Today, libraries across the US and the rest of the world are seen as centers of free learning, presenting enormous opportunities for children and adults alike. However, not too long ago, people in the US and the UK were absolutely terrified by the idea that libraries were dens of disease. In today's episode, the guys explore how fears of tuberculosis, scarle ... Show More
Yesterday
The Chicago Tylenol Murders
<p>For most people, Tylenol is nothing more than an ol' stand-by, over-the-counter pain reliever. Yet, as Ben, Noel and Max learn in today's episode -- this wasn't always the case. Today's episode takes the boys to 1980s Chicago, when a ghoulish series of still-unsolved murders r ... Show More
39m 23s
Nov 22
CLASSIC: Benjamin Franklin's Advice On "Finding A Mistress"
<p>Founding Father Benjamin Franklin was a man of many interests, but his endeavors were by no means limited to technical innovation, philosophy and politics. In fact, throughout his life he had a reputation as an irredeemable lech -- literally, in later years, a dirty old man -- ... Show More
31m 43s
Nov 20
Wait! Can a tree really own itself?
<p>Do you have a favorite tree? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max head over to the famous college town of Athens, Georgia where -- legend has it -- one guy was so enamored with his childhood oak that he ultimately deeded it to itself. How much of the story is true? Can a tree ... Show More
42m 22s
Jun 2024
SMNTY Classics: Librarians, Part 2
Almost as soon as public libraries began flourishing, librarian quickly became one of the most female-dominated jobs in the country. In this classic, Cristen and Caroline break down was being a librarian was really like back in the day and the badass women who've shaped these com ... Show More
42m 10s
Jan 2022
The Strange Story of Secret Museums
<p>Who doesn't love a good museum? In these repositories of art, history, the natural world and so on, human beings can connect with the past, discover inspiration, and learn more about the world around us. With this in mind, it may surprise you to learn some museums are off-limi ... Show More
1h 10m
Jan 2018
SYSK Selects: The Wind Cries Typhoid Mary
<p>In the 19th century, typhoid was considered a disease of the lower classes. When an outbreak occurred in wealthy Oyster Bay, New York, a mystery was afoot. Tune in to learn how this event began an ongoing debate over public safety versus civil rights.</p><p> </p> Learn more ab ... Show More
36m 24s
Nov 2023
Librarians Losing Their Spine, with Penny Hummel
Librarians once stood for intellectual freedom and access to information, but today many prefer to suppress speech and intellectual diversity for the sake of a misguided concept of "social justice". One Davis, California library recently violated the First Amendment when they eje ... Show More
1h 21m
Nov 2022
CLASSIC: Did the CIA invent counterculture?
In the US, the 1960s were a crucible of culture -- college students, veterans, the disadvantaged and activists across the country sought to overthrow the status quo and build their own vision of a better world. This period in time produced some of the most influential art, music ... Show More
1h 4m