What makes a serial killer?

FromStuff You Should Know

Start listening View podcast show

What makes a serial killer?

FromStuff You Should Know

ratings:

Length:

45 minutes

Released:

May 25, 2010

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Serial killers are notorious for their grisly crimes and disturbing behavior, but what makes a serial killer a serial killer? Josh and Chuck discuss the history, psychology and methodology of serial killing and serial killers in this episode. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Released:

May 25, 2010

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

Skip carousel

Does Gum Stay in your Stomach for Seven Years?: Does gum really stay in your stomach for Seven Years? Josh and Chuck take on the parental myth of gum swollowing. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Guerrilla Gardening Works: You've heard of guerrilla fighting tactics, but how much do you know about guerrilla gardening? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about this "revolutionary" gardening trend. by Stuff You Should Know
18 min listen
How Lame Ducks Work: In U.S. politics, a lame duck is a president who will not be re-elected because he or she has been passed over for election, or already served the maximum two terms. Learn more about the origin of lame duck presidents in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Are Nazi War Criminals Still At Large?: After the close of World War II, Nazi war criminals fled Europe and attempted to hide under assumed identities. Some may still be at large. Learn more about Nazi war criminals in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
How Eco-anxiety Works: Eco-anxiety -- a chronic fear of environmental doom -- is a recent, specialized type of anxiety disorder gripping an estimated 40 million people in the United States. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about eco-anxiety. by Stuff You Should Know
14 min listen
Is knife hunting the fairest way to hunt?: Fair chase is the idea that a balance should be struck between the hunter's ability to kill prey and the prey's ability escape. Take a look at our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about knife hunting, and whether or not it's the fairest way to hunt. by Stuff You Should Know
7 min listen
How The Eye of a Tornado Works: In recorded history, only two people have entered the eye of a tornado and returned to tell the tale. Learn more about the inside of tornadoes in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Trolley Problems Work: The trolley problem is an ethical dilemma that proposes a difficult decision about choosing whether a group of strangers lives or dies. Learn more about ethics and the nature of sacrifice in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Why Does Toothpaste Make Orange Juice Taste Bad?: Why does toothpaste make orange juice taste bad? Chuck recounts his first-hand experience, and how it works. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
How Personal Rapid Transport Works: Personal rapid transport combines the best traits of subways and taxis, and costs less to build than light rail. Could this be the future of transportation? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast and learn more about personal rapid transport. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Are Dogs Really Man's Best Friend?: Check out the story of Hachiko, a loyal Akita who waited for over ten years for his master to return. Learn more about Hachiko and loyalty in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
Is quitting smoking contagious?: Everyone knows it's tough to quit smoking -- but did you know quitting can be contagious? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about smoking. by Stuff You Should Know
20 min listen
How Altruism Works: Is there such a thing as a truly unselfish act? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast and learn more about the nature of altruism. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Grassoline Works: Could switch grass become the car fuel of the future? Learn more about alternative fuel in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
Can People Really Get Hysterical Strength?: During times of emergency, people have been known to preform feats of great strength. Learn more about going from the dull stare of the dairy cow to the eye of the tiger in seconds flat. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Antibacterial Soap Works: Could the routine use of antibacterial soap increase the presence of drug-resistant bacteria in your home? Learn more about the disadvantages of anti-bacterial soap in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
10 Terribly Bungled Crimes: Ten terribly bungled crimes throughout history are explored, such as drug deals gone wrong. Find out which ones are at the top of the list for Josh and Chuck in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
11 min listen
How Death-Proof Cars Work: Could high-end digital auto systems such as blind-spot detection and collision prevention overcome the errors of human drivers? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about the death-proof cars of the future. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
Exactly what happens if we run out of water?: In 1995, World Bank vice president Ismail Serageldin declared that "the wars of the next century will be about water." Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn what happens once we run out of water. by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
How Blood Pressure Works: High blood pressure -- or hypertension -- is elevated pressure of the blood in the arteries. Hypertension results from two major factors. Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about the causes of and treatment for hypertension. by Stuff You Should Know
14 min listen
How Swearing at Work Works: Swear words are usually considered workplace taboos -- yet the debate continues over whether these words are inappropriate, or examples of free speech. Learn more about using swear words at work in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
Can I feel pregnant when my wife is?: Sympathy pregnancy is the condition where a man feels pregnant while his wife actually is. Learn more about the symptoms for sympathy pregnancy in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Contagious Yawning Works: Yawning is contagious, but why? Check out the leading theories on contagious yawning and empathy in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Manufacturing Water Works: The United Nations has found that 22% of the world's population does not have access to clean drinking water. Could we fix the water shortage by manufacturing water? Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast to learn more about manufacturing water. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Murphy's Law Works: Murphy's law originates in 1949, and states 'anything that can go wrong, will.' Check out this HowStuffWorks to learn more about how the Air Force discovered Murphy's law. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
How Abandoned Cities Work: Cities can become abandoned for a number of reasons, from economic meltdowns to nuclear catastrophes. Check out this HowStuffWorks podcast and learn more about modern abandoned cities. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
What's the most expensive toilet in the world?: The most expensive toilet in the world is made of solid gold and can be found in Hong Kong. Learn more about the world's most expensive toilet in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
5 min listen
How Can I Erase My Identity and Start Over?: Everyone dreams of snagging a fresh start at life. Whether you've thought of changing your dull given name, or just disappearing entirely, this HowStuffWorks podcast will tell you what it takes to erase your identity. by Stuff You Should Know
11 min listen
Can I Survive a Shark Attack by Gouging Out Its Eyes?: Although it can be intimidating, a shark is not invulnerable. Punching its nose, gouging its eyes, or grabbing its gills can stun the shark and give victims a chance to escape. Check out our HowStuffWorks article to learn more about shark attacks. by Stuff You Should Know
6 min listen
What's the difference between deodorant and antiperspirant?: The function of antiperspirant and deodorant is to prevent sweat or to mask the scent of body odor. Learn about the function of antiperspirant and deodorant in this HowStuffWorks podcast. by Stuff You Should Know
14 min listen

