Caught between the conflicting ideologies of the Cold War, Soviet teens were banned from collecting Western music -- smuggled records could be both rare and expensive. The solution? Discarded X-rays, also known as 'bone recordings'. Join the guys as they explore the strange story of the Stilyagi in this classic episode.
Today
The Dark Side of Frank Lloyd Wright, Part One: Professional Success and Personal Turmoil
Frank Lloyd Wright is one of the world's most well-known, storied (ha) architects. Several of his works are official UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and he has undeniably influenced countless architects in the modern day. However, as Ben, Noel, and Max learn in the first part of thi ... Show More
44m 49s
Aug 22
CLASSIC: Patriots, Prisoners and Plants: The World of Political Body Doubles
Has anyone ever told you you resemble a celebrity? Have you ever thought of making this resemblance your job? In today’s Classic episode, Ben, Noel and Casey explore real-life stories of body doubles, from World War II to surprisingly recent events.See omnystudio.com/listener for ... Show More
50m 9s
Aug 20
Who Took William Lilly’s Fish?
Back in seventeenth century England, William Lilly was a big deal. As the preeminent astrologer of his day, pretty much everyone followed his research, predictions, and writing. Yet as Ben, Noel and Max discover in today's episode, Lilly was also an occasional detective -- and wh ... Show More
44m 10s
Feb 2025
16. Crossing the Iron Curtain: Escape From the KGB (Ep 3)
How would you disguise a cyanide pill for a CIA spy in Moscow during the Cold War? What risks could Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, and The Beatles pose to Adolf Tolkachev’s mission against the Soviet state? And will the CIA’s mole in Moscow be discovered by the KGB?
It’s 1985, and fo ... Show More
47m 1s
Dec 2023
CLASSIC: The Control Group with Bret Wood
In the era of the Cold War, intelligence agencies on both sides of the iron curtain desperately raced to secure any possible technological advantage, even if it meant breaking the law along the way. Join the guys as they interview filmmaker Bret Wood, the creator of The Control G ... Show More
50m 12s
Jun 2025
The Judica-Cordiglia Brothers & The Lost Cosmonauts of the Cold War
In the murky-corners of Cold War history, beneath layers of radio static, the chilling tale of the Judica-Cordiglia brothers emerges. Armed with makeshift radio equipment and relentless curiosity, they claimed to capture ghostly transmissions from doomed Soviet cosmonauts, voices ... Show More
50m 20s
Aug 2013
Thinking Sideways: The Glomar Explorer
A Cold War mystery, featuring the CIA, Howard Hughes, a sunken Soviet sub and quite possibly a sunken American sub too. With cover stories inside cover stories and weak government explanations for obvious questions, this one is a puzzle wrapped in an enigma zip-locked inside a my ... Show More
27m 54s
Oct 2020
CLASSIC: Soviet Psychotronics
<p>It's true - the Soviet government really did have its own parapsychological research program. And, unlike MKULTRA and other US operations, the Soviet version continued until 2003, when it officially ended. Tune in to learn more with Ben and Matt in today's Classic episode.</p> ... Show More
23m 55s