What makes a genre of music successful? Ideally, the art connects on a personal level with the audience, speaking truth to power, tapping into a universal experience.... but what if that isn't always the case? In 2012, an email from someone claiming to be a former music industry executive alleged that gangster rap was not an organic success. Instead, they claimed, the success of this genre was the result of a secret, high-level meeting in 1991, between members of the music industry's elite and representatives of the private prison industry. Making this music successful, they argued, would ensure the prison system became even more profitable for investors. It's a profoundly disturbing idea -- but could it be true? Tune in to learn more.

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In this week's Strange News segment, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the following: As the Iran conflict ramps up, a mysterious numbers station begins transmitting ominous codes in Farsi -- raising speculation about a possible conspiracy afoot. Legendary MC Afroman wins a bizarre court case in the wake of a raid on his Ohio home.

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Have you ever been starving? Ben, Noel and Dylan hope the answer is "no" -- however, as the guy's learn in tonight's episode, the world is currently on the precipice of a massive hunger crisis. As conflicts ratchet up, government programs close down and the climate becomes increasingly chaotic, the next great famine may have already begun. And, sooner than the media wants to admit, that famine may be on its way to you.

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World famous pop icon Britney Spears has sold millions of records, performed countless times, and regardless of whether you care for her music, you've certainly heard her hits. She also has an enormous, fiercely loyal fanbase that's convinced something is amiss, behind the scenes. You see, for years, Spears has been the subject of a legal conservatorship -- this arrangement, which the singer has described as voluntary multiple times, means Spears must have approval from several people for any financial decisions she wishes to make. In short, she does not control the financial side of her music empire. Some fans allege the singer sends coded messages to them via Instagram, asking for help. Others argue this conspiracy theory, as well-intentioned as it may be, will only make things worse for one of the world's most famous living musicians.

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By almost any measure, the United States military is by far the most powerful on the planet. The immense size of the military, combined with advanced technology and near-unimaginable funding, guarantees a fighting force like no other. However,the size of the organization has also led to some disturbing cases of conspiracy, crime and corruption -- cases that are often buried by the powers that be. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel dive deep into the grand conspiracy of military cover-up. Please note this episode may not be appropriate for all audiences.

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Ben, Matt and Noel present a Classic episode: In cities across Canada, the US and other parts of the world, the cost of living continues to rise -- and housing becomes increasingly unaffordable. Rental rates outpace inflation. Owning a home becomes virtually impossible for millions. Economists have debated the usual causes of this crisis for years... but it appears there's a variable many people haven't considered, something a little stranger than domestic supply and demand. Investors from across the planet are pouring money into real estate, not for a home, but as a safe haven for storing cash.

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In this week's Strange News segment: Jeffrey Epstein invested thousands of dollars into telepathy experiments. Former Epstein guards were apparently talking about an Epstein cover-up on the day the disgraced financier officially die. A stunning multi-year investigation verifies that there may indeed be a secret energy weapon at the heart of the Havana Syndrome conspiracy. Award-winning restaurant Noma is back in the news for a new scandal. Tune in for all this and more.

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"Oligarch" - when we hear this word in the West, it's almost always associated with Russian business types who made loads of money during the collapse of the Soviet Union. However, as Ben, Matt and Noel discover in tonight's episode, oligarchs have always been around, in almost every single civilization... and the U.S. is no exception. In fact, despite being a democracy on paper, the U.S. itself is a lot more like an oligarchy than our rulers would have us believe.

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On September 1, 1969, numerous people in a rural area of Massachusetts reported seeing strange lights in the sky -- and that was just the beginning. As time went on, more people came forward claiming they had been spirited away by unknown forces, had lost time, or found themselves some distance from their original location. What exactly happened? Tune in as the guys explore the ins and outs of this strange -- and strangely consistent -- story.

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In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel return to the unfortunately ongoing saga of Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier and sexual predator. In the wake of Epstein's still-controversial death in prison, millions of documents about his activities -- collectively known as the Epstein Files -- remain redacted or hidden from the public. Recent releases have, if anything, raised more questions than answers. So what exactly is going on? Tune in to learn more.

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In this interview segment, the guys sit down with seasoned conflict journalist Jake Hanrahan to hear his first-hand accounts of covering stories all too often ignored or misrepresented in the west -- as well learning more about his work exploring QAnon in his podcast, Q Clearance.

