Friday, December 26, 2008

Hey Everybody 

I'll be away from my computer for the next few days so I will be posting sparsely if at all. In the meantime, enjoy the links and I'll be back soon with more strange and mysterious news. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and I wish all of you an excellent New Year.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:03 PM

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas! 

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:11 AM

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Top Paranormal Events of 2008 

According to About.com.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:56 PM

Chupacabras = Puerto Rican Monkeys? 

Cyryptomundo looks to the trees.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:07 AM

Seriously, How Many Damn People Filmed JFK's Death? 

Good thread over at Rigorous Intuition Discussion Boards with lots of footage you probably haven't seen. I hadn't.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:03 AM

Cities mark Poe bicentennial, battle over legacy 

Pick a major East Coast city at random, and you're likely to find a 200th birthday celebration for Edgar Allan Poe.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:05 AM

Monday, December 22, 2008

Gloria-Lee Byrd, An Alien Contactee Who Starved Herself To Death 

Awesome Or Off-Putting takes a look at the strange life of Gloria Lee.

Wiki.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:26 PM

The vase that dreams are made of 

Vase purchased for £1 at a boot sale sells for £32,450. Every junker and garage saler's dream.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:02 PM

Did Atlantis and Lemuria really exist? 

Part One and Part Two.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:46 PM

The Police And The Poltergeist 

More than thirty police officers attempted to untangle the strange web of events that took place in the Fall of 1960 in Lynwood.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:29 PM

Inside The 'Real Exorcist' Clinic 

Photo gallery of the Occult Sciences Centre in Portugal where Fernando Nogueira, a man with no formal training and four years of schooling, removes demons from cute teenage girls. His treatment involves "prodding her with an oversized key and a crucifix while she appeared to be in an unconscious state." I'm not even gonna touch that.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:26 PM

Fire Destroys Historic Hemingway Home 

Sad.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:51 PM

Huge squid mystery 

“I didn't think I'd ever see a squid this big from the North Sea!”

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:48 PM

Beware of the Black Dog 

It may come as a surprise to some people to learn that Conan Doyle's novel was actually based upon real legends of giant, devilish hounds that were said to haunt Britain's villages and countryside, bringing doom, tragedy and death in their spectral and demonic wake.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:30 PM

TOP TEN ARCHAEOLOGY FINDS: Most Read of 2008 

National Geographic counts 'em down.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:32 PM

Patton 'murder' aided by US, says author 

His book, Target Patton, contains interviews with Mr Bazata, who died in 1999, and extracts from his diaries, detailing how he staged the car crash by getting a troop truck to plough into Patton's Cadillac and how he then shot the general with a low-velocity projectile, which broke his neck.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:25 PM

GOP consultant killed in plane crash was warned of sabotage: report 

The Republican consultant accused of involvement in alleged vote-rigging in Ohio in 2004 was warned that his plane might be sabotaged before his death in a crash Friday night, according to a Cleveland CBS affiliate.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:09 AM

Buried treasure unearthed in Catskill 

A Catskill-based search team has solved a 17-year-old mystery, turning up buried treasure worth more than $10,000.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:44 AM

Purple squirrel caught on camera 

You know you want to see it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:17 AM

Salinger's signature and a Gutenberg Bible -- in Texas 

A visit to The Harry Ransom Center in Austin, Texas, and a look at some of its treasures.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:12 AM

What was that star over Bethlehem? 

Mystery remains, but the simplest explanation is the likeliest.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:55 AM

A Christmas Ghost Story: The Spectral Dog of Soho 

Woof.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:17 AM

Heart of Albion Press 

I added Heart of Albion Press to the links. Very cool stuff and some free downloads.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:37 AM

Pensioner injured after being attacked by mysterious ‘big cat’ 

Police believe some kind of big cat may have attacked a Highland pensioner, leaving her with deep cuts on her arms and legs.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:19 AM

Unearthing Ghostly Tales of Today 

A nice overview of small press purveyors of weird tales with handy links.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:12 AM

"New" Roman battlefield in Germany may mean a rewrite of history 

Archaeologists have discovered an ancient battlefield in Germany which indicates the Roman Legions were still fighting Germanic tribes deep inside "barbarian" territory as late as the 3rd Century AD - 200 years later than hitherto believed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:04 AM

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Cats keep lost boy warm 

Argentine police say a destitute 1-year-old boy was kept alive by a colony of stray cats who shared food scraps and kept him warm in the city of Misiones.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:34 AM

Saturday, December 20, 2008

'Karl Rove's IT guru' Mike Connell dies in plane crash 

A top level Republican IT consultant who was set to testify in a case alleging GOP election tampering in Ohio died in a plane crash late Friday night.

From the article: "He has flown his private plane for years without incident. I know he was going to DC last night, but I don't know why. He apparently ran out of gas, something I find hard to believe. I am not saying that this was a hit nor am I resigned to this being simply an accident either. I am no expert on aviation and cannot provide an opinion on the matter. What I am saying, however, is that given the context, this event needs to be examined carefully."

"Mr. Connell has confided that he was being threatened, something that his attorneys also told the judge in the Ohio election fraud case," concluded Alexandrovna.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:54 PM

The Smiley Faces 

Hartland's Matt Kruziki was one of many young men who drowned mysteriously. Some suspect these are murders by a demonic gang that works with a smile.

