CLASSIC: The Truth Behind the Salem Witch Trials, with Aaron Mahnke

In Season 1, The Girlfriends told the story of how a group of incredible women came together to bring down one bad ex-boyfriend and seek justice for the murder of Gail Katz. But there’s one part of that story that’s still a mystery. During the investigation into Gail’s case, a torso washed up on Staten Island and was misidentified as Gail. Nobody knows her name or what happened to her after she was ruled out from the case. In Season 2, the amateur ladies detective club are back with a new mission: to uncover the identity of this woman and finally find Our Lost Sister. Listen here and subscribe to The Girlfriends: Our Lost Sister on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!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.

What would happen if you built an almost-perfect world, limited in terms only of space? How would people react -- could you create a utopian society? These are the questions John Bumpass Calhoun asked himself during his career as an ethologist, which led him to create tiny 'universes' for rodents... only to find that, time and time again, these perfect civilizations collapsed. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they delve into the parable of Universe 25 and behavioral sinks.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.

J Conner and Ben bond on the concept that technological breakthroughs may lead to the creation of real-life telepathy. Scootch weighs in on the pickle of voting age limits -- and age limits in general. Plant Queen reports on bird flu in America's farm animals, and Tonks shares a down-right wholesome conspiracy for kids at school. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.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.

Ah, cannabis! That oft-vilified, oft-worshipped source of so many creative snacks, amazing music, and... legal chaos. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel return to the world of "drugs as weapons," exploring the allegations that cannabis ingestion can lead some people to extraordinary psychotic breaks, resulting in dangerous breakdowns -- up to and including murder.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.

Also known as the Security Service, MI5 is the United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency, dealing with threats inside the kingdom. However, recent revelations have shown that, in some cases, the organization may have helped to aid and abet some crimes in the course of (theoretically) preventing others. Tune in to learn more about the morally grey world of covert operations and MI5.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.

A sex-trafficking inquiry targets the New Orleans archdiocese. An explosion in Michigan's Clinton Township triggers an investigation. Widespread anti-war protests across the United States place the country at a crossroads. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.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.

Join Ben and Matt as they interview Aaron Mahnke, the creator of the world-famous Lore podcast, about Unobscured, the new series where he dives deep into the true story of the Salem witch trials. How many people were tried? How many actually died? What does Hollywood get wrong and, perhaps most importantly, was there something the people of Salem didn't want future generations to know?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.

Secret Soup Can hips the guys to the newest 'Big If True' -- aka alleged -- breakthrough in alternative propulsion. Matt the Firefighter shares a widely-unacknowledged danger of fighting fires. GP Scootch prompts a conversation about Superfund sites. Rob provides a mission-critical update on the continuing adventures of a certain humble farmer. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.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.

How far would you go in pursuit of a Greater Good? How much evil would you permit -- how many crimes would you commit -- if you believed the result was beneficial to the world overall? These are the kind of questions the US government wrestled with at the height of the Cold War, when they considered launching a number of false flag and terror campaigns to shore up support for a hot war with Cuba. Join Ben, Matt and Noel to learn more.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.

Out of all the states in the Union, it seems like Florida is home to the craziest shenanigans. Every few days another story about a weird, madcap crime in the Sunshine state makes the circuit in mass media, and it’s created a nationwide stereotype about the state and its residents. But how did we get here? Is there any truth to the bizarre stereotype?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.