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In this week's Strange News segment, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into assassinations, the erosion of rights, China's reaction to the war against Iran, and more. Recents reveal Israeli spies hacked the entirety of Tehran's traffic cameras for years in the lead-up to the assassination of the Ayatollah. Infamous Mexican drug lord Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes had been murdered, and buried in a gold coffin. Kansas revoked transgender people’s IDs overnight – researchers anticipate cascading health and social consequences. The U.S. fired the FBI's counterintelligence just days before Uncle Sam struck Iran. Tune in to learn about all this and more.

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To some, Peter Thiel is a philosopher king. To others, he's real-life supervillain. One thing's for sure: this guy is making enormous waves in everything from tech to surveillance and government. In the chapter of this two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into one of Thiel's corporate crown jewels -- an enormous, shadowy "data analytics" company called Palantir. Tune in to learn why governments and investors love Palantir... and why numerous critics believe this outfit is ushering the new age of massive, inescapable and un-democratic surveillance.

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In this week's listener mail segment: Hootsifer hips the guys to a controversial "better babies" company called Nucleus. Duane Berry shares a story about the early nights of dynamic gas station pricing. Y2curious replies to the earlier episode about AI psychosis. A Benevolent Dungeon Master asks the crew to consider making a tabletop game for charity.

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If you're like Ben, Matt and Noel, you've probably kept a close eye on the tons of UAP/UFO news hitting the airwaves. But what can we make of all these stories? How do we parse the fact from the fiction? In today's interview segment, the guys welcome returning guest Payne Lindsey, creator of High Strange, as he explores some of the weirdest tales in all of UFO in the second season of his hit podcast.

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On August 19th, 2016 Saudi national and college student Abdulrahman Sameer Noorah was charged with first degree manslaughter for fatally hitting a 15 year old girl named Fallon Smart with his car in Portland, Oregon. Two weeks before his trial, he disappeared from the United States. Federal agents suspect he escaped with the help of the Saudi Arabian government -- and it seems he's not the only one. In fact, over the years, it seems dozens of Saudi nationals accused of various crimes in the US and Canada have illegally escaped prosecution, and will likely never see jail time or justice. And the US government hasn't done much to address this ongoing pattern of conspiracy. Tune in to learn more in this Classic episode.

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Robot exorcists. Waymo door gigs. Freedom dollars, Jeffrey Epstein, and more. Tune in as the guys explore this week's strange news.

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Despite being neither an official government department nor, arguably, all that efficient, Elon Musks's "Department of Government Efficiency" has made a lot of waves over its short life span. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the origin of DOGE... and why so many people are convinced there's a conspiracy at play.

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The history of human civilization is, in many ways, a history of conflict. Empires rise and fall, countries come and go, and humanity soldiers on. Yet multiple investigations have found a troubling correlation -- it seems not all revolutions are the result of social instability or external rivals. In fact, the natural world itself may be one of history's most powerful (and dangerous) revolutionaries. Listen in to learn more about natural disaster and revolution -- and what this may mean for a world where natural disasters continue to increase.

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From World War II through the Cold War to the modern evening, comprehensive research proves you *will* snitch at some point during torture or interrogation. However, through certain approaches, you may deny the bullies and criminals access to harm your missions, dreams and compatriots. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore the psychology of resisting interrogation.

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The world's most powerful has numerous policies regarding equality -- but how do the policies on paper translate to action? In today's episode, the gang dives into the all-too-often unexplored, ongoing conspiracy taking place within the US Armed Forces: supremacists and separatists are infiltrating the military, often with the active goal of later using their training and expertise to wage war against the very nation they swore to protect.

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Competitive eating legend Takeru Kobayashi (long suspected to perhaps have superpowers) discloses why he retired. Ben and Matt learn that, not to be outdone by former US President Obama, current US President Trump vows to expose evidence of aliens. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is arrested -- but not for the Epstein files. Join Ben and Matt for all this and more in this week's strange news segment.

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Let's be honest: a lot of people feel like no one listens to them. Wouldn't you love a friend who was always available, praised all your ideas, and supported you in all things? If you ask Wall Street, "AI" technology is amazing. Internet users across the world -- individuals, businesses and even governments -- are leveraging iterations of big data and chatbots for all sorts of stuff. Yet, as Ben, Matt and Noel discover in tonight's episode, chatbots in particular may pose a serious mental dangers for vulnerable users. This is the story of "AI Psychosis" -- and, spoiler, this is just the beginning of a larger problem.

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Does laser technology explain the recent US government airport shutdowns? What did the former President Barack Obama imply in a recent conversation about extraterrestrials? All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.

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When’s the last time you picked up groceries? Some of us hit up a local market every week; some folks buy in bulk at a Wal-Mart or a Costco, and some of us just go to whatever's closest. Overall, it's the same old story: you gotta eat. Yet as Ben, Matt and Noel discover in today's episode, it turns out there's more going on behind the scenes. Leveraging big data and mass surveillance, your grocery store now knows more about you than ever before. There's a conspiracy in your grocery aisle, and it could well affect your bottom line.

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It's bizarre to think that -- not too long ago -- the idea of having something as powerful as a smart phone in your pocket would seem like something out of Star Trek. But now these handy devices go with us throughout most of our lives. A steady stream of feel-good chemicals from social media, dangerously convenient ways of buying things through apps, health and location tracking and more. And every piece of data is, somehow, tracked. While it's no secret that companies use information like this for targeted advertising, the true potential of this data aggregation, and the true danger this aggregation poses for society, has only recently come to light. Join the guys to learn more about what happens in a world where you become your phone.

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With no warning to the public or the local government, the FAA suddenly announced airspace in El Paso would be completely shut down until February 20th -- only to rescind the order less than 11 hours afterward. Cue the conspiracy theories. The guys review some of the recent Epstein revelations, mysterious phone call cover-ups, the story of a mysterious biolab in Vegas, and more in this week's strange news segment.

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As global tensions rise and the world order seems increasingly imperiled, the nation of Iran is suffering a massive crisis of legitimacy. A collapsing currency, economic chaos, exploding prices, a water crisis and brutal government oppression have led to an unprecedented wave of protests. The government responded by blacking out the internet, and cracking down on civilians with torture, arrests, live fire and murder. In today's episode, the guys make contact with Conspiracy Realists in the country to learn more about what's really going on in Iran -- and what may happen next.

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Could a mysterious slab of stone near Kensington, Minnesota hold the key to a forgotten piece of ancient history? According to the true believers, this stone, discovered in the late 1800s, proves that Vikings made it deep into the interior of North America in the 1300s -- only to disappear soon afterward, leaving no trace but a grisly story carved in runes upon the stone. Tune in to learn more.

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Less than 40 miles or so north of Dallas-Fort Worth, the town of Denton, Texas is famous for all sorts of stuff: its universities, music, and arts scene have garnered it the nickname "Little Austin". Yet as Ben, Matt and Noel discover, the town of Denton is also home to one of the strangest artifacts of the Cold War -- a 1960s-era bunker built to withstand nuclear disaster, and continue the US government after the collapse of civilization. Tune in to learn how this happened, what became of the bunker today... and why so many locals are convinced it's only one part of a secret subterranean world.

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Almost a thousand years after the reign of the original Order of Assassins, you might think assassination tactics would be universally illegal -- however, that's not the case. Assassination is a valuable tool for both corporations and nations alike. It's also a big business, a web of conspiracies with an at-times global reach, evolving in step with the world's latest technological innovations. Listen in to learn more about assassination in the modern day in the second part of this two-part series.

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What's the difference between an assassination and a garden-variety murder? Where does the term 'assassin' actually come from, and how did an obscure sect founded almost one thousand years ago fundamentally change the course of history as we know it? Tune in for the answers to these questions and more in the first part of this special two-part series.

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Could the United States really have a multi-generational, 'above-top-secret' operation to retrieve and reverse-engineer extraterrestrial technology? In the second chapter of this special two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel dive deeper in the allegations surrounding "The Legacy Program".

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Look around -- how many objects in your immediate vicinity contain plastic? This malleable, durable material has become ubiquitous -- you can find in the depths of the oceans, at the summits of the highest mountains. And, if you're like most people, plastic will be here long after you're gone. Historically, manufacturers have claimed plastic pollution can be solved by recycling... but what if there's something they don't want you to know?

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Late last year, a documentary called The Age of Disclosure captivated the world with its claims that high-level members of America's military, intelligence, business and political circles have -- for decades -- known extraterrestrials visit planet Earth. Multiple sources also insist the United States has a top-secret initiative called "The Legacy Program," which has not only acquired crashed alien craft, but also reverse-engineered some extraterrestrial technology. If any of this is true, it's the biggest cover-up in human history. In this special two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel separate the fact from fiction.

