The Puzzler, Part Two: Waldo, Rubik, and...

Locusta of Gaul, also known as Locusta The Poisoner, was one of the most infamous criminals of ancient times. Alternately sponsored and betrayed by the noble class, she committed crimes with impunity for years — even, at one point, opening an academy to teach her poisoning skills ... Show More

Everyone in the developed world knows someone who's tried a 'fad diet' -- these are the so-called miracle practices that promise to help people lose weight and keep it off, through any number of potentially dubious methods. But where did they come from? In today's episode, Ben, N ... Show More

James Cameron's Titanic was, by all accounts, a blockbuster success. And, like so many other masterpieces, the story of its creation is a tale all its own. In today's episode, Ben and Noel dive deep into a little-known disaster that struck the already-tense production: someone la ... Show More

Rubik's Cubes. Ronald Reagan. Jerry Falwell. Just Say No. One of these things was awesome. Take a guess and hop on board this classic episode, aka the 80s train.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Nowadays Edward Bernays remains a relatively obscure historical figure. His legacy, however, is thriving around the globe, and his techniques are found in everything from the food we eat to the things we believe. But who was this man, and how did he get his start? And how does hi ... Show More

We'll be back with another story of human error next week, but today we're sharing another podcast you might like. On World's Greatest Con, Brian Brushwood talks about the most audacious con jobs, swindles, and heists in history. In this episode of World's Greatest Con, Brian tel ... Show More

As we transition to our new host Manoush Zomorodi, Guy Raz looks back on some of his favorite episodes from his seven years hosting the TED Radio Hour. This episode originally aired on June 27, 2014. When is copying flattery, when is it thievery, and when is it sheer genius? In t ... Show More

In episode 195, we get curious about the Rubik's Cube for Dorsa of Brisbane, Australia.  What is a Rubik's Cube?  What was it's original name?  Who invented it and why was it invented?  How do people solve a Rubik's Cube?  We share some of the crazy Rubik's Cube world records. Vi ... Show More

In 2018, there's a man from a lost tribe still living deep in the jungles of Brazil who has been all alone since the mid 1990s. He's referred to as the Man of the Hole, and has had no face-to-face with modern humans. Who is he? We'll answer that question as best we can in this cl ... Show More

In 2012, a mysterious organisation known as Cicada 3301 announced itself to the world with a cryptic post seeking ‘highly intelligent individuals.’ What followed became known as the hardest puzzle on the internet. One that took players to all corners the internet and out into rea ... Show More

(EPISODE 100!) December 15, 1979. Two Canadian journalists are hanging out, drinking a beer, when they come up with an idea for a new game to test random knowledge – Trivial Pursuit. But this is far from the first time trivia has been gamified, and to explore the history behind t ... Show More

The second part of this offbeat revisit! As the New York Sun's series of astonishing moon discoveries concluded, most people recognized that it was a hoax. But what made people buy into the tall tale in the first place? Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcas ... Show More

Right now, around the world, there are real life stories unfolding that you wouldn’t believe. Stories that are stranger than fiction. In Hidden Worlds, we’ll take you inside these stories and into places usually concealed from view. Every few weeks, we’ll use this feed to share a ... Show More