Saturday, May 30, 2009

How a Conspiracy Theorist Who Thought I Was the Zodiac Killer Almost Ruined My Life 

Conspiracies theories are all fun and games until you become the subject of one.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:01 PM

Friday, May 29, 2009

Fortunetellers have zoning restrictions in their future 

Several hours before enacting the ordinance, County Board Member Cory Singer questioned the need to direct people with psychic powers to a particular zoning district: "Wouldn't they know that already?" he asked.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:28 PM

The Viking mystery of Baffin island 

Now word arrives from Pat Sutherland of the Canadian Museum of Civilization that there may be a second L’Anse aux Meadows at the Nanook dig site on Baffin Island — one which may contain evidence of direct Norse-Dorset contact, or at least contemporaneous occupation.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:22 PM

Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles tour: Tour keeps spirit of author Raymond Chandler's Los Angeles alive 

The thought would have hit gumshoe Philip Marlowe as soon as the bus pulled up: "I needed a drink, I needed a lot of life insurance, I needed a vacation, I needed a home in the country. What I had was a coat, a hat and a gun."

Actually, what I really had was a notebook, a pen and a digital recorder -- oh yeah, and a seat on Esotouric's Raymond Chandler Bus Tour.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:52 PM

Mesmeric...another elaborate creation in Wiltshire's crop circle capital 

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 PM

Review: 'Mona Lisa' theft examined 

The authors of two new books hang their stories on the same hook: the 1911 theft from the Louvre of the Mona Lisa. From there, however, the books diverge greatly.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:47 PM

Strange State 

I added Strange State, a blog about the paranormal mysteries of Oklahoma, to the links.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:24 PM

Report: Corpse could be slain German communist 

Could Rosa Luxemburg's body have been kept in storage since 1919?

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:33 PM

Identity of Tank Man of Tiananmen Square remains a mystery 

Outside China he is known simply as Tank Man. Inside the country he is not known at all. No trace is to be found of the young man armed only with shopping bags who 20 years ago blocked a column of tanks rolling through Beijing. His defiance became the defining image of the student demonstrations crushed by the People’s Liberation Army.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:22 PM

Is Bigfoot an alien? An interview with Chris Noel 

I believe that eventually and before too long one of these primates will be captured or killed. I know of many men currently on the hunt here on our continent. The first person who bags a Sasquatch will become rich and internationally famous, though reviled in certain circles.

Bigfoot hunters find print (With pic)

Chad Love: My Personal Bigfoot Quest (With link to PDF magazine containing a 2005 article on the Oklahoma Bigfoot)

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:46 PM

How Can You Lose Your Fingerprints? 

A Singaporean cancer patient was detained by U.S. customs because his cancer treatment had made his fingerprints disappear. A forensic expert explains other ways people can lose--intentionally and unintentionally--one of their unique identifiers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:26 PM

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Thank You 

I just want to thank everyone who has been shopping Amazon using the widgets on the left side of this page. I really appreciate it. Remember, every time you enter Amazon and shop using my links you're helping the Professor keep this site up and running. Thanks again.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:35 PM

Record shark brings talk of legend 

The tales of Old Hitler, the 20-foot plus great hammerhead that supposedly roams the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico between the Boca Grande Pass and Tampa Bay, have been passed down through Florida's generations. From salty old anglers to recreational fishermen, everyone seems to have a tale about the legendary beast.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:15 PM

A Mystery in an Old Wine Bottle 

It was supposed to be a straightforward news story: an auction house was finding that items believed to have belonged to Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun were in high demand, even in a recession. But a coincidence along the way led to a mystery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:27 PM

Nessie pops up to say 'Allo 

The sonar images reveal five Nessie-shaped images, which a trusted Loch Ness expert cannot explain.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:09 PM

Six things science has revealed about the female orgasm 

I think this article is faked.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:01 PM

Professor’s quest for the ‘real’ Jesus 

Jesus was a charismatic Jewish teacher rather than the divine figure of Christianity.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:56 PM

World Telekinesis Competition 

Get your mind on!

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:51 PM

Crop circle researcher dies 

Pat Delgado, the Hampshire pioneer of research into crop circles, who helped spark global interest in the phenomenon, has died aged 90.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:49 PM

Shunka Warak'in: DNA Results? 

Cryptomundo has the latest.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:17 PM

The Patterson Film Footage Enhancements 

A page full of links to film enhancements of the most famous Bigfoot film of all time. Interesting stuff.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:11 PM

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Researchers go looking for Bigfoot 

Around 30 researchers say they plan to brave the southeastern Oklahoma woods around Honobia this weekend looking for that infamous recluse Bigfoot.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:24 PM

Ontario's ghost cat 

The ministry of natural resources has set up cameras in the wild to find the elusive cougar.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:20 PM

Utah has mountains of mysteries 

When it comes to mysteries and legends, Utah certainly has a wealth of rich material for an author to draw upon. There are famed outlaws, hidden gold and ancient treasures, strange lights hovering over the West Desert and that elusive and rather hairy big guy who in these parts goes by name of Bigfoot.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:19 PM

Man in black: Robert E. Howard's Solomon Kane 

The Puritan adventurer gets a little love from the Los Angeles Times.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:08 PM

As a woman is hypnotised into believing she's had surgery: Yes, the power of the mind CAN heal your body 

Although she was fully aware that no band had been fitted, something in her brain seemed to believe otherwise, and she lost four stone - exactly the sort of weight loss that could be expected if a band had been fitted.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:02 PM

Like Grimoires? Read More! 

