How Sword Swallowing Works

FromStuff You Should Know

Start listening View podcast show

How Sword Swallowing Works

FromStuff You Should Know

ratings:

Length:

34 minutes

Released:

Sep 27, 2011

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Houdini suggested that sword swallowing was merely a trick. But there's no sleight of hand or throat to this ancient practice. Practitioners really do swallow swords, car axles and more. Learn more about sword swallowers in this gag-reflexive episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Released:

Sep 27, 2011

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Skip carousel

How Altruism Works: Is there such a thing as a truly unselfish act? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast and learn more about the nature of altruism. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Can I feel pregnant when my wife is?: Sympathy pregnancy is the condition where a man feels pregnant while his wife actually is. Learn more about the symptoms for sympathy pregnancy in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Are there real-life fight clubs?: The 1996 Chuck Palahniuk novel, "Fight Club," has been blamed -- and lauded -- by various groups for inspiring several real-life fight clubs. Take a look at our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about real-life fight clubs. by Stuff You Should Know
7 min listen
How Swearing at Work Works: Swear words are usually considered workplace taboos -- yet the debate continues over whether these words are inappropriate, or examples of free speech. Learn more about using swear words at work in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
Can I Survive a Shark Attack by Gouging Out Its Eyes?: Although it can be intimidating, a shark is not invulnerable. Punching its nose, gouging its eyes, or grabbing its gills can stun the shark and give victims a chance to escape. Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about shark attacks. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Does Gum Stay in your Stomach for Seven Years?: Does gum really stay in your stomach for Seven Years? Josh and Chuck take on the parental myth of gum swollowing. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Grassoline Works: Could switch grass become the car fuel of the future? Learn more about alternative fuel in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
Can People Really Get Hysterical Strength?: During times of emergency, people have been known to preform feats of great strength. Learn more about going from the dull stare of the dairy cow to the eye of the tiger in seconds flat. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Lame Ducks Work: In U.S. politics, a lame duck is a president who will not be re-elected because he or she has been passed over for election, or already served the maximum two terms. Learn more about the origin of lame duck presidents in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Are Nazi War Criminals Still At Large?: After the close of World War II, Nazi war criminals fled Europe and attempted to hide under assumed identities. Some may still be at large. Learn more about Nazi war criminals in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
What's the most expensive toilet in the world?: The most expensive toilet in the world is made of solid gold and can be found in Hong Kong. Learn more about the world's most expensive toilet in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
How Personal Rapid Transport Works: Personal rapid transport combines the best traits of subways and taxis, and costs less to build than light rail. Could this be the future of transportation? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast and learn more about personal rapid transport. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Contagious Yawning Works: Yawning is contagious, but why? Check out the leading theories on contagious yawning and empathy in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How The Eye of a Tornado Works: In recorded history, only two people have entered the eye of a tornado and returned to tell the tale. Learn more about the inside of tornadoes in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Antibacterial Soap Works: Could the routine use of antibacterial soap increase the presence of drug-resistant bacteria in your home? Learn more about the disadvantages of anti-bacterial soap in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Why Does Toothpaste Make Orange Juice Taste Bad?: Why does toothpaste make orange juice taste bad? Chuck recounts his first-hand experience, and how it works. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
How Abandoned Cities Work: Cities can become abandoned for a number of reasons, from economic meltdowns to nuclear catastrophes. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast and learn more about modern abandoned cities. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Murphy's Law Works: Murphy's law originates in 1949, and states 'anything that can go wrong, will.' Check out this HowStuffWorks to learn more about how the Air Force discovered Murphy's law. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Ripperology Works: The unsolved murder spree of Jack the Ripper has captivated generations of amateur investigators, each with their own theory of the killer's identity. Learn more about one particularly thought-provoking suspect in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Are Dogs a Shark's Favorite Meal?: In 2005, The Sun reported that dogs were being used as live bait in the Indian Ocean. Is it possible that dogs are a delicacy to sharks? Take a look at our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about the diet of sharks. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Trolley Problems Work: The trolley problem is an ethical dilemma that proposes a difficult decision about choosing whether a group of strangers lives or dies. Learn more about ethics and the nature of sacrifice in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Are Dogs Really Man's Best Friend?: Check out the story of Hachiko, a loyal Akita who waited for over ten years for his master to return. Learn more about Hachiko and loyalty in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
10 Terribly Bungled Crimes: Ten terribly bungled crimes throughout history are explored, such as drug deals gone wrong. Find out which ones are at the top of the list for Josh and Chuck in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
11 min listen
How Death-Proof Cars Work: Could high-end digital auto systems such as blind-spot detection and collision prevention overcome the errors of human drivers? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about the death-proof cars of the future. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Exactly what happens if we run out of water?: In 1995, World Bank vice president Ismail Serageldin declared that "the wars of the next century will be about water." Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn what happens once we run out of water. by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
How Carbon Capture Works: Carbon capture is the process of trapping carbon emissions and storing them away from the atmosphere to prevent global warming. Check out our carbon capture article at HowStuffWorks.com to learn more about the possibility of reducing carbon emissions. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Is quitting smoking contagious?: Everyone knows it's tough to quit smoking -- but did you know quitting can be contagious? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about smoking. by Stuff You Should Know
20 min listen
Why do people blush?: Blushing from embarrassment is governed by the sympathetic nervous system, which governs involuntary processes. Although we know how people blush, we still don't understand why. Check out the theories of blushing in our HowStuffWorks article. by Stuff You Should Know
7 min listen
How Prayer Healing Works: Studies have shown that prayer has a positive effect on individuals, but can your prayer heal someone else? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to find out how science weighs in on the power of intercessory prayer -- and if it should at all. by Stuff You Should Know
17 min listen
What are smart mobs?: With the benefit of wireless technologies like cell phones and text messaging, large groups of people are able to coordinate their actions with amazing precision. Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn about smart mobs and civil disobedience. by Stuff You Should Know
15 min listen

