Who does not love knowing the most random things that may or may not ever come up in any conversation? Well, Stuff You Should Know, published by Stuff Media and born from HowStuffWorks, covers topics ranging from true crime to Andre the Giant. With over 1400 episodes, hosts Josh Clark and Charles W. “Chuck” Bryant research for hours to bring you the best content possible each and every time. The podcast was actually named by Clark, who has been there since the start in April 2008. Most SYSK episodes range from forty to sixty minutes, excluding their weekly episode of Short Stuff, which is consistently less than twenty minutes. They even have SYSK Selects, where listeners submit their own ideas for Clark and Bryant to possibly cover. Stuff You Should Know posts a minimum of two episodes a week, and never disappoint with their intriguing topics. Bryant and Clark have covered The Tulsa ‘Race Riots’, transdermal implants, how safecracking works, where Trick-Or-Treating came from, and thousands more. 

One of my favorite episodes is currently Cave Diving: Totally Nuts, as they explain one of the most extreme activities a person can partake in. Clark and Bryant delve into the history of cave diving, explaining the scholarly and personal reasons people cave dive. They also discuss diving terminology and how people determine which way is the opening of a cave. The episode holds a humorous vibe, but still manages to correctly teach the listener something they may not know about such an interesting activity. 

Another favorite episode of mine is actually a listener’s suggestion; SYSK Selects: How Black Boxes Work. As someone who enjoys traveling, especially via plane, I had never understood how a black box worked. For those who do not know, there are at least two black boxes on an aviation craft. One records the flight’s data, while the other records audio from the cockpit. In the event of a crash, the black box, although it is not actually a black box, is meant to survive and tell investigators what happened. They go through rigorous testing, especially with water and fire. The boxes even have underwater locator beacons, so rescuers have an easier time finding the debris. Before listening to my all time favorite topic, I listened to black boxes and it actually did help me to understand what came next.

There are two episodes of The Disappearance of Flight MH370, and as a true crime fanatic, these ones are at the top of my list. Most people would remember the Boeing 777 airliner disappearing in 2014, if you asked, and how it still remains a mystery after six years. The whole idea behind such a large aircraft suddenly disappearing will forever shock me, along with how the countries involved handled it. Bryant and Clark carefully explain each detail and bring up ones that few people really thought about during that time. With such an in depth backstory, Flight MH370 will most likely stay one of the most infamous mysteries of the decade.

Stuff You Should Know is an award winning podcast and personally one of my favorites. If you are bored or do not have much to do, I would suggest SYSK to fill your time. SYSK can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, or any other platforms you listen to your podcasts. It is an intriguing podcast that has a sprinkle of humor and manages to add some knowledge to your day, no matter what the topic.