More Episodes from Stuff You Should Know

Skip carousel

Short Stuff: The Sad, Strange Tale of Margaret Schilling by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
The Power of the Wind by Stuff You Should Know
52 min listen
Selects: Special Effects: A Short History by Stuff You Should Know
55 min listen
Hitchhiking: Two thumbs out! by Stuff You Should Know
51 min listen
Short Stuff: The Amazing Tale of Juliane Koepcke by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
The Dubious Science of Arson Investigation by Stuff You Should Know
47 min listen
Selects: How Famines Work by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
Testosterone and Estrogen: Wondrous Hormones by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
Short Stuff: Straitjackets by Stuff You Should Know
13 min listen
The 1977 Women's Conference That Changed America by Stuff You Should Know
50 min listen
Selects: All the Gold In Fort Knox: Meh by Stuff You Should Know
52 min listen
The Everglades: Wowee by Stuff You Should Know
54 min listen
Short Stuff: Knock on Wood by Stuff You Should Know
11 min listen
Greedflation Is Real by Stuff You Should Know
56 min listen
Selects: Who is The Man of the Hole? by Stuff You Should Know
38 min listen
The Pulitzer Prize: A major award! by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
Short Stuff: Ramree Island Crocodile Massacre by Stuff You Should Know
11 min listen
Love Canal: Even Dirtier Than It Sounds by Stuff You Should Know
47 min listen
Selects: MOVE: Or When the Philly Police Dropped a Bomb on a Residential Neighborhood by Stuff You Should Know
52 min listen
Peanuts (the comic) Part II by Stuff You Should Know
45 min listen
Short Stuff: Mariko Aoki Phenomenon by Stuff You Should Know
12 min listen
Peanuts (the comic) Part I by Stuff You Should Know
45 min listen
Selects: How Dyslexia Works by Stuff You Should Know
43 min listen
The Alien Abduction Phenomenon of the Mid-20th Century by Stuff You Should Know
51 min listen
Short Stuff: Skittles and TIO2 by Stuff You Should Know
12 min listen
Leave Brutalism Alone! by Stuff You Should Know
49 min listen
Selects: The Science of Break-Ups by Stuff You Should Know
51 min listen
The Smiley, Stubborn Llama by Stuff You Should Know
41 min listen
Short Stuff: Roly Poly...Bugs? by Stuff You Should Know
11 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