More Episodes from Stuff You Should Know

Skip carousel

The Silurian Hypothesis by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
Short Stuff: Zambonis! by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
NYC Trash: A study in persistence by Stuff You Should Know
50 min listen
Selects: How Stuttering Works by Stuff You Should Know
51 min listen
10 - Yes, 10! - Dumb Criminals by Stuff You Should Know
46 min listen
Short Stuff: Titanic Survivors! by Stuff You Should Know
16 min listen
Misophonia: More Than an Annoyance by Stuff You Should Know
48 min listen
Selects: The Legends of Lost Nazi Gold by Stuff You Should Know
47 min listen
Atomic Clocks, Ahoy! by Stuff You Should Know
52 min listen
Short Stuff: Getting Winded by Stuff You Should Know
12 min listen
The Village People Episode by Stuff You Should Know
54 min listen
Selects: How the Beagle Brigade Works by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
The Awful Crimes of Georgia Tann by Stuff You Should Know
47 min listen
Short Stuff: The Sad, Strange Tale of Margaret Schilling by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
The Power of the Wind by Stuff You Should Know
52 min listen
Selects: Special Effects: A Short History by Stuff You Should Know
55 min listen
Hitchhiking: Two thumbs out! by Stuff You Should Know
51 min listen
Short Stuff: The Amazing Tale of Juliane Koepcke by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
The Dubious Science of Arson Investigation by Stuff You Should Know
47 min listen
Selects: How Famines Work by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
Testosterone and Estrogen: Wondrous Hormones by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
Short Stuff: Straitjackets by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
The 1977 Women's Conference That Changed America by Stuff You Should Know
50 min listen
Selects: All the Gold In Fort Knox: Meh by Stuff You Should Know
52 min listen
The Everglades: Wowee by Stuff You Should Know
54 min listen
Short Stuff: Knock on Wood by Stuff You Should Know
11 min listen
Greedflation Is Real by Stuff You Should Know
56 min listen
Selects: Who is The Man of the Hole? by Stuff You Should Know
38 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

