Squaring the Strange

First, Pascual and Celestia hit recent science news -- a sideways lunar landing, some male-on-male humpback whale action, and recent cell outages. Then Ben and Celestia look at weather modification, from prayer and superstition to very real cloud-seeding efforts. Though in practice almost everywhere for generations, this technology still surprises and confuses people, who lump it in with conspiracies about precise weather control by some all-powerful cabal . . . using a decommissioned array of antennas in Alaska?

First, Ben and Celestia have several tidbits to discuss, from Micheal Mann's court win to chemtrails popping up in social media. Ben is watching another cult docuseries, and we get into the unfortunate trend of obituary pirating. For our main segment, we are joined by the delightful Daniel Loxton, illustrator, author, editor and longtime skeptic luminary. He takes us on a tour of the long-debunked story about a 15-foot penguin in Florida. But a simple debunking is only the surface of this tale, which has much to teach us about modern popular paranormal culture, the mixing of sci-comm with mystery-mongering, and the different levels of investigation. This leads us into a conversation on the nature of skepticism itself, and where our future lies. 

After some chit-chat about vaccine misinfo on X and "phrogging" on Netflix, the gang tackles truth default theory. Coined by researcher Timothy Levine, truth default theory explains that human beings generally believe what we're told. Why? This seemingly simple concept plays a part in anchoring bias, first impressions, stereotypes, confirmation bias, and why it's so difficult to change one's beliefs. The "truth bias" is a blind spot that we need to be aware of, especially as skeptics, because although people aren't great at figuring out when they're being lied to, people THINK they can spot a lie a mile away.  

We've had this scheduled for a while, but this week AI popped up in the news twice, impersonating George Carlin and Joe Biden, so what better time for a skeptical look at artificial intelligence! Kyle Polich of the long-running Data Skeptic Podcast joins Ben, Celestia and Pascual to talk about different sorts of AI. From generative AI threatening writers and artists to the kind of AI that can help scammers manipulate people -- or even put human lives in peril if it goes wrong. How much of an AI panic are we witnessing right now, and what sort of impact will it really have on our society, our economy . . . and our skepticism?

Quite a few news topics hit our skeptical radar this week, from Disney's copyright expiration on Mickey to an industrious Welsh mouse (no relation), to a 10-foot-tall alien in Miami and Ben's bittersweet discovery in a Barnes and Noble. Then our main topic is an overview of Bigfoot -- the biggest, footiest member of the cryptid family. Ben gives a summary of first appearances, evidence from the Patterson-Gimlin film to supposed DNA, ret-conning of native legends, and Bigfoot's role in democratizing science over the decades. What's our furry friend been up to in the 21st century though? We go over arguments that Bigfoot proponents have put forth as to why the creature has remained hidden so long. And, finally, can a legend ever truly die?

For our last episode of the year, after Ben lists his upcoming appearances and a nice book accolade, and after Celestia discusses "Skibidi Toilet Syndrome," we speak with Prof. Libby Tucker about dark play. Existing in the liminal spaces of childhood, forbidden yet alluring, dark play takes many forms. Rituals, tests of bravery or belief, chants and rhymes, breathing control games -- all exist as a means for children to test boundaries and take control of otherwise overwhelming concepts. Mortality is a common theme, as only recently have children come to be relatively shielded from death. It was quite common for Victorian children to see siblings, playmates and others their age succumb to illness or injuries, with bodies kept in the family home for funeral rites. From "Light as a Feather" signifying resurrection to Bloody Mary foreshadowing menstruation, old tales and games have both stayed ever-present and evolved to new online pranks and TikTok challenges. Whether it's divination by means of an origami "cootie-catcher" or a vandalism dare, chances are you, too, have dabbled in dark play.