The literature on the history of magic is huge and much of it is either out of print or published in expensive academic books and journal articles. Those books suggested below provide affordable, accessible and informed accounts of the magical traditions that produced grimoires over the millennia.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:59 AM

Caracas is as dangerous for the dead as it is for the living 

"This was supposed to be my grandmother's place to rest in peace for eternity," Yohan Camacho, Santos' son, said later by the grave site. "Instead, it was ransacked for black magic rituals."

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:58 AM

Mystery Solved: Lilly E. Gray, Victim of the Beast 666 

A couple of years ago, after viewing a gravestone on a visit to the Salt Lake Cemetery, I was compelled to begin an investigation, in hopes of uncovering the ultimate meaning of a very ominous and enigmatic phrase, "Victim of the Beast 666."

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:56 AM

Voyage to the centre of the 'Plastic Vortex' 

A group of conservationists and scientists is due to set sail for an obscure corner of the Pacific Ocean in the coming months to explore a vast swirl of waste known as the "Plastic Vortex."

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:46 AM

I was rugby-tackled by a Yowie, man claims 

Hot on the heels of last week's wild weather in southeast Queensland comes a hunter of mythological beasts - Tim the Yowie Man.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:42 AM

Fresh Details on Mystery Man Clark Rockefeller as Trial Opens 

Gerhartsreiter is expected to emerge from 10 months in jail today when jury selection begins in his abduction trial. Despite the fact that one of the charges against him is giving police a false name, his lawyer has said they will insist the defendant be referred to as Clark Rockefeller.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:31 AM

7 Hacks That Turn Everyday Objects into Deadly Weapons 

From mild to deadly.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:25 AM

Undeciphered scripts 

The writing systems listed below have yet to be deciphered or have only been partially deciphered. In some cases the writing systems have been deciphered but the languages they were used to write remain a mystery.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:08 AM

Friday, May 22, 2009

Hello Kitty Tarot 

First the Pink Ouija Board and now the Hello Kitty Tarot.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:37 PM

Bizarre life of 'Clark Rockefeller' to be revealed at trial 

Rockefeller, 48, whom prosecutors say is really a German-born man called Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter, is accused of kidnapping his young daughter during a supervised visit and then going on the run with her for six days. Two former wives from two different lives are due to give evidence against him.

I still don't think that picture of "Rockefeller" looks anything like the picture of Gerhartsreiter. What do you think?

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:33 PM

Everett Ruess: Lost and found in the Desert Southwest 

Although he disappeared in fall of 1934, Ruess’ remains have only recently been identified. David Roberts, in a story in National Geographic Adventure, confirmed that skeletal remains found last year near Chinle Wash and Comb Ridge on the Navajo Reservation in southeast Utah are those of Everett Ruess.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:10 PM

Thursday, May 21, 2009

The Pink Ouija Board 

Hasbro has released a pink Ouija Board for girls. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:04 PM

Amanda Knox ready to take the stand 

For four months inside a courtroom in Perugia, Italy, prosecutors have painted Amanda Knox as a killer who took part in a 2007 drug-induced sex crime that ended with the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher.

Now, lawyers for Knox and her former boyfriend, Rafaelle Sollecito, will present their defense together.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:51 PM

The Long Walk: Factual Account of Yeti from WWII, or Fabrication? 

Today while visiting a thrift store in my area in search of odd books, I found a copy of The Long Walk by Slavomir Rawicz. The book itself doesn’t focus on the anomalous, instead dealing primarily with the story of Rawicz, who at the time had been a prisoner who escaped with a small group of men from a Soviet prison camp in 1941. In order to make it to freedom, those who survived the ordeal were forced to travel out of Siberia and across China, the Gobi Desert, Tibet, finally traversing the Himilayas into British India.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:28 PM

The Growling Thing 

Tammy Thomas was about 10 years old when the growling thing came into her home.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:25 PM

ShukerNature 

I added cryptozoologist Karl Shuker's site to the links.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:04 PM

Flaming Monsters! 

More dragons from Nick Redfern.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:55 PM

Jesse James in Texas 

But in Texas, a long-standing legend says that Jesse didn't die in Missouri, but faked his death, moved to Texas, and died in Granbury, the county seat of Hood County, when he was 104. Now, to Leon County.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:44 PM

Ghostly image investigated 

A photograph taken at the Edward Jenner Museum in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, has been viewed by paranormal experts after it appeared to show a ghostly figure in the shot.

With video. More hauntings today over at Haunted Hex.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:36 PM

The 'Peruvian vampire' 

Sarah Roberts, an East Lancashire woman who died 96 years ago in Peru, is one of the most iconic cult figures in the South American country.

According to Peruvian legend, she had to be buried there as nowhere else in the world would take the casket of a woman believed to be one of the three brides of Dracula.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:56 AM

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Children in Congo forced into exorcisms 

According to a United Nations report issued this year, a growing number of children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are being accused of witchcraft and subjected to violent exorcisms by religious leaders, in which they are often beaten, burned, starved and even murdered.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:58 PM

Dead Man’s Creek and the Displaced Ones 

The Paranormal Pastor wades in.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:56 PM

Rare Waterloo pistol up for auction in Lichfield 

The flintlock pocket pistol belonged to John Waters who served on HMS Bellerophon, the ship that captured Napoleon Bonaparte following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:30 PM

A tall fish tale rises from Lake Erie's murky depths 

There is much doubt surrounding the Lake Erie Monster's existence but media reports from around the lake have come from the Ottawa CountyBeacon,the Dayton Daily News,the Fort Wayne Journal Gazetteand the ColumbusDispatch.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:26 PM

Hear that? It may be a mystery hum 

If you listen closely enough, you might hear it.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:59 PM

Mystery after 'big cat' spotted near Trowbridge 

A songwriter is appealing for witnesses after he spotted a mysterious big black cat near Trowbridge.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:58 PM

Treasure in the sand dunes? 