How Noodling Works: Noodling is a type of fishing in which the participant uses his or her hand in lieu of fishing gear and bait. Discover the origins and practices of this unusual "sport" in this episode of Stuff You Should Know. by Stuff You Should Know
28 min listen
How Acne Works: Over the course of our lives, 80 percent of us will experience acne. Ultimately, acne comes down to one thing, a blockage in the sebaceous gland. Learn what makes a blackhead black, and everything else about zits, in this pus-filled episode of SYSK. by Stuff You Should Know
41 min listen
How Lie Detectors Work: Instead of actually detecting lies, polygraph machines sense physiological variations, ostensibly brought on by guilt. The results are subject to interpretation, and therefore controversial. Join Josh and Chuck as they investigate the polygraph. by Stuff You Should Know
28 min listen
10 Scientists Who Were Their Own Guinea Pigs: Over the centuries, some scientists have concluded that the best test subject is looking at them in the mirror. Join Josh and Chuck as they explore 10 researchers, unsung or otherwise, who put their own health second to the advancement of science. by Stuff You Should Know
41 min listen
How Casinos Work: Gambling predates the written word; dice made of bones have been discovered at prehistoric sites. Today, the concept of amassing a fortune in moments remains attractive. Join Josh and Chuck as they take a look at the games and the glitz of casinos. by Stuff You Should Know
43 min listen
How U.S. Marshals Work: Thought Chuck and Josh had already covered every law enforcement agency? Think again. The Marshals Service is the oldest law enforcement branch in the land, dating back to 1789. Listen up for how to get a free ride courtesy the Marshals in this episode. by Stuff You Should Know
30 min listen
How the Peace Corps Works: Since its inception, the Peace Corps has sent 200,000 members to 193 countries to deliver aid and good will through know-how rather than direct funding. Learn about the successes, criticisms and dangers of the Peace Corps in this gung-ho episode of SYSK. by Stuff You Should Know
42 min listen
Are there undiscovered people?: In this episode, Josh and Chuck discuss whether there are any truly "undiscovered" groups of people left on the planet, the definition of undiscovered -- and why groups might want to avoid modern civilization. by Stuff You Should Know
25 min listen
How Human Experimentation Works: Human experimentation is an age-old practice, dating back to 4 BCE. Listen in as Josh and Chuck give you the low-down on the historic, grisly underbelly of science and medicine -- human experimentation. by Stuff You Should Know
28 min listen
SYSK Selects: How Icebergs Work: Icebergs: floating chunks of ice. True, but whoa there. Scientists are learning that there's a lot more to icebergs. Appropriately enough, we've only come to understand the tip of the iceberg and recent research shows there's plenty more to uncover. by Stuff You Should Know
35 min listen
SYSK Selects: How Wills Work: Whether it's oral, scrawled in blood or signed on a deathbed everyone should have a will. But how do they actually work? Join Chuck and Josh as they explain that "of sound mind" thing in this classic episode. by Stuff You Should Know
39 min listen
How Sneezing Works: Unless you have an arcane disorder from a lesion on a very specific spot on our medulla, the chances are you sneeze. Turns out most animals do it, even lizards! Learn the whys and hows of this most interesting involuntary reflex. by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
How do butterfly wings get their color?: Butterflies' wings are colored as a result of iridescence; this fascinating optical phenomenon is the result of light refracting off transparent surfaces. Josh and Chuck reveal how pigmentation, iridescence, light and butterfly wings work in this episode. by Stuff You Should Know
27 min listen
$How do butterfly wings get their color?: Butterflies' wings are colored as a result of iridescence; this fascinating optical phenomenon is the result of light refracting off transparent surfaces. Josh and Chuck reveal how pigmentation, iridescence, light and butterfly wings work in this episode.$
SYSK Selects: How Ouija Boards Work: Although most people who've used Ouija boards don't think they're communicating with the beyond, there is something mysterious about how it works. Learn the ins and outs of the popular parlor game that sprang directly from the 19th-century spiritualism movement in this classic episode. by Stuff You Should Know
34 min listen