Very thorough article on possible new developments in the Smiley Face Killers case. It's from November October but somehow I missed it. Better late than never.

See also: Footprints at the River's Edge for further information.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:35 PM

Friday, December 19, 2008

Top Ten Cryptozoology Books of 2008 

Cryptomundo picks them.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:28 PM

Alleged Murder-For-Hire Rattles Small Town 

"And I said, 'you want me to kill 60 people? You want me to kill the whole town of Shawano?"

With video. Thanks to Scott for the tip.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:16 PM

Cannock beast; paw print evidence? 

With pic. Via Nick Redfern.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:52 PM

Did Zodiac killer spend final days in South Sound? 

A California man is trying to convince the FBI that his stepfather, who died in the Olympia area about two-and-a-half years ago, was the San Francisco Bay Area's notorious Zodiac killer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:41 PM

Top 10 Unsolved Crimes 

TIME slideshow. Some interesting choices.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:37 PM

Year of UFOs in Stephenville ending with more sightings 

It looks like nearly the entire year of 2008 was filled with UFOs and other unusual goings-on in the town of Stephenville and Erath County, Texas.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:38 AM

Chemtrails: Strong Competitor for Dumbest Conspiracy Theory Ever 

Most conspiracy theories are so ridiculous, it's hard to choose which are the least plausible or which faces the higher mountain of opposing evidence.

And the article that started it all. Look for lively debate in the comments.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:24 AM

Indigenous groups keep ancient sports alive in Mexico 

Once a year, supporters of the ancient sports stage an exhibition of games like pash pash, corozo, garabato and kuachancaca. In November, they came to Villahermosa, a humid, lowland capital in southern Mexico's Tabasco state that was once home to the Olmec, an ancient civilization that predates the Maya.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:53 AM

Falling bright lights puzzle state officials 

The first puzzling calls reported a falling star, a fireball or a possible airplane crash around 6 p.m. Thursday over the skies of Georgetown County.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:33 AM

Meet the man eager to get to the bottom of the ghost mysteries 

French clinical psychologist Thomas Rabeyron, 27, is undertaking a year's research attempting to trace the roots of paranormal experiences.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:46 AM

Portugal's Sorcerer of Fafe opens exorcism ward 

Surrounded by clean hospital beds in his new Occult Sciences Center in northern Portugal, Fernando Nogueira makes exorcism sound almost mundane.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:22 AM

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Discovered, mummy Tut’s daddy 

New evidence in the form of an inscribed limestone block in Egypt might have solved the mystery of the identity of boy pharaoh Tutankhamun’s father.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:47 PM

Olive oil could hold key to developing new breast cancer drugs 

Is there anything olive oil can't do?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:17 PM

Conspiracy Theories: The Mysterious Death of General Patton 

Was General George S. Patton murdered?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:46 PM

Strange light seen in night sky 

Was it a bird? A plane? Superman?

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:38 PM

How to make cheap wine taste like a fine vintage 

Traditionalists, of course, would insist that nothing can replace genuine quality plus long, slow ageing in an oak barrel and years of storage in cool, cobwebby cellars. But could there be a short cut?

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:24 PM

Man stumbles on round, spinning ‘creek circle’ 

A Mississauga man’s photo of a bizarre “creek circle” — a round piece of ice, spinning, on the surface of a frozen creek — has become an Internet hit.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:15 PM

Peruvian ruins reveal the secrets of sex acts and ritualistic human sacrifices 

Archaelogists in Peru have discovered the ruins of an ancient city that they hope might finally answer some questions about the fate of the Moche culture, best known for the ceremonial sex acts and ritualistic human sacrifices depicted on its pottery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:06 PM

Montauk Monster Scores 

The Montauk Monster and the three women who discovered it will be featured at 8 p.m. today on Animal Planet’s “Top 10 Animal Stories From 2008.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:48 PM

Secret sketches a Da Vinci mystery 

Drawings on the back of a Leonardo da Vinci painting may have been sketched by the Italian Renaissance artist, but only more tests by museum experts will tell.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:44 PM

Bermuda Triangle continues to fascinate 

At Mike Conley's Tales of the Weird.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:00 AM

New Links 

I added The Gralien Report and The Secret Sun to the links.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:40 AM

Divers begin search for 400-yr-old Spanish treasure off Isle of Mull 

A new mission has been launched to recover the hoard of treasure believed to be on a Spanish galleon that sank in the waters surrounding the Isle of Mull 400 years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:37 AM

Science Fiction Solves the Mystery of Jack the Ripper 

Be sure to watch the classic video from Amazon Women on the Moon for a cryptozoological chuckle.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:30 AM

The Unsolved Mystery 

Three new books offer competing versions of J.F.K.'s assassination.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:24 AM

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Metallica’s Alternative History of Tunguska 

Metallica goes all unexplained in their latest video. I know from second-hand experience that guitarist Kirk Hammett is a fellow student of the strange and mysterious (and a horror movie buff) so I imagine his interests fueled the content of this video. Cool stuff.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:31 PM

UFO over Suffolk Cathedral: Possible photo emerges 

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:59 PM

Reproduction of 2,100-year-old calculator deepens mystery 

A new working model of the mysterious 2,000-year-old astronomical calculator, dubbed the Antikythera Device, has been unveiled, incorporating the most recent discoveries announced two years ago by an international team of researchers.

