In Research Of

Jeb and Blake go in search of John the Baptist's resting place. Content Warning: Human remains on screen. Discussion of murder.   Beheading John the Baptist (wiki) Salome (play) In 2018 the murder of Bishop Epiphanius took place and rocked the religious community -- not important for this episode but it popped up a lot in my searching. San Silvestro "head" shown in intro Same - but wiki article Nimoy Fashion Alert  (NFA Wardrobe consulting by The Hogtown Rake, Pedro Mendes) The "head" of John the Baptist at San Silvestro: Art historian Michael Patroconni (Petroccione?) I think Jeb and I found this to be the most fun part of the episode: Gerald Larue obituary Herod Antipas (the Herod that executed JTB) Wadi El Natrun The Cave of John the Baptist

Blake tries to talk Jeb off the ledge as we return to the classic theme of "ancient astronauts" in this throwback episode titled: Earth Visitors. Some links relevant to our discussion: Dejah Thoris (character) MUFON/Harzan scandal Roman Dodecahedrons (archaeology) Frank Frazetta Boris Vallejo We mention Zecharia Sitchin. Research suggests humans grow more neurons than did Neanderthals. A bunch of this episode comes from the work of Maurice Chatelain, who we shall refer to as "Shadowlane." His book Our Cosmic Ancestors sports one of the more interesting book covers we've seen while researching this show. He also wrote Our Ancestors Came from Outer Space. Maurice Chatelain's credentials appear to have been somewhat overstated in the episode. We'll be talking about several "Out of Place Artifacts" or OOPAs in this episode. Let's start with the "Boot Print" aka The Meister Print. (pictured below) See also this article by Glenn Kuban. Very compelling stuff. I guess. I mean it sort of looks like show print. This interesting looking skull also sent us down some research holes. The text of the episode seems to be talking about the Del Mar Skull but the image doesn't look like a close match. A lot of "shapes on the earth" are discussed. The shapes require you to do a lot of work. We'll get into that in the episode. But one is the Maltese Cross that is absolutely stunning, so long as you ignore that some of the points are hundreds of miles from the alleged anchor points and that the temples allegedly at each point were centuries apart. Skeptical response via CSICOP. Also - this is supposed to be a "pyramid" but seems to be more of what geometry wonks call a "triangle." I'm trying to find the type of terminal behind our statistician. And - behind the scenes I've managed to contact him and he assures me that the episode required many takes and that his students reported they made him sound like he believes in the whole ancient astronauts thing... More on this if I hear back from a rather lengthy email I sent him today (12/13/24). Read even more about the Monte Carlo Method! Vintage ad for the The Outer Space Connection. According to Scientific American, the idea that indigenous Americans were here for a very long time (from across the Bering sea) really kicked off in the 1930s. Read more about The Elephant Slab hoax. This montage of Kachina dolls really impressed Blake: Nimoy Fashion Alert! Native Jewelry Artist Preston Monongye Engineer Charles Ruggles Could he be LARPing J. Allen Hynek? Finally we get to the Cosa Artifact. And - of course, The Jupiter Menace (1982)

Jeb and Blake head out to sea in research of the mystery of what happened to the crew of The Mary Celeste.  Links: The Dei Gratia Nimoy Fashion Alert  (NFA Wardrobe consulting by The Hogtown Rake, Pedro Mendes)  Attorney Fred Flood In 1913, The Strand Magazine provided an alleged survivor's account from one Abel Fosdyk, supposedly Mary Celeste's steward. The Mary Celeste (1913 article) Per "WhatTheFont" website identifier, that font is (appropriately):  JOLLY ROGER!  Meanwhile on Skull Hut Island...   Pop Culture: Dead Calm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mystery_of_the_Mary_Celeste Read it, it's a time. Hammer film -Jeb https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chase_(Doctor_Who)

Jeb and Blake go into the jungles of California and France in search of WILD CHILDREN!  This episode of ISO contains a lot of disturbing content and our commentary is laced with expletives, hence the Explicit tag.   Tarzan is raised by a fictional ape species known as The Mangani The story of Mowgli is LOOOOSELY based on the real-life person Dina Sanichar. Frequently referenced ERB Zine article Ian Jackson obituary News coverage of David as adult (BBC) 2021 update on David 1985 story about search for "wild children" (and Sham Dev/Shamdeo) Christopher Hitchens on Mother Theresa Japanese quadrupedal runner The Green Children of Woolpit Victor of Aveyron Disturbing story of Genie - more neglected than feral NFA - Wild Children:  It's supposed to be a Bear but it has some other possumbilities.

How could Vincent have been a creative genius - yet also "insane?" Jeb and Blake take a look at Nimoy's very personal thoughts about this question. This episode deals with the topic of self-harm and suicide. If you're struggling with thoughts of self harm, please get help immediately.  You can reach trained and empathetic counselors (in the USA) by dialing 988 or 1-800-273-TALK.  We care about our listeners and want you to be around for many years to enjoy life - and our work.   Links for Show Notes: Nimoy's play VINCENT via Archive 81 Words - This American Life on the DSM  The Book of Kells Bullshit or Not? Was JTR really Nessie? Article on Jo Bonger The Golden Gate Quartet Weird Al's Skipper Dan (YouTube) Doctor Who clip of Vincent at the art gallery Early montage sequence shows: Self Portrait (1888) Starry Night (1889) Vase with 15 Sunflowers (1888) Bedroom at Arles (1888) Night Cafe in the Place Lamartine in Arles (1888) Encampment of gypsies with caravans (1888) Langlois Bridge at Arles (1888) Fishing boats on the beach at Saintes Maries  Wheat FIeld with Cypresses (1880)  You can find all these and more at the online Van Gogh museum.             Meanwhile... Could Manos be loosely based on Paul and Vincent?

