NO SUCH THING

Can YouTubers actually hold police accountable? 27.05.2026 1ó

Today’s episode was inspired by a question from a listener who goes by Santa: What’s the deal with First Amendment auditors? We trace the history of people who film the police, from the Black Panther Party to Berkeley Copwatch and the rise of auditor culture on YouTube. We also explore the methods and influence of some of the movement’s biggest creators, from Philip Turner (The Battousai) to Jeff Gray of HonorYourOath Civil Rights Investigations and Christopher Ruff (Direct D). Our guests are Robert Klemko, an investigative journalist at ESPN who previously reported on auditors and cop watchers for The Washington Post, and Dale Hiller, creator of the LackLuster YouTube channel and co-founder of Attorney Shield. If you’re new here, listen to episode 28: Inside the violent world of online pedophile hunters and check out our NST starter pack.  Check out our newsletter at nosuchthing.show and follow us on Instagram @nosuchthing.show. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Super-Agers: Why do some old people age better than others? 20.05.2026 50p

On today's episode of NO SUCH THING, we’re talking about so-called “Super Agers,” the term used to describe people who are at least 80 years old, but are still sharp as a tack. Maury Povich. Joy Behar. Anthony Fauci. Bernie Sanders. Martha Stewart. There are a ton of octogenarians who are cognitively impressive. Of course, there are many who… aren’t. What differentiates these two groups? A groundbreaking new study endeavors to answer that question, and in today’s episode, we talked to one of the study’s authors, and to one of the super-agers in question. Check out our newsletter here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should we still circumcise babies? 13.05.2026 1ó 14p

New data shows that less than half of American newborn boys are circumcised, a major decrease from around 90% in the 1960s. But how and why did circumcision become so common here in the United States? This week, we speak to an epidemiologist, a sociologist, and an anti-circumcision “intactivist” to explore the origins of the procedure, its health impacts, and why attitudes around it are changing.  Our guests this week are Johns Hopkins epidemiologist Dr. Kate Grabowski, Vanderbilt University associate professor of sociology Laura Carpenter, and Intact America founding executive Georganne Chapin. NOTE: Due to time restraints, not everything can make it into the final episode. We tried our best to represent all sides of the issue fairly and respectfully. With that said, some claims around the African VMMC trials in particular may be misleading. To clarify: these trials produced high quality peer-reviewed studies documenting medical benefits, particularly in relation to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. They were also conducted in partnership with some of the world’s most respected African scientists and research institutions. They are not simply colonial interventions.  For additional information, please go to our newsletter to find links to research and more. NST has no particular agenda here, so please take a look at all the info yourself to decide what’s best for you. Check out our newsletter here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why did Taylor Swift stop singing in a country accent? 06.05.2026 1ó 7p

On today’s episode, we’re tackling a question from a listener named Joel: Why do singers lose their accents when they sing? Our guest this week is New Yorker writer Kelefa Sanneh. In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore identity in country music, why Taylor Swift stopped singing with a twang, how Drake changed the way people think about authenticity in hip-hop, and why Adele and Harry Styles don’t sound British when they sing. Want to hear all the music from this episode? Check out our newsletter for a playlist. Check out Kelefa’s book Major Labels: A History of Popular Music in Seven Genres If you’re new here, listen to episode 36: Is Taylor Swift bigger than Michael Jackson? and check out our NST starter pack.  Fill out our NST listener survey here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Does micromanaging actually work? 29.04.2026 1ó 2p

This week’s topic came from a listener who asked if micromanaging is a more productive work-style than a more “free range” approach. We talk about our own work experiences, and answer a few other miscellaneous work questions about performance improvement plans (“PIPs”), handling an incompetent boss, office odors, and more. Our guest this week is Erik Baker, historian at Harvard, editor at The Drift, and author of Make Your Own Job: How the Entrepreneurial Work Ethic Exhausted America, who walks us through the history of the corporate work structure and evolution of management styles.  Check out our newsletter for links to research and more.  Fill out our NST listener survey here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is recycling a complete scam? (PART 2) 22.04.2026 34p

Growing up, we were told to always recycle plastic to save the planet. But does recycling actually do anything? In this special two-part investigation, we explore the history of recycling, the rise of “disposable” plastics, and find out how effective recycling actually is.  In part one (with the help of Nayeema Raza, host of  Smart Girl Dumb Questions), we hear from Davis Allen, PhD, Senior Investigative Researcher at the Center for Climate Integrity, who alleges that plastic recycling is a deceptive story engineered by fossil fuel and petrochemical companies to make us feel guilty for using the very plastics they profit from. Davis says recycling is a distraction from the real problem.  Listen to part one: Apple, Spotify, Others In part two, we visit a recycling center and speak to Kara Napolitano, Education Director at Circular Services to find out how recycling actually works, learn the amount of bottles that actually make it to the recycling facility, and reckon with our own individual impact to determine if recycling is a viable solution to our climate crisis or simply a feel-good placebo in an ever-expanding consumer culture.  For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  Fill out our NST listener survey here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is recycling a complete scam? (PART 1) 22.04.2026 42p