More at Wiki.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:21 PM

Colony Collapse Disorder 

No one knows the cause of Colony Collapse Disorder. But it could mean ecological disaster.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:17 PM

Derinkuyu, the mysterious underground city of Turkey 

In 1963, an inhabitant of Derinkuyu (in the region of Cappadocia, central Anatolia, Turkey), knocking down a wall of his house cave, discovered amazed that behind it was a mysterious room that he had never seen, and this led him room to another and another and another to it ... By chance he had discovered the underground city of Derinkuyu, whose first level could be excavated by the Hittites around 1400 BC.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:35 AM

Baby Born With Feet In Brain 

When Sam Esquibel was born in Colorado three months ago, doctors knew there was something going on.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:41 AM

Grocery shop owner brushes off claims of sorcery 

The owner of a house in which a starving burglar claimed he was trapped has brushed off any claims of sorcery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:15 AM

Ghost photographed in haunted hotel 

With cool pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:18 AM

The city that bites you back? Vampire culture thrives in Philly 

Nina Auerbach is convinced vampire fascination is in Philly's blood. She's viewed it firsthand.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:14 AM

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

6 Insane Discoveries That Science Can't Explain 

Can you? Via Bill Crider's Pop Culture Magazine.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:50 PM

MORMON MISSIONARIES LEAN TOWARD BIGFOOT BELIEF 

The house sits in front of a lake and Beck said in the four-and-a-half months he has been there, he has seen all manner of coyotes and wolves. This is the first time he has seen any sign of the fabled creature.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:10 PM

UFO Seen In The Skies Above Cheshunt 

With video.

See also: Newbury's 'alien landing' reinvestigated

Remember the ’67 UFO student hoax?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:57 PM

The face of Cleopatra re-created 

Scientists have gathered historical evidence, including a ring bearing her image, to recreate her face.

And she's pretty cute, too.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:14 PM

Seven unsolved medical mysteries 

William Gahl recently set up the Undiagnosed Diseases Program to hunt for the answer to mysterious diseases that have defied all other medical experts.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:59 PM

Baffling beast of the sea mystery 

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:55 PM

Bermuda Triangle Mystery: Search for Plane in Caribbean 

Authorities were searching near the Turks and Caicos Islands on Tuesday for a missing plane that reportedly had 11 people on board.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:41 PM

Busting the Sicilian Mafia's Board of Directors 

Much like a board of directors, or even a parent-teacher association, the Sicilian Mafia has been known to operate with a whiff of organizational democracy. In the past, "La Cupola," a kind of consultative board of regional bosses met from time to time to resolve internal disputes and forge long-term strategy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:34 PM

Amanda Knox film causes political storm in Italy 

In the 55-minute film Ms Knox, 21, appears with 11 other women inmates as they imagine escaping the confines of the jail.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:32 AM

Fears full moon to blame for mini-crime wave 

Much of the Northern Rivers was hit by a mini-crime wave over the weekend, with street assaults and car thefts jumping, sparking speculation the criminal behaviour was influenced by the full moon.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:18 AM

Pushing the Limit - For Climbing Legend at 85, More Peaks to Conquer and Adventures to Seek 

He had been called a vagabond, a recluse and a schemer, a cantankerous mountain man hiding his little black book of secret climbing techniques from the world. In seven decades, he had claimed more virgin ascents than any mountaineer alive. Some ascribed his feats to vengeance of a long-ago slight, others to the murder of his own fears. He was said to howl at tourists. His past was the stuff of lore, his plans the stuff of mystery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:05 AM

Do stones lie? 

Here's the deal. In 1937, a traveling salesman from California turned up a 21-pound stone in a creek four miles from Edenton, N.C. Scratched on the stone, in what appeared to be antique script, was a cross, and the names of Virginia Dare and her father Ananias Dare, who "went hence Unto Heaven 1591" supposedly killed by "salvages."

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:08 AM

What's Behind The Mystery Cancer Cluster? 

There, in a community of about 1,000 people, 14 residents have developed brain cancer. Nationally the rate is roughly seven out of 100,000.

Coincidence?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:02 AM

Monday, December 15, 2008

Ten Thirteen: Grill Flame 

The Secret Sun digs deep.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:58 PM

Did pulp novelists kill JFK? 

Good read. Via Covert History.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:22 PM

Did Noah's Flood start in the Carmel? 

The new theory about the source of the great flood detailed in the Book of Genesis comes amid continuing controversy among scholars over whether the inundation of the Black Sea more than seven millennia ago was the biblical flood.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:06 PM

Cryptozoologist of 2008: Dr. Andrea Marshall 

One of the greatest discoveries of cryptozoology for the Year 2008 has been the verification of a new species of giant manta ray, the world’s largest species, which was identified for the first time.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:20 PM

A Different Pyschic Vampire 

The Paranormal Pastor takes a look.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:41 PM

New Species Alert! Hot Pink Millipede, Collosal Spider, and Tiny Deer Emerge 

For the last ten years, two new species a week have been identified in the Greater Mekong, a swath of diverse ecosystems along the Mekong River in Southeast Asia.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:14 PM

Swiss watch found in 400-year-old tomb 

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:46 PM

Remains found in Caylee Anthony case match predictions of forensic astrologers 

If the child’s remains found by a meter reader Dec. 11 about a half-mile from the Anthony home are determined to be Caylee’s, which logic and probability say they are, the astrological sleuths at Websleuths.com will have several new and notable confirmations to their credit.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:41 PM

Scientist says he has found oldest spider web 

The tiny tangled threads of the world's oldest spider web have been found encased in a prehistoric piece of amber, a British scientist said Monday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:33 PM

Chopper Read in mystery axe attack in Victoria 

Infamous Australian underworld figure and writer Chopper Read attacked by a man with a tomahawk.