Jeb and Blake learn all about the riveting world of stock certificates and inheritance law! It may not be the most mysterious episode of In Search Of... but it's certainly one of the episodes we watched. Show Notes: Orson Welles Critic Clip Lot 249 Texas Pacific Land trust 1980 article The big 2014 Business Insider article Pembroke: http://www.oldlongisland.com/2008/02/pembroke.html http://www.oldlongisland.com/2011/10/pembroke.html http://www.oldlongisland.com/2009/07/pembroke-american-architect.html Pembroke tour (video) Alice de Lamar Failed lawsuit Contemporary article about the case Nimoy Fashion Alert (red-shift corrected) The case of the missing hair! Jeb was confounded by this man's barberian style choices.

Jeb and Blake are joined by Sharon Hill to get shook by the San Andreas Fault!   Understanding the Richter Scale (logarithmic) Link (Netflix) to Earthstorm docu series YT video clip featuring geologist Dr. Kerry Sieh Classic Budweiser commercial from the 70s The Salton Sea Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Nuclear activist Ray Vrana Peter Gros of Wild Kingdom   San Andreas movie with The Rock (Amz affiliate link)   Cover to guide for SF geological tour:   Dr. Tim Hall - One of the founders of the San Andreas Fault Trail in 1977. Featured in 2011 documentary available on YT.   Dr. Kerry Sieh   The very sexy VT52 from DEC.   NFA San Andreas edition: 

In order to understand In Search Of… The Dark Star, Jeb and Blake will first need to get Sirius; Sirius-B, that is!   Links from this episode:   Siris (A part of the Canis Major constellation)    Jeb discussed a couple of evocative artworks:  Appeal to the Great Spirit (Dallin) End of the Trail (Fraser)    North African musket (Moukahla) Colonial Williamsburg Hoop Rolling Jacquard Loom Punched Cards technology The Hans Guggenheim art project Isaac Koi UFO archives The Tribal Eye BBC documentary series (YouTube)   Regarding Temple, Puhairich, Young, and The Nine The Sirius Mystery by Robert Temple Editorial letter about Temple from The Observatory Dogon Shame by Phillip Coppens Griaule's Legacy: Rethinking "la parole claire" in Dogon Studies Pop Culture References (affiliate links): Conjure Wife - aka Burn Witch Burn Bewitched Bell, Book and Candle ===== Images: The "orbit" of the Dogon dark star. Nimoy posing with a tribal mask - our initial NFA image. Later we get to see his legs in this seated NFA supplementary: Hans Guggenheim initially appears in just a vest and pants. Later, he too is in more of a Safari look, and has a professorial pipe as well.   Dr Gary Chapman, Astronomer The man who first photographed Sirius B - Dr Lindenblad A little of the FORTRAN code that powers the orbit animation in the episode:   We don't have enough information to know who made Nimoy's safari clothing, but if you want to try and track down a very close approximation, this example from J. Peterman's (est 1987) is as close a match as I've seen. You would still need to find it in a vintage shop because at present they don't sell these.    

Blake and Jeb look for the real location of Mt. Sinai, where Moses was supposed to have received the Ten Commandments from God.

Jeb and Blake extinguish our cigarettes, put our trays in the upright position, and head out the back of the plane in search of the elusive skyjacker known as D. B. Cooper. Nimoy Fashion Alert - dimly lit corporate office edition.   D. B. Cooper - Wikipedia The Pursuit of D. B. Cooper (Movie) - if you buy it on Amazon we get a few pennies. Recent Netflix series on D. B. Cooper Blake's friend Rick Ollerman offered some opinions on vintage round parachutes.     Later we meet Nimoy outside where you can make out more of his ensemble.   Of course this is an episode about D. B. Cooper - who for Jeb and I, evokes the classic "MIB" look.   This ain't deal-a-meal. This is a different Richard Simmons.   There is some great photography in this episode. I liked seeing the reservoir and dam. Imagine landing there on a stormy November night without jump boots...   Finally - kudos to the faceless Cooper stand-in who lugged stuff around in the anonymous re-creations. 

Jeb and Blake join Leonard Nimoy's search for Pompeii!  (Well - is it really about finding Pompeii?  Or is it about finding a possibly Christian cross in Pompeii?  Tune in and find out!)   Links:  Depictions of the crucifixion in Medieval Art People debating the cross at Pompeii Christian graffiti at Pompeii House of the Faun - Pompeii About that "lost Legion" thing Discovery and rediscovery of Pompeii Giuseppe Fiorelli  Terentius Neo Lupinar Villa of Mysteries Dinosyian Mysteries Greco-Roman Mysteries Thyrsus Nimoy Fashion Alert!   Hey - it's NOT a Jumpsuit.   We complain but there really is WAY too much red-shift in the majority of this episode:   You need pumice? WE GOT BUCKETS OF PUMICE!  

Jeb and Blake track the last cryptozoology episode of the original In Search Of… as we join the late Peter C. Byrne in a search for "The Abominable Snowman." Imagining the Wild Man: Yeti Sightings in Folktales and Newspapers of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong Hills More on Tom Slick - MonsterTalk Monty Python "abattoir" sketch Searching for Sasquatch (affiliate link) Article about Byrne still "hunting" in his 90s. The Eternal Return Bigfoot Map Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds (YouTube) Horror in the Heights - Kolchak Episode with Rakshasha   NFA - "Proof of Life"      Crevasse photo we mention from the episode.  

Jeb is right at home as we go In Search Of... Mexican Pyramids! Links from research Sacrifice City Great Pyramid of Cholula Templo Mayor Ruz' Palenque Dissertation The Christmas Robbery of the Century Secrets of the Maya Temple (1958) Museo (2018) movie about the robbery - affiliate link Mystery of the Meridas Ciudad Maya nightclub Music/Art film tied to the nightclub site Operation PBSuccess - CIA and Guatemala  Mystery film we think MAY have sourced part of this episode. Director Jean Chartier  Pyramid Comparison visual tool (wikipedia)   Nimoy Fashion Alert!  Jungle Cotton Blend edition:   There are actually subtle stripes on that shirt! This episode has some amazing models - so cool: And - of course - it wouldn't be ISO without some reenactments...  