German gold in Australia?

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:57 PM

Lost timepiece from Franklin Expedition found 

A failed 19th-century Arctic expedition that was famously "frozen in time" has yielded a stunningly poignant relic: a ship's clock that somehow survived the disaster and has kept on ticking.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:55 PM

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Al Qaeda figure who provided link to Iraq reportedly dead in Libya 

The accused terrorist who said he was tortured into making a false connection between al Qaeda and Iraq has died in a Libyan prison, human rights monitors said Tuesday.

How very convenient.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:56 PM

The gold-fingered gardener who unearths a piece of treasure every time she tends her vegetable patch 

She has dug up an incredible treasure trove of dozens of valuable items including a diamond ring, a solid gold Victorian watch and an Edwardian chain-mail bag at her historic farmhouse.

The mother of three has also found more than a hundred coins - some of them Roman, and an Austrian Crown from 1780 - as well as brooches and medals in her 150ft long garden. Among the more bizarre are a plough, a gate and a wheelbarrow.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:52 PM

The spirit photographs of William Hope 

A nice set on Flickr.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:41 PM

Knights Templar Castle for Sale in France 

Maybe if we all chip in...

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:33 PM

Stone Age Figurine Has Contentious Origins 

“This discovery radically changes our views of the context and meaning of the earliest Paleolithic art and is perhaps the earliest example of figurative art worldwide.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:29 PM

Writer Will Murray on the History of Pulp 

Fascinating stuff if you like the old pulps, with info on The Shadow, Doc Savage, the Whisperer, The Avenger, Marvel comics, cool reprints and more.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:23 PM

Buried in the Playground: Who Is 'Baby Justice'? 

Very sad and very creepy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:08 PM

Sherlock Holmes Trailer! 

It's here and it looks awesome.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:01 PM

Monday, May 18, 2009

New 'Montauk Monster' Likely Same Species as Old One 

It's hard to dispute some family resemblances, even after death.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:05 PM

Author explores bigfoot fascination 

The skillfully written book isn't about debunking the legend or proving the big guy exists. Rather, Buhs, whose other book, "The Fire Ant Wars," was published by the same printing house in 2004, explores the cultural phenomenon created by the Sasquatch lore.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:04 PM

Serial killer link to Apprentice cafe 

Who was Jack the Stripper?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:49 PM

Did the Mafia kill JFK? 

According to the authors, the man responsible for murdering the 35th President of the United States was Louisiana mob boss Carlos Marcello.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:49 PM

Swordplay on a Salt Lake City square in 1886 

At least 1,500 men gathered around the 20-by-20-foot temporary stage built at the hot springs north of Salt Lake City on June 1, 1886. One man entered the square wearing a face mask and armor over ordinary street clothes. The other was even more conspicuous, his protective gear worn over white tights and blue trunks. Both men carried fencing foils.

Interesting.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:45 PM

What did the secret societies achieve in the history? 

Ask some experts!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:34 PM

Legend of Geronimo's bones one of many 

The story of Geronimo epitomizes the Old West: a larger-than-life Indian warrior whose remarkable exploits in battle bordered on the supernatural.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:29 PM

CIA's Kryptos: The puzzle even experts can’t break 

For 19 years it has sat beyond the public's gaze in an inner courtyard on the campus of the Central Intelligence Agency, a not uninteresting sculpture with 865, apparently randomly selected letters perforating a solid scroll of copper.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:22 PM

£3m Henry Moore sculpture 'sold as scrap for £1,500' 

The mysterious disappearance of a £3m Henry Moore sculpture appears to have been solved, with police believing it was melted down and sold for no more than £1,500.

Ouch.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:20 PM

NE Iowa couple’s computer mystery stumps technicians, computer experts 

Mary LaMour can't understand why her computer works at other people's homes, and outside, but not inside her house.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:58 AM

Fish Poisoning May Be Why Polynesians Left Paradise 

Ciguatera poisoning, the food-borne disease that can come from eating large, carnivorous reef fish, causes vomiting, headaches, and a burning sensation upon contact with cold surfaces.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:57 AM

Ghostly museum image caught on film 

A ghostly image has been snapped at a museum prompting speculation that the spirit of the English scientist Edward Jenner could be haunting his former home.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:56 AM

Sunday, May 17, 2009

The Chinese Typewriter 

Starring MC Hammer, Tom Selleck, The Simpsons and a cast of billions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:00 PM

Will the real William Quantrill please stand up? 

Did Quantrill really die in 1864?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:13 PM

British zombie movie that cost just £45 to make is set to become surprise hit at Cannes 

Two Japanese film companies have made a bid to distribute the movie and the 30-year-old director is hoping that more offers will start coming in.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:54 AM

How Neanderthals met a grisly fate: devoured by humans 

One of science's most puzzling mysteries - the disappearance of the Neanderthals - may have been solved. Modern humans ate them, says a leading fossil expert.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:24 AM

Sunday's Flying Saucers 

China - News service reports UFO seen by own journalist (With pic)

Office worker spooked by UFO flying over Bristol

O'Hare style UFO filmed in Japan? (With video)

UFO over Peru amazes locals (With video)

I-Team: Chasing UFO's on the River (With video)

New book examines West Virginia UFOs, strange encounters

2 UFOs crash land in Kazakhstan - report

Croatia: UFO incident involving small plane (With pic)

UFO Sighted Over Afghanistan Is US Secret Airplane (With pic)

One Man's Early Alien Contacts ETAP in Canada in the 1960s

Missouri man photographs large group of disc-shaped objects (With pic)

Close up UFO snapped over Thames river (With pic)

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:13 AM

Friday, May 15, 2009

Siberians complain about Bigfoot’s appetite 

The local Shor people in Kemerovo Region, Siberia, are reporting that something is snatching up the wild leek crop that is a staple of their diet, Itar-Tass Siberia reports.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:13 PM

'Civil War' silver found in pot 

An earthenware pot containing silver items thought to have been buried for safekeeping during the Civil War has been discovered in a Somerset garden.

