Stuff They Don't Want You To Know Stuff They Don't Want You To Know

Listener Mail: DARPA's SHINE Program, Elephant Intelligence, AI Emergency Lines and More

Sep 3, 2026 · 53m

Summary

The hosts discuss DARPA’s SHINE program, which aims to non-invasively remodel brain circuits, raising ethical concerns about potential military applications like mind control. They also cover the tragic history of "Murderous Mary," an elephant hanged in Tennessee in 1916, and the town’s subsequent efforts to honor elephants. Finally, the episode critiques the use of AI chatbots in emergency dispatch systems, debating their inefficiency and the risks of replacing human operators.

Topics discussed

Intro: Unexplained events and government conspiracies Count Benface election results and 26.9% vote share Review of Coyote vs. Acme and its shelved history Ruta Bagels ad and chickpea vs. bagel debate Sponsors: Amazon Health AI and YouTube Premium DARPA's SHINE program and neuroplasticity engineering DARPA's high-risk research and 'disruption opportunities' Brain injury recovery and DARPA's attrition rate Psychedelic research and autonomous undersea vehicles Ethical concerns of dual-use technology and mind control Exploring DARPA program managers and plant sensors Atlanta wings, The Local, and Beltline stabbing Scooter menace term and Atlanta safety tips Murderess Mary: The elephant that killed a man in TN Edison myth debunked and Erwin's elephant festival Sponsors: She Pivots, Amy & TJ, and Hollywoodland Listener mail: AI handling 911 calls in New Orleans Debate on AI in emergency services and Rapid SOS Outro: Neighborly advice and final sponsor reads
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