From Serial to Pod Save America, podcasts as a medium have taken off in the past few years. Ane of the oldest, and in the stance of many, greatest podcasts is undoubtedly, the Stuff Yous Should Know podcast, referred to by fans every bit "SYSK". Hosted by Josh Clark and Charles W. "Chuck" Bryant (and never forget the "Chuck"!), SYSK is a thrice weekly podcast where the hosts discuss and explain a new topic in each podcast. Josh and Chuck talk over topics ranging from science to mode and everything in between with their usual banter and great rapport. When you lot throw it all together it is no surprise that this podcast has lasted for over 10 years and 1,000 episodes. SYSK e'er sits atop the iTunes podcasts charts, has won numerous the best podcast awards in the manufacture, and most importantly has brought countless hours of entertainment to millions of listeners.

xi. How Grassoline Works

April 17, 2008

It only feels right to include SYSK episode 1 in our list. It is afterwards all, the one that began information technology all. You have heard of electric cars and corn based ethanol as an alternative to gasoline, simply have you ever heard of a using grass equally an alternative to gasoline? Me neither. In this episode, Josh (still a solo host at this indicate) discusses the possibility of certain species of grass, along with wood materials, equally a way to power our world. In this ane very succinct episode, SYSK touches on peak oil, sustainability, and even wars. Certain, this episode is over 10 years former and grassoline has yet to take off, but it is a lot of fun to hear about!

Link to episode: https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/how-grassoline-works.htm

10. What is the gig economy?

June 11, 2019

One of the all-time things nigh SYSK is the hosts don't but cover history topics or topics that are no longer relevant, simply they actively set on topics that are becoming more important as fourth dimension goes on. This is 1 of those episodes. The gig economy is considered all of those side jobs y'all can work from an app on, things like Uber, grubhub, Upwork, and Amazon delivery. Originally considered a groovy way to make some extra money during time off, people take begun to question the gig economic system partly, equally SYSK suggests, because the gigs were so successful. Many people work these side gigs as full time jobs without any benefits and overall low pay. In this episode SYSK discusses whether the gig economy is good for society and what the future of the gig economy will be.

Link to episode: https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/whats-the-gig-economy.htm

Josh and Chuck

nine. Are Nazi War Criminals All the same at Big?

April thirty, 2008

For good measure, SYSK occasionally covers conspiratorial topics. Other conspiracy theories include: "Did the CIA exam LSD on unsuspecting Americans", "Was there a real Rex Arthur", "What's the deal with crop circles", and "What happened to the lost colony at Roanoke". There is perchance no ameliorate conspiratorial episode of SYSK than this one though. Josh, still a alone host, discusses the concluding outcome for many major Nazi figures and whether anyone always got abroad. He discusses the curiously high corporeality of twins born in a specific region of Argentina beginning shortly afterwards World War II. The highlight of the episode is the give-and-take of Mossad's chase for Nazi state of war criminals following the founding of the state of Israel. Overall a great episode.

8. Utilise of the Insanity Defense force

April 18, 2013

Often talked nigh, only not well understood, Josh and Chuck tackle the topic of the insanity defense and its common misconceptions in this episode. Many people do not realize that the insanity defense is extremely hard to testify. As Josh and Chuck explicate, despite the fact that everyone is aware of the insanity defense, information technology is actually just used in 1% of criminal cases, and furthermore, the insanity defense is only successful in 1% of the criminal cases in which it is used. This is the perfect episode for anyone interested in how the legal system works. The nuances of the insanity defence force tin be tricky but SYSK sums it up quite well.

Link to episode: https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/insanity-defence.htm

seven. What is fascism?

March 11, 2010

No Racists, No KKK, No Fascist USA! Information technology'due south a mutual phrase y'all heard lately at many protests. In this episode, Josh and Chuck hash out what fascism really is. Afterward listening to SYSK you lot'll quickly realize what the core tenants of fascism are, and how there are a great number of misconceptions about fascism. In detail, Josh and Chuck's focus on the importance that state of war plays in a fascist society is very interesting.

Link to episode: https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/what-exactly-is-fascism.htm

six. What's the Deal with Rasputin's death?

June 3, 2017

Fans of history volition love this episode. Gregory Rasputin, known every bit the "Mad Monk" is ane of the most interesting figures in Russian history. A mystic, Rasputin was the personal healer to Prince Alexei, the concluding Prince of Russia. I don't desire to spoil the story of Rasputin, simply he quickly becomes very salacious in Russian history. It is said that Rasputin was shot in the head several times and even so survived until he was thrown into a freezing river. SYSK's discussion of Rasputin'due south death is worth a listen all on its own.

Link to episode: https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/deal-rasputins-death.htm

v. How Mexican Wrestling Works

January xix, 2012

The matches, jumping off the top rope, soap opera level drama – Mexican wrestling, or lucha libre, is a spectacle, and a slap-up one at that. Josh and Chuck take a deep dive into the history and legend backside Mexican wrestling. Many may not know how of import the office of the mask is in Mexican wrestling. This SYSK episode has a wonderful segment on the mask's importance. SYSK also discusses the deviation between Mexican wrestling and the WWE manner pro wrestling that is and then popular in the United States. Some episodes you lot notice so fascinating you lot can't help but listen even though you may have no interest in the topic. The Mexican Wrestling episode of SYSK is 1 such episode.

Link to episode: https://world wide web.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/how-mexican-wrestling-works.htm

4. How Diamonds Work

April 3, 2012

Are diamonds really a girl's best friend? I find this episode of SYSK particularly interesting considering Josh and Chuck embrace both the geological history of diamonds – how they're fabricated, and the advertising history of diamonds – how they became the wedding standard they are today. You lot may (or may not) be surprised that diamonds actually aren't all that rare or precious afterward all. Instead, after a difficult advertising push by major jewelry and diamond mining companies, the diamond band became the union institution that information technology is today.

Link to episode: https://world wide web.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/how-diamonds-work.htm

3. How the Electoral College Works

August 28, 2012

The United States is one of the few democratic presidential systems where the President is non really elected directly by the citizens of the country. Every bit Chuck and Josh, explicate this is supposed to be one of the primary differences between the American presidential system and the British parliamentary arrangement, the two major western governmental systems. In this episode SYSK does a deep swoop into the history of the electoral college in the Us and why it was set the manner information technology was. Information technology may surprise many that despite the words of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution calling for freedom of all men, the Founding Fathers were actually quite afraid of total blown republic. This episode feels particularly timely considering the 2016 election in which President Trump won the election through the electoral higher despite his presidential candidate winning more votes than any other presidential candidate in American history. If y'all're interested in electoral politics, or borough engagement this is absolutely a must heed.

Link to episode: https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/how-the-electoral-college-works.htm

2. Were U.S. citizens in Japanese Internment Camps

March 1, 2011

SYSK is non afraid to deal with some of the more shameful incidents in American history. Josh and Chuck'southward willingness to hash out this difficult topic openly and honestly is one of the reasons people love SYSK. They will truly take on any topic. Today the Japanese internment camps during World War II are widely disparaged by almost all Americans. SYSK, yet, discusses how Japanese internment camps were viewed contemporaneously at the fourth dimension. You may be surprised to run across how Americans in the 1940s had no problem with the internment camps. Any history vitrify should listen to this episode because it's important not only to celebrate the great moments of history simply to reverberate on the shameful moments besides.

Link to episode: https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/were-u-southward-citizens-in-japanese-internment-camps.htm

i. Vocal Fry and Other Speech Trends

October 22, 2015

Without a doubtfulness, "Vocal Fry and Other Speech Trends" has got to be the greatest SYSK episode of all time. It's how the Kardashians speak, it'south how Britney Spears sings. Since the 2000s the vocal fry speech trend seems to exist everywhere. This episode is great considering Josh and Chuck are particularly opinionated about it. Usually the loudest to complain about vocal fry are men, the two hosts take these men to task for such complaints. As Josh and Chuck explain, it's actually men who may have started and popularized vocal fry. For a topic about spoken communication, Josh and Chuck manages to brand this episode not but a listenable episode merely i of the great, if not the greatest SYSK episode ever.

Link to episode: https://www.stuffyoushouldknow.com/podcasts/song-fry-and-other-speech-trends-two.htm