Growing up, we were told to always recycle plastic to save the planet. But does recycling actually do anything? In this special two-part investigation, we explore the history of recycling, the rise of “disposable” plastics, and find out how effective recycling actually is.  In part one (with the help of Nayeema Raza, host of  Smart Girl Dumb Questions), we hear from Davis Allen, PhD, Senior Investigative Researcher at the Center for Climate Integrity, who alleges that plastic recycling is a deceptive story engineered by fossil fuel and petrochemical companies to make us feel guilty for using the very plastics they profit from. Davis says recycling is a distraction from the real problem.  In part two, we visit a recycling center and speak to Kara Napolitano, Education Director at Circular Services to find out how recycling actually works, learn the amount of bottles that actually make it to the recycling facility, and reckon with our own individual impact to determine if recycling is a viable solution to our climate crisis or simply a feel-good placebo in an ever-expanding consumer culture.  Listen to part two: Apple, Spotify, Others For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  Fill out our NST listener survey here. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kids can’t read anymore. Does it matter? (with author Jason Reynolds) 15.04.2026 59p

Are we in the midst of a reading crisis? News outlets are constantly reporting on the death of reading. School test scores by measures like the “Nation’s Report Card” say math and literacy levels are down to their lowest rates since the early 1990s. Schools aren’t even assigning full books in class anymore. We talk to children’s book author Jason Reynolds, an active teacher in Chicago public schools, and a professor who’s looked into the actual research and says the literacy crisis doesn’t even exist.  Our guests this week are author Jason Reynolds (buy his new book Soundtrack here), professor Paul Thomas, and teacher Kelsey Clodfelter. For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  If you liked this episode, check out: Do audiobooks count as reading? and Should schools ban phones?  Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286 EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ http://www.nordvpn.com/nst   Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guaranteeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eggs in the fridge, expired meds, loud sneezes, and more (Mailbag) 08.04.2026 44p

On today's episode of NO SUCH THING, Manny, Noah, and Devan, jump into the mailbag. Should you keep your eggs in the fridge? Why do some people sneeze so loudly? Where did we get the 24 hour day from? Why and how does medicine expire? And what's the traditional jelly in a PB&J: grape or strawberry? ICYMI: Manny wrote a book and you can check it out here! It's called Colored People Time: A Case for (Casual) Rebellion, and it's a collection of essays about the ways that time wraps itself around our most personal moments. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

TINY CAMERAS!?! We found out what those customer satisfaction buttons actually do 01.04.2026 35p

This week we’re answering a question from a listener named Emma: What do those smiley-face customer-satisfaction buttons you see in airport bathrooms actually do?  We track down the Finland-based company behind them, HappyOrNot, and uncover a hidden world of analytics, cameras, and AI.  Our guest this week is Scott Erickson, HappyOrNot’s VP of US Sales and Global Channels. For links to research and more, check out our newsletter. Like this episode? Check out Is your phone listening to you ... and should you care?DEV-ITORS NOTE: After the interview, HappyOrNot clarified that cameras are standard on their touchscreen devices, but the button devices don’t have them. ICYMI: Manny wrote a book and you can check it out here! It's called Colored People Time: A Case for (Casual) Rebellion, and it's a collection of essays about the ways that time wraps itself around our most personal moments. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should athletes be allowed to bet on themselves? 25.03.2026 48p

Manny wrote a book and you can check it out here! It's called Colored People Time: A Case for (Casual) Rebellion, and it's a collection of essays about the ways that time wraps itself around our most personal moments. If you're around NYC, the boys will be discussing the book in a live event on March 29th, order tickets here. Now, on today's episode, Manny, Noah, and Devan discuss the sports betting takeover happening in the United States and around the world, and are joined by Danny Funt, the author of Everybody Loses: The Tumultuous Rise of American Sports Gambling. They also debate whether athletes should be allowed to bet on themselves, since they're already incentivized to win their games. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Was Benjamin Franklin a fraud? 18.03.2026 1ó

We know Benjamin Franklin as a founding father, crucial in the establishment of the United States, discoverer of electricity, kooky writer of almanacs, and inventor of much, much more. But is it possible that good old Benny is actually a complete scammer? We investigate a conspiracy theory that Mr. $100 is not all he’s cracked up to be.  Our guest this week is Claire Aubin, historian and host of This Guy Sucked, with a special thanks to our instigating debaters Kelsey and Rich.  Buy Manny's Book, Colored People Time, and see NO SUCH THING in conversation about the book on March 29 in NYC. For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are dentists scamming us? We investigate 11.03.2026 57p

On today’s episode, we tackle a question we’ve all wondered: Are dentists scamming us? We dive into the dark history of dentistry, find out why dental insurance sucks, hear from someone who uncovered a dentist drilling teeth for profit, and talk to a startup founder who’s looking to upend the whole industry.  Lilly Kaplan — licensed therapist and Reality Test newsletter author — sits in for Manny this week. Listen to: Do you need therapy? (ft. Lilly)  Our guests this week are:  AJ Jacobs, journalist and New York Times bestseller.  Dr. Sarah Stuefen, general dentist in Iowa and spokesperson for the American Dental Association. Dr. Cheryline Pezzullo, general dentist and clinical associate professor.  Dr. Brandon Zeidler, doctor of dental surgery. Tyler Burnett, cofounder of Wally Health. For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  Have a question you want us to answer or a dentist story you want to share? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are there so many twin films? 04.03.2026 46p

On this week's episode, the boys chat with Chris and Lizzie, the hosts of the What Went Wrong podcast about why Hollywood produces so many "twin films," movies that have very similar concepts and that release within a year of each other. They also debate whether A Bug's Life or ANTZ is the better movie, and talk through some controversial Hollywood development rumors. For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should the internet be a public utility? 25.02.2026 34p

Why is it such a hassle to deal with internet service providers? Spotty service, hidden price increases, and only one company servicing my neighborhood. Am I up against a local monopoly? And what’s the deal with 5G home internet? I’ve been battling my ISP for years, and it’s time to find some answers. Our guest this week is Emily Stewart, senior correspondent at Business Insider. Also featuring guest co-host Rachel Askenazi, journalist and founder of Throwing Spaghetti Media.  For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Will AI take our jobs? 18.02.2026 49p

Is AI actually coming for your job? This week, we take a peek under the hood of autonomous AI tools. What they do well, where they still fall short, and how much we can expect them to improve in the future. Investigative reporter and Shell Game host Evan Ratliff joins us alongside AI researcher and Shell Game technical advisor Maty Bohacek to break it all down. Listen to Shell Game >>  Check out our newsletter and follow us on Instagram. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do divorced guys act like that? 11.02.2026 48p

What happens to our brains and bodies after a breakup? Semafor media reporter and Mixed Signals co-host Max Tani joins the pod to unpack “Divorced Guy Energy,” from Justin Trudeau and Kanye West to Breaking Bad’s Walter White — and what psychology and sociology say about how men change after divorce.Our guests this week are psychologist and YouTuber Maika Steinborn and sociologist Jessica Calarco, author of Holding It Together: How Women Became America’s Safety Net, we dig into the science, sociology, and cultural forces behind divorce, masculinity, and midlife reinvention.The Cut: The Most Divorced Guys of 2025, in Order Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are outdoor cats happier than indoor cats? 04.02.2026 1ó

This week, Kate Lindsay—ICYMI host, Embedded author, and proud cat lover—sits in for Manny, and we go deep on everything you’ve ever wanted to know about cats. Our expert this week is Dr. Mikel Delgado, a cat behaviorist, scientist, and author of Play With Your Cat! Listen to:• Are suburban dogs happier than city dogs? • Why can’t adults order from the kids’ menu? For pics of Kate’s very cute cats, check out our newsletter — and follow us on Instagram for video clips and behind-the-scenes moments. Have a question you want us to answer or have feedback for the show? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can humans be cloned? 28.01.2026 51p

Why are there so many celebrity clone conspiracy theories? Is there really a Melania Trump body double? Have scientists actually tried to clone humans? And, how does cloning actually work? We hear from an alleged clone himself, and talk to a biosciences expert to find out how feasible these theories actually are. This week features Chelsey Weber-Smith, whose show American Hysteria covers all sorts of strange hoaxes, moral panics, and odd misunderstandings. Also featuring Hank T. Greely, director of Stanford University’s Center for Law and the Biosciences.  For links to research and more, check out our newsletter.  And listen to our clone playlist on Apple Music or Spotify.  Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Presenting Mind Games | The Guru’s Guru 21.01.2026 44p

We’ll be back next week. In the meantime, check out the first episode of a show we’re super excited about. Listen to Mind Games Check out our newsletter. Have a question you want us to answer? Email us at mannynoahdevan@gmail.com or leave a voicemail at ‪(860) 325-0286See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.