CIA head John Ratcliffe visited Moscow in a trip Uncle Sam wanted to keep quiet -- but why? A Chinese robot breaks Usain Bolt's 100-meter sprint world record in the recent humanoid bot games. Meta agrees to an 18 billion dollar settlement over online child safety... though the end result may not be what it seems. Also: cyborg cockroaches. Tune in for all this and more in this week's strange news segment.

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Natural Causes is a podcast about the politics and practicalities of going outside in a world on fire, hosted by Dr. James Stout. It approaches the outdoors, conservation, agriculture, food sovereignty, and Indigenous land rights as interconnected issues. We want to combine unflinching journalism with unabashed advocacy for the land we all share, and welcome everyone into the outdoors and the fight for our public lands. Our shared wild spaces are under threat like never before, from climate change, the Trump administration, and extractive capitalism. Now, more than ever, we need serious journalism and serious solidarity that engages people with the struggle to protect these spaces for generations to come. New episodes weekly.

Listen here and subscribe to Natural Causes on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts!

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Spoiler: it's kind of difficult to get a job with the CIA. This pre-eminent spy outfit has high standards, exhaustive background checks, and a mandate to do everything it can to keep foreign forces from compromising it. So how did one career CIA officer manage to steal millions in gold, currency and luxury watches from his employer -- after more or less fabricating his entire resume? In tonight's episode, Ben, Matt, and Noel dive into the bizarre saga of the mysterious David J. Rush.

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Ms. Squared writes in with a fascinating tale of sleeper agents and the Fort Orange Club. Vegan Bookworm weighs in on AI companies and destructive book scanning. CODENAME: Box Boy chats music. MissMegolas hips the guys to a phenomenal Gandalf-themed protest, and Psycubnaut introduces the gang to the idea of 'Devil Corp'. Tune in for all this and more in this week's listener mail segment.

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It's no secret that most Americans aren't too familiar with the nation of Sudan. This ancient, beautiful land has long been beset with challenges, conflict and resource extraction. In fact, as Ben, Matt and Noel learn in tonight's episode, there's a civil war happening in Sudan right now. And while this complex web of of warfare has multiple factors, more and more observers are increasingly concerned that there's a conspiracy afoot: Could powerful foreign countries and shady corporations actually be pushing this war for their own benefit, and dooming innocent people in the process?

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Here's the story: When Don Decker went on furlough to attend his abusive Grandfather's funeral, he experienced something extraordinary -- water fell upward from the floor of his hosts' home, he levitated, recoiled from religious symbols. Multiple witnesses and investigators, some professional, appear to agree there exists a man inxeplicably able to summon rain. In tonight's Classic episode, Ben, Matt and Noel set out to determine the truth behind this strange, disturbing tale.

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A former FBI agent stands accused of stealing almost 1 million dollars' worth of cryptocurrency. NASA assures people that Earth did not, in fact, lose gravity for seven seconds earlier this month. Uncle Sam (or, rather, powerful corporations) aggressively conspire to scuttle wind power. Oh, and Hugh Hefner tried to warn the FBI about Jeffrey Epstein. Tune in for all this and more in this week's strange news segment.

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With just a few missteps, nuclear weapons could end civilization as we know it. And despite their many differences, pretty much every country acknowledges this fact. Each of the nine known nuclear powers have their own laws about how to handle nukes -- but one nation stands unique amid the fold: through a practice of 'strategic ambiguity', the country of Israel has neither confirmed nor denied possession of nuclear weapons. It's the world's worst-kept open secret. And, as Ben and Matt learn in tonight's episode, this nation in particular has a terrifying last-resort policy for their nukes, which don't officially exist. So: What is the Samson Option?

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Byron from Seattle responds to the Hidden Horror of Elephant Shows, prompting a future episode on Seaworld. The Spectacular John and Andi explore the concept of looming water wars -- and just how easy it is for terrorists to hack small-town water facilities. Emily and Mark weigh in on the past, present and future of apprenticeships. Tune in for all this and more in this week's listener mail segment.

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Landing a gig at the White House is -- surprise -- pretty competitive. And working in the kitchen is no exception. Over the past few centuries, the White House kitchen has evolved in step with the nation. Regardless of who's President, everybody's gotta eat, and White House chefs often form deep relationships and lifelong friendships with their clients. Yet as Ben, Matt and Noel discover in tonight's episode, this proximity to power may have a dark side. Not one, but two former White House chefs have drowned under mysterious circumstances, leading more and more people to ask: Is this a series of tragic coincidences... or is there a conspiracy afoot?

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In the late 19th century, several friends and Freemasons ambarked on a strange endeavor -- creating their own secret society for the purpose of studying magic. While the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn may sound bizarre and obscure today, its existence had a profound impact on later, similar groups and systems. But what exactly was it? Perhaps more importantly -- did any of this magic work? Tune in to learn more in this week's Classic episode.

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