More on Chopper here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:04 PM

Museum mummy murder mystery 

Results from previous X-rays revealed an unidentified metal object lodged in the back of the mummy’s neck, which some archaeologists believe may be an arrow head – meaning he could have been murdered.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:58 PM

15th century masterpieces hung unrecognised in parish church for a century 

The rare Italian works by the early Renaissance master Sano di Pietro have been valued at around £300,000.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:15 AM

Puerto Rico searches for panther prowling suburbs 

Farm animals have died in inexplicable episodes on the island for decades.

In the mid-1990s, widespread news coverage chronicled the exploits of a mysterious beast known as "Chupacabras," the "Goatsucker" in Spanish, which was rumoured to dine on the blood of livestock and household pets.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:57 AM

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Archimedes and the 2000-year-old computer 

The device was discovered more than a century ago by sponge divers from the Aegean island of Symi. In 1900, after a gale blew them off course, they took shelter by a barren islet called Antikythera.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:42 PM

TOP TEN PHOTO GALLERIES: Most Viewed of 2008 

National Geographic brings the cool stuff. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:00 PM

Buried in the Churchyard - A Good Story, at Least 

At first glance, it seems like any tribute to the deceased.

But Ms. Temple appears to have been make-believe.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:14 AM

Mystery shrouds the ancient Oshoro circle 

In 1861 at Oshoro, southwestern Hokkaido, a party of herring fishermen, migrants from Honshu, were laying the foundation for a fishing port when they saw taking shape beneath their shovels a mysterious spectacle — a broad circular arrangement of large rocks, strikingly symmetrical, evidently man-made. What could it be? An Ainu fortress?

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:10 AM

Ghost Imprisons House Burglar For Days 

A burglar will not soon forget his experience attempting to burgle his latest mark: The house was haunted.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:31 AM

The Hollow Earth, Hollow Mars, UFOs and Military Secrecy 

People have believed in the possibility of a Hollow Earth for well over a century. Now, some say there also may be a Hollow Mars.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:26 AM

Something smells fishy 

From Elvis sightings to 9/11 scare stories, urban myths have always been irresistible.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:19 AM

How the Illuminati influenced Beethoven 

Founded in 1776 by a Bavarian professor named Adam Weishaupt, the Illuminati joined radical politics and Jesuit-style hierarchy to fanatical secrecy. The aims of the order were ambitious, all right: They intended to change the world and had a plan to do it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:24 AM

Friday, December 12, 2008

Houston Today Missionaries find sasquatch print 

Two missionaries with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints received a scare on the night of Dec. 2 when they saw what they think was a set of sasquatch footprints outside of their Burns Lake home.

With cast pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:36 PM

Peter the Great’s lost ship found? 

Archaeologists from St Petersburg have discovered a ship in the Gulf of Finland that probably belonged to the fleet of Russian Emperor, Peter the Great.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:10 PM

Oldest human brain unearthed in York 

The oldest surviving human brain in Britain, dating back at least 2,000 years to the Iron Age, has been has been discovered in the grounds of York University.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:56 PM

Macabre Mexican mummies eye world tour 

A set of macabre mummified corpses, some with their mouths eerily agape or wearing the boots they were buried in, has captivated Mexico and will soon be off to tour the world.

With gallery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:54 PM

Scientists baffled by mysterious acorn shortage 

Up and down the East Coast, residents and naturalists alike have been scratching their heads this autumn over a simple question: Where are all the acorns?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:46 PM

Bettie Page, RIP 

Bettie Page, the brunet pinup queen with a shoulder-length pageboy hairdo and kitschy bangs whose saucy photos helped usher in the sexual revolution of the 1960s, has died. She was 85.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:46 PM

Cow mutilation is strangest thing to have happened 

The cow's left eyeball was removed, the bag and udders had been excised and there was a large excision in the rectal region. There was no blood in the carcass or on the ground.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:45 PM

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Use my Amazon links! 

I'd like to thank the Hex readers who have used my Amazon links on the left side of the page to do their shopping. If you enter Amazon through my site and make a purchase the Professor gets a small percentage of the sale. This helps support my search for the best in strange and mysterious news. You don't have to buy any of my featured products - just enter through my links and do your normal shopping. It also doesn't cost you anything extra.

I know many of you are currently doing your holiday shopping so keep this in mind as you buy gifts for family, friends, and yourself.

You can also support the Professor with the donate button on the right side of the page.

Thanks again!

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:47 PM

Messin’ with Sasquatch 

Planet-wide legends and reports of physical evidence persist around the topic of wild giants living outside human civilization, and one place the Sasquatch legend is particularly vivid is at Folsom’s Pacific Western Traders gallery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:29 PM

Blogs, Banshees and December 12th! 

Something is in the wind for December 12-19, but how does one prepare when you know a disaster might be coming?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:34 PM

A miracle... or Virgin on the ridiculous? 

