Stuff You Should Know

Stuff You Should Know (SYSK) is just that - a podcast about all kinds of stuff that you should at least know something about.

Since I first wrote about them in 2008, they have added a TV show

If you want to know what made Peter the Great so great, or what made Henry VIII so bad, or Ivan so terrible, then this show is for you.

If you don't think you need to know, you are wrong. Tune in anyway and find out how hypnosis works or about the Witness Protection Program.

There is a lot you don't know and admitting that is the first step in recovery. The next step is to listen to the podcast to learn the stories behind both things you missed in school and, more often, the things you wished they had covered in school.

The hosts are senior staff writers at howstuffworks.com. Josh Clark and Charles "Chuck" Bryant host and do the "research" but come off as regular folks with a healthy curiosity.

There are a bunch of other articles and podcasts on the main site including Things Mom Never Told You, Stuff You Missed in History Class and my second favorite, the video podcast of Stuff They Don't Want You To Know which is full of conspiracies and UFOs, psychic powers and government plots to take over the world or our brains.

Go to the free SYSK podcasts or more conveniently, subscribe through the iTunes store).

Of course, they are on Facebook, Twitter and most other social things.  And there is also the SYSK Blog.

Come on, admit it - not only can't you speak intelligently about maglev trains, you didn't even know they existed.