Pseudoscience
An Amusing History of Crackpot Ideas and Why We Love Them
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Pseudoscience
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Narrated by:
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Hillary Huber
About this listen
From the authors of Quackery, a visual and narrative history of popular ideas, phenomena, and widely held beliefs disproven by science.
From the easily disproved to the wildly speculative, to straight-up hucksterism, Pseudoscience is a romp through much more than bad science—it’s a light-hearted look into why we insist on believing in things such as Big Foot, astrology, and the existence of aliens. Did you know, for example, that you can tell a person’s future by touching their butt? Rumpology. It’s a thing, but not really. Or that Stanley Kubrick made a fake moon landing film for the US government? Except he didn’t. Or that spontaneous human combustion is real? It ain’t, but it can be explained scientifically.
Pseudoscience is a wild mix of history, pop culture, and good old fashioned science–that not just entertains, but sheds a little light on why we all love to believe in things we know aren't true.
©2025 Lydia Kang and Nate Pedersen (P)2025 Workman Publishing CompanyListeners also enjoyed...
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-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 547
A puzzling series of dental explosions beginning in the 19th century is just one of many strange tales that have long lain undiscovered in the pages of old medical journals. Award-winning medical historian Thomas Morris delivers one of the most remarkable, cringe-inducing collections of stories ever assembled.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Boring Toilet Humor
- By Nemo on 01-30-20
By: Thomas Morris
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Mavericks
- Life Stories and Lessons of History's Most Extraordinary Misfits
- By: Jenny Draper
- Narrated by: Jenny Draper
- Length: 8 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 49
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 46
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Story5 out of 5 stars 46
In her first book, popular TikTok historian J Draper uses her characteristic wit and intellect to introduce us to extraordinary figures marginalized by history, and the lessons we can learn from them. Witty and engaging TikTok historian J.D. Draper digs out unusual stories of individuals that have shaped the world, and discovers the lessons their unique experiences can teach us. Breaking away from history as told through the lens of kings, queens and nobles, this book instead lifts the lid on 24 fascinating stories of little-known underdogs, mavericks, trailblazers and oddballs.
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4 out of 5 stars
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excellent writing
- By Anonymous User on 05-04-25
By: Jenny Draper
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Patient Zero
- A Curious History of the World's Worst Diseases
- By: Lydia Kang MD, Nate Pedersen
- Narrated by: Hillary Huber
- Length: 14 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 147
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 135
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 134
From the masters of storytelling-meets-science, Patient Zero tells the long and fascinating history of disease outbreaks—how they start, how they spread, the science that lets us understand them, and how we race to destroy them before they destroy us. Written in the authors’ lively style, chapters include gripping medical stories about a particular disease or virus—smallpox, Bubonic plague, polio, HIV—that combine “Patient Zero” narratives, or the human stories behind outbreaks, with historical examinations of missteps, milestones, scientific theories, and more.
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1 out of 5 stars
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I so VERY much wanted this to be good
- By 20eagle16 on 02-13-25
By: Lydia Kang MD, and others
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A Beautiful Poison
- By: Lydia Kang
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 11 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 1,477
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,300
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Story4 out of 5 stars 1,295
Just beyond the Gilded Age, in the mist-covered streets of New York, the deadly Spanish influenza ripples through the city. But with so many victims in her close circle, young socialite Allene questions if the flu is really to blame. All appear to have been poisoned - and every death was accompanied by a mysterious note.
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3 out of 5 stars
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It had potential, but faltered in execution
- By Constance Jenkins on 01-14-18
By: Lydia Kang
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The Quick and the Dead
- By: Cynric Temple-Camp
- Narrated by: Mark Davis
- Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 26
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
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Story5 out of 5 stars 22
From the number one best-selling author of The Cause of Death comes an audiobook about the unlikely, extraordinary, obscure and often tragic ways humans meet their demise. A dead body without a trace of trauma; alien parasites; worms of the brain; crocodile attacks and bizarre eating disorders....In The Quick and the Dead, pathologist and self-confessed death-aficionado Dr. Cynric Temple-Camp takes listeners into a world of disease and death as he seeks answers for those who were unlucky, and those still alive to tell the tale.