See also: Gold prospectors head off to California, dreaming

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:51 PM

The Fourth Reich Takes Flight In Space 

Nazis in Space!!!!!

With video and cool "motion poster."

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:48 PM

40-year obsession ends with bizarre house clearance 

Sounds like an amazing collection of stuff.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:36 PM

Sardinians unlock 'sardonic grin' 

Sardinian scientists believe they've traced the roots of the 'death-defying' sardonic grin to a plant commonly found on the Italian island.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:28 PM

Quantum Physics Findings Are Put to Work in Encryption and Philosophy 

One of quantum physics' crazier notions is that two particles seem to communicate with each other instantly, even when they're billions of miles apart. Albert Einstein, arguing that nothing travels faster than light, dismissed this as impossible "spooky action at a distance."

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:27 PM

The bones of Geronimo and Yale's Skull and Bones 

The Indian leader Goyathlay, popularly known as Geronimo, died in captivity and was buried at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in 1909. This fact about his death is generally agreed upon.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:56 AM

Crows and magpies show researchers their smarts 

Stories abound about the wily crow's ability to form seemingly complex thoughts.

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:48 AM

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Real Life Spy Gadgets 

For the secret agent in all of us. Via Boing Boing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:49 AM

Is strange carcass another ‘Montauk Monster’? 

An odd creature has apparently washed up on New York's coast, sparking claims that it may be another so-called "Montauk Monster."

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:26 AM

Uncovering the Secrets Beneath the Surface of the New York Harbor 

This first GPS-era picture comes from the team at Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, who have methodically swept the lower Hudson with state-of-the-art sonar.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:59 AM

Rare giant sloth bones found in Norwalk museum attic 

The bones belong to the second-largest Ice Age sloth (Megalonyx jeffersonii) of its kind ever recorded, and cuts along the femur bone are the first evidence prehistoric Indians hunted the species...

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:47 AM

Mayan King Remains Found in Honduras 

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:33 AM

Eugene Mallove slaying remains a mystery, 5 years later 

Who killed cold fusion proponent Eugene Mallove? And why?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:33 AM

THE WITCHING HOUR 

FREE screenings of occult-themed films in Los Angeles. Check out the 16th's offerings.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:13 AM

The Truth Is Out There, and the Nation's Maddest Scientists Are After It 

Paranormal phenomena aren't just for Fox Mulder, Melinda Gordon, and Rod Serling. Even top academics can't resist a good ghost story.

Via the always-interesting Blogsquatcher.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:50 AM

Jay Smith dies at 80; was key figure in '79 Reinert slaying case 

Very strange case. More here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:00 AM

Swine Flu May Be Human Error; WHO Investigates Claim 

The World Health Organization is investigating a claim by an Australian researcher that the swine flu virus circling the globe may have been created as a result of human error.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:39 AM

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Expert says footprints belong to Knox, ex-boyfriend 

Bloody and luminol-enhanced footprints left in the villa where Meredith Kercher was murdered are those of Raffaele Sollecito, Amanda Knox and Rudy Guede, the director of print identity in the Rome forensic police division testified Saturday.

See also: 'Foxy Knoxy' prosecutor faces 10-month jail sentence over abuse of power charges (I really tried to find a headline for this story without the phrase "Foxy Knoxy" in it. I couldn't find one.)

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:03 PM

A Battle to Preserve Wardenclyffe, Tesla’s Bold Failure 

In 1901, Nikola Tesla began work on a global system of giant towers meant to relay through the air not only news, stock reports and even pictures but also, unbeknown to investors such as J. Pierpont Morgan, free electricity for one and all.

With excellent slide show. Thanks to Scott for the tip.

Save Wardenclyffe!

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:10 PM

Howlin’ Wolf 

An Interview with Linda Godfrey, the world's leading expert on The Beast of Bray Road. Via Nick Redfern.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:55 AM

Fish that triggers hallucinations found off British coast 

"Now I realise what it was and the effects it can have, perhaps I should have taken it into town to sell to some clubbers!"

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:03 AM

Superglue: Stone Age Humans Beat Us to It 

This is glue. Strong stuff.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:17 AM

Charlie Kray's son-in-law and grandson jailed for life over 'headless corpse' murder 

Gangster Charlie Kray's grandson and former son-in-law have been jailed for life for torturing, killing and beheading a man who they claimed had stolen drugs belonging to them.

Torture and murder seem to run in the Kray family..



You might remember the film they made about the boys starring the Kemp Brothers from Spandau Ballet. It's pretty good.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:32 AM

Monster Snake Spotted On Cannock Chase 

Cannock Chase has seen some cryptid activity again this past week. The Cannock Chase Post has reported sightings of a super-size serpent and a panther-like beast.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:53 AM

Marriott Monster! 

Man sees Bigfoot - from the balcony of his hotel!

See also: McDowell man: "Bigfoot among us" (With blurriest Sasquatch photo ever. Serious.)

