Short Stuff: The Original Snake Oil Salesman

The disaster at Three Mile Island thankfully did not cost any lives directly, but the notion that it didn't harm people is very much up in the air. Learn all about the worst nuclear disaster in the history of the United States today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informa ...  Show more

In 1955, the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance motor race took a very dark turn when a terrible accident on the track continued into the crowd.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 

Snake oil -- it's a strange phrase for all sorts of sham treatments and fake cures. But where did it come from? Why do so many hucksters conspire to sell false hope in the modern day? Join Ben and Matt as they dive deep into the history -- and deeply troubling future -- of snake ...  Show more

Nowadays, "snake oil" usually means a fake medicine or treatment that claims -- with no evidence -- to cure any number of medical conditions. But where did this term come from? In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive into the story of Clark Stanley, the Rattlesnake King who (a ...  Show more

Rick Deitsch was a business man with a big big plan — he wanted to make Big Snake. He would use science to milk Wall Street of millions by scamming biotech and pharma investors with the hype for novel new medicines his lab created based on… cobra venom! Unsurprisingly, this moder ...  Show more

Some people have accomplished great things and had their names carved forever in the record books. Others labored anonymously. Either way, though, you'll find their tales to be more than curious.Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes!: https://www.patreon.com/grimandmildSee omnyst ...  Show more