This week we explore the bizarre true story of an invisible barrier inside a 3M manufacturing plant that workers could feel as they walked through a doorway. It sounds like science fiction, but it was actually caused by massive static electricity fields generated during high speed film production. We dig into the physics, the engineers who investig…

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about how M&Ms Were Built for Battle. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent…

In this episode we explore how Jean-Baptiste Lully, the towering figure of French Baroque music, met an unexpectedly grim fate: while fiercely conducting his own Te Deum, he stabbed his foot with his staff, refused surgery and died of gangrene. Along the way we follow his rise from Italian miller’s son to court composer of Louis XIV, survey the evo…

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about the etymology of the word "Sheriff." Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/Michael…

Originally released February 6, 2023. In sideshow exhibits around the world, George and Willie Muse were known as "Eko and Iko, the Ambassadors from Mars." The truth was they were African American Albino brothers who were essentially tricked into slavery until their incredible brave mother found and rescued them. In this episode, we tell the amazin…

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about how there's a basketball court in the Supreme Court Building. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available at h…

In this episode we explore a truly unexpected heritage-risk story: the Poison Book Project, where conservators discovered that beautiful emerald-green book cloths from the 19th century were hiding arsenic-based pigments. We trace how a routine conservation observation at Winterthur led to global cataloguing, how the chemistry works, how libraries a…

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about how wearing headphones for just one hour can increase the bacteria in your ears by 700%. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes…

Originally released March 7, 2022. The Marathon at the 1904 Summer Olympics was SUPER WEIRD. One man was chased off course by wild dogs. One man was intentionally poisoned. Another ate bad fruit and fell asleep. Several were severely dehydrated. The apparent winner was disqualified. And all of this happened because Russia started a war. In this epi…

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about how you can't burp in space without throwing up. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon…

Originally released July 7, 2024. A little known battle during WWII didn't occur between the Axis and Allies; rather it occurred between Black and White members of the U.S. Army. In this episode, we tell the story of what happened in the small village of Bamber Bridge in England during a time of extreme racial tension. Review this podcast at https:…

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about how high penguins can jump. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent For …

Long before YouTube, before Twitch, before livestreams were everywhere, the first webcam pointed at something we'd consider boring by today's standards: a coffee pot. In this episode, Michael tells the story of how a small convenience in a Cambridge lab changed the internet forever. Then we chat with Comedian Dan Wilbur! Did you know The Internet S…

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about how the Earth's moon has moonquakes. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/Michael…

Originally released November 29, 2021. In 1976, a skirmish at the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea led to the brutal murders of two Americans. The skirmish began over the trimming of a tree. The result was the most expensive tree-trimming in history. America and South Korea returned to the tree with all of their military might in a …

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about how on Venus, a day is longer than a year. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/M…

In this episode we journey through the strange terrain of persistent déjà vu—the case of a 23-year-old British man whose life was overtaken by the feeling that every moment had already happened. From his early anxieties, through the medical investigations that turned up nothing though his suffering was very real, to the theories that may explain wh…

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about how the United States Flag was designed by a 17-year-old. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available at http:…

In this episode we explore the remarkable life of Mehran Karimi Nasseri — born in Iran, studying in England, losing critical documents, and spending 18 years living in Charles de Gaulle Airport. We track how he carved out a life on red plastic benches, declined legal offers, clung to identity, and inspired films like Lost in Transit and The Termina…

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about how lobsters taste with their feet. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelK…

During the Civil War, hundreds of people assigned female at birth served in male disguise. Some did it out of patriotism, some for love, and for others, it was about living as the gender they knew themselves to be. In this episode, we uncover the stories of Albert D.J. Cashier, Lyons Wakeman, Frank Thompson, Samuel Blalock, Mollie “Melvin” Bean, an…

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about the origin bubble wrap. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent For spec…

In 1967, Kathrine Switzer made history as the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon. But it wasn’t without drama — a furious race official tried to drag her off the course in front of photographers. This episode dives into Switzer’s groundbreaking run, the earlier efforts of Bobbi Gibb, and the lasting impact they had on women’s sports …

