For many farmers in rural 1990s China, it seemed like a godsend: new businesses promised to pay a full month's wage for just a few hours donating plasma. The Plasma Economy campaign swept the nation, making blood brokers and biotech companies tons of cash... and then the reports started arriving: multiple small communitites suddenly had HIV and hepatitis. What went wrong? Tune in 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.

Bad Blood, Part Two: China's Plasma Economy

From UFOs to psychic powers and government cover-ups, history is riddled with unexplained events. You can turn back now or learn the Stuff They Don't Want You To Know ... an audio podcast from iHeartRadio.

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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.

What was Operation Northwoods?

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.

CLASSIC: What the F*ck is up with Florida?

Colorado moves to protect human thought. Chechnya restricts all music to a certain amount of beats per minute (spoiler: it's super weird). In protest against an alleged conspiracy, a man self-immolates in front of a Manhattan courthouse. Ben, Matt and Noel learn their prediction about robot dogs proved correct. 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.

Strange News: Colorado Protects Brainwaves, Chechnya's Weird Music Ban, A Man Sets Himself On Fire.

On June 5, 1968, Sirhan Sirhan fatally attacked Robert Kennedy -- he was tackled, disarmed and arrested immediately. Yet for decades after the murder, the arrest, and the trial, people still wonder exactly what happened. Could it be possible that Sirhan was not acting on his own -- or of his own free will? 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.

The Sirhan Sirhan Story

Jace wonders whether he's haunted by a dearly-beloved, farting ghost. Skippy prompts a conversation about growing miniature organs, and the larger future of biotech. Phoebe writes in with a crucial conversation about the 4B movement and patriarchal conspiracies, which Doc and Ben agree are closer to home than a lot of Americans may like to assume. 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.

Bad Blood, Part Two: China's Plasma Economy

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