Don't Look Now

One of the worst fires in US history occurred on July 6, 1944 in Hartford, Connecticut.  The Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Baily Circus had just arrived in town and set up for their first performance…

While many names might come to mind when someone mentions pirates, the first name of the list that isn't fictional is typically Blackbeard or Edward Teach.  While he has become synonymous with the im…

Take a listen and learn about the history and formation of the FBI, the US's most famous federal intelligence and law enforcement service.

In today's episode we discuss three separate cases of prominent citizens from the turn of the 20th Century that suddenly disappeared only to, possibly, reappear years later.  The first is William Can…

Most people know the Liberty Bell as a symbol of the American Revolution.  However, what is the story behind it?  Where did it come from? How did it crack? How did it somehow become associated with t…

Early in the morning on August 8th, 1963 a Royal Mail train carrying the equivalent of $80 million in modern money was robbed by a band of 15 men.   Take a listen and learn about the robbery, how the…

Most know Harry Houdini as a legendary escape artist.  What most don't know is that his performances were largely possible though many inventions he developed to aid in his slight of hand.  He did no…

Studies show that roughly a quarter of the world's population believes in various forms of psychic powers despite there being no reproducible scientific evidence of their existence.  We discuss the h…

The term "Moral Panic" is used in sociology to denote a widespread feeling of fear, which is often irrational, that an evil person, thing, or group threatens the interests and well being of society. …

David Hahn spent his teen years attempting to build a breeder reactor in the potting shed behind his house.  His work resulted in a crude neutron source, a merit badge, and the unintentional creation…

James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger Jr. was an organized crime leader in Boston from the 1960s through the 1990s.  He went into hiding in 1994 and wasn't found and arrested until 2011, resulting in him sitt…

This week we discuss the infamous MKUltra program.  The CIA's attempt to identify drugs and procedures to help with interrogation, discredit targets, and perform brainwashing and torture.  This progr…

We’ve got an episode all about Zeus, leader of the Greek pantheon of Olympic Gods and epic philanderer.  Take a listen and learn some Zeus history and some of his greatest hits from Greek mythology.

One of the greatest scientific rivalries in history was that between paleontologists Edward Cope and Othniel Marsh, often referred to as The Bone Wars.  The two struggled not just to outdo each other…

Most of us remember the nursery rhyme “Do you know the Muffin Man” from childhood or its appearance in Shrek movies.  However, is there truth to the claim that the song references the first documente…

On September 16th, 1994, children at the Ariel School in Ruwa, Zimbabwe claim to have seen an alien spacecraft and extraterrestrial visitors while outside playing at morning recess.  People have hera…

We discuss the details of the case of Christopher McCandless who opted into living a nomadic lifestyle and ultimately starved to death in the Alaskan wilderness leading to a somewhat cult following. …

We discuss to urban legends that revolve around female monsters.  The first is the Kuchisake-onna, or “slit faced woman”, of Japan.  She confronts lone travelers at night and murders those that no lo…

One of the great revolutions in the history of the development of humankind is the controlled use of fire.  When did we as a species learn to keep and make fire?  What changes did it make to humans s…

Our episode this week is on the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.  A time when major drought, grasshopper plagued, swarms of jackrabbits, and massive migration shook the Great Plains of the United States.  Tak…