Dr. Joe Nickell recalls his experiences working on the Season 4 episode of In Search Of… dealing with The Shroud of Turin. note: This interview will be cross-posted to MonsterTalk. The interview contents will be identical, but the framing intro/outro will be unique to the respective shows.  In Research Of… (Patreon) In Research Of (free feed) In Search Of… The Shroud of Turin (YouTube) Joe Nickell covered by The Daily Mail That's Incredible! segment on THE AMITYVILLE HORROR. (YouTube) Joe Nickell's website Joe's Amazon Author's Page (affiliate link)

Jeb and Blake unwrap the mystery of the shroud of Turin! (Which might, it turns out, be neither a shroud, nor from Turin - talk amongst yourselves!) Link to ISO on YouTube: While it lasts! The bucket brigade saves the shroud in re-creation... NFA - A return to "the Night Gallery?" Young Joe Nickell at work in Alan Landsburg's NYC apartment: The Rev. Francis Filas (1931 - 1985 - NYT OBIT) Prescriptive Linguistics Descriptive Linguistics Overview of use of Christ in Medieval Art Secondo Pia, photographer who discovered the "negative effect" on Shroud. (also, dead ringer for Seth Myers)   Just saying... Modern research suggests "blood on shroud" was applied artistically, not organically. More on Accelerator Mass Spectrometry    Dr. Harry Gove (Obit) The Shroud of Turin Research Project    Recent book that confirms Nickell's findings 

S04E06 - The Lost Colony of Roanoke The ISO team take us back to Colonial Virginia to investigate the cold-case of the lost colony of Roanoke. Jeb and Blake learn about armadas, plays, and rock diaries. Beach Action Nimoy Fashion Alert! The Money Shot...     Blake thinks the ISO actor is giving off Keenan Wynn vibes. And we've already discussed the ties between Rod Serling, Leonard Nimoy, Night Gallery, and more, so the visual similarities to this scene and Planet of the Apes might not be 100% coincidence. The famous "Dare Stones" preserved with all the decor and pomp appropriate their historical significance:     Links for this episode: History Channel's reboot of ISO covered this. Antiquarianism Play Sid Meiers Colonization  Book by David Stick on topic Park Ranger Phil Evans   The full text of the Dare Stones 

We're going to need a bigger boat!  Jeb and Blake head to Australia to investigate the idea that Great White sharks are immortal! Links: 1977 San Diego article about Sea World's shark exhibit Article about weird things allegedly found inside sharks. Henri Bource - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Bource Groo the Wanderer NFA - on the beach! Sharks are famous for their teeth - and Nimoy's have improved since season one as well. Nimoy just walking on the beach manages to attract a diver's audience. Diving pioneer and explorer, Hugh Edwards.   Ray Keys at Sea World has lots of great shark information.   And don't forget researcher Dr. William Gladstone! (You can find him on twitter at @DrBillGladstone)  

Jeb and Blake have a look at the Season 4 episode UFO AUSTRALIA which covers the Kaikoura UFO Sighting and the disappearance of Frederich Valentich.  Retrospective of the Kaikoura UFO sighting Better version of the video than what is in the episode Westall UFO case (Blake mentioned - but is not in ep) Skeptical Inquirer (McGaha & Nickell) Transcript of the Valentich air traffic discussion Psychic Hippie Lawyer article Nimoy Fashion Alert shot on location at the San Fernando Aerospace Solar Observatory. 

Jeb, Blake and Alex French go in research of The Amityville Horror! Typewriters 101 site History vs Hollywood: Amityville History of the House The Warren Omission The Calamityville Horror The Dictionnaire Infernal Nimoy gives us the calm and rational look in the midst of so much weirdness! So many faceless re-enactors in this one!   Horror writer Jay Anson and his trusty typewriter!   And this episode is quite notable for giving us a look at Father Mancuso from the book. Aka Father Ralph Pecoraro. Aka Father Delaney.  Aka "Jimmy the Shadow" . The Lutz couple at the table.   The two versions of Jodie the Pig: And we gotta include the super creepy ISO doll.  Kudos to the prop dept.   

  Jeb and Blake look back at the ISO team's coverage of the global manhunt for the terrorist known as "Carlos." This episode gets an Explicit tag because of language.   Nimoy Fashion Alert:   Dr. Frederick Hacker (Obit)  Carlos - aka The Jackal  (Wiki) Raid on Entebbe (Wiki) Carnaby Street, England (Wiki) Friendship University, Russia (Wiki) News story about how Carlos got his name Nydia Toban (Obit)  Carlos's Lawyer/"wife" 

Additional background material on this episode is available for Patrons. Jeb and Blake wade into the first episode of season 4 of In Search Of... to learn a thing or two about tsunamis. (Yes, the producers actually said that they called it "tidal waves" because if they'd used "tsunami" Americans wouldn't have bothered to find out what it was about.  I remember being taught the "new" term during my basic education. -B) Lots of good footage, interviews, reenactments, and science in this one!   Nimoy Fashion - Henley Shirt (we assume he's wearing pants below the cut?) To me, it looked like an AARP-style drug ad. The J.K.K. Look Laboratory (in honor of Mr. James K. K. Look - who's death in pursuit of scientific data is honored in the naming) There is shockingly little about Mr. Look on the net and he certainly seems like he deserves at least a Wikipedia page.   Hokusai's famous "wave" - and yes, he really did pioneer "tentacle porn," but I'm not linking to it - nor judging.        This is only a simulation. If this had been an actual podcast, this guy would have tried to sell you some Bombas Socks or a subscription to Wondrium. NOAA monitoring lab Ed Bernard    Steven Froehlich

Blake and Jeb discuss their thoughts on the third season of In Search Of...   Things get... weird.

