Saturday, October 31, 2009

Happy Halloween! 

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:19 PM

Friday, October 30, 2009

Halloween history: The myth of the Jack-o-lantern and spooky lights 

How did the custom of carving pumpkins with frightening faces become a part of our Halloween festivities?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:57 PM

A New Wrinkle in the JFK Assassination Story 

What McHugh claimed to have witnessed next was shocking. "I walked in the toilet, in the powder room, and there he was hiding, with the curtain closed," McHugh recalled. He claimed that LBJ was crying, "They're going to get us all. It's a plot. It's a plot. It's going to get us all.'" According to the General, Johnson "was hysterical, sitting down on the john there alone in this thing."

So...who's they?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 PM

Scientists discovered hairless rodent that could provide cure for cancer 

Researchers have discovered why a bizarre-looking rodent is the only known cancer free animal in the world. The findings could one day help scientists stop tumours developing in humans.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:46 PM

The search for Amelia Earhart flies again 

Imagine being thrilled to learn that the hardened material in your hands is dried...well, poop. You might feel differently if the dropping potentially belonged to a famous aviator.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:50 AM

Werewolf sightings on Wrexham-Flintshire border 

Could there really be some strange creature resembling a primitive man, even a werewolf, living in the woods in the area who had lived there undetected for more than 20 years?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:58 AM

Modern man a wimp says anthropologist 

You suck. Here's why. Thanks again, Scott.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:51 AM

Disarticulated foot find no real mystery, oceanographer insists 

Human remains washing ashore happens all over North America, but it's just not something that's openly discussed or widely reported on, he suggested.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:24 AM

Picower’s Death Adds to Mystery: Who Else Knew Of Madoff Fraud? 

When billionaire Madoff investor Jeffry Picower was found dead at the bottom of the swimming pool at his oceanfront estate in Palm Beach, Fla., on October 25, he left behind lingering questions about the nature of Bernard Madoff’s $65 billion Ponzi scheme. Could Madoff have pulled off the massive fraud on his own, or were others aware of, and even complicit with, the record-breaking scam?

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:26 AM

Bigfoot Safari 

Sasquatch hunters hope to find proof in Dolly Sods

Sasquatch Watching His Back in West Virginia

Bigfoot search in West Virginia turns up 'suspicious' footprints

Searching for Bigfoot Inc.: Arizona Discovery May Be the "Biggest Find of the Millennium"

Sasquatch hunters search West Virginia

Sasquatch in our woods?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:39 AM

Highway Killers 

The FBI suspects serial killers working as long-haul truckers are to blame for hundreds of unsolved murders across the county.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:16 AM

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Cryptozoology Museum Shirts Are Here! 

Cool!

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:46 PM

Mobile use is linked to brain tumours 

Long-term mobile phone users could face a higher risk of developing cancer in later life, according to a decade-long study.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 PM

Christian Broadcasting Network Warns Against 'Demonic' Halloween Candy 

Are you freaking kidding me?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:28 PM

'Witches' get a very late apology 

On Halloween in 2001, the governor of Massachusetts proclaimed that a group of people who had been found guilty in a court of law and executed as punishment for their alleged crimes were actually innocent after all.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:19 PM

Woodland mysteries not just for Halloween 

Horrific, guttural cries, like an elderly woman screaming, have been heard in the middle of the night. Chickens and cats have been mysteriously killed. Is there something new to the woods of the Garden State, or has it always been there?

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:17 PM

300 Years of American Terror, Insanity And Awe 

A nice little stocking stuffer..

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:41 PM

Darkness, Silence Cause Hallucinations 

The results of a study conducted at University College London said when a group of people are placed in a dark, silent room, many start hallucinating after just a few minutes.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:24 PM

Foot found on Richmond beach is seventh foot found on B.C. coast 

A right foot has been found inside a running shoe on a beach in Richmond, the seventh foot found along B.C.’s coast in two years, RCMP said Wednesday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:28 PM

Anybody Know a Lady in Missouri Who Breastfeeds Her Cat? 