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:28 AM

Author Revisits 136 Year Old Double Murder 

In his recently published book, Cold Water Crossing, author David Faxon reconstructs the murders of two women at the Isles of Shoals in 1873.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:25 AM

The unseen Man Ray 

When Man Ray died in Paris in 1976 he left behind an archive of thousands of his photographs that reflect the life and work of one of the most important artists of the 20th century.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:07 AM

Beware the voodoo doll 

The man for whom the voodoo doll was meant to hurt, was dead within a year - felled by a heart attack.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:01 AM

DNA tests prove Mad Trapper still a mystery 

The identity of the so-called "Mad Trapper of the North" remains as much of a cold case now as it was more than 77 years ago when the notorious outlaw met his end in a shoot-out with RCMP officers and aboriginal deputies in the Canadian high Arctic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:54 AM

Christian group declares UFOs 'evil spirits' of the Bible 

A Christian counter-cult ministry will hold a symposium as part of the upcoming Roswell UFO Festival.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:44 AM

Paint Us Happy: "LA Bizarro" Returns This Summer 

An revised edition of the esteemed Los Angeles guide book.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:35 AM

Microscope sale breaks every Record 

Antony van Leeuwenhoek, the Dutch father of microbiology, made more than 500 microscopes some 300 years ago. Each was little bigger than a postage stamp and all but nine have since disappeared.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:24 AM

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Humanure: the end of sewage as we know it? 

For some eco-pioneers, solving the sludge problem means getting their hands dirty.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:11 PM

Brain-Hacking May Cure Tourettes — Or Weaponize It 

Neuroscientists think they've identified the part of the brain that causes Tourette's Syndrome. Can we hack it?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:46 PM

Monday, May 11, 2009

Mysterious skull unearthed at Texas construction site 

"We all know it's a primate," said David Evans, 25, of Alvarado. "We just don't know which kind."

Found five feet underground. With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:00 PM

'EQ' linked to frequency of orgasm 

The more "emotionally intelligent" women are, the more orgasms they have.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:48 PM

The Montauk Monster returns to New York! 

The early signs of summer are all around. The trees are in full bloom, the mercury is rising and Monty has returned to the shores of New York.

I guess summer has officially arrived.

More at Montauk Monster.com

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:26 PM

Brownsville clergyman seeks to disenfranchise evil spirits 

Resendez takes a rather unusual approach to politics. He believes evil spirits are real - and he wants to keep them out of the electoral process.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:18 PM

New book puts you on the trail of 'Shot heard 'Round the World' 

Did a nun catch one of the most famous home run balls in history?

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:40 PM

Area 51: 20 Years of Intrigue 

Not many classified Pentagon bases can claim the status of cultural icon, but the one out there near Nevada's Groom Lake certainly qualifies.

Via Fark Geek.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:21 PM

Mystery of message in a bottle found at Auschwitz solved 

Sixty-five years ago Waclaw Sobczak hid a message in a bottle between the bricks of a wall in a building of the Nazi German Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp, a last sign of life as he prepared to die.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:13 PM

Indian village with 250 sets of twins 

Doctors are trying to unravel the mystery of an Indian village boasting 250 sets of twins born to just 2,000 families.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:05 PM

Man seeks to unravel the mystery of his mother's murder in 1926 

Hamsher was just three years old when his mother, Elsie Regan, was killed in New York. It was the 1920s and she was a dancing girl in the decadent maelstrom of the Big Apple during prohibition.

Sad and sweet story. Good luck, Mr. Hamsher.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:59 PM

Word-of-Mouth Cures That Really Work! 

Good to know.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:23 PM

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Lost tourist search turns up seven corpses 

A rescue team which failed to find a missing visitor at a tourist hotspot in northern China got a nasty surprise when it stumbled upon seven corpses instead.

Surprise!

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:53 PM

2060: Humvee-sized, bulletproof meat-eating spiders attack 

Danish boffins have uncovered an unforeseen, extra downside of the melting of the Arctic ice cap, according to reports. Not only will there be sea level rises and massive flooding*; there will also be a plague of enormous, invulnerable, heavily armoured meat-eating cannibal spiders.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:24 AM

The Pope Lick Monster 

The Pope Lick Monster is a half-man and half-goat or half-sheep cryptid reported to live beneath a Norfolk Southern Railway trestle over Pope Lick Creek, in the Fisherville area of Louisville, Kentucky.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:23 AM

Ancient Nuclear Weapons? Another Aspect of the Ancient Indian Astronaut Connection 

Is it really possible that the ancient Indians had the capacity to deploy devastating nuclear weapons against their enemies?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:58 AM

Saturday Saucers 

Did Aliens visit Bendigo?

The Aurora UFO in 1897 was the first UFO sighting in Texas.

Famed UFO historian: humanity may be targeted by predatory Reptilian extraterrestrial species

Ex-newsman producing second UFO book

One family's UFO sightings illustrated

The great UFO scare of October 1973

Sex Therapists from Outer Space

UFO filmed above Moscow during daylight (with video)

'Alien Hunter's' true believer

Former British Royal Air Force official saw Alien Orb create Crop Circle

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:56 AM

Friday, May 08, 2009

18 fun atrocities straight from the Bible 

God has issues.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:37 PM

Legend tripping 

Legend tripping, also known as "ostension," is a name recently bestowed by folklorists and anthropologists on an adolescent practice (containing elements of a rite of passage) in which a usually furtive nocturnal pilgrimage is made to a site which is alleged to have been the scene of some tragic, horrific, and possibly supernatural event or haunting.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:17 AM

Magic and the Brain: Teller Reveals the Neuroscience of Illusion 

"People take reality for granted," Teller says shortly before stepping onstage. "Reality seems so simple. We just open our eyes and there it is. But that doesn't mean it is simple."