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Flordelis dos Santos de Souza is a politician and cultural icon in Brazil. For a time, she and her husband Anderson do Carmo were an evangelical power couple - along with their more than 50 adopted and biological children. In June of 2019, Anderson was murdered. The family said it was a robbery gone wrong. The investigators disagree.

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ICE hunts children.The guys warn the Deep State is aiming to halt midterm elections in the United States, weird shrooms make people see tiny figures, the guys explore events in Iran. All this and more in this week's strange news segment.

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If you live in the US, you've probably had to work out a weird thing called "credit" -- your credit score, dictated by private organizations, determines a huge part of your life. And, as Ben, Matt and Noel learn in tonight's episode... there may well be a genuine (and dangerous) conspiracy at play.

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Chai and Zachsquatch provide crucial feedback on the recent episode about intuition and time travel. Murt shares the story of Iowa's "Manhole Michelangelo," and EJW breaks down Canada's new citizenship laws. Plus the 'Board of Peace' and a special rutabaga song. Join Ben, Matt and Noel as they explore these stories -- and much more -- in this week's listener mail segment.

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If you travel out to Missouri, you'll love the views of Coldwater Creek — at least, that is, at first. In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel uncover a multi-generational radioactive cover up dating back decades… with consequences that continue in the modern day.

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How much power does the mind wield over physical matter? Could certain human beings, through the force of focused thought alone, walk on fire, lay on nails, and survive being buried alive for days at a time? Listen in to learn more about the fact, fiction and controversy surrounding the famous feats of the mystics.

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A scandal rocks Europe as an international group of nuns is exposed as a secret Russian spy ring. You can pay a million dollars for a hotel on the moon. Farts might save you from Alzheimer’s, and cows may be the newest confirmed non-human tool users. The Bank of England is worried about aliens. All this and more in this week’s strange news segment.

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Have you heard of the California Timber Wars? In tonight's interview, returning guest Toby Ball, the creator of Rip Current, joins the guys to explore the 1990 pipe bomb attack on radical environmental activist Judi Bari. It's a deep, strange tale involving powerful corporations, grassroots activists, allegations of terrorism, COINTELPRO and more. Tune in to learn more about Rip Current… and why this bombing remains officially unsolved in the modern day.

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In this week's listener mail segment: SC updates the crew on recent news related to Havana Syndrome. Don Quixote needs someone to talk about these tankers and Trojan Horses. Grady asks about corruption and conspiracy in the world of 'standardized testing,' inspiring an episode in the future.

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Amid the rarefied air of tech billionaires, Peter Thiel carves a larger-than-life figure in the modern world. To some, he's a philosopher king. To others, a supervillain. One thing's for sure: pretty much everyone is baffled by his continual rhetoric about the 'antichrist' -- so, what exactly does he mean? In the first part of this two-part series, Ben, Matt and Noel dive into the deep, Biblical waters surrounding a man who, according to critics, seeks to upend democracy as we know it.

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Love it or hate it, there's no denying that reality TV -- also known as unscripted television -- is a titan of the entertainment industry. In fact, if you have cable and turn on your TV right now, you'll probably find a reality show of some sort playing on multiple channels. Most people know this sort of programming isn't as 'real' as it may purport to be... but what made this stuff so successful? Perhaps most importantly: Why do some of its critics allege this content is worse than tacky? Why do some people think it's dangerous?

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The FBI crosses an historic Rubicon by raiding the home of a journalist. Ben, Matt and Noel miss Erich von Däniken. In China, an app renames itself. All this and more in our weekly strange news segment.

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We've all experienced it: a moment of sudden, unexplained certitude: go left, not right, says a voice in your head; stay home from work today, or pause a second longer at this traffic light. For most of us, these small, inexplicable moments come and go. But why do they exist? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt and Noel explore why some radical physicists believe what we call 'intuition' may just be a message from the future.

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It's our first listener mail segment of 2026! The Grease Weasel gives an inside look at faith healing. Bonita C. provides more context on the terrifying hidden history of Africville. Alpha Flight and Betty share strange Christmas stories. Inspired by Noah, the guys vow to do a full episode on oligarchs. William writes a beautiful letter all the way from Malaysia. All this and more in this week's listener mail segment.

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Have you ever heard the story of "shrunken heads"? In the West, a ton of people sadly associate this with their own self-centric pop-culture experiences. However -- as Ben, Matt and Noel discover in tonight's episode -- the ancient practice of creating tsantsas is far more fascinating than any nostalgia reference. Tune in to learn the true conspiracy behind the popularity of "shrunken heads".

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