Pic is probably not safe for work.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:59 AM

Curses and superstitions are all over the sports world 

Superstitions and curses play a big role in sports. The 1969 Cubs know all about that -- seemingly on track for the postseason, the Cubbies collapsed in September that year after a black cat crossed paths with Ron Santo in the on-deck circle at Shea Stadium.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:53 AM

Poisoned candy turns out to be a Halloween myth 

In nearly every suspected case of candy poisoning, Best has determined that it was either a hoax or an attempt to cover up other mischief. His conclusion: Reports of poisoned candy from strangers are a myth.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:23 AM

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

'Pac-Man' markings create new mystery at former stronghold of Knights Templar 

In a scene worthy of the opening of Dan Brown’s next bestselling novel, workmen renovating a garden wall have stumbled on two mysteriously carved gravestones at the site of the former stronghold of the Knights Templar in Scotland.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:14 AM

Whisky on (Antarctic) ice 

Tucked in the shadows and frozen to the ground are two cases of Scotch whisky left behind 100 years ago by Sir Ernest Shackleton after a failed attempt at the South Pole.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:58 AM

Did a Meteorite, or Nerdy Hoaxsters, Strike Latvia? 

Sometimes, the sky really is falling, and other times it just seems that way.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:41 AM

Occult shop teaches people how to cast spells, make potions 

In times of uncertainty, an occult shop makes for recession-proof business. The goods: white magic accessories. The service: teaching people how to cast spells and make their own potions to fulfill their desires.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:28 AM

25 of the Scariest Science Experiments Ever Conducted 

While science has the power to improve our lives and cure disease, it can also be used to torture, murder, and brainwash. Here are 25 scary experiments that destroyed lives, or have the potential to unleash doomsday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:28 AM

Buildings Where the Walls are Lined with Human Bones 

Looking for a setting for your next haunted horror movie? Many of the ornate and elaborate ossuaries around the world serve as grim reminders of mortality, and evoke an eerie sense that their skeletal walls could suddenly spring to life.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:13 AM

Teacher accused of forming 'secret society' to have sex with teen girls 

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Rosseau teaches middle school "science, keyboarding, and bible classes at a local Christian-based school. The affidavit states that a third teen reported she was asked by two other girls to join a 'secret society' call the "Order" which was based on the occult, magic, Freemasonry, and Christianity.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:45 AM

The Morbid Anatomy of Infant Werewolves, Vampire Pharohs, and Eldritch Horrors 

If your anatomical collection is shy a demon child or cursed monkey's paw, then you're in luck. Artist Alex CF crafts macabre sculptures styled after dead scientific specimens.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:03 AM

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Neanderthals ‘had sex’ with modern man 

Modern humans and Neanderthals had sex across the species barrier, according to a leading geneticist who is overseeing a project to compare their genomes.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:56 PM

Who owns the Titanic? 

Court rulings have declared RMS Titanic, Inc., salvor-in-possession - meaning the company has exclusive rights to salvage the Titanic - but have explicitly stated it does not own the 5,900 artifacts or the wreck itself. At least not yet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:36 PM

Local legends connect us with our history 

Spooky Sandusky stories.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:34 PM

'Forgotten Ohio' 

"You're never more than a stone's throw from somewhere that something weird has happened."

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:29 PM

Build The Spirit Radio That Creeped Out Tesla Himself 

Tesla’s Spirit Radio uses a simple crystal radio circuit connected to a computer sound-in jack to generate spooky sounds from all kinds of electromagnetic sources.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:36 AM

Experts try to tap into the mystery behind pub's secret tunnel 

A tunnel which is thought to have been used by a doctor for experimenting on dead bodies has been uncovered at Derby's oldest pub.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:18 AM

Sea captain dreamt about his brother’s murder 

Sometimes an incident associated with a murder case becomes more celebrated than the murder itself.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:45 AM

Mummy Curses Hamilton 

What happens to the spirit of an ancient high priest when a collector displaces his body?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:38 AM

Madoff associate drowns leaving $7.2bn mystery 

An American billionaire thought to be the biggest beneficiary of Wall Street fraudster Bernie Madoff's $65bn Ponzi scheme was found dead at the bottom of his Palm Beach swimming pool on Sunday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:19 AM

Mysterious Symbols in Chico Cemetery 

"The Chico cemetery has more secret societies symbols and other symbols per square foot than any where I've been in the world."

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:47 AM

Is Unknown Force Acting on Dark Matter? 