How Tabloids Work: Having started as an egalitarian answer to 19th-century newspapers, tabloids came to peddle shock and sleaze. They've cleaned up a bit, but they remain the world's guilty pleasure. Learn more about the fascinating history of tabloids with Chuck and Josh. by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
How the Moon Works: Did you know that science still doesn't know the exact origin of the moon? Do you know how the moon creates high and low tides? Do you know the difference between a waxing crescent and a waning gibbous? You will after listening to this riveting episode. by Stuff You Should Know
38 min listen
Cryonics: Hi, Frozen Body!: In 1964 The Prospect of Immortality laid out a plan for placing humans in suspended animation. The first person was placed in cryonic suspension three years later. But how does it actually work? Learn more about cryonics in this chilly episode of SYSK. by Stuff You Should Know
43 min listen
How Pirates Work: Although today's pirates aren't storming the coast of Florida or other eastern states, piracy is still around in this modern age. Join Josh and Chuck as they look back at the history of piracy -- and its successors -- in this episode. by Stuff You Should Know
33 min listen
SYSK Selects: How Mirrors Work: Whether using polished metal surfaces or clear glass, human beings have enjoyed admiring their reflections for centuries. In this episode, Josh and Chuck reflect on the types, mind-melting physics, superstitions and rather interesting history of mirrors. by Stuff You Should Know
28 min listen
Can quicksand kill you?: In many films, hapless characters meet their untimely demise in a lethal pit of quicksand. It's a gruesome, undignified end -- but is it realistic? Josh and Chuck tackle the properties of quicksand -- and how to escape it -- in this episode. by Stuff You Should Know
26 min listen
How Suicide Bombers Work: It 1981 the first modern suicide bomber blew himself up. But this was by no means the first suicide bombing. Israeli psychologists evaluated the motivations of suicide bombers and found a number of commonalities. Join Josh and Chuck to learn more. by Stuff You Should Know
26 min listen
SYSK Distraction Playlist: SYSK Live: How Bars Work: Join Josh and Chuck live from Vancouver as they dive in to the ins and outs of one of the oldest businesses in the world – the bar! Learn about the history of bars, cocktails and the good people who put them together in new and amazing ways. by Stuff You Should Know
51 min listen
How Crystals Work: In a new age shop or on display at the Smithsonian, there are varying interpretations of what crystals can be used for. But at their base, they are a thumb in the eye to entropy, a perfectly ordered piece of matter. by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
SYSK Selects: Are We in a Cyberwar?: There's a secret war going on around us, and it's happening on a daily basis. The Air Force has a unit specifically designed to carry out and defend against cyberwar. Go deep into this alarming type of war in this classic episode. by Stuff You Should Know
29 min listen
The Tragic Tale of Floyd Collins by Stuff You Should Know
48 min listen
How Cremation Works: Cremation is a burial process practiced around the world, but how exactly does it work? Josh and Chuckers take a detailed look at cremation's history, practices and controversies in this episode. by Stuff You Should Know
42 min listen
Bioluminescence: A Bright and Shiny Fish: Science has a handle on fireflies and glowworms, but most bioluminescent animals live in the ocean and are tough to study. Today, researchers are still figuring out why some animals produce light. Dive with Josh and Chuck into this illuminating topic. by Stuff You Should Know
37 min listen
A Brief Overview of Punk Rock: Punk rock really needs about 10 episodes to do it justice, but we'll try and tackle anyway. Learn all about this movement right now. by Stuff You Should Know
52 min listen
What Would Happen If the World Stopped Spinning?: Over the last 400 million years, the day has grown longer by two full hours thanks to a slowing of the rotation of the Earth on its axis. While it will be a very long time before it stops spinning altogether, it never hurts to plan. Listen to Chuck and Jo by Stuff You Should Know
20 min listen
The Wind Cries Typhoid Mary: In the 19th century, typhoid was considered a disease of the lower classes. When an outbreak occurred in wealthy Oyster Bay, New York, a mystery was afoot. Tune in to learn how this event began an ongoing debate over public safety versus civil rights. by Stuff You Should Know
36 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

How Sword Swallowing Works

How Sword Swallowing Works

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Stuff You Should Know

Related podcast episodes