A family has been left baffled after a mysterious image which they say looks like the Virgin Mary was discovered on a photograph.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:33 PM

Is this a Sydney UFO caught on Google? 

Judge for yourself.

See also: Was pilot first known casualty of a UFO?

Deputies investigate UFOs near Jeffrey Lake

Woman claims abducted by aliens in North Platte

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:21 PM

Seattle blogger writing book on Amanda Knox case 

Seattle freelancer and P-I reader blogger Candace Dempsey has spent much of the last year blogging about the murder mystery involving Seattle student Amanda Knox.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:05 PM

The Top 10 Anomalous, Dubious, Hoax, Events And Links Of 2008 

The Heavy Stuff brings the weird.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:32 AM

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Albino Animals: Ghosts of the Wild 

Cool slideshow.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:27 PM

Strange Flying 'Creature' Photographed at Macachín, Argentina Airport 

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:54 PM

Did the mob and a Cuban coup plot doom JFK? 

Read this interview and find out!

Via Covert History.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:37 PM

Brad Pitt signs up to explore Lost City of Z 

Looks like Brad Pitt will play explorer Percy Fawcett in an upcoming adaptation of David Grann's book.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:27 PM

Mysterious Boom Shakes Waushara County 

Skyquakes in Wisconsin.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:48 PM

Wittelsbach Diamond Sold for Record $24.3M 

The 35.56-ct. Wittelsbach diamond was once owned by King Philip IV of Spain, who purchased for his daughter, Margarita Teresa, for her engagement to Leopold I of Austria in 1664.

With pics.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:05 PM

We All Failed Gary Webb 

Since Gary Webb’s suicide four years ago, I have written annual retrospectives about the late journalist’s important contribution to the historical record -- he forced devastating admissions from the CIA about drug trafficking by the Nicaraguan contra rebels under the protection of the Reagan administration in the 1980s.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:37 PM

The Strangeness Of Inanimate Objects! 

The Whispering Benches and other weirdness.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:00 PM

Take a look at Norwich's latest UFO 

With pic.

See also: UFO spotter's 'fluke' sighting

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:08 AM

Oscar Wilde letter to lover Lord Alfred Douglas resurfaces after 50 years 

Private letters written by Oscar Wilde and 'lost' for more than 50 years, including a note to his lover, have been presented to a library.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:59 AM

Outlaw Butch Cassidy had Geordie roots 

The mother of the notorious bank and train robber was born in Newcastle and lived there for decades before crossing the Atlantic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:55 AM

Hear the one about the fruitcake made in 1911? It's still a holiday joke 

It's hard as a rock, has a slight scent of spice and looks like Frankenstein, with knob-like mints protruding from its sides. But, hey, will any of us look any better than Pierre Girard's fruitcake when we're 97 years old?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:53 AM

Actor slices throat on stage in knife mix-up 

He collapsed on stage with blood pouring from his neck and the audience started to applaud the spectacular special effects.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:50 AM

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

'Jesus was born in June', astronomers claim 

Astronomers have calculated that Christmas should be in June, by charting the appearance of the 'Christmas star' which the Bible says led the three Wise Men to Jesus.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:06 PM

Mystery deepens over 'explosion' in the sky 

The mystery deepens surrounding the strange 'explosion' heard in the skies over Mablethorpe recently.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:18 PM

X-Rays Reveal Ship-Wreckage to Be 2,000-Year-Old Astronomy Computer 

Cool pictures of the Antikythera Device.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:14 PM

Broken Heart Syndrome: Fact or Fiction? 

Many of you might remember Sanford and Son, a television sitcom that followed the misadventures of a cantankerous junk dealer, Fred G. Sanford, and his frustrated son, Lamont.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:46 AM

Are You a Victim of Phantom Vibrating? 

Is that my phone?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:25 AM

Tattoos: A History 

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:04 AM

What season's symbols mean 

Secular or sacred?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:52 AM

Photography captures spirit of the spirit world 

A Minneapolis photographer constantly searches for signs of an afterlife. Instead of looking to science or religion for evidence, though, he turns to his camera.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:50 AM

Why Eyelids Feel Heavy After Hard work 

After long hours of work, we often feel heaviness of eyes, such a reaction of eye muscles to exhaustion has been a mystery, until now.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:23 AM

Video: UFO Darts Between Clouds after Shuttle Launch 

Is there anything else that can be discerned from the surroundings in this footage that might lend credence to the object being some known craft, or is it indeed something anomalous?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:53 AM

Monday, December 08, 2008

Mystery Pyramid Built by Newfound Ancient Culture? 

Several stone sculptures recently found in central Mexico point to a previously unknown culture that likely built a mysterious pyramid in the region, archaeologists say.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:04 PM

Florida mystery: Who's buried at school known for abuse? 

Convinced the 32 unmarked graves at the Florida School for Boys in Marianna are the bodies of boys abused and killed decades ago there, four former residents of the school are demanding the governor and state and federal attorneys investigate.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:04 PM

The ice man cometh: How a bizarre ability to survive freezing conditions is breaking records 

While many scientists around the world find Hof's ability an anomaly, he says it is merely a case of mind over matter. Practising an ancient Himalayan meditation called 'Tummo,' or Inner Fire, he says he is able to generate inner heat.