Jeb and Blake head out into the valley of the kings to learn more about King Tut.  History of the Valley of the Kings  Pyramid Secrets (IRO S02E09)  Significance of pyramids (Benben)  The Colossi of Memnon (the singing statue)  Nimoy Fashion - in the desert  Demotic writing  Example of Cartouche: James Lew - martial artist & actor  The complex history of the Noah's Ark Hoax (article by Jim Lippard) (featuring Gerald Larue)

We're joined by Dr. Nathan French to discuss the Biblical tale of Sodom and Gomorrah and the ISO team's efforts to examine archaeological evidence supporting its actual historical existence. Nimoy Fashion: Dr. Avrahamm Biran (1909 - 2008) The concept of Biblical Maximalism  The big dig at Ebla where the library of clay tablets was found. In 1976 Giovanni Pettinato claimed tablets found at the dig contained the names of five cities of the plain including Sodom and Gomorrah.  Modern scholarly consensus is that this was incorrect. I think this is archaeologist Paulo Matti (Pettinato's fellow researcher on the dig) alongside an unnamed female researcher. As promised, the animated gif of the sinners in our "re-creations" of ancient Sodom. Discussion of Baal in the episode doesn't hint that this Biblical "villain god" may actually represent an entire class of deities.  About 17 mins into the episode there's a guy who runs a hot spring and his moustache reminded Jeb of a certain someone... Doctor Bruce Bolt sitting in front of some truly fabulous old equipment.  Finally - one more thing - the link to the Atari E.T. fiasco documentary. 

We are joined again by Alex French to discuss "Brain Power."  No kids were harmed, but some hosts were shaken. The ISO episode contains outdated wording about cognitive states that are now considered offensive.  Our podcast episode steers clear of that but we wanted you to be aware if you decided to watch the original episode.  Nimoy Fashion: Discussed in this episode: The Raimondi Stele (Jeb discusses flipping it to see different interpretation) Discussion of Haeckle's Embryos (Amazon Affiliate Link) Article on controversy (New Scientist) The 1997 article that brought Haeckel back into fresh scrutiny Biorhythms (pseudoscience popular in late 70s/early 80s) Alleged Russian "psychic" Nina Kulagina    Robert Doman (brother of founder Glenn Doman) Orville Redenbacher called and wants his look back... Louise Emerson of The Morgan Autism Institute Art teacher Betty Edwards    Thelma Moss  What is Kirlian Photography? 

Jeb and Blake drag Alex French back into the studio to endure a "ghostly stakeout" with the sultry voiced Sylvia Browne. Haunted Lives (Tobe Hooper, Nimoy, Sylvia Browne) The Dead Files - S01E09 Scandal in the South (episode set in Blake's hometown of Cartersville, GA) 1972 Akai Video Camera Sylvia Browne - self-proclaimed psychic - and she started a church!   Site of first "haunting" in renovated farmhouse (which burned in the 1980s) Near the village of Jenner   Antoinette May, freelance journalist, who worked the episode cases and co-wrote with Browne   Adventures of a Psychic: The Fascinating and Inspiring True Life Story of One of America's Most Successful Clairvoyants Nick Nocerino  

A look at the Hope Diamond and other allegedly cursed gems from recent history.        DeBeers slogan (1947) predates Bond book (1956) and is different: A Diamond Is Forever | Diamonds Are Forever The Gift - anthro book about reciprocity Superman and the giant spider story - Kevin Smith Osiander's preface to Copernicus Robert Conrad (the actor) famous battery ads from 1979 David Trampier - artist for D&D PHB The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins Recent TV adaptation of same The Mark of the Beast - Kipling Jean-Baptiste Tavernier The Order of the Golden Fleece (NatGeo) Curator of Gems at Smithsonian Institution Paul Desautels Jeb alluded to trouble at the end of his career Link to "The Dollop" episode on the McClean family. We don't know if the Koh-i-noor diamond is related to Star Trek's Kolinahr.

We're joined by Sharon Hill to look into the vital 1970s question: Was Noah's Ark Real? (And does it disprove Darwin's theory of evolution through natural selection?)  spoilers: No and No.  The episode opens with "footage" (re-creations, repurposed footage) of the famous 1889 Flood. The footage in the movie appears to be from a short film called The World that Perished (1977) but we couldn't find a version of that to share.  The 1976 film In Search of Noah's Ark is available (in poor quality) on YouTube.  Nimoy reminds of us the other Ark with this library fashion-alert moment. The episode re-creates the famous "undressing in excitement" story of George Smith discovering the Utnapishtim version of the flood myth.  (Later in the episode we get a better shot of Nimoy in the Library.) We discussed the "Ararat Anomaly" briefly. The many searches for Noah's Ark. Physicist Rainer Berger (1930 - 2003) puts a lot of fake evidence to rest with his radiocarbon dating skills. Creationist Henry Morris "an expert in the flow of water??" Jeb discusses Abzu briefly. The "Creation Research Society" is behind a lot of the content in this episode. The episode calls him "Dr. Clifford Burdick" but he doesn't appear to have actually been a PhD.   Burdick reminded some of us of Reverend Kane from Poltergeist 2. There is some mention of the Younger Dryas - a favorite of Hancockian enthusiasts.   Many cultures around the world have flood myths. Many cultures around the world have floods. There may be some connection?   Discussion of the site called Doggerland. Warm Mineral Springs in Florida. The Black Sea Deluge hypothesis.   Burdick did look a little lost in the desert at one point...

We follow Nazi Hunter Simon Weisenthal as he hunts the notorious war criminal Josef Mengele.  Simon Wiesenthal - wiki Josef Mengele - wiki Dr. Ellen Lingens - wiki Juan Domingo Peron - wiki The Big Gun - Gerald Bull, Saddam Hussein and the Mossad  Read about Escape from Sobibor - this is an amazing story There is the "real" ODESSA and then there's the fictional novel and film The ODESSA FIle. Shadow over Günzburg What really happened to Mengele? Britannica Return to that classic "season 1" aesthetic in our Nimoy Fashion Alert:   Who knew the factory tokens in Axis & Allies were so accurate? Another shot of Nimoy in the "Night Gallery."  Will we see this set again?      

