actually a two-parter, as the topic covered a much wider array of information than Josh and Chuck expected, as well as providing them with much more to talk about in their brief digressions. The fascinating case led to several copycat murders and other incidents, but the concerning part is that this remains an unsolved case to this day.
What Is Fascism? - March 2010
This early episode makes a point to take a heavy topic and offer diligent research and writing. The long history of fascism goes back well further than anyone alive today, which could have made this episode drag much more than it does.
But Josh and Charles make a point to not get overly bogged down in historical fine details, electing to cover the most pertinent information - which leads to a far more interesting discussion.
SYSK Live: The DB Cooper Heist - Oct 2017
DB Cooper is one of the most legendary airplane hijackings in the history of aeronautics. Drunk History.
Unsolved mysteries are often the most entertaining topics for the SYSK podcast to cover, thanks to the abundance of information that is balanced out by speculation. Josh and Charles both have their own theories about the finer details, but the raw facts are delivered very clearly alongside their personal ideas.
What Is The Gig Economy? - Jun 2019
Another topic that only becomes more relevant as time goes on, the Gig Economy episode of SYSK allowed Josh and Charles to explore a topic that is rather fraught. The political and social ramifications of gig work are difficult to parse out, particularly as this episode was relatively early into the growing industry.
Despite the early jump into the discussion of the gig economy, Josh and Chuck give the concept a very fair and well-documented examination, discussing many of the legal and social issues that quickly sprang up around gig-work apps and sites. This episode could be frustrating to listen to, depending on the listener's relationship to the topic at hand.
How The Electoral College Works - Aug 2012
In one of their most topical episodes, Josh and Charles explore the history and origins of the electoral college, as well as the past disputes and discussions of whether or not it is appropriate to the needs of the country. In an obviously political episode, they give unbiased information while not shying away from their own opinions on the matter.
Some of the best episodes of SYSK involve getting more personal. Many podcasts make a concerted effort to remain completely unbiased and divorced from opinion, but SYSK gives one of the best examples of how opinion and fact inform each other - with opinions getting influenced by fact, and how facts are presented according to opinion.
The Baffling Case Of The Body On Somerton Beach - Sep 2017
In another unsolved mystery, the boys explore the appearance of a body on Somerton Beach in Adelaide, Australia. The mystery is full of strange details that only further confuse and intrigue listeners get the second-hand interest in the topic that Josh and Chuck exude throughout this excellent episode of SYSK.
This case, also known as the Tamam Shud case based on the Persian phrase appearing on a note in the body's pocket, has not received quite as much public attention as the DB Cooper case. But no podcast would be complete without some mention of this strange and continually confusing mystery.
How Lewis And Clark Worked - Nov 2013
This episode of SYSK is all about a grade-school history classic - Lewis and Clark. The pair of so-called explorers traveled across the country way back when, but much of their history is misunderstood, misrepresented, or otherwise not popularly known. This is one of the best episodes in of correcting popular thought.
The history of Lewis and Clark is another aspect of popularly taught American history that is the target of scrutiny today, now that it is more accepted to explore how old Americana heroes and their presentations were problematic. Josh and Charles make a great listen as they talk about the early days of American history in a new light.
The Disappearance Of The Yuba County 5 - Jul 2018
The Yuba County 5 were a group of five young men with mild intellectual disabilities and mental illnesses who were found dead near their car in Yuba County, California. This is an unsolved mystery episode that has fewer extraneous details than the Tamam Shud or DB Cooper cases, but the simplicity is part of what makes the case so interesting.
There are answers and questions galore in this episode, which provide the boys with a deep discussion. Because of how much information there is about the case, it's easy to form an opinion about what happened. But the information that is available to the boys and the public provides just enough conflict to wonder what else could have happened.
The Black Panther Party - Feb 2017
It's fair to take a bit of caution when listening to a podcast episode with two white men discussing a contentious Black organization like the Black Panther Party. But the boys treat the topic with a fair amount of respect and curiosity.
Learning about the Black Panther Party's actions and philosophies is just as interesting as unlearning the misinformation that has been spread about the group over the years, providing a new and interesting perspective. Perhaps even more interesting are the many splinter-factions and later groups that took the Black Panther name.