After some discussion on a recent shooting in Las Vegas, Alex Jones being let back onto Twitter/X, and Napoleon's height, we dive into a look back at Absinthe. This exotic liquor has a surprisingly rich history filled with danger, exaggeration, fraud and propaganda. From it's supposed creativity-enhancing powers to its effect of bringing about madness and hallucinations, we go for a strange little journey into the evolution of the green fairy.

First Ben and Celestia discuss genetically modified potatoes, cougar kitties, and cocaine hippos. Then we are joined by Dr. Kristina Downs of the Texas Folklore Society to talk about a curious case that occurred in January 2023. A series of incidents at the Dallas Zoo escalated from a wandering clouded leopard to a critically endangered vulture turning up dead and a pair of kidnapped monkeys. Along the way we have parody Twitter accounts, cat humor, digs on local nuisances, and rumors of what's REALLY going on at the zoo -- in other words, folklore and conspiracy theories. Then, when the monkeys are found, we see, on a small scale, what happens when crime-solving communities online are faced with a disappointingly mundane answer to their puzzle.

Ben and Celestia discuss conspiracies, real and unreal, the conspiracy-backed arguments from a high-profile defense lawyer, a superconductor article retraction, and Barbra's opinion on the Streisand Effect. Then, gargoyles! How do these imposing gothic carvings differ from grotesques, and what do they do -- both functionally and symbolically? Who can see them so high up, and are hidden messages really carved into some of them? We learn about the guttural (literally) sense of humor on display in medieval times, and the possible connection gargoyles have to an ancient tradition of "gurning," or face-pulling. And yes, we do talk about the 90s cartoon too!

Ben and Celestia discuss conspiracies, real and unreal, the conspiracy-backed arguments from a high-profile defense lawyer, a superconductor article retraction, and Barbra's opinion on the Streisand Effect. Then, gargoyles! How do these imposing gothic carvings differ from grotesques, and what do they do -- both functionally and symbolically? Who can see them so high up, and are hidden messages really carved into some of them? We learn about the guttural (literally) sense of humor on display in medieval times, and the possible connection gargoyles have to an ancient tradition of "gurning," or face-pulling. And yes, we do talk about the 90s cartoon too!

First, Celestia goes over her high points and low points of CSI Con 2023, then we move on to a few tidbits Ben came across. Sharon Hill joins us again, this time for a main segment on Gef the talking mongoose, a celebrity on the Isle of Man back in the 1930s. A new movie delves into (and somewhat mangles) the mystery, featuring Simon Pegg as Nandor Fodor and Christopher Lloyd as Harry Price. The "mystery" of Gef tapdances around so many facets of Forteana... a talking animal, "earth spirit," clairvoyance, poltergeists, psychic manifestations, and a clever young girl with time on her hands. With Sharon's help, we go over what the records say, what British libel law curtailed the records from saying, and what the movie tries to say today.

First we discuss a few skepticism-adjacent current events: the recent Colorado train spotting of Bigfoot, RFK Jr.'s bid for the presidency, and a new lawsuit naming "Sound of Freedom" hero Tim Ballard as a sexual predator who paid a psychic to help groom his victims. Then we dive into Slenderman, or "Slendy" as his friends know him. Professor Andrea Kitta, contributor to "Slender Man Is Coming" (Utah State University Press, 2018), brings her public health and folklore knowledge to bear on this created cryptid, born of photoshop in the pre-AI days and raised on the pent-up rage of cyberbullied adolescent girls. Part revenge fantasy and part rescuer, what is Slendy's game? Does he drive you insane or take you away to his secret mansion? While he was the focus of a tragic 2014 stabbing case in Wisconsin, since then he has faded slowly and may end up where many initially terrifying monsters go -- into the realm of child lore, as a spooky story for very young kids.

First we have a whole lot of current events that are dinging out skeptical radar: Nobels are being announced; a kidnapped girl was found (not by psychics); a yoga class was mistaken for a mass shooting; we survived a rapture AND a 5G-activated virus; Nevada's supreme court allows joint-custody father to vaccinate kids against wishes of antivax mother; Naomi Wolf says being near vaccinated people causes cramps; and Hasan Minhaj walks the line between storytelling and fabrication.