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5 out of 5 stars
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New favorite
- By Kat Garcia on 06-03-25
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A Gallery of Poisoners
- Thirteen Classic Case Histories of Murder by Poisoning
- By: Adrian Vincent
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 25
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 23
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Story4 out of 5 stars 23
The 13 killings-by-poison revisited in this book were committed by some of the most infamous murderers in British and American history. Presenting infamous cases from 1857-1972, Adrian Vincent recounts their sinister tales and reveals the lure of money, lust, and deviancy that drove them to pure evil.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Interesting History, Stunted By Narrator
- By bukabuda on 01-09-25
By: Adrian Vincent
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The Impossible Girl
- By: Lydia Kang
- Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
- Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,153
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,010
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,007
Manhattan, 1850. Born out of wedlock to a wealthy socialite and a nameless immigrant, Cora Lee can mingle with the rich just as easily as she can slip unnoticed into the slums and graveyards of the city. As the only female resurrectionist in New York, she’s carved out a niche procuring bodies afflicted with the strangest of anomalies. Anatomists will pay exorbitant sums for such specimens—dissecting and displaying them for the eager public. Cora’s specialty is not only profitable, it’s a means to keep a finger on the pulse of those searching for her. She’s the girl born with two hearts....
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4 out of 5 stars
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A well-told story!
- By Carole Wooten on 10-31-18
By: Lydia Kang
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Beverly Hills Noir
- Crime, Sin, & Scandal in 90210
- By: Scott Huver
- Narrated by: Donald Corren
- Length: 15 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall2.5 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 2
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Story2.5 out of 5 stars 2
Beverly Hills Noir chronicles an assortment of jaw-dropping true crime stories spanning the legendary city’s history, each with oh-so-90210 twists—including a high-profile murder mystery in the city’s most extravagant mansion, the daring exploits of a handsome cat burglar with movie star looks, a toxic Tinseltown love triangle that ended in gunplay, a brazen Rodeo Drive jewelry store holdup with tragically stunning finale, an Oscar nominated actress on shoplifting spree and more—complete with major roles and countless cameos by Hollywood idols and cultural icons.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Digs deep. Maybe too deep.
- By Jenny Atkinson on 02-24-25
By: Scott Huver
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On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down
- By: James Fell
- Narrated by: Kelli Tager, James Fell
- Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 42
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 38
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Story4 out of 5 stars 38
Nazis are bad. The worst kind of bad. There are no very fine people among them. If you disagree, you won’t like this book. Still here? Cool. You are about to receive an education unlike any you’ve previously experienced. In this uproarious and informative tour from ancient times to the modern day and everything in between, James Fell, the self-proclaimed “sweary historian,” reveals a past replete with deeds both noble and despicable. Throughout the book, he provides insightful analysis of all the sh!t that went down. Behold!
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5 out of 5 stars
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Rad.
- By Christine C. Keiser on 11-21-23
By: James Fell
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Strange Medicine
- A Shocking History of Real Medical Practices Through the Ages
- By: Nathan Belofsky
- Narrated by: Chris Andrew Ciulla
- Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 16
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 13
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Story4 out of 5 stars 13
Now published in five languages, Strange Medicine casts a gimlet eye on the practice of medicine through the ages that highlights the most dubious ideas, bizarre treatments, and biggest blunders. From bad science and oafish behavior to stomach-turning procedures that hurt more than helped, Strange Medicine presents strange but true facts and an honor roll of doctors, scientists, and dreamers who inadvertently turned the clock of medicine backward.
By: Nathan Belofsky
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The Book of Unexplained Mysteries
- On the Trail of the Secret and the Strange
- By: Will Pearson
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 8 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 23
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 20
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Story4 out of 5 stars 20
Sometimes, the questions can be more interesting than the answers. The Search in Extraterrestrial Intelligence [SETI] has recently hotted up, with a whole new wave of research going to show that we will always be fascinated by what we don't understand. Was 'The Wow Signal' a radio transmission from deep space? Or was it the resonating frequency of a passing comet? Often, it can feel as if professional explainers of all stripes want to put an end to anything mysterious in life.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Don't waste your time...