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about wombat poop. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available at http://Patreon.com/MichaelKent For special discoun…

You’ve probably seen the list of spooky coincidences between Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy — the elections, the assassins, the secretaries. But which of them are true, and which are myths? This week, we trace the origins of one of America’s favorite trivia lists and separate fact from fiction. Then we chat with Las Vegas Headlining Magician, …

In this week's Mid-Week Mini Episode, we talk about the origin of the word "Jiffy" as it pertains to measuring time. Did you know The Internet Says It's True is now a book? Get it here: https://amzn.to/4miqLNy Review this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-internet-says-it-s-true/id1530853589 Bonus episodes and content available a…

In this episode we explore the chilling moment when a heartless comment—“let them eat grass”—became a spark that ignited a war. We trace the starvation, the politics, the desperate plea for help, and the grim vengeance that followed. This isn’t just history—it’s a powerful reminder of consequences, words, and human failure. We talk about Myrick, hi…

In 1948, Idaho faced a strange wildlife problem: too many beavers in the wrong place. Their solution? Strap parachutes to them and drop them from planes. In this episode, we dive into the bizarre-but-true history of the Idaho Beaver Drop, one of the weirdest wildlife relocation stories ever. In this episode, we tell the story about Idaho's "Beaver …

When you go to a restaurant and order Chilean Sea Bass, you're not getting what you think. It’s not Chilean, it’s not a bass, and the name was made up to help sell a fish no one wanted to eat. In this episode, we dive into the surprising marketing success of the Patagonian toothfish - from obscurity to fine dining stardom - and what happened when d…

He was the voice of America’s Top 40 – but after Casey Kasem died, a bizarre battle broke out over his body. From courtrooms to Norway to Howard Stern’s radio show, the story gets stranger at every turn. This week on The Internet Says It’s True, we tell the story, then chat with Comedy Writer Jimmy Mak! Pre-Order The Book Here: https://amzn.to/4miq…

Originally released October 10, 2022. When Edgar Allan Poe wrote his only novel in 1838, he included a grim story about a young cabin boy who was killed and eaten at sea so that other sailors could survive. 46 years later, an uncanny coincidence took place. This episode is all about the case of Richard Parker. We welcome back Comedian and Writer Ja…

You’ve probably heard that singing to your plants helps them grow - but is that actually true? In this episode, we dig into the science behind the myth, from CIA lie detector experiments on houseplants to a MythBusters greenhouse filled with heavy metal. The answer turns out to be more complicated - and more fascinating - than you'd expect. What do…

For over 20 years, the fate of every baseball game on the calendar wasn't in the hands of some software or spreadsheets in MLB offices. It was in the hands of a married couple working from their living room in Martha's Vineyard. In an age before AI and software optimization, Henry and Holly Stephenson built each MLB season by hand—one pencil mark a…

What do Rondo, Hayti, Storyville, and Humboldt Park have in common? They were thriving minority communities - until the U.S. built highways through them. In this episode, we look at how a 1950s infrastructure project tore through Black and immigrant neighborhoods, and what’s being done to make things right. Then we chat with Comedian Natasha Samren…

Did the world’s greatest magician take on psychics in Congress? In 1926, Harry Houdini testified in Washington to outlaw spiritualist fraud. What he said—and what happened next—might surprise you. In this episode, we tell the story of Houdini's efforts and then speak with United States Congressman, Mark Pocan. Congressman Mark Pocan was sworn in as…

Abraham Lincoln is known as "The Great Emancipator." But not many people know that during the Civil War, he jailed as many as 2,000 political opponents without charges or trial. The story in this episode revolves around what happened in Baltimore, Maryland in 1861 and why it led to the Mayor, the Police Chief, the entire City Council and many more …

