Listener Mail: Card Heists, Phrexian Nightmares, Weaponized Absurdity and More

Happy Halloween, fellow Conspiracy Realists. Whether or not you're religious, you've doubtlessly heard all sorts of stuff about the Biblical Devil. Ethics aside, he's one of the most well-known characters in all of literature. And he occurs in way more than just religious texts. In celebration of their favorite holiday, Ben, Matt, and Noel dive deep into some of the best Devil folktales -- and figure why the guy became so popular in these stories.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.

Big Cheese responds to the episode on smart dust, prompting a conversation about Magic: The Gathering. Privacy Guy shares a story about a trading card heist. Void inspires an exploration of weaponized absurdity. Plus Codename PinBrock reveals a huge mac and cheese conspiracy. Join Ben, Matt, and Noel for 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.

Remember a few years back, when it seemed everyone was excited -- or terrified -- about the "internet of things"? Tonight, Ben, Matt, and Noel are diving deep into the next step: swarms of tiny, interconnected sensors collectively called 'smart dust'. Predicted by science fiction writers decades ago, his technology can have thousands of applications, and can likely save lives in the future. Yet along with all this potential for good, these pervasive monitoring systems also raise serious concerns about safety, privacy, and autonomy. Tune in to learn the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know about smart dust.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.

As the guys continue exploring the strange, silent war over who gets to own nuclear weapons, they stumble across the little known story of Operation Outside the Box. When the Israeli military learned its regional rival Syria might be building a nuclear facility, they felt they had only one course of action -- and they were certain that, whatever the consequences, they must do anything in their power to prevent Syria from getting the bomb. Tune in to learn more about this real-life conspiracy, as well as the active cover-up that ensued for the better part of a decade.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.

Canadian Brady Rogers wins a local election by telling folks he doesn't really care about it. Tesla unveils a new 'flying' car. Florida gambling helpline director Philip Sullivan embezzles more than a million dollars for -- wait for it -- gambling. Russian satellites prompt growing concerns about war in space. Join Ben, Matt, and Noel for 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.

For millions of children growing up in the US, a visit to SeaWorld was the peak of vacation. You could finally see magnificent marine mammals up close and personal -- and even interact with them. Yet there was a dark side beneath the waves, one a lot of people didn't realize until the debut of the 2013 Blackfish documentary. Following up on the earlier Elephant Shows episode, Ben, Matt, and Noel dive deep into the hidden story -- and ongoing controversy -- of SeaWorld.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.

Ron B. checks the boys on math. Vinny shares an astonishing Flock surveillance map. Rembrandt prompts a future episode on the West Nile virus. Join Ben, Matt, and Noel for 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.

Even in the days of ubiquitous mobile devices, virtually everyone you know has some sort of access to a television. TV is a legendary success story, going from a tiny, unreliable, and expensive piece of pretty tech to an absolute 'must-have' for billions of people. Yet, as Ben, Matt, and Noel discover in tonight's episode, modern TV sets are no longer dumb screens relaying audio and video. In a very real (and disturbingly conspiratorial) way, your television is watching you, even more than you may be watching it.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.

According to the legend, the Jersey Devil was born to a Quaker named Mother Leeds in 1735 -- a hideous, deformed thing with wings, hooves and horns, it let out a blood-curdling scream after being born, and flew out the chimney and into the woods. For centuries since then, people in the area have reported sightings of the Devil, making it one of North America's most popular cryptids. But what is it, exactly? Could there be a grain of truth to all the wild campfire stories?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.

As Ben, Matt, and Noel return from the high seas, they learn that a new plague may have broken out in Russia. Whistlebowers allege the CIA is searching genetic mapping companies for 'evidence of alien/human hybrid DNA'. A new kind of mega raptor is discovered in Europe. The rise of Peru's Hitler Mussolini. Yet another (unelected) European official falls under suspicion of selling state secrets. Tune in for 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.