The In Search Of team heads of to Santa Catalina island to hunt for underwater archaeology guided only by "remote viewers" Ingo Swann and Hella Hammid. Nimoy Fashion:   Links from our Discussion: Robert Ballard Titanic search cover for military submarine research The Mobius Group The JASON Group Stephan Schwartz paper on the use of remote viewing in Archaeology Stephan A. Schwartz's website  Alexander the Great's tomb (wikipedia) - it also recently showed up in a certain Marvel creative endeavor which I'm not going to mention because of "spoilers." HYCO submarine was a "Pisces Class" deep submersible and some of these went to depths of more than 8000 feet.  The Taurus  IS FOR SALE!!! Blake & Jeb discussing the video series Hellier with Hayley Stevens on her podcast The Spooktator. The Great Wall of Benin Lost Kingdoms of Africa: Great Zimbabwe Jack Parsons and the JPL Spiritual healer "Rolling Thunder" who some have accused of being a "Plastic Shaman." Ed Dames, famous for selling remote viewing training and making terrible predictions   Ingo Swann - pioneer of "remote viewing" (Ingo also wrote gay erotica as Hero Haubold)   Hella Hammid (1921 - 1992)  Skeptical response to Ingo Swann's remote viewing    Anne Kahle - Jet Propulsion Lab and NASA   Thomas Cook from the Bureau of Land Management shows up - says there are 1,100 known wrecks and 53 around Catalina

We include a warning in the intro to this one.  It's got an explicit tag.  That's for language because this one brought out some strong feelings, but that's all explained in the intro.  What's not explained in the intro is that my audio is pretty awful in this one.  Once again Skype decided to randomly use my laptop's microphone instead of my podcasting mic.  This is the last time that will happen because I've ditched the laptop in favor of a more powerful machine with no internal microphone!  My apologies for that, but hopefully you'll find more treasure in this episode than the searchers will ever find on Oak Island. How Howard Pyle invented our modern image of the pirate. The "real" Captain Kidd and Pyle's version: Poe's The Gold Bug (wiki) The Knickerbocker Tales (Amz Affiliate) The Oak Island Mystery, Solved! (book about explanation for literal geology of site) Nimoy Fashion Alert: So many re-enactors in this one.   So many shirtless re-enactors. FDR on Oak Island   The clay(?) model used throughout the episode:   The replica of the coded stone:  

Blake and Jeb are joined again by Alex French to discuss the tantalizing possibility that animals may possess powers of ESP! 1973 Habitrail Ad   Cat Roulette   Blackfish - documentary about Sea World & Orcas (AMZ) King's Island and the Brady Bunch (News story - 46 years later) The 68–95–99.7 rule (statistics - wikipedia) Six-Sigma (business - wikipedia) J. B. Rhine (wikipedia) Origin of the domestic dog (wikipedia) Hans Esser (obit)   Dr. William Broad (news article)   1970s Fashion that's still in fashion:   Animal Psychic Bea Lydecker is apparently still alive and still in business!   Bobby the Wonder Dog (wiki)  

Jeb and Blake are joined again by Alex French to discuss Dreams and Nightmares. Will there be weird video effects and creepy dream re-creations? Does Spock love a syllogism? Tune in and find out!  Nimoy Fashion Alert:          Research Links: CIA Spy Cat  Shakespeare in the Bush (article) Dr. Allan Hobson(1933 - 2021)   Dr. Rosalind Cartwright (1922 - 2021)  - a book she wrote on this topic (Amz affiliate link). Note the "EEG" pattern on her lab coat!   Ted Spagna dream photos Temporal Lobe section of the human brain Spooktator Hellier ep Black and Tans (Ireland) Black and Tan (Drink) Black and Tan (Dog coloration phenotype) Fuseli's The Nightmare The 1970s Big Wheel is for sale again (Amz affiliate link) Radio call letter history (K, W, and N) Rotoscoping in Wizards (clip on YouTube) Garden of Earthly Delights (Wikipedia) The completely nuts "full story" of the wandering-eye boyfriend meme. Dreamscape (Amz affiliate link) A Nightmare on Elm Street (Amz affiliate link) Inception (Amz affiliate link) Waking Life (Amz affiliate link) Strong Bad Light-Switch Rave (YouTube) Defender video game (Wikipedia) List of movies with Dobermans   The "New Age Donnie and Marie" sequence:   Dream Circle session  

EXPLICIT TAG - this episode contains a lot of swearing and complaining. Blake and Jeb go in search of a lost Norse settlement in Canada, but discover that the real treasure isn't Vikings, and it definitely isn't the racist bullshit you meet along the way.     Links: Thomas E. Lee - professor whose weird (racist) theories are at the heart of this episode   "Hammer of Thor" - monument/dry-stack/possible Inuksuk at end of episode   Sveinbjörn Beinteinsson - Icelandic Heathenry Revitalist   The statue supposed to be of Erik the Red was actually of Thorfinn Karlsefni Mjolner (aka Thor's Hammer) Greenland (as a Norse Settlement)The GyrfalconThule (aka Ultima Thule) The Norse sorcerer KolgrimJournal article about “Viking” presence in Nunavik Nimoy Fashion Alert:   Not in the episode - but stuff we talked about: L'Anse aux Meadows - real Norse archeological site in Canada The Mismeasure of Man (by Gould) 2021 Calls to boycott Canada Day after graves found Triumph of the Moon (Ronald Hutton) Famous statue of Leif Erikson  Asatru/Heathenry

This is a teaser for a Patreon Exclusive - NOT JEB'S MAYA.   For nearly a year I've been wanting to take advantage of the amusing wordplay possibility made possible by Jeb's name and academic focus. So, I present to you:  Not Jeb's Maya, a respectful homage to NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.  (With all due apologies to Peter Sagal.) Get the whole episode and more exclusive content at: http://patreon.com/inresearchof