An international team of astronomers has reported an unexpected link between mysterious dark matter and the visible stars and gas in galaxies. This could revolutionize our current understanding of gravity.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:02 AM

Monday, October 26, 2009

Monday Night's Murders 

'Night Stalker' tied to slaying of S.F. girl

Two decades after the devil-worshiping "Night Stalker" killer was sentenced to die for 13 Southern California murders, DNA evidence has tied him to the 1984 rape and slaying of a 9-year-old girl in the Tenderloin, San Francisco authorities said Thursday.

Mass murder mystery

Northwest Indiana lore has wondered for a hundred years what really happened to one of its most notorious criminals -- serial killer Belle Gunness.

DNA evidence could solve mystery of Grégory Villemin's death

On an overcast October afternoon in 1984, four-year-old Grégory Villemin disappeared from the sandbox where he was playing near his home in rural eastern France.

American’s murder in Paris baffles police

Justin Little was a fun-loving young college student with a sense of adventure. Now his grieving family is left to wonder whether that adventuresome spirit may have led to his bludgeoning death.

TV points the finger in murder riddle that rocked 1950s Ulster

A new television drama will claim that the late mother of Patricia Curran was responsible for one of Northern Ireland’s most infamous unsolved murders.

For 30 years, Fresno police kept 8-year-old’s slaying case active

Victoria Ann DeSantiago was the little girl no one could forget.

Her abduction, brutal rape and murder at the hands of a stranger in 1979 sent shock waves across the Valley. Parents and children were jolted from the comfort of their innocence. To many, Fresno no longer felt safe.

Who killed Jerry Greer? Templeton murder remains a mystery

Seven months ago, a killer crept into his Templeton home and shot the 71-year-old man multiple times in the head, shoulder and neck while he slept.

The homicide remains unsolved. No suspect has been named. No clear motive identified.

Mystery of the girl in the stacks continues to intrigue public

Over four decades, the unsolved killing of a young graduate student in Penn State's vast Pattee Library has taken on a ghost-story mystique.

Mass murderer Howard Unruh dies at 88

Howard Unruh, 88, who became the modern face of mass murder when he shot and killed 13 people in East Camden in 1949, died yesterday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:57 PM

First Film of Loch Ness Monster 

The Scottish Screen Archive is hosting a 1936 film that purports to be the very first film of the Loch Ness Monster. Skip ahead to 8:18 to see the segment on the beastie.

See also: He's known as Mr Loch Ness

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:24 AM

2012: Hoax and hype debunked by NASA scientist and Mayan elder 

With the hype surrounding the upcoming movie release of 2012 and hundreds of books recently flooding the market about the December 12th or 21st, 2012 end-of-the-world as we know it predictions; it’s sobering to find articles by a NASA scientist and an interview with a Mayan elder in the news, clarifying each and every notion, hoax, prediction and tempering the hysteria around this particular date.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:11 AM

Archaeologists dig for remains of Spain's Federico Garcia Lorca 

When archaeologists start digging on an olive tree-covered mountainside today, they may finally unearth the truth about one of Spain’s most enduring literary riddles.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:35 AM

The Rapture Part 2: The Disappointment 

In case you didn’t notice, the Rapture did not occur yesterday, Oct 20th 2009. This is a problem for a group called “the Doves” because this time they were really sure it would.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:10 AM

Was the Lambton Worm a Lake Cryptid? 

One Sunday mornin' Lambton went
A-fishing in the Wear;
An' catched a fish upon he's heuk
He thowt leuk't vary queer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:44 AM

Mountain lions? No proof; but bobcats, yes, sir 

Mountain lions in North Alabama?

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:25 AM

Mystery surrounds missing contents of Erebus diary 

What happened to a vital piece of evidence in the Mt Erebus crash?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:08 AM

Seven questions that keep physicists up at night 

It's not your average confession show: a panel of leading physicists spilling the beans about what keeps them tossing and turning in the wee hours.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:58 AM

Take a walk on the dark side 

According to San Francisco writer and editor Loren Rhodes, reading about others’ sometimes dark experiences is not only popular but packs an additional benefit: helping readers see the lighter side.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:11 AM

Ghost towns attract dedicate group of enthusiasts 

The wind howling across a remote landscape, a creaky metal gate or a run-in with a rattlesnake are the things that attract ghost-towners. They are history buffs who take their outdoor adventures with a dash of mystery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:09 AM

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Lord Lucan 'had face surgery' adds twist to mystery 

The records, which have remained hidden since he vanished in 1974, show that one of the UK's most eminent plastic surgeons, John Watson, had operated on Richard John Bingham, the seventh Earl of Lucan, after an earlier speedboat accident.