In the depths of the Sumatran rainforest, scientists witnessed something no one had ever seen before—and it might rewrite what we thought we knew about medicine. A wild orangutan got injured… and what he did next left researchers stunned. Was it instinct? Intelligence? Or something else entirely? This one’s wild—literally. Review this podcast at ht…

In 1921, over 10,000 coal miners marched through the mountains of West Virginia with rifles, pistols, and dynamite. They dug trenches, wore uniforms, and exchanged gunfire with machine-gun nests and private planes dropping homemade bombs. It was the largest labor uprising in American history — and the largest domestic conflict since the Civil War. …

A luxury flight packed with Coca-Cola executives turns into a mid-air disaster when nearly 200 people fall violently ill — and it wasn’t a virus, or turbulence. It was breakfast. This week, we uncover the true story of the worst food poisoning outbreak in airline history, and how one kitchen mistake nearly caused an aviation catastrophe. It’s a chi…

Peter Conover Hains was born before the Civil War and still wore a U.S. Army uniform in World War I. He fired one of the Civil War’s first naval shots, built ports and canals, and returned to active duty at age 77. His legacy spans over half a century of American warfare — and four generations of service. This Memorial Day, we’re telling the story …

In the late 18th century, America was THIS close to adopting the metric system. Washington wanted it. Jefferson wanted it. France was helping by sending a ship with official metric weights and measures. But the entire plot was ruined by British Pirates. In this episode, we tell the story of America's closest flirt with the metric system, how the pl…

Sometimes, the best resistance looks like obedience. During the Nazi occupation of France, the Citroën automobile factory seemed to be cooperating — manufacturing trucks for the German military like any other commandeered facility. But behind the scenes, the French workers were quietly waging a war of their own. This episode tells the story of how …

In 1896, Native Americans were put on public display at the Cincinnati Zoo as part of a fabricated "village" exhibit. It wasn't just Cincinnati—similar human exhibitions took place around the world, reinforcing damaging stereotypes. But how did these events happen, and why do their impacts still linger today? This week, we dig into one of the most …

In 1978, a group of mobsters pulled off the largest cash robbery in American history — and thought they’d gotten away clean.But almost immediately, the heist started to unravel in the bloodiest way possible. Millions disappeared. Bodies started piling up. This is the unbelievable true story of the Lufthansa Heist. In this episode, we tell the whole…

He pulled teeth in the middle of the street while a marching band played behind him. He claimed to make dentistry painless—and got sued for saying so. But instead of backing down, he built a dental empire and changed his name to beat the system. This is the bizarre true story of the man who turned dentistry into a circus: Painless Parker. Review th…

In the scorching summer of 1916, terror lurked beneath the waves as a mysterious sea predator turned the Jersey Shore into a hunting ground. Over twelve harrowing days, swimmers vanished in a frenzy of blood and panic, and even an inland creek wasn’t safe from the carnage. What followed was a nationwide shark hysteria—an event so chilling, it would…

A secret message, a bold promise, and a fateful mistake—when Germany reached out to Mexico with a shocking proposal, they never expected British spies to be listening. As the telegram’s explosive contents made headlines, outrage swept across America. What happened next would change the course of World War I forever. In this episode, we talk about t…

Originally released April 11, 2022. Bootlegging was an inevitable result of 1920s Prohibition in the U.S. And when the government tried to solve the problem, they ended up with a solution that killed at least 10,000 Americans through poisoned, denatured industrial ethyl-alcohol. In this episode, we tell the story and then talk with Comedian Leslie …

Originally released February 28, 2022. The Internet has been blowing up recently with people who can't believe this claim: That the phrase "Bucket List" originated with the 2007 Rob Reiner buddy film of the same name. In an apparent "Mandela Effect," or mass false memory, everyone seems to think they've been using the phrase in their lives long bef…

Originally released Sept. 20, 2021. When the Laerdal Toy Company was tasked with creating the very first mannequin for practicing CPR, they used a familiar face - it was that of "L'Inconnue de la Seine" - a famous mask supposedly cast from an unknown drowning victim discovered in the River Seine in the late 1880s. In this episode, we explore the st…