Conspiracy Theories

The Great Pyramids of Giza are some of the largest, most foreboding structures on the planet, but the mystery of how they were built still plagues historians today. Some Egyptologists think aliens provided advanced technology, while engineers see evidence they were ancient nuclear power plants. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today, the health risks associated with smoking cigarettes aren’t a secret. But since the mid-1900s, researchers have pointed out the harmful effects of these cancer sticks. How much of this did the tobacco companies know – and when? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the 20th century, the mass production of cigarettes fueled a global addiction — but Big Tobacco had a problem. Cancer rates were skyrocketing, and smoking-related illnesses became the leading cause of preventable death in America. This is the story of how an industry in peril conspired to survive — by keeping generations of smokers in their grip.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The deaths of the Dyatlov Nine didn’t just seem bizarre — they seemed violent. What could explain the brutal injuries, missing tongue, radioactive clothing, and burnt trees? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In winter 1959, a group of experienced mountaineers went missing in a remote part of Siberia. When their bodies were eventually found, their injuries — and radioactive clothing — confounded investigators. The incident became one of Russia’s most enduring mysteries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When President Woodrow Wilson suffered a paralyzing stroke in 1919, First Lady Edith Wilson stepped in to maintain order in the White House. With the power she held, some have speculated that she was America’s first female president. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Around the 9th century C.E., a new pope rose to power. For years, the congregation was certain Pope John filled the role perfectly... until he went into labor during an Easter processional. Had a woman ascended to the papacy in secret?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When critics didn’t understand Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror masterpiece, fans stepped in to explain the secrets behind its signature dread. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The release of The Exorcist in December 1973 caused a global wave of panic and trauma. Due to a series of on-set accidents and untimely deaths, many believe the film was cursed. Others say the hype was nothing more than manipulation by the filmmakers… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nearly two decades after the Waco Siege, people are still wondering what transpired at the Branch Davidian compound. Though the government officially investigated and exonerated the FBI, some have found evidence of a massive cover-up. Did the government actually fire the first shot that led to 81 deaths? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices