The best podcasts for Fascinating stories

This one just grabbed my attention and wouldn't let it go. What makes it so intriguing is that Sarah Koenig is doggedly determined to get to the truth and will not let media narratives deter her. If you're firmly convinced that modern media enterprises never lie and always tell the truth, you may not appreciate this one, because it smashes that belief like a jackhammer on a mirror. This podcast is for the sophisticated, discerned listener with a keen ear and a sharp brain, well-suited for critical thinkers who appreciate a good story. By the way, did you know that to appear headless while taking a photo, known as "horsemaning", was a popular way to pose in the 1920's. Not exactly connected to Serial, I know, but I'm going to keep dropping random fascinating Easter eggs into these descriptions shamelessly, so that you will breathlessly scroll from one to the next, wondering what delightfully random fact might appear. I'm also hoping that you will be so delighted by my masterful wit that you share this podcast list with everyone who has eyes or ears, thus helping my podcast to go viral and gain millions of followers. To be fair, my podcast isn't ideal for the earless, but most people I know have ears so, I think I'm safe there.

Would you like to snort, either from laughing uproariously or ugly crying and experience the whole gamut of emotions in between? The Moth is for you. These bite-sized real-life stories will allow you to enter into the experiences of former international exotic dancers, the weird wildlife of Australia (surprisingly fascinating and terrifying), and just about everything in between. The stories range from "slightly spicy" to wildly inspiring, to feeling like your heart just got gifted a nice warm hug. Side note for all you yard maintenance enthusiasts... female cicadas have been known to confuse the roar of power tools for mating calls, sometimes swarming people using lawn mowers. Isn't that a fun little delight to ponder in the ol' noggin noodle?

Oh, now THIS gem of a podcast is for all you history aficionados out there. Random stuff you never knew existed, untold stories from the major headlines and straight up crazy stuff like why some guy thought 6 moons would orbit the earth and humans would evolve to develop a tail ... I mean, seriously, this is history made fun and fascinating. We humans are pretty eccentric, and the weirdest ones seem to make the best history. Oooh, speaking of random historical facts, did you know that Paraskavedekatriaphobia is the fear of ... wait for it Paraskave = Friday (all you clever cats out there have already figured this one out, but let's confirm deka = 10, tria = 3 and phobia = fear. Fear of Friday 10 - 3 ... Ok, I cheated a little here just for a bit of extra intrigue. Dekatria is Greek for 13. But, just in case that wasn't enough, oh man, in the 1880s, a baboon worked as a signalman for nine years on a South African railroad. He was paid in brandy and never made a mistake. Now, hopefully that little nugget has titillated and tantilized your telencephalon and you read on for the next delightful selection!

Ever wonder about the original stories behind King Arthur and his legendary knights, Robin Hood, or Aladdin? Did you know that fairy tales weren't originally for children and are way more bizarre, ridiculous, and interesting than you ever thought possible? (Like, seriously creepy and weird) This show brings you folklore that has shaped our world. Some are incredibly popular stories you think you know, but with surprising origins. Others are stories that might be new to you, but are definitely worth a listen. These are stories of magic, kings, Vikings, dragons, knights, princesses, and wizards from a time when the world beyond the map was a dangerous, wonderful, and terrifying place. And of course, I couldn't let another opportunity slip by to let yet another delightful random delicious brain nugget get dropped into this list. For real though, I do hope you're enjoying this. I didn't just want to color between the lines and give you a vanilla list that was sort of expected. So, this time, THERE'S A TWIST! I'm going to ask a trivia question, but not answer it until the next description (so you MUST read on to #5...) How many slices of pizza does America eat per second? (Don't cheat and Google it ... let your brain actually come up with a number, write it down, and scroll on for the answer!)

Oh, this little sneaky, cheeky delight! I bet you didn't see this one coming! Happiness, betrayal, MURDER, ecstasy and GHOSTS ... what could go wrong with a town built on endless pleasure? Turns out, quite a lot. And the ghosts of the town hold the keys to the secrets. But there's one guarantee: this IS a pleasure to listen to! It's a series for your earies ... (ok, doesn't quite work, but you get the idea) And now, drumroll please! The answer to the trivia question in number 4: How many slices of pizza does America eat per second? WE INTERRUPT THIS INTRIGUING BIT OF TRIVIA TO INSERT A RANDOM DAD JOKE: Do you want to know what really makes me smile? ... face muscles (GROAN!) Ok and the number (I imagine you've been waiting for) America eats 350-400 slices of pizza PER SECOND!! That means that in the time you've been reading through this list, there have been at LEAST 100,000 slices of pizza consumed! WOW. And now, I genuinely want to thank you for reading through this list. I also hope that you'll want to have a peek at my podcast, Between The Before & After. Much Love, - Coach Jon