More on Tummo here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:37 PM

Fletcher Christian: The face behind the name 

Christian was of course a Master’s Mate on the Bounty, and led the mutiny on Captain William Bligh’s fateful voyage to Tahiti in 1798.

No-one knew what he looked like, however.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:53 PM

Hoax call during Mumbai siege threatened war on Pakistan 

Reporting from New Delhi and Islamabad, Pakistan -- A hoax caller claiming to be India's foreign minister threatened Pakistan's president with war during the final hours of the Mumbai attacks, prompting Islamabad to put its air force on its highest alert for nearly 24 hours, a news report said Saturday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:21 PM

How the Sphinx once had the face of a mighty lion before the time of the pyramids 

The Great Sphinx of Giza might have originally had the face of a lion and could be much older than previously thought, archaeologists have claimed.

Via Daily Grail.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:15 PM

Septimius Severus - the Barack Obama of the Roman Empire? 

Is history repeating itself?

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:50 PM

The Lost Tunnel of New York 

This tunnel was built in 1844. It's the world's oldest subway. It was built by the Long Island Rail Road.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:06 PM

More sightings of UFO over Suffolk 

UFO fever is taking hold in a Suffolk town as tales of mysterious flashing lights over Suffolk's mother church abound.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:01 PM

Middle River mountain lion? 

“It looked like someone had taken a scalpel to her and bladed her open. There were slashes and bite marks.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:00 PM

In the caves of Caen, relics of 1944 warfare 

Now, generations later, the story of how caves and quarries became bomb shelters during the 1944 battle for the Normandy city of Caen is being brought alive by an amateur archaeologist, his photographer colleague, and the memories of survivors like Mangnan.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:58 PM

Is Myth Of Jesus Christ Copy Of Early Legends? 

In recent years, authors have been appearing on the world scene who are trying to prove that Jesus Christ was not an actual historic figure, but that his life story was constructed out of a line of information on earlier deities from many world religions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:23 PM

Coroner: woman's foot found on B.C. coast in Nov. matches one found in May 

DNA testing shows a female foot discovered on the B.C. coastline last month matches another one discovered in May, 2008.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:15 PM

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Mormon missionaries find sasquatch print 

Two missionaries with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints received a scare on the night of Dec. 2 when they saw what they think was a set of sasquatch footprints outside of their Burns Lake home.

See also: Immortal Sasquatch still immune to cynics

Orland couple tells a Bigfoot tale for children

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:44 PM

'Sunny' von Bulow dies after 28 years in a coma 

Martha “Sunny” von Bulow, the heiress who spent the last 28 years of her life in a coma that prosecutors tried to blame on her British husband, has died.

Her husband, Claus von Bulow, was ultimately acquitted of charges that he tried to kill his wife by injecting her with insulin at their American estate.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:20 PM

Divers search for Armada treasure off Mull 

More than 400 years after a Spanish galleon loaded with gold and silver slid beneath the waves in the waters surrounding the Isle of Mull, a new mission has been launched to try to recover its hoard of treasure.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:11 AM

December Omens 

As we ride a bumpy road into the last month of 2008, precursors all around seem to be pointing to troubling times immediately ahead.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:36 AM

Into the mystic 

Can a rock help improve your health, bring you good luck or land you a promotion?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:22 AM

LAIR OF THE BEASTS- The Creature of the Woods 

Neil Arnold is a full-time writer, researcher, and investigator of mysterious animals, whose book - Monster! The A-Z of Zoo-Form Phenomena - is making big waves.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:10 AM

Weird Legends at the End of the U.S. 

It's among the oldest places in the U.S., so it’s apt to have its legends of the weird and creepy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:25 AM

RIP Dr. Acula 

Forry Ackerman gets a nice write-up in TIME.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:21 AM

A Christmas Ghost Story: The Enfield Poltergeist 

The Saturday Strangeness tells the tale.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:13 AM

A 39-year mystery: The murder of Betsy Aardsma 

They are old men now, long retired from the state police, but they can't forget a slaying case they never solved.

They are haunted by the memory of Betsy Aardsma, a woman from Holland, Mich., who on Nov. 28, 1969, lay dead before them on a gurney in a hallway of Ritenour Student Health Center at Penn State University.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:58 AM

Friday, December 05, 2008

Bettie Page has heart attack... is in a coma... 

First, Forry Ackerman and now Bettie Page. American pop culture is taking a hit this week. Here's to a speedy recovery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:42 PM

Forrest J Ackerman, writer-editor who coined 'sci-fi,' dies at 92 

Sad, sad news. He was one of a kind. A toast to you, Dr. Acula.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:55 PM

Edward VIII's links to a mystic 

Previously undisclosed archives tell the story of a king in the grip of a man known as "The Yorkshire Yogi".

Dr Alexander Cannon trained as a medic, and dabbled in alternative treatments, mystic techniques and black magic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:24 PM

Stalin planned to destroy Moscow if the Nazis moved in 

The plan was based on a strategy originally drawn up by Tsar Alexander I as Napoleon's troops bore down on Moscow in 1812. The French forces found the city an uninhabitable ruin and were eventually forced to withdraw.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:15 PM

Genesee County Legends: Devil's Rock 

With pic and murky origins.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:46 PM

Travelling preacher charged with murder of Alta. pastor's daughter 

The man accused of murdering a pastor's teenage daughter in Edson, Alta. was a travelling preacher who once reported finding the corpse of a woman near the west Alberta town.