Lord Lucan Wiki.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:29 PM

Mystery surrounds gold ring find 

A gold ring found by a metal detector enthusiast in Nottingham is provoking debate among experts.

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:17 PM

Tales from the crypt 

Strange stories from Texas cemeteries.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:15 PM

Friday, October 23, 2009

Friday's Flying Saucers 

UFO alert: police officer sees aliens at crop circle

Blue Book’s infinite onionskin

Did Eric see a UFO? (With pic)

Sylvan Lake mystery remains unsolved

Exclusive pictures: UFO spotted in Cannock (With strange pics. Cannock Chase may be the weirdest place on earth these days.)

A Lamp That Celebrates Alien Cow Abductions Everywhere Hysterical.

Chasing UFOs in Indonesia

NIAGARA FALLS: Strange lights spotted over the cataracts

UFO, New Photographic Evidence Shows 1968 Russian Crashed Disk? (With pic and video)

Argentina: UFO Emerges from River at Punta Piedras

The Case of a UFO Sightings and The Spaceman of Ocean Beach

UFO ‘abductee’ Ernie Sears dies of heart attack

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:03 PM

Over 200 fans! 

Thanks to everyone who joined the Professor Hex fan page on Facebook. Just follow this link to join!

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:45 AM

Chinese 'cat-girl' baffles doctors 

A six-year-old Chinese girl has doctors puzzled after thick grey hair started growing all over her body, earning her the nickname "cat-girl".

With pic. Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:20 AM

Super Concrete in the U.S. Military, Iran … and the Pyramids? 

The story of geopolymers is worthy of a Dan Brown novel, with an unlikely cast including a maverick French scientist, a secretive caste of ancient stone masons and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. Along the way, the mystery of the pyramids gets solved, but it might just end with American bombs bouncing off impervious bunkers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:11 AM

Hastings' haunted hill 

Strange tales of North Carolina.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:53 AM

Jesus in Ikea -- The top 10 sightings of the son of God 

With pics.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:46 AM

Who buried the Pieces of Eight? 

Clearing a field and plowing it for the first time is hard, backbreaking work. That is what Oliver Hall was doing in 1909 when fortune shined on him.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:28 AM

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Tweance, the Twitter seance, aims to contact Michael Jackson 

Tweance, the online attempt to contact Michael Jackson beyond the grave, is being billed as the world’s first Twitter séance.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:23 PM

Night of the Harlequin 

The thing in five-year-old Dan Mitchell’s bedroom in southeastern Wisconsin only came at night. As Mitchell lie in bed, his parents far down the hall, a thin, androgynous creature would appear and tell him stories.

Creepy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:35 PM

Search for Earhart endures 

More than seven decades after she flew off into the wild blue yonder, Earhart is fixed in the American consciousness more firmly than ever – maybe as much as she was in the 1930s, when she was a world-famous aviator, hero-worshiped by millions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:07 PM

Curry may soothe psoriasis 

Back in the dim days of black-and- white television, one over-the-counter product that was frequently advertised claimed to help “the heartbreak of psoriasis.” The phrase is no longer heard in commercials, but the heartbreak is still there.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:52 PM

News: What Giant Alien Squids Can Do for Your Film 

Have you made a quiet indie film? Why not liven it up with giant squid, rocket ships and robots!

Thanks, Andrea!

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:33 PM

French re-open 25-year-old murder case after new DNA from hate mail emerges 

A strange case gets a little stranger.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:33 PM

Mum's the Word for NASA's Secret Space Plane X-37B 

You would think that an unpiloted space plane built to rocket spaceward from Florida atop an Atlas booster, circle the planet for an extended time, then land on autopilot on a California runway would be big news. But for the U.S. Air Force X-37B project — seemingly, mum's the word.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:25 PM

Neuroscientists discover Da Vinci's secret: Is the Mona Lisa smiling or not? 

Neuroscientists at the Institute of Neuroscience in Alicante, Spain say Leonardo Da Vinci’s, Mona Lisa is both smiling and not smiling, depending on what cells in the retina pick up the image and what channel the image is transmitted through in the brain.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:53 AM

How Plagiarism Software Found a New Shakespeare Play 

Plagiarism-detection software was created with lazy, sneaky college students in mind — not the likes of William Shakespeare. Yet the software may have settled a centuries-old mystery over the authorship of an unattributed play from the late 1500s called The Reign of Edward III.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:01 AM

Tales of the Lake Hodges Monster 

Part of the Lakes history is the persistent rumor that a Loch Ness-type monster resides in here, and not just by local Indians who claimed to have seen him.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:53 AM

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Second Wolfman Trailer is Up! 