Jeb and Blake are joined by Ken Feder (Frauds, Myths & Mysteries , Fifty Sites) to discuss the question of whether Sherlock Holmes was largely a real person - namely Arthur Conan Doyle. The Great Game - the playful (usually) exploration of the idea that Sherlock was real Michael Saler, As If  Sherlockian and author Peter Lovesey wandering in the "western docks." Sherlockian Stanley MacKenzie in front of part of his collection of memorabilia. Holmes' deerstalker comes from actor Sidney Paget. The phrase "elementary my dear Watson" and the big smoking pipe come from William Gillette.  There was a 1916 silent film that was lost until rediscovered in 2014.  The story of Sherlock's Violin  Doyle's father - Charles Altamont Doyle - troubled (but gifted) artist. Anna May Wong (actress) In a number of films from the 30s Arthur Wontner was Holmes & Ian Flemming as Watson  (This was Australian actor Ian Flemming, not the British action/spy novelist behind that other famous British crime solver, James Bond.)  Wontner got the Sherlock role after he'd played a popular version of a Holmes-style knock off character called Sexton Blake. Nimoy playing Sherlock  Lots of Star Trek connections to Sherlock.  Sherlockian and Scotland Yard official, Philip Dalton  In a re-creation located in The Sherlock Holmes public house. Smithsonian on the location of 221B Baker.  Nimoy Fashion Alert: Sherlockian H. R. F. Keating (and man guarding wizarding library from curious muggles...)   Did Doyle introduce skiing to Switzerland?  Doyle's letter writing campaign on armor for British soldiers. Cases Doyle worked on: Major Alfred Wood  George Edalji  Sherlock Holmes and the Piltdown Controversy? SciFi Series mentioned by Jeb  The Case of the Missing Link  Amazing little documentary about the Cottingley Fairies hoax.

Jeb and Blake examine the idea that the builders of Cahokia's "Woodhenge" might have had links with the Maya.   Some things we discuss in this episode: Cahokia  Mound 72  Recent paper on the Mounds of Cahokia Dr. Warren Wittry  Dr. Wittry discovered the woodhenge that is a large part of the focus of this episode. The active dig shown in the episode:   Nimoy Fashion Alert: Hovenweep National Monument    Dr. Ray Williamson  More on Ray  And a BOOK he wrote   Casa Grande   Robert Hicks of University of Arizona Hicks work with Mutter.   Casa Rinconada   Dr. Jonathan Reyman of Illinois State University:   Dr. Garman Harbottle     

Jeb and Blake continue their look at the 1984 film Ghostbusters.  The full version of this has an additional 90 mins of coverage and is available at our Patreon page for as little as $2/month.

Just in time for H̶a̶l̶l̶o̶w̶e̶e̶n̶ Thanksgiving, we bring you the first part of our 2-part coverage of the classic 1984 film Ghostbusters.  This is one of our favorite movies and we wanted to get this special out to you before Halloween but life conspired against us meeting that deadline.  But with the new sequel dropping in just about a week, we figure the movie still has some relevance. ;)   We'll be back with Indian Astronomers very soon.  In the meantime, grab your Proton Packs and PKE Meters and head for the fire pole! Discussed in Part 1:  On the current version of the Columbia Pictures Logo  The Stanford Prison Experiment  Lovecraft and the Pineal Gland  The very awful Theosophist Charles Webster Leadbeater  The Bat-O-Matic with Dan Aykroyd Casper vs Ghostbusters  The Ghostbusters Song  Zener Cards  J. B. Rhine  PKE Valances  The Crookes Tube  Trepanation  The Etheric Plane  The Cathedral of Learning vs The Continental Life building 

eb and Blake hoist the Jolly Roger and set sail to the Caribbean to look for unsuspecting rich tourists in fancy 1970s yachts.   A lot of this episode is based on the writing of Carl Hiaasen - his newspaper work, not his many successful novels.  We see Carl here (RIGHT) with beer-drinking FLORIDA MAN (LEFT). This episode deals, primarily, with a few key missing boat cases: The Saba Bank  (also, see the attached PDFs for contemporary coverage of missing ships in this episode) The Pirate Lady (found in 1990s)  - this was being searched for by the colorful owner Charlie Slater.  The Como No  Fiction/Pop-Culture Mentioned: The Island Licence to Kill The Deep Hitchhiking as Moral Panic Some more images from the episode: Remember folks, when doing a reenactment NEVER GO FULL GILLIGAN!  Our reenactment Villain for this episode takes the "Pirate" thing pretty seriously. You can tell from his shirt. His cartoonish villainy reminds me of the "Red Ryder" home-defense sequence from A Christmas Story.  The "Map Scrolling" equipment the Coast Guard was using as an animated GIF: And finally... our Nimoy Fashion Alert! I'm on a boat! (See this NSFW boat documentary)

I recently appeared on a podcast called The Plastic Plesiosaur Podcast.  They asked me for a copy of the theme to this show and I realized I never made that available?  So... here it is! The music is by Greig Johnson and the singing is by Rachel Lackey. The lyrics are by me, Blake Smith.  And in case you have trouble following them for your sing-alongs, here they are: "In Research of" We talk and have some fun They shared ideas But not the only ones We share the facts That the show sometimes lacked "I-R-O" "In Research of!"

Jeb and Blake continue their coverage of the influential film Raiders of the Lost Ark. Part two of this session is exclusive to our wonderful Patrons.   Full show notes includes additional images and material with background on the science and nonsense behind this movie. Quftis: "men from the Upper Egyptian town of Qift who were trained and became skilled excavators and foremen who went on to work for other foreign missions in Egypt, as well as in Palestine" From OxfordHandbook article on Egyptian Archaeology and the Museum. Building the Ark today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGcdE5RllG0+ https://youtu.be/enbdsdKfhFo?t=2611 - featuring "scientist" John Hutchison of Canada. (Creator of "The Hutchison Effect" fiasco…) Archaeoastronomy - how the sky is tied to ancient sites (Map Room) The art of the Ark: https://www.thepropgallery.com/raiders-of-the-lost-ark-ralph-mcquarrie-the-power-of-god Jacques James Tissot's ark of the covenant Errors Removed in Digital Versions? According to this site the Cobra reflection was removed - which matches Jeb's recollection.  But after famously negative responses to guns being replaced with mobile phones in digital releases of E.T., Spielberg claimed he wasn't going to be tinkering with his films.  Well… people certainly change their minds. Movies knocked off from Raiders: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-indy-ripoffs-2008-pg-photogallery.html Video Games based on Indy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93ojbvhbqOI The idea that the Templars worshipped the mummified head of Jesus?  Source: The Head of Godby Keith Laidler. The Dorade Box (Indy's hiding locale on freighter) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorade_box Kiss Me Deadly (McGuffin style copied in Pulp Fiction)

Jeb and Blake tackle the Ooky world of Monster Hunters.     Nimoy in the forest shadows...   Peter Byrne and Tim Dinsdale - two legendary monster hunters meet. Monsters in the intro to this episode are from the TV film Manbeast! Myth or Monster   For reasons I can't explain, some of the images in this episode reminded me of 1970s album covers...   Arch Buckley 2007 Obituary  Warren Thompson 2013 Obituary  Al Berry 2013 Reminiscence   Ron Moorhead (Sierra Sounds)   We have more material on Doc Shiels but that will be a different post for Patrons.  Scientific American discussion on Bigfoot Language (by MonsterTalk co-host Dr. Karen Stollznow) Some supportive analysis of the Sierra Sounds recordings that we discuss in the episode.   Another paper from Dr. Kirlin  Ook Ook in Sierra Sound paper  The most annoying font ever at the Oregon Regional Primate Research Center?