A strange case with a Jekyll and Hyde feel.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:22 PM

Fate of Endangered Eastern Cougar a Mystery 

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is trying to find proof that the eastern cougar still exists, in an effort to update a 1982 recovery plan.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:14 PM

Ancient spiritual tool popular in modern U.S. military 

Prayer beads are ancient spiritual tools to help worshippers keep track of contemplative prayer, and are used in several religious traditions, including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Christianity.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:12 PM

Thursday, December 04, 2008

George C. Chesbro dies at 68; wrote offbeat detective novels 

Offbeat doesn't begin to cover it. If you haven't met Mongo the Magnificent, get thee to a library.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:39 PM

“From Autocamps to Airstreams: The Early Road to Vacationland” 

Check out these cool vintage recreational vehicles.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:54 PM

Pearl Harbor: Dark conspiracy or bureaucratic incompetence? 

The Pearl Harbor debacle, as one Web site puts it, “was the mother of all conspiracies.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:52 AM

Eerie images of the Blyth Estuary 

Sarah Webster will sit right inside her home-made pinhole camera for up to two hours to get exactly the shot she wants.

Cool.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:34 AM

Would eating heavy atoms lengthen our lives? 

My sip of heavy water is the culmination of a long journey trying to get to the bottom of a remarkable claim that Shchepinov first made around 18 months ago. He believes he has discovered an elixir of youth, a way to drink (or more likely eat) your way to a longer life. You may think that makes Shchepinov sound like a snake-oil salesman. I thought so too, but the more I found out about his idea, the more it began to make sense.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:16 AM

World's oldest marijuana stash totally busted 

Nearly two pounds of still-green plant material found in a 2,700-year-old grave in the Gobi Desert has just been identified as the world's oldest marijuana stash, according to a paper in the latest issue of the Journal of Experimental Botany.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:08 AM

Dead Ringers 

Do the dead make phone calls? The Paranormal Pastor wants to know.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:02 AM

The last castrato 

The castrato craze was one of the most bizarre phenomena of the European Baroque period. In the middle years of the 16th century eunuchs began to be prized in the courts of Italy for their peculiar vocal power and brilliance. By 1600, Pope Clement VIII could solemnly declare that "the creation of castrati for Church choirs is to be held to the honour of God".

Book review.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:53 AM

Cold Comfort 

Cabinet of Wonders has a medicine chest of folk cures for the common cold.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:32 AM

DNA Secrets: Cave's latrines yield new evidence about prehistoric North America 

Coprolites -- ancient feces -- were found to contain human DNA linked directly to modern-day Native Americans with Asian roots and radiocarbon dated to 14,300 years ago. That's 1,000 years before the oldest stone points of the Clovis culture, which for much of the 20th century was believed to represent the first people in North America.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:16 AM

The Brenner Assignment: The Untold Story of the Most Daring Spy Mission of World War II 

Book review.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:48 AM

UFO Update 

Yellow UFO at Gosford.

UFO spotters focus on outback skies

Truth about UFOs concealed by Soviet cosmonauts

Official figures reveal UFO sightings over Southport area

A Hard Look At UFOs

More UFO sightings over Fenland skies (with pic)

'Spinning and hovering' UFO seen in Staffordshire

Spaceships come up often in Lake County discussions

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:26 AM

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Man Gets 45 Years in Prison in Pa. Collarbomb Case 

A man who took part in a bizarre bank robbery plot that turned deadly when a bomb affixed to the neck of a pizza deliveryman exploded was sentenced to 45 years in federal prison Wednesday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:55 PM

Lost city of 'cloud people' found in Peru 

Archaeologists have discovered a lost city carved into the Andes Mountains by the mysterious Chachapoya tribe.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:39 PM

Enchantments - An S.O.S. at a Witchcraft Store in the East Village 

A financial crash, Kathy agreed, is a good time to be in the occult business: “We’re always asked to do love stuff, but lately, it has been way more about jobs — people looking for work and protection of their monies.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:14 PM

Gang who raided Austrian tycoon's tomb may have plotted to rob Arnie's mother's grave 

Police tracking a gang who robbed the tomb of a billionaire industrialist are linking it to a secret plot to steal Arnold Schwarzenegger's mother's coffin.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:22 PM

Scientists turn into virtual body snatchers 

“We were interested in a classical question that philosophers and psychologists have discussed for centuries: why we feel that the self is in our bodies,” project leader Henrik Ehrsson said. “To study this scientifically we’ve used tricks, perceptual illusions.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:19 AM

Memories may be stored on your DNA 

Remember your first kiss? Experiments in mice suggest that patterns of chemical "caps" on our DNA may be responsible for preserving such memories.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:32 AM

The New Chronology 

From the learn-something-every-day file.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:24 AM

The Gazette gets a mysterious letter and … prints it 

Say you get a verrry baffling typed letter from someone named “Haywood Floyd,” claiming knowledge of hidden plastic bottles in prisons and promises of secret maps to said plastic containers in exchange for $150K. What do you do?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:46 AM

Winnipeg man accused in dismemberment says he had blackout 

Gruesome and weird.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:29 AM

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Is this the latest Croydon UFO? 

With pic.

