HowStuffWorks series: from TV explainer to podcast powerhouse—and where to find it now

The “HowStuffWorks series” commonly refers to the Discovery Channel documentary series inspired by HowStuffWorks.com in the late 2000s and, more broadly today, to the brand’s long-running podcast lineup—most notably Stuff You Should Know—now produced under the iHeartPodcasts banner. Below is what the label covers, how it evolved, and where to watch and listen in 2025.

What people mean by “HowStuffWorks series”

Because HowStuffWorks has spanned television, podcasts, books, and videos, the phrase can point to different but related things. The brand began as an explanatory website that turned into a media ecosystem: a Discovery-backed TV explainer series, a prolific slate of hit podcasts, and assorted spinoffs that helped define early internet-era service journalism in audio and video.

The TV documentary series (Discovery Channel)

Debuting in the late 2000s on Discovery Channel (and later appearing on Science Channel), the HowStuffWorks TV series translated the website’s accessible explainers into documentary television. Episodes unpacked how everyday objects, infrastructure, and processes work—covering topics from food and materials to transportation, energy, and technology—using on-location segments, expert interviews, and simple demonstrations. Availability in 2025 varies by region and rights; some episodes surface in Discovery/Science Channel libraries and on digital storefronts.

The podcast series (Stuff Media/iHeartPodcasts)

As on-demand audio surged, HowStuffWorks became best known for its podcast “series”—a network of shows that turned curiosity into appointment listening. Flagship titles like Stuff You Should Know and Stuff You Missed in History Class popularized the brand’s friendly, well-researched explainer style. The podcast arm, spun out as Stuff Media in the late 2010s, was acquired by iHeartMedia; new episodes continue under the iHeartPodcasts label across the major listening apps.

Where to watch and listen in 2025

Streaming the TV series

Rights and availability for the HowStuffWorks TV episodes can shift. You’ll most often find them in Discovery’s and Science Channel’s back catalogs, with some regions accessing them through Max (which carries portions of Discovery’s library), Discovery+, or channel-operated sites and apps. Select episodes may also be purchasable on digital stores such as Apple TV and Amazon, and short clips circulate on official and licensed YouTube channels. Check regional listings for the most current access.

Listening to the podcasts

The active HowStuffWorks-branded podcasts release under iHeartPodcasts. You can stream them free on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube (for some shows), Google Podcasts alternatives, and via RSS in most podcast players. Archive episodes generally remain available in the same feeds.

Flagship podcast titles and what they cover

The HowStuffWorks podcast family grew into one of the most recognized nonfiction audio lineups. The following highlights the core series listeners usually mean when they reference the “HowStuffWorks series.”

• Stuff You Should Know (Josh Clark, Chuck Bryant): Deep-dive explainers on everything from historical oddities to science, law, and culture, presented with conversational clarity.
• Stuff You Missed in History Class (Holly Frey, Tracy V. Wilson): Narrative history focusing on overlooked events, figures, and contexts around well-known stories.
• Stuff To Blow Your Mind (Robert Lamb, Joe McCormick): Explorations at the edges of science, philosophy, and the human experience, often through a curiosity-driven lens.
• TechStuff (Jonathan Strickland): Technology’s past, present, and near future, unpacking industries, breakthroughs, and the business behind them.
• Stuff They Don’t Want You To Know (Ben Bowlin, Matt Frederick, Noel Brown): Media literacy and critical-thinking takes on conspiracy claims, secrecy, and power—sorting fact from fiction.
• Stuff Mom Never Told You (Anney Reese, Samantha McVey): Gender, culture, and social issues examined through reporting, interviews, and personal essay.
• BrainStuff (various hosts): Bite-sized explainers answering everyday science and “why is that” questions in short episodes.

Together, these shows define the modern HowStuffWorks identity: approachable reporting, curiosity-first topics, and a commitment to demystifying complex subjects for general audiences.

Related spinoffs and media

Beyond the core TV and podcast lines, the brand’s success produced additional series and formats that broadened its reach and tone for different audiences.

• Stuff You Should Know (TV): A short-lived scripted/documentary hybrid on Science Channel that riffed on the hit podcast’s sensibility.
• Video explainers and web series: Short-form “how it works” segments and animations distributed via the site and YouTube.
• Book titles: Illustrated reference books and compilations drawn from or inspired by the website’s explainers.

These extensions kept the brand’s central promise intact—clear, engaging explanations—while meeting audiences on the platforms they were already using.

Key milestones and ownership changes

The corporate journey of HowStuffWorks shaped where different “series” ended up and how they’re distributed today. These moments explain why the TV, website, and podcasts may have distinct homes.

• 1998: Engineer and educator Marshall Brain launches HowStuffWorks.com as a plain-language explainer site.
• Late 2000s: Discovery Communications backs and airs the HowStuffWorks TV series.
• 2010s: The brand builds a leading podcast network under the HowStuffWorks name.
• 2018: iHeartMedia acquires Stuff Media (the podcast division), bringing the shows under iHeartPodcasts while the website operates separately.
• 2020s: The podcasts remain active under iHeart; the website continues to publish explainers; TV library access persists via Discovery/Science Channel rights.

The upshot: podcasts live with iHeartPodcasts, legacy TV lives with Discovery/Science Channel, and the explainer website continues as its own editorial property.

Reception and impact

The HowStuffWorks banner helped mainstream the explainer format in digital media, paving the way for the podcast boom by proving that approachable, deeply researched topics could command massive, loyal audiences. Flagship shows have toured live, inspired TV experiments, and earned industry accolades, while the website remains a gateway for learners seeking clear answers without jargon.

Tips for new listeners and viewers

If you’re approaching the HowStuffWorks universe for the first time, a few simple steps can help you find the right “series” for your interests and your location.

• Pick a podcast feed that matches your curiosity—SYSK for generalists, TechStuff for tech, SYMHC for history.
• Sample recent and archival episodes; most shows have timeless back catalogs.
• For TV episodes, search the Science Channel/Discovery catalogs in your region (Max, Discovery+, or network apps) and check digital storefronts.
• Use the website’s topic hubs to go deeper with articles that complement podcast and TV coverage.

With multiple entry points, you can start anywhere—then follow related topics across audio, video, and articles to build a personalized learning path.

Summary

“HowStuffWorks series” can mean two things: the Discovery-era documentary TV program that visualized the site’s explainers, and the ongoing podcast network—now under iHeartPodcasts—that turned curiosity into one of nonfiction audio’s most durable franchises. In 2025, look to Discovery/Science Channel libraries and digital stores for TV access, and to iHeart, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube for the podcasts. The connective tissue across all of it remains the same: clear, engaging answers to how the world works.