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:50 AM

A Self-Made Mind: The Internet and Consciousness 

Could the net become self-aware?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:13 AM

The world has always been weird 

The Blogsquatcher looks at the shapeshifters.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:08 AM

La Santisima Muerte: Inside the Death Cult 

The worship of Santa Muerte, the Mexican grim reaper, has exploded in the Valley.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:57 AM

Oswald's Mother 

I added Oswald's Mother - Essays on the assassination of JFK to the links.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:49 AM

The golem in Prague’s closet 

According to legend, Prague's most famous rabbi, the 16th-century Judah Loew ben Bezalel, magically made a mute clay being who alternately protected and rampaged through the Prague ghetto where Jews were required to live.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:45 AM

Horrorwood Babbles On: The Ackermansion, Gone? Puns Fail Me ... 

For the first time in over half a century there is no Ackermuseum of Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror. Forrest J Ackerman (1916-2008), genre-giant and the heart and soul of the largest collection of memorabilia ever assembled, has left the building. Now the building is leaving us.

Sad, sad, sad. With pics.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:25 AM

Framingham's history revisited in "Lore and Legends" 

Parr cited a list of significant historical events with immediate ties to Framingham, including King Philip's War, the Salem witch trials, the Boston Massacre, the American Revolution, the Civil War and the rise of industrialism, railroads, interstate highways and shopping malls.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:21 AM

Mystery voice encourages treasure hunters to submit bounty 

Fellow treasure hunters in Russia’s Kaluga Region claim they were subjected to superhuman influences after discovering a buried church treasure when a voice prevented them from selling items belonging to the church.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:17 AM

16th-century torture devices to be auctioned in N.Y. 

For sale soon: a variety of torture devices from the 16th century, including "shame masks" to enforce silence, a 14-foot table-like rack to stretch the victim's body, and a "tongue tearer" to punish blasphemers and heretics. Even an executioner's sword.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:57 AM

Disappearing act of world's second biggest fish revealed 

The migration patterns of basking sharks have long mystified marine biologists, but new research has finally revealed where the world's second-biggest fish hide out for half of every year.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:56 AM

Monster wave gives up its secrets 

A huge ocean wave has been filmed from beneath the surface, revealing features never before captured on camera.

Beautiful.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:31 AM

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Poppy’s Alibi 

Poppy, the family nickname for our 41st president, has lived quite a full life. From naval aviator in WWII to Texas oil baron, CIA operative, Congressman, Ambassador to the UN, CIA Director, Vice President and finally, President of the United States. He was also the only person living in America at the time of the Kennedy assassination that claims not to know where he was on that day.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:54 PM

Let Their Spirits Speak 

One man can't rest until he knows the mystery behind the Ouija board, and the secrets that only two dead Baltimore brothers knew.

Fascinating. See also: Williamfuld.com

Museum of Talking Boards

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:05 PM

Call to save hilltop boulders 

Researchers are calling for the protection of round boulders on an Auckland hilltop that they say are of international historical importance and were placed there by an ancient pre-Maori society.

Of interest: Ancient Celtic New Zealand

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:05 PM

Cats: the mystery 

More4 News reports on the big cat devotees who believe they exist in Britain and are calling on the government to act before someone gets hurt.

With video. See also: Mystery animal roaming Iredell

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:59 PM

Legends try to explain mystery behind old grave in Shepherdsville 

Not much is known about the person buried there besides a few newspaper articles and the legends, which tell of a young couple who met at the old Paroquet Springs resort in the early to mid-1800s and planned to marry but never did because the young man died in the Mexican-American War.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:49 PM

The Mystery Of Lincoln’s Last Days 

We all know how Abraham Lincoln died in 1865, but what about the way he lived during the final years of his life?

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:38 PM

Hobbit Foot, Hippo Skulls Deepen Ancestral Mystery 

Fossil hobbits followed a simple motto: Walk, don’t run. That’s the implication of a new analysis of foot bones from an 18,000-year-old partial skeleton assigned to the controversial species Homo floresiensis, or hobbits.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:36 PM

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Still on the Track 

I added Still on the Track, the Voice of the International Crypto Community to the links.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:53 PM

Inside the baby mind 

Unlike the adult mind, which restricts itself to a narrow slice of reality, babies can take in a much wider spectrum of sensation - they are, in an important sense, more aware of the world than we are.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:30 PM

The Splitback Demon 

The creature, which I have been told Northumbrians call The Splitback Demon (although I've only the testimony of a singular Northumbrian up to now regarding this) looks pretty much like a cross between a 1950s "B" movie reject and a diminutive Godzilla. Still, as cryptids go that'll do for me.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:48 AM

UK Sikh martial art maestro revives ancient shastar vidiya 

Shastar Vidiya, a little-known fighting technique from north India died out when the British Raj banned it after the final, bloody defeat of the Sikh empire in the mid-19th century. Now, one man is determined to bring it back from the brink of extinction.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:37 AM

The 2012 Apocalypse — And How to Stop It 

For scary speculation about the end of civilization in 2012, people usually turn to followers of cryptic Mayan prophecy, not scientists. But that’s exactly what a group of NASA-assembled researchers described in a chilling report issued earlier this year on the destructive potential of solar storms.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:27 AM

The Savannah River sea serpent 

“Sea Serpent” says a headline in a September edition of The Augusta Chronicle.