- By Isabel Murnane on 10-27-20
By: Will Pearson
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Cabinet of Curiosities
- A Historical Tour of the Unbelievable, the Unsettling, and the Bizarre
- By: Aaron Mahnke, Harry Marks - contributor
- Narrated by: Aaron Mahnke
- Length: 12 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 69
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 65
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 65
The podcast, Aaron Mahnke’s Cabinet of Curiosities, has delighted millions of listeners for years with tales of the wonderful, astounding, and downright bizarre people, places, and things throughout history. Now, in Cabinet of Curiosities the book, learn the fascinating story of the invention of the croissant in a country that was not France, and relive the adventures of a dog that stowed away and went to war, only to help capture a German spy.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Cool stories, annoying conversation
- By Margaret on 11-26-24
By: Aaron Mahnke, and others
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Gory Details
- By: Erika Engelhaupt
- Narrated by: Mari Weiss
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 454
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 403
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 403
Filled to the brim with far-out facts, this wickedly informative narrative from the author of National Geographic's popular Gory Details blog takes us on a fascinating journey through an astonishing new reality. Blending humor and journalism in the tradition of Mary Roach, acclaimed science reporter Erika Engelhaupt investigates the gross, strange, and morbid absurdities of our bodies and our universe.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Feels like old school Discovery channel
- By Anonymous User on 02-15-23
By: Erika Engelhaupt
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Under Cover of Darkness
- Murders in Blackout London
- By: Amy Helen Bell
- Narrated by: Gemma Dawson
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall3 out of 5 stars 2
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 2
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Story3.5 out of 5 stars 2
Fear was the unacknowledged specter haunting the streets of London during the Second World War; fear not only of death from the German bombers circling above, but of violence at the hands of fellow Londoners in the streets below. Mass displacement, the anonymity of shelters, and the bomb-scarred landscape offered unprecedented opportunities for violent crime. In this absorbing, sometimes shocking account, Amy Helen Bell uncovers the hidden stories of murder and violence that were rife in wartime London.
By: Amy Helen Bell
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The Starry Wisdom Library
- The Catalogue of the Greatest Occult Book Auction of All Time
- By: Nate Pedersen
- Narrated by: Scott Carrico
- Length: 8 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 18
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 16
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Story4 out of 5 stars 16
Scholars and book collectors across the country have long pondered the intended fate of the infamous collection of rare occult books left to rot in the Church of Starry Wisdom in Providence, Rhode Island, after the Starry Wisdom cult dispersed to parts unknown in the late 19th century. The recent shocking discovery of a previously unknown book auction catalogue issued in 1877 offers insight into the myriad mysteries of the cult.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fun documentation of rare occult books...
- By CitizenH on 09-24-18
By: Nate Pedersen
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Stuck
- How the Privileged and the Propertied Broke the Engine of American Opportunity
- By: Yoni Appelbaum
- Narrated by: Ari Fliakos
- Length: 9 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 20
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 18
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Story5 out of 5 stars 18
In this illuminating debut, Yoni Appelbaum, historian and journalist for The Atlantic, shows us that this idea has been under attack since reformers first developed zoning laws to ghettoize Chinese Americans in nineteenth-century Modesto, California. The century of legal segregation that ensued—from the zoning laws enacted to force Jewish workers back into New York’s Lower East Side to the private-sector discrimination and racist public policy that trapped Black families in Flint, Michigan to Jane Jacobs’ efforts to protect her vision of the West Village.
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5 out of 5 stars
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land of opportunity
- By Anonymous User on 03-16-25
By: Yoni Appelbaum
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The Mental Floss History of the World
- An Irreverent Romp Through Civilization's Best Bits
- By: Steve Wiegand, Erik Sass
- Narrated by: Johny Heller
- Length: 15 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 574
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 378
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Story4 out of 5 stars 376
About 60,000 years ago, the first Homo sapiens were just beginning their move across the grasslands and up the ladder of civilization. Everything since then, as they say, is history. Just in case you were sleeping in class that day, the geniuses at mental_floss magazine have put together a hilarious (and historically accurate) primer on everything you need to know---and that means the good stuff.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant and Funny. What more could you want?
- By Septimus MacGhilleglas on 01-22-09
By: Steve Wiegand, and others
There was not one innovative “debunking” that I didn’t already hear about at least ten years ago in this book. Save your money and just listen to some YouTube podcasts with more modern stories.
The one redeeming chapter on “rumpilogy” lives in my head rent free, however.
Same old stories…waste of time to read.
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