Jeb and Blake discovered that S03E08 - The Great Lakes Triangle - has disappeared into a temporal anomaly. But we dare not leave you adrift in Lake Eerie, so instead we usher you through a mysterious temple to a VHS tape on a stone pedestal... as we go in research of RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Discussed in this episode: The story conception tapes of Raiders (Lucas, Spielberg, Kasden)  Same thing, but performed by actors  Secret of the Incas (Affiliate Link) Whole film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K02U0CVoutE Map Room https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZJaIc1SDbQ The big scene https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzl4_ytmxDs The real Aztec Sun Stone  The "protection of antiquities" act wasn't real yet when the film is set. The Nazis and the occult stuff alluded to the Ahnenerbe.  Discussed on MonsterTalk before.  Turkdean Barrows mentioned in the film were not a real place but during and after the filming, two barrows in similar area were excavated. Retcon doesn't work in real life guys. The Pan American sea plane  LucasFilm & Trademarking the word "Nazi." Also mentioned: OG style gaming in the Raiders mileu: Raiders of the Lost ArtifactOG style D&D game

Jeb and Blake consider the possibility that the Tunguska Event was caused by an extraterrestrial  atomic craft.  An old friend returns. A SciFi icon cameos. Atoms are split.    Mr. Leonard Nimoy!   Charles Cole   Ronald Oriti   And Dr. Isaac Asimov   News about Golden Globes scandals Asteroid Monitoring (NASA) Tunguska in Pop Culture (Wiki) Basic coverage of Tunguska and theories (Wiki) Leonid Kulik  Thomas R. Atkins (A Fire Came By) Amz Author's Page (Affiliate Link) The Jomon Period (Japan) and some amazing Jomon Masks (3D Print) Henry Gris ("Psychic" author and early member of Hollywood Foreign Press Association) Alexey Zolotov Permafrost Links: https://spookygeology.com/the-hellmouth-batagaika-crater/ https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2020/07/siberia-s-gateway-underworld-grows-record-heat-wave-thaws-permafrost https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/blessing-curse-melting-permafrost-russian-arctic/ Finally - and I'm definitely not recommending this video to you - but am sharing it because it might be the disturbing thing you're looking for. Rabies in a Human Patient (1960) - Warning, Disturbing Imagery

AIPT Comics - is putting on a free online convention Sunday July 18th.  The online convention starts at 10 am and I'll be participating in a couple of ways if you're interested. At noon, I've got a special interview with Stephen R. Bissette.  You might know him as a key artist on Alan Moore's run of Swamp Thing in the 80s - but if you've been subscribing to BIG FOOTAGE the Patreon bonus cast, you'll know him as the author of CRYPTID CINEMA. I'll also be on at 3:30 pm with Jeb Card to discuss conspiracies and comics. Other guests include paleontologist Jim Lehane, psychologist Craig Foster, paranormal investigator Kenny Biddle, artist Celestia World, archaeologist David Anderson, and Matt Brady. author of THE SCIENCE OF RICK AND MORTY.   A link to Cryptid Cinemais here:  http://bit.ly/CryptidCinema   The convention details are here:  https://aiptcomics.com/2021/06/28/aipt-sciphi-fest-science-skepticism/   The direct ZOOM link is here: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86109451697   I hope you can catch the show tomorrow but if you can't, I know that many of the interviews will end up on YouTube and I'm happy to report that Steve Bissette and I talked quite a while longer and the full version of that discussion will be up on YouTube *AND* will drop as a regular episode because it's all right up your alley, dear audience.  Fun and informative stuff indeed - and chock full of monsters.   Also chock full of monsters is also my favorite imaginary coffee.

Jeb and Blake head into cold as we look at the episode titled "Cryogenics."  Yes, there is a lot of legitimate discussion of the science of freezing - but there's also a lot of optimistic coverage of "Cryonics," the much more questionable idea of freezing people for a later thawing and restoration.   CONTENT WARNING:  This episode contains images of dead people, frozen semen, animal harm, terrible puns, and some naughty curse words.  (You're welcome.) Discussed in this episode: Cryogenics is NOT Cryonics Difficult early history of Cryonics (via Alcor website) The first US successful use of insanity plea (Sickles) The Artists Statement video that Jeb talked about The Cryonics Institute (in Michigan) Robert Ettinger - father of Cryonics Alcor Life Extension (Arizona) American Cryonics Society (formerly Bay Area Cryonics Society) Frozen Bovine Semen (History of) The history of alleged "eating ancient mammoth" stories   This animal was revived using ratsuscitation.   Dr. Paul Segall makes a return visit to In Search Of...   Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you method acting:   Who can forget this famous scene from The gRATe Escape?"   UCLA's Dr. Josiah Brown (obituary 1985)   Here's that mouse embryo gif I promised you.   Mr. Leonard Nimoy!  