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:20 PM

New Test Results Deepen Mystery Surrounding Explorer Everett Ruess 

A University of Colorado at Boulder analysis of a skeleton found in Utah that initially indicated the remains were likely that of Southwest artist and poet Everett Ruess, who mysteriously disappeared in the 1930s, now appears to have been incorrect.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:50 PM

Pentagon used psychological operation on US public, documents show 

A months-long review of documents and interviews with Pentagon personnel has revealed that the Bush Administration's military analyst program -- aimed at selling the Iraq war to the American people -- operated through a secretive collaboration between the Defense Department's press and community relations offices.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:38 PM

Bigfoot sightings in OC? 

Keith May photographs the hairy, reclusive legend at a bar, at the movies, buying sausage...

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:47 AM

The defiant orb of the Confederacy 

The gallows were hurriedly built over one of the burial mounds where O'Driscoll was to pay with his life for treason. As the noose was placed around his neck, a mysterious golden orb appeared near his head.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:30 AM

Wildlife and Parks confirms sighting of mountain lion in Kansas 

The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks said today that it has verified the live sighting of a mountain lion in the state for the first time.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:44 AM

Medium says Lizzie Borden did kill her father and stepmother 

Lizzie Borden did in fact take a hatchet and bludgeon her father and stepmother to death on the morning of Aug. 4, 1892, according to psychic medium Kim Dennis, who claims to have been visited by the infamous Fall Riverite in her Canadian home.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:34 AM

Mystery of red dragon found on Bardsey apple 

An Anglesey woman had a shock this week when she discovered an image of a Welsh dragon on an apple.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:05 AM

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

The Thirteen Days of Halloween 2009 - Day Two: Want to Go to a 'Mad Monster Party?' 

So cool. I can't believe I've never seen this.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:13 PM

The first great balloon hoax 

The Heene family aren't the first to come up with a balloon-based con: Edgar Allan Poe did it in 1844.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:02 PM

Physicists Calculate Number of Universes in the Multiverse 

If we live in a multiverse, it's reasonable to ask how many other distinguishable universes we may share it with. Now physicists have an answer.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:51 PM

2012 and the Mayan Doomsday Prophecies 

Truth?

Or good copy sell for a recession-bound industry?

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:55 PM

The Chronovisor, A Time Travelling TV-ish Thingy 

The trouble with time travel is that if you go to the past and step on a butterfly, that butterfly’s family will then travel to the future and murder you and everyone you love.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:47 AM

Is John Demjanjuk a Nazi? 

Funny thing is, he was never a Nazi, nor Ivan the Terrible, nor even German. So why now is he standing trial in Munich as accessory to 27,900 Nazi murders? Is this one last blow struck for justice for the Holocaust? Or is it a farce?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:53 AM

Author gets too close for comfort with Tokyo's yakuza gangs 

When American Jake Adelstein arrived in Tokyo to study Japanese, martial arts and Buddhism two decades ago, he had no idea he would one day be fleeing, fearing for his life, after threats from yakuza gangsters.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:54 AM

Fascist Ties to Politics and Business in the U.S. 

On November 23, 1937, executives of General Motors and other corporate and political leaders met with Baron Manfred von Killinger, and agreed to a total commitment towards the Nazi cause.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:51 AM

Did The CIA Have More Motive than Oswald? 

For the life of me, I still don’t understand what Lee Harvey Oswald’s motive was for killing President John F. Kennedy. The lone-assassin theorists say that he was a lonely and disgruntled communist sympathizer who sought glory and fame for killing someone as powerful as the president of the United States.

But if that’s the case, why would Oswald deny that he killed the president?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:48 AM

The Thirteen Days of Halloween 2009 

Day One: Twin Titans of Terror: - The Bloodshot Eye.

A scary movie countdown to Halloween.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:27 AM

Placebo Effect Does Not Lie In The Mind Alone! 

Scientists have found that the placebo effect doesn't only lie in the mind, solving the mystery of why some people benefit from remedies that do not contain any active pain-relief ingredients.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:27 AM

Child sacrifice to locate hidden treasure? 