What followed was an account of the remarkable discovery of something in the river that no one could identify.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:03 AM

The one that got away 

What lurks in the River Medway?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:47 AM

The battle of Van Gogh's ear 

History has always painted Vincent Van Gogh as the artist who cut off his ear. But according to researchers, history might have got the wrong man.

They believe that, in fact, it was Paul Gauguin, an artist of almost equal renown, who cut off his friend's ear.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:41 AM

Get Ready Humanity, Because Space Is a Freak Show 

In October, NASA discovered the universe was sliding inexplicably toward, well, something massive. They called the phenomenon "dark flow," and it's but one example of the creepy, unexplained awesomeness that awaits humanity in space.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:27 AM

Archaeology Magazine 

I added Archaeology Magazine to the links. Check out the Screaming Mummies!

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:14 AM

Rome WAS Built in a Day! 

Twenty-seven-year-old artist Liz Glynn has literally built Rome in a day. Twice. Out of cardboard and wood, that is.

Interesting. With pics.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:05 AM

EBay Has Unexpected, Chilling Effect On Looting Of Antiquities, Archaelogist Finds 

By improving access to a worldwide market, eBay has inadvertently created a vast market for copies of antiquities, diverting whole villages from looting to producing fake artifacts, Stanish writes.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:53 AM

Pioneer fitness expert's advice still good as new 

Interview with Mark Adams, author of Mr. America, a new book about pioneering fitness and nutrition guru Bernarr McFadden.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:53 AM

Modern-day pagans trying to revive Wiccan May Day festivities 

May Day, or Beltane, an ancient Celtic festival of fertility revived by Wiccans and neopagans alike, sprang to life again on Saturday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:46 AM

Oil from Algae as close as ten years 

It's a case of 'back to the future' for scientists researching extracting oil from algae.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:45 AM

Fossil backs theory linking dinosaurs to birds 

Deep inside the single leg bone of an 80-million-year-old duck-billed dinosaur, scientists have found a hoard of proteins and blood cells providing the first clear biochemical evidence that dinosaurs are indeed the ancestors of modern birds - linked by evolution.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:39 AM

Museum puts off DNA testing of Lincoln artifact for now 

The strip of a pillowcase stained with the blood of Abraham Lincoln is usually locked away in a display case or safe at the Grand Army of the Republic Museum and Library in the city's Frankford section.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:30 AM

Grimoires: A History of Magic Books by Owen Davies 

Review at Bookslut.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:24 AM

Who killed Gloria? 

It has been 37 years since Gloria Kirkpatrick, the young, pretty manager of the movie theaters at Marina City, was stabbed to death in the middle of the afternoon in downtown Chicago. Her assailant is unknown. Motive is unknown. Although assigned last August to a Cold Case Squad, the Chicago Police Department has nothing to report other than, “No new developments at this time.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:55 AM

Monday, May 04, 2009

The Story of Jacko 

The story of Jacko - that of a small, apelike, young Sasquatch said to have been captured alive in the 1800s - is a piece of folklore that refuses to die, despite a superb investigative article published in 1975, co-authored by John Green and Sabina W. Sanderson.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:11 PM

Dr Pepper artifact may reveal soft drink’s origin | Business | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle 

Poking through antiques stores while traveling through the Texas Panhandle, Bill Waters stumbled across a tattered old ledger book filled with formulas.

He bought it for $200, suspecting he he could resell it for five times that. Turns out, his inkling about the book’s value was more spot on than he knew. The Tulsa, Okla., man eventually discovered the book came from the Waco, Texas, drugstore where Dr Pepper was invented and includes a recipe titled “D Peppers Pepsin Bitters.”

“I began feeling like I had a national treasure,” said Waters, 59.

When the 8½-by-15½ inch book of more than 360 pages goes up for auction at Dallas-based Heritage Auction Galleries on May 13, it’s expected to sell between $50,000 to $75,000.

I hate this guy. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:03 PM

Hunt for drug lord's millions 

An Indiana Jones-style race is on to unearth tens of millions of dollars buried in secret locations by the notorious drug baron Pablo Escobar.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:48 AM

Explorer Delves Into St. Paul's Stinky Spots 

According to Brick, human moles in the Twin Cities have carved out underground space over the years for an amazing variety of commercial enterprises: making beer, cheese and automobile windshields; growing mushrooms; and storing boats, potatoes and live bait; as well as being transit ways for sewage, waste, utilities and people.

Caves here have been nightclubs, fallout shelters, haunted houses, teenage drinking dens, and hideouts for criminals and the homeless. They've been revered as the haunts of American Indian gods and have inspired legends of buried treasures, ghosts, monsters and supernatural beings.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:40 AM

Lessons from 1918 

The influenza pandemic of 1918 sprang seemingly from nowhere, infected nearly half the world and probably killed more people than that other milestone of medical disaster, the medieval plague.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:28 AM

Dutch Assassin Was Taxi Driver Copycat 

The man who drove his car into a crowded Dutch royal parade, targeting Queen Beatrix Wilhelmina Armgard, had shaved his hair into a Mohawk, like the homicidal anti-hero of the film Taxi Driver before launching the attack.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:18 AM

Galaxy's centre tastes of raspberries and smells of rum 

Astronomers searching for the building blocks of life in a giant dust cloud at the heart of the Milky Way have concluded that it tastes vaguely of raspberries.