Jeb and Blake crawl through the cobbled streets of 1978 television to find out what was going on when IN SEARCH OF went looking for Jack the Ripper.  A lot of this episode is about "The Royal Conspiracy" - the idea that Prince Albert Victor (aka "Prince Eddy") was secretly Jack the Ripper.   This was largely derived from a book called Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution, an ironic title since it turned out to be neither final nor the solution.  This was written by Stephen Knight, who appears in the episode. Shortly after this he will develop brain cancer and pass away. The story also involves Prince Albert Victor's surgeon, Dr. William Gull.  We discuss the "modern plague" of Gin in London at the time. (That link is to the Pub Map.) Alert listener Dr. David Cockcroft sent us a link to the 1886 London Poverty Maps of Charles Booth. It's a treasure trove of information contemporary to the time of this case (and the upcoming Sherlock Holmes episode as well). Nimoy Fashion Alert! Did you notice that big book lying flat behind Nimoy's head? That's a book about Vincent Van Gogh. We'll hear more about him in Season 4.  In our bonus episode about pop-culture of JTR we talked about a weird 6-part BBC crime series which pitted two fictional modern TV police detectives against the case.  Wendy Sturgess was one of the writers.  We discuss some of the appalling poverty of the area of London where the murders took place. This included discussion of Jack London's book about London. "The People of the Abyss" - that was the name of a work by American fiction writer Jack London.  It's available online. A young Donald Rumbalow makes an appearance.  We briefly discuss the "wizard money" of England at the time.  The Police News vintage paper is shown several times in the episode. You can search these old papers on the British Newspaper Archive! I elected not to do dramatic readings of the JTR letters, but some of the most famous ones you can read about here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dear_Boss_letter https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saucy_Jacky_postcard https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/From_Hell_letter Dr. J. M. Cameron - chief pathologist of home office (1930 - 2003) makes an appearance. We're not done with the "foggy streets of London" either because we'll be looking into the real identity of Sherlock Holmes in just a few episodes, with return guest Dr. Kenny Feder.

Jeb & Blake discuss the ways that Jack the Ripper has been adapted in fiction and documentary over the years. The strange convergence of Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde merge into a weird mix of fact and fantasy through the decades. A variety of media are discussed. And you can be sure that in the foggy gas-lit, cobbled streets of London there lurk some puns as well.  A few references we'll hit in the show (with affiliate links): Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper by Robert Bloch  YouTube (Thriller! adaptation)  Time After Time  Jack the Ripper (1959)  6-Part BBC Jack the Ripper series (Amazon UK - Region 2) Read about it here The Lodger (1944) Gotham by Gaslight (Batman) From Hell (comic) Letters from Whitechapel mystery board game Bridge Across Time aka Terror at London Bridge - featuring The Hoff Wolf in the Fold - Star Trek S2 Michael Caine in Jack the Ripper (1988) Murder by Decree (1979) Sherlock Holmes vs JTR   Jeb has some Ripper-related photos which I will add later.

Grab your sticks and join Jeb and Blake as they go looking for water flowing underground. Same as it ever was? Not hardly. Special content in this episode courtesy Sharon Hill. Be sure and check out her article on dowsing for water at Spooky Geology. The "earth, air, fire, and water" idea comes from Empedocles.  Early in the episode Francis Hitching holds up a stack of paperbacks. I looked them all up (affiliate link to Amazon). The stack of books he puts down includes: Dowsing: One Man's Way by J. Scott Elliot Dowsing, Water Witches, and Divining Rods for the Millions by Howard V. Chambers Modern Dowsing: The Dowser's Handbook by Raymond Willey Practical Dowsing by A. H. Bell Pendulum Power (1977 edition shown) by Greg Nielsen and Joseph Polansky And finally: Dowsing: The PSI Connection by Christopher Hitching Tom Graves Author of "The Diviner's Handbook: A guide to the timeless art of Dowsing" (1986) Book online https://leanpub.com/needlesofstone/read He's still alive, still writing, and has a Twitter account. When he's not writing fiction and new age - he's an IT and Business consultant of 30 years. Inner London Educational Authority https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner_London_Education_Authority The dry well belongs to John Mitchell. He calls in Dr. Arthur Bailey. Former president of British Society of Dowsers An article by Dr. BaileyDr Arthur Bailey was a senior lecturer in Electronics and Electrical Engineering at the University of Bradford. At some point he got very interested in botanical healing and founded Bailey Flower Essences - which sold plant essences and was closely affiliated with homeopathy.   This episode really inspired me to some show-notes silliness.   The episode had some stunning visuals in it. This looked like an album cover to me.     We don't know who THIS guy is, but he probably was trying to hide from all the Muggles.   Pat Lucas was the only professional British female dowser. The "biofeedback" device from the episode:   And then there's THIS machine - the one used by Harry Lovegrove. New Scientist (New Scientist Feb 16, 1978) article discussing Lovegrove using child's dowsing kit for "amazing results" at "laying down dowsing lines." Whatever that means. The SPR has a lengthy article about dowsing that includes believer and skeptical content. Stan Shepherd - the dowser and well driller. We're of mixed opinions. I think it looks like he's having a heart attack, Jeb prefers the idea that he's having a fart attack. And Stan was just going with the flow.   We also mentioned Martin Gardner and his book Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science. 

We'll be taking a look at ISO's coverage of cloning in this episode. We'll be taking a look at ISO's coverage of cloning in this episode.  Content warning (for ISO watchers) there is animal experimentation and surgery video in this TV episode.  Jeb asked me to include a gif of the "groovy" 1970s video effects from this episode: In the 1970s the idea of "test tube babies" was still quite controversial, as evidenced by this opinion piece in the Berkeley Gazette (1978).  The Weibe Twins (Josephine and Rozzalyn) appear prominently in this episode. Their shop (Twin's Armoire Boutique) shut down last year during the pandemic.  Their outfits threw some serious Boohbah vibes my way. Nimoy fashion alert! We meet the Beernink Twins - brother gynecologists. They both passed away but former patients posted heartfelt remembrances of them.  This look at twin gynecologists brought up the memorable film Dead Ringers and the strange, sad tale of the Marcus twins that inspired it. Learn to pronounce axolotl!  (sounds like ash-sho-lote) You can learn more about these endangered and adorable amphibians here.  You can't talk about eugenics without KHAN! We meet Dr. Clem Markert of Yale. He worked to make a chimera-mouse with genes from multiple mice. Not quite 20 years after this episode was filmed, we got Dolly the cloned sheep.