How Ghosts Work: According to a 2009 poll, more Americans believe in ghosts than don't. But what are ghosts exactly? If they do exist, what are they made of and why are they hanging around? Josh and Chuck explore both sides of the divide between belief and skepticism on t by Stuff You Should Know
42 min listen
SYSK Selects: How Ghosts Work: According to a 2009 poll, more Americans believe in ghosts than don't. But what are ghosts exactly? If they do exist, what are they made of and why are they hanging around? In this classic episode airing for Halloween, Josh and Chuck explore both sides of the divide between belief and skepticism on the topic of ghosts and look at some pretty cool explanations for hauntings. by Stuff You Should Know
43 min listen
How Willpower Works: You use it every day to overcome your lower self (which wants you to eat cake until your vision blurs) in pursuit of the goals of your higher self (which wants you to not develop Type-II diabetes). Yet it was only in the 1990s that researchers began to un by Stuff You Should Know
30 min listen
How Cinnamon Works: In another commodities edition of SYSK, Josh and Chuck dive into the world of cinnamon, once the world's most prized and pricey spice. But did you know it was really just dried up tree bark? by Stuff You Should Know
38 min listen
Selects: How Profiling Works: At its base, criminal profiling is a legitimate investigatory tool. The Supreme Court has drawn a clear line that bans profiling when it includes race. So why do we still do it? Take a closer look with Josh and Chuck in this classic episode. by Stuff You Should Know
50 min listen
“The Campus Killer” Pt. 2: Ted Bundy: In 1974, Ted Bundy embarked on a murderous roadtrip across America committing dozens of murders from Colorado to as far as Florida. by Serial Killers
56 min listen
How Dissociative Identity Disorder Works: Dissociative Identity Disorder was known as multiple personality disorder until a case of mass hysteria brought on by the movie-mad public and unscrupulous psychiatrists led to a stigma over the term. Now psychiatry has gotten serious about the condition. by Stuff You Should Know
43 min listen
The Railway Revenge Killer by Serial Killers
29 min listen
Episode 6: Leroy by Happy Face Presents: Two Face
40 min listen
What is a body farm?: Most farms host crops and animals, but body farms specialize in corpses. Join Josh and Chuck as they tackle the fascinatingly gross phenomenon of body farms in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. by Stuff You Should Know
25 min listen
Beyond the Veil: When Lori Met Chad and the Dream of Immortal Love Part I: Join us for an in-depth dinner conversation about belief formation and the desire for ideal love. We dig as deep as we can into Lori Vallow Daybell’s psyche and start to put all of the pieces together to develop a comprehensive psychological portrait of ... by Hidden: A True Crime Podcast
86 min listen
How Propaganda Works: Propaganda, a persuasion tactic typically associated with deception, has been around for centuries. Explore the history of propaganda -- and learn how to spot it -- in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com. by Stuff You Should Know
35 min listen
How The Rosenhan Experiment Worked by Stuff You Should Know
53 min listen
Cults: Who is this "The Leader?": Cults are conventionally understood to be unestablished, non-mainstream religious groups that follow a single leader. So what does it take to be the leader? Tune in as Josh and Chuck take a closer look at cults. by Stuff You Should Know
54 min listen
Joseph Merrick, aka "The Elephant Man": Joseph Merrick was known as The Elephant Man because of his suffering from what we now know was Proteus Synrome. Learn all about this brave man in today's episode. by Stuff You Should Know
44 min listen
Mystery Man by Happy Face Presents: Two Face
34 min listen
4. 3000 Days Part 1 by Voices for Justice
52 min listen
229: The Catskill Ripper: Lizzie Halliday w/ Kevin Owen - A True Crime History Podcast: On the heels of Lizzie Borden's infamous double murder, another woman named Lizzie was arrested for a series of killings, this time in New York's Catskill Mountains. Lizzie Halliday was arrested in September of 1893 for not only her husband Paul's... by Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast
90 min listen
METI: Existential Threat? Probably Yes by Stuff You Should Know
44 min listen
Confidence Man by Small Town Dicks
49 min listen
Episode 310 - Brenda Spencer: ‘I Don’t Like Mondays’ by RedHanded
57 min listen
Blood Shadow by Small Town Dicks
47 min listen
The Cleveland Torso Murders: During the depths of the Great Depression, Cleveland’s most vulnerable and destitute residents were prey for one of history’s most horrific serial killers. The killer’s identity remains a mystery to this day. by Stuff You Should Know
48 min listen
Episode 1 - Charles Sobhraj: Charles Sobhraj - The Bikini Killer by True Crime Island
25 min listen
Introducing Mind Of A Monster: Ed Kemper "The Co-Ed Killer" vs. Herbert Mullin: Take a true look inside the mind of history’s most notorious serial killers—straight from the monsters themselves. by Mind of a Monster: The Butcher Baker
1 min listen
Episode 91: Jodi Arias Part 2: Travis Alexander was found Murdered in his shower—shot in the face, stabbed in the back, his throat slashed ear to ear. Many of his friends pointed a finger at his ex-girlfriend, Jodi Arias. But police had to piece together her whereabouts on the day of the murder—and her calculating actions made that incredibly difficult. In episode 89, part two of a three part series, Jac, Alexis and Billy delve into the investigation of Jodi Arias, including blood evidence, her bank and credit card statements and the most shocking discovery: a camera found in the washing machine containing images of Travis’s last moments—shot by the killer. by The First Degree
66 min listen
Short Stuff: Jaywalking: Jaywalking is a crime. Sort of. But why? Learn all about this weird law today. by Stuff You Should Know
15 min listen
Episode 5: Misdirection: How did Keith get away with murder for so long? by Happy Face Presents: Two Face
32 min listen
Nullum Corpus by Small Town Dicks
53 min listen
Faked Deaths and Double Lives: Faking your death is so extreme you must be running from something criminal to do it. by Crime Countdown
38 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

What makes a serial killer?

What makes a serial killer?

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Stuff You Should Know

Related podcast episodes