See also: UFO sighting over Bury St Edmunds cathedral

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:30 PM

Looking Inside a Mummy's Stomach 

Whether it was a quarter as a kid, some mean-looking peppers or that worm at the bottom of your shot glass, you've probably swallowed some weird things over the years. But six kinds of moss? Well then Oetzi, the famous, 5,300 year old frozen mummy found in the Alps nearly two decades ago, has got you beat.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:23 PM

Corpse in 'old lady clothes' found inside North Hollywood home 

Neighbors compared the dark dingy house and what appears to be the mother mummy the horror of Hitchcock's "Psycho."

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:04 PM

A view to voodoo 

Travellers to Africa are turning to voodoo to overcome problems with health and more besides.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:00 PM

The Mad Scientist Bringing Back the Dead... Really. 

Bubbling cauldrons, toxic substances, insane and dangerous ideas -- whatever happened to that kind of science? Take a look at Mark Roth in his lab in Seattle. It's mad. It's heroic. It's science the way it's supposed to be.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:41 PM

Can you solve city arch mystery? 

With cool pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:27 PM

The mystery of big cat sightings 

Big cats from down under.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:14 PM

Shakespeare left London and stopped writing 'because he went blind' 

William Shakespeare might have left London and stopped writing three years before he died because he had lost his sight, a playwright has suggested.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:07 PM

Monday, December 01, 2008

India's 911: Synchronicity and Coincidence in Mumbai 

Loren Coleman takes a look. Via the Anomalist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:44 PM

The Tunguska Blast 

Awesome Or Off-Putting takes a look.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:41 PM

Is ornate Joliet house haunted? 

The home at 519 Campbell St. in Joliet is, in many ways, an ideal backdrop for ghost hunting.

More spooks today over at Haunted Hex.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:53 PM

Is China spreading 'Manchurian chips?' 

Sounds creepy, doesn't it? A mysterious foreign power is apparently using its industrial prowess to potentially spy on Americans. It's an outrage!

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:54 PM

Rare, colorful jewel forged over millions of years 

Ask 10 people about mila and most likely nine will shake their heads in confusion. But in fact mila is a kind of amber, the beautiful yellow-orange gemstone which comes from fossilized tree resin.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:55 PM

Mothman tour set for February 

The Mothman continues to lure visitors to the area with its mysterious background and paranormal appeal.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:04 PM

Has the riddle of Rolling Stone Brian Jones's death been solved at last? 

For almost 40 years, Janet Lawson kept her true identity and story private. But earlier this year, shortly before her death from cancer, she broke her silence and provided me with sworn testimony that threatens to turn the official version on its head.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:58 AM

Acorn Watchers Wonder What Happened to Crop 

"I'm used to seeing so many acorns around and out in the field, it's something I just didn't believe," he said. "But this is not just not a good year for oaks. It's a zero year. There's zero production. I've never seen anything like this before."

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:09 AM

Shelbyville man stalks the supernatural in his spare time 

Brian Hendrian is a deer hunter from Shelbyville and, when he gets a spare moment, a stalker of the supernatural. He’s been pursuing things that go bump in the night for the best part of 20 years but, so far, not one demon, let alone many.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:38 AM

Ukiah's top 10 vintage signs: A journey through time 

Neat if you like old signs or live near Ukiah. Part two is here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:25 AM

'Sherlock Holmes Was Wrong: Reopening the Case of "The Hound of the Baskervilles" ' 

Expanding the scope of the "detective criticism" he began in 2000's "Who Killed Roger Ackroyd? The Mystery Behind the Agatha Christie Mystery," French literature professor and psychoanalyst Pierre Bayard turns his attention to another canonical text of the genre, Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Hound of the Baskervilles."

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:58 AM

5 years later, prosecutor's death still a mystery 

Over the next several years, reputations were sullied, investigations allegedly botched and Senate inquiries made. A Pennsylvania private investigator has put forth hypotheses - based on evidence he claims to have found - implicating the FBI, and book authors suggested deadly federal informants were to blame. And now, nothing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:39 AM

Woman who’s legs won’t stop growing seeks treatment in US 

Cheerful 33-year-old Mandy Sellars of Lancashire, England, don’t know why her legs keep growing and doctors don’t know either.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:35 AM

Documentary explores ‘The Vanishing of the Bees’ 

Filmmaker George Langworthy is a friend of the Professor and this documentary is one to keep an eye on. You can keep up with the film's progress at www.vanishingbees.com. Below is footage of filmmaker Maryam Henein enjoying the company of some ghost bees.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:03 AM

Australian scientists help crack sea monster mystery 

An email with 25 seconds of jerky footage of the creature under the subject title "What is it?" spent a year circulating the globe before landing in the inbox of an Australian marine biologist last week.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 AM

Mystery of the 106-year-old love letter 

What looks like an Edwardian love letter, lost behind a skirting board for more than a century, has been found in a South Shields house.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:27 AM

The Return of 'White Tights': Mythical Female Snipers Stalk Russians 

As the story had it, these stone-cold, blue eyed killers were said to be from the Baltics -- or Ukraine. They were sometimes described as Olympic biathletes recruited as mercenary sharpshooters by Chechen commanders.

Thanks Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:16 AM

Outside world still a mystery to tribe that time forgot 

High in the lush hills of western Java, an animist tribe lives a peaceful existence, untouched by the turmoil of the financial crisis.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:05 AM