Episode notes
A man walks into an airport body scanner, and with eerie consistency, the machine flags the exact same part of his body. What could be going on? Search Engine investigates a Bermuda Triangle. Incognito Mode, our ad-free, no-rerun, bonus episode feed.
Podcast
Search Engine
PJ Vogt · Tech & Science · English
We try to make sense of the world, one question at a time. No question too big, no question too small.Hosted by PJ Vogt, edited by Sruthi Pinnamaneni. Named one of the best podcasts of all time by Time Magazine
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E133 · 13 Feb 2026 · 45 min
How Peptides Conquered the Internet
Two decades ago, bodybuilders on niche internet forums started injecting peptides. Now they're in the secret mini-fridges of some teenage boys. How did they get there? We track their crooked path from Silicon Valley to jaw-smashing influencers. Check out Jasmine Sun's work (and her piece on peptides) Check out Ezra Marcus' work (and his piece on peptides) Support Search Engine!
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E132 · 30 Jan 2026 · 56 min
Are flushable wipes actually flushable?
A simple question leads us on a journey from the bowels of New York City through the courtrooms of South Carolina to the disgusting truth. Support Search Engine!
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E131 · 20 Jan 2026 · 59 min
The Venezuelan Curse (Part 2)
The conclusion to our story about Venezuela. How a country goes from a prosperous democracy to a poverty-ravaged dictatorship. The End (our 2022 episode on Greenland) The Many Faces of Chavismo - Alejandro Velasco Things Are Never So Bad That They Can't Get Worse - William Neuman
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E130 · 16 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
The Venezuelan Curse (Part 1)
For the past year, there's been a steady drumbeat of headlines about Venezuela. Now the US has invaded, arrested its president, and installed itself in charge. To understand how we got here, we talked to Venezuelan historian Alejandro Velasco, who grew up there and has spent years trying to understand why a country with so much promise has proven so difficult to govern. The Many Faces of Chavismo - Alejandro Velasco Hard Fork with Casey Newton and Kevin Roose
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E129 · 9 Jan 2026 · 39 min
The Fediverse Experiment
Our present version of the internet is arguably the worst it’s ever been. Which means – any shot at changing things, even an unlikely one – is worth trying out. Three podcasters who’ve spent years critiquing social media companies try to build their own small alternative social media. A collaboration with Hard Fork’s Kevin Roose and Casey Newton: join The Forkiverse here.
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12 Dec 2025 · 49 min
Unlocked: The State of Search Engine 2025
As a special, one-time holiday treat, we're sharing something we only usually offer on our premium feed, Incognito Mode. Our annual board meeting! We talk about what shopping a podcast has been like in this environment, our internal stats, and… Yes, Yes, No. Incognito Mode, our ad-free, no-rerun, bonus episode feed.
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5 Dec 2025 · 1 hr
What's the best phone to do crimes on? (classic)
For years, the must-have phone for the discerning drug trafficker or hitman was a brand you may not have heard of: AN0M. Reporter Joseph Cox tells us the story of the AN0M phone, its sudden rise and shocking fall, and the shadowy group behind its invention. Joseph's new book: Dark Wire. Incognito Mode, our ad-free, no-rerun, bonus episode feed.
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E127 · 27 Nov 2025 · 36 min
How to talk (or not talk) politics at family holidays
This week, in honor of the holiday season — can you, should you change your family’s politics through holiday conversation. If so, how? A conversation with Ezra Klein. Support Search Engine!
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E126 · 21 Nov 2025 · 43 min
Colossus 2
In part two of our story about Elon Musk’s growing data center empire, we visit the battle between people in Memphis and xAI. And we try to understand a strange, untested assumption at the heart of the AI financing boom. Support Search Engine!
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E125 · 21 Nov 2025 · 42 min
Colossus 1
Tech billionaires have made an enormous bet on AI, the biggest bet that tech has made on anything in a very long time. Reporter Sruthi Pinnamaneni goes on a journey – from Data Center Alley to the shadow of Colossus – to see what the money’s being spent on, and to learn what happens if things go wrong. Support Search Engine!
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