Thanks Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:14 AM

The Chupacabras Flu 

Is it too late to rename the flu?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:09 AM

Enter the Dragon-Hunter 

According to full-time crypto-zoologist and former zoo-keeper Richard Freeman, however, the legends are all-too-real. Moreover, the events cited above all reportedly occurred well within living memory.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:02 AM

Psychic premonitions pour into tip line 

The spotlight of a national crime show brought in dozens of tips about victims exhumed from Albuquerque's West Mesa, but the dreams, premonitions and other leads have not panned out.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:59 AM

Ancient tsunami 'hit New York' 

A huge wave crashed into the New York City region 2,300 years ago, dumping sediment and shells across Long Island and New Jersey and casting wood debris far up the Hudson River.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:49 AM

Mercy Killings 

The fabulous era of the pulps died with a whimper, not a bang.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:41 AM

Russia: Search for the Yeti of Shoria Mountain continues 

Local’s are still alleging they have seen the bigfoot type creature in the area surrounding the Azass Caves on many occasions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:40 AM

Mondo Moore 

The sixth part of a long interview with comics creator and occultist Alan Moore, with links to the previous five installments.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:37 AM

Anxious London Professionals Flock to Psychics 

Conceived in the heady heyday of the Belle Epoque, London department store Selfridges has yet to reinvent itself for the age of austerity. But there's one commodity on sale between the crystal decanters and bone china that perfectly reflects the preoccupations of the times. For just $70, a concession called Psychic Sisters retails peace of mind by the half-hour.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:37 AM

Novel theory about Holt mystery 

Former Australian prime minister Harold Holt was kidnapped and murdered – by our own people, according to a Sunshine Coast novelist and former spy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:22 AM

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Dad was not the Zodiac, second daughter insists 

A Southern California woman's accusation that her long-dead stepfather was the Zodiac killer just took on a bizarre twist: Another daughter of the man popped up Friday to angrily denounce the charge.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:29 PM

'Modern survivalists' dig in for disaster 

Referred to as "modern survivalists" or "preppers," they are taking steps to protect and provide for their families should something bad happen.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:34 PM

Flu may be echo of 1918 pandemic 

Ominous similarities exist between the swine flu and the 1918 pandemic virus that killed millions around the globe, from a shared "death profile" of 20-to-40-year-olds to an ability to spread rapidly among humans, experts say.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:29 PM

Mummifying to ensure fertility 

Sounds shocking, even weird, but the Bhote community of this hill village in Gorkha has been upholding the tradition for ages -- they cover a dead infant with salt and keep the body for years.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:29 PM

Friday, May 01, 2009

Museum Collection of a Midwest Institution 

I went to a remarkable auction last weekend and thought I'd share with you some of the cool items I didn't win. Pretty neat stuff with a lot of African items and interesting things from Kansas history.

OSAGE CADDO CABINET PHOTO LATE 1800'S

PONCA INDIAN ALBUMEN CABINET PHOTO C. 1890

FOUR CABINET PHOTOS OF 3 INDIAN GIRLS 1890'S

Really, really wanted these...

BROAD BRIMMED QUAKER HAT CIRCA 19TH CEN.

I would have looked pretty stylish in this.

US ARMY M-1902 SIGNAL CORPS UNIFORM

INSCRIBED CARRY NATION HATCHET

Another item I really wanted but, alas, it got to rich for my blood. A unique piece of American history.

1930'S FOLK ART TABLE BY NICHOLAS NAUTA, WICHITA

How beautiful is this?

TAXIDERMY MOUNTED OSTRICH

My friend Dan really wanted this. The gentleman who won it wrapped it in plastic wrap and took it home in the back of his pickup truck.

TRIBAL AFRICAN BROAD BLADED SPEAR CIRCA 1920

TIRIKI CIRCUMCISION RITES CEREMONIAL MASK

(Pictures do not accurately convey how cool this thing was in real life.)

And something I did win...

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:53 PM

Mummified puppy found in Egyptian tomb 

A small bundle found at the feet of an ancient Egyptian mummy whose tomb was inscribed with the phrase "Hapi-Men" contained the remains of a young dog, according to University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology staff who have named the canine "Hapi-Puppy."

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:35 PM

Tickets on sale to Kercher murder home 

The owner of the Italian apartment where Meredith Kercher was killed is selling tickets to those who want to see where the murder unfolded.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:06 PM

Psychiatrist says he has an eye for innovation 

"I can make a tone sound on a computer using an energy beam emitted from my eye."

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:18 PM

UFO Round-Up 

Poland: UFO formation over Lublin (With video)

Metal shard linked to Roswell Incident

Apparently peaceful 'orange blobs' found in Roswell, N.M.

'Alien skull' spotted on Mars

A Brief History Of My Favorite "Martian" Photograph

Meteor-like UFOs appear controlled

UFO sightings: Something Floats Over Our World

UFOs, visitors are here – situation mysterious, says author

UFOs Filmed Over The US Capital Building In 1952

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:31 PM

Wanderer's last trail found after 75 years 

That discovery, made more than a year ago, came full circle Thursday with the announcement that the bones belong to Everett Ruess, a poet and painter, writer and thinker who vanished near the Four Corners area in 1934.

For 75 years, the answer to his disappearance at age 20 had been the stuff of speculation.

It might never have been solved but for a Navajo medicine man's admonition, a grandfather's story of long-ago death, a curious writer and contemporary forensic-science work conducted at the University of Colorado.

More on Everett Ruess here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:51 PM

Jack the Ripper 'was invented to win tabloid newspaper war' 

In his book Jack The Ripper: Case Closed, he argues that the famous letter bragging about the killings - signed 'Jack the Ripper' in the first-ever use of that name - was actually forged by journalists desperate to sell their newspaper.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:51 PM

British explorers discover world's largest cave deep in Vietnamese jungle 

Very cool. With pics. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:27 AM