Then, thanks fo Mark Ditsler and Calico Cove LLC for the production of content and permission to distribute audio from our appearance at DragonCon's Skeptic Track earlier in September! We have a roundabout discussion on folkloric roots of modern conspiracies and how stories recur and recur and recur, then take some audience questions.

After discussing the more recent alien-related topics like signs of life on an exoplanet and signs of fraud displayed in the Mexican Congress, we meet up with Brian Dunning of Skeptoid fame. His newest feature film, The UFO Movie THEY Don't Want You to See, is out now on streaming services. We discuss the educational approaches Brian took and why, the "Christmas Tree Problem," and our excitement at the very real possibility of life elsewhere -- tempered, alas, with the very real constricts of physics, time, and space.

It's agritainment season, y'all! So get ready to pick apples, walk a corn maze, pet some goats and maybe get spooked at a rural haunted house! Folklorist and haunted house aficionado Betty Aquino joins Ben and Celestia to discuss themes in rural haunts and why the rural spaces have become romanticized by urban dwellers. We explore some themes of gender, power and politics in the haunted houses she sampled in the midwest, and discuss how this type of commodified spookiness differs from other types of theater. For starters, it's all run by amateurs and there's no fourth wall -- so you're part of the show!

From Romulus and Remus to Tarzan and Mowgli, children raised in the wild by animals is a popular tale in folklore. But what about feral kids in real life? There have been sideshow exhibits, hoaxes and recurring instances in literature and television. Do any of the tales reported as true have merit? And could a child raised by wolves walk on all fours or subsist -- even thrive? -- on raw meat? Why are we drawn to these tales? Some tell a romanticized story of the noble savage, raised safely away from the corruption of society, while others are a little closer to the tragedy that really occurs when a neglected child is starved of human contact. 

After some discussion of suspected sun bear cosplay and UAP fallout, Ben and Celestia are joined by Jeff Debies-Carl, who has just published "If You Should Go at Midnight: Legends and Legend Tripping in America" (Univ. Press of Mississippi, 2023). What is legend tripping, and do we all do it -- even us skeptics? From a psychological and sociological perspective, what are the roots, motivations, and dangers involved? From ghost hunts to escape rooms, how we participate in legends helps shape and perpetuate the legend. Let's look at how.

Adrienne Hill joins us this week, and we discuss some current events: RFJ Jr. has presidential hopes, "The Sound of Freedom" is in theaters, and magical nanotechnology makes an appearance in pro tennis. Then onto the main event: All Things Barbie! We have thoughts on the movie, some Barbie folklore and "oopsies," the Barbenheimer phenomenon, and her enduring reputation as both a heroine and a villain. Ben has a unique perspective, after a ton of research down rabbit holes looking for any solid evidence that girls develop eating disorders because they idolize Barbie's unrealistic figure.

First, Ben discusses his recent excursion to a folklore conference, where he touched a plague box and went spelunking in the Devil's Ass, then Celestia pays tribute to Las Vegas eccentric Lonnie Hammargren. For our main segment we are joined by mentalist Banachek, who (like many skeptics this week) has some thoughts on a recent New York Times piece that gives a bit too much credit to a perpetually discredited spoon-bender in the magic world. This recent writeup brings many topics to the table, such as the role Randi's showmanship and ability to garner publicity played in forming the modern skeptical movement. Banachek also shares some details about his early life and what led him to magic, and to a strange wizard's home -- that is, James Randi's door -- at the age of 17.

Celestia and Pascual infodump about the OceanGate submersible, gallows humor and what public science and engineering lessons have been circulating in the wake of that implosion. Then we take a journey into cybermyths versus real cybersecurity concerns, under the guidance of our resident tech hero, Pascual. From "juice jacking" to phishing to rubber duckies, we go over some hacker history and a few technology-fueled urban legends.