It appeared that the group was engaged in some kind of ritual since the place was littered with baskets of fruits and flowers and other items that are usually placed before an offering seeking divine favours.

But what raised suspicions in the raiding police party were a freshly dug pit found in a room inside the house and a sleeping infant dressed in pure white.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:55 AM

Monday, October 19, 2009

Monday Night's Murders 

Family suspects murder, wants answers in 1959 disappearance of Ont. moose hunters

Half a century ago, Merle Newcombe and George Weeden set out for a weekend of moose hunting in the northern Ontario bush.

Wartime murder or tall tale?

As cold cases go, it was a good one. Walking in off the street, a man told police that his grandfather had shot and killed an American sailor in Auckland 60 years earlier in a fight over a woman.

Former professor receives award for documentary that solved cold case

It was Feb. 1, 1979, when Janet Chandler’s body was found buried in a snow bank seven miles south of South Haven by a snowplow driver.

'Trunk Murderess' kills friends in fight over man

On this day, Oct. 16, in 1931, Phoenix secretary Winnie Ruth Judd shot and killed two women, cut one up and stuffed both inside steamer trunks.

DNA links two 24-year-old murder cases

After 24 years of dead-end leads police have connected the rapes and murders of two women 60 miles apart.

Author thinks he’s solved 1947 murder

On a drizzly, wind-swept night in mid-autumn, gunfire shredded the seclusion of a popular lover’s lane outside a country club in Beckley, leaving a man and woman dead in their tryst, and triggering a murder mystery that has befuddled crime watchers for more than half a century.

Scott Lee Kimball Murder Mystery: The Latest In A History Of Unsolved Colorado Cases

Last week's conviction of Boulder County serial killer Scott Lee Kimball came despite the prosecution not knowing how many victims Kimball had killed.

Memories of Charles Manson remain fresh in Death Valley

The isolated cabin in Death Valley where Charles Manson and his followers planned their murder sprees and where he was later arrested was gutted by a fire in May.

Outsider: Wisconsin has a cult of death unique unto itself

Being a life-long Wisconsin resident leads me to believe that in some ways our state has a weird cult of death.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:48 PM

‘Tomb 10A’ lets you look history right in the face 

There are some things that bring the ancient Egyptians closer to us, and some that make them seem further away. Their religious beliefs, for instance, can be dauntingly arcane. And hieroglyphics, too, are hard to parse. But when Djehutynakht, a governor in Middle Kingdom Egypt, informs us that he has no wish to spend eternity eating his own excrement, I think we can all relate.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:55 PM

Crete quarry could be original site of ancient Greek Labyrinth 

An old stone quarry on the Greek island of Crete which has a network of underground tunnels could be the original site of the ancient Labyrinth, the maze that housed the Minotaur of Greek legend, scholars believe.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:35 PM

The Man Who Paid the Men Who Stare at Goats 

The man who owned the flight school that taught Mohamed Atta to fly got rich selling his insurance company, we have learned, to the man who PAID “The Men Who Stare at Goats.”

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:20 PM

A Robot From an Alternate History Visits Our World 

Veteran comics creator Paul Guinan achieved an unusual cult following by crafting a series of faked historical documents and images depicting a robot named Boilerplate. The mechanical man earned a huge following from historical buffs, online fans, and even a place in a parody of historical thrillers. Now, Boilerplate finally gets his due with a new collection, Boilerplate: History’s Mechanical Marvel from Abrams Image that came out on Oct.1.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:16 PM

Koran boy's skin mystery 

A baby boy has left doctors baffled after passages from the Koran were found on his skin.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:10 PM

Cockroaches Use Earth’s Magnetic Field to Steer 

Just as birds guide their migratory journeys by sensing Earth’s magnetic field, so do cockroaches use geomagnetic detection as they scurry across your kitchen floor.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:21 PM

Crumb's 'Genesis,' A Sexy Breasts-And-Knuckles Affair 

R. Crumb, the bespectacled, gray-bearded artist who is regarded around the world as granddaddy of underground comics, has taken on what might be his biggest subject ever: the first book of the Bible.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:28 AM

Earhart 'Hair' Artifact Revealed to be Fake 

The possibility that strands of hair at a Cleveland museum could help solve the mystery of what happened to pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart