logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2023
40m 27s

Strange News: Mystery Company in Califor...

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

A mysterious group named Flannery Associates is spending millions buying up all the land around a California Air Force base -- and no one, apparently not even Congress -- knows who owns this company. A man in Japan goes viral (again) for his expensive collie suit. Scientists plan to store human knowledge on the moon in case of social collapse. All this and more in this week's Strange News.

They don't want you to read our book.: https://static.macmillan.com/static/fib/stuff-you-should-read/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Today
What Comes After Humans? Chapter Two: The Next Dominant Species
Let's imagine the worst scenario for civilization: humans, for one reason or another, go extinct. What will rise from the ashes of the Anthropocene to take their place? In the second part of this two-part series, Ben, Matt and Dylan explore the possible candidates, from various h ... Show More
52m 8s
Yesterday
Listener Mail: Big Tobacco, Kaikōura Lights Theories, Post-Snuff Messages and More
The Chef calls in with a fascinating theory on the Kaikōura lights. Nemesis shares an inside look at Big Tobacco, answering Ben's earlier question about smoking inside (and much more). In the wake of the infamous Snuff episode, multiple Conspiracy Realists reach out with jokes, p ... Show More
55m 39s
Oct 8
What Comes After Humans? Chapter One: A Brief, Brightly Burning Light
Humans! Seems like they're everywhere these days. They've also been great for our show, so thanks! Anyhow, the Age of the Anthropocene has fundamentally altered the natural world -- and, no matter what happens, the legacy of the human will remain long after the actual species is ... Show More
49m 37s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 27
167. The Secret of Humanity? It’s Common Knowledge.
Steven Pinker’s new book argues that all our relationships depend on shared assumptions and “recursive mentalizing” — our constant efforts to understand what other people are thinking. He and Steve talk about the psychology of eye contact, the particular value of Super Bowl ads, ... Show More
58m 45s
Sep 2024
Kingdom Con: The Vermont Ski Scam | 121
Ski-obsessed Bill Stenger has big dreams for his sleepy Vermont mountain town. He pairs with a wealthy businessman to tap into an obscure government program that funnels millions from foreign investors looking to fast-track their visa applications. Bill and Ariel turn their ski r ... Show More
45m 55s
Mar 2024
Birthrates Are Plummeting Worldwide. Why?
For a long time, the story about the world’s population was that it was growing too quickly. There were going to be too many humans, not enough resources, and that spelled disaster. But now the script has flipped. Fertility rates have declined dramatically, from about five childr ... Show More
1 h
Apr 2025
Devastating Toll of Fame on Aaron and Nick Carter's Family | How Gayle Prepared for Space Flight | Aisha Bowe and Amanda Nguyen Describe Voyage into Space
El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele says he won't return a Maryland man who was mistakenly deported to its maximum security prison. Kilmar Abrego Garcia was one of the more than 200 men the Trump administration flew to the notorious CECOT prison even though an immigration judge ... Show More
53m 33s
Sep 27
Selects: How Area 51 Works
The secret military base Area 51 is inextricably linked to every secret, shady project the US government is rumored to be involved in – from reverse-engineering alien technology to coordinating a one-world government. The truth is much more mundane. Listen to this classic episode ... Show More
50m 50s
Apr 2025
How technocracy has become our reality
As tech billionaires infiltrate the White House, the question looms, “Who really rules us, the government or Silicon Valley?" This film examines the influence and ideology of technocrats over the last century, and asks whether they pose a threat to democracy. Contributors: Gil Du ... Show More
25m 39s
Sep 9
Nuclear startup Deep Fission goes public in a curious SPAC, Space DOTS raises $1.5M, and Cognition AI defied turbulence with a $400M raise at $10.2B valuation
Deep Fission is proposing to build small, cylindrical nuclear power plants and lower them into 30-inch diameter holes drilled one mile down into the Earth. By burying the reactors, the company hopes to solve several problems that plague current reactors, including concerns over m ... Show More
8m 24s
Sep 30
The Phantom
Investigators initially think there is an obvious suspect in the murder of Colorado mother Kristil Krug, but uncover an elaborate plot that turns everything upside down. Josh Mankiewicz reports.Lester Holt and Josh Mankiewicz go behind the scenes of the making of this episode in ... Show More
1h 23m
Feb 2025
Not Like Us: How Billionaires Think
As billionaires hoard more control over our politics, it seems more important than ever to ask: What makes them tick? Four reporters gather after hours at a wine shop to discuss – over drinks – what they’ve learned from covering billionaires for years, and how it can help us hoi ... Show More
40m 4s
Sep 19
647. China Is Run by Engineers. America Is Run by Lawyers.
In his new book “Breakneck,” Dan Wang argues that the U.S. has a lot to learn from China. He also says that “no two peoples are more alike.” We have questions. SOURCES:Dan Wang, research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, author of Breakneck: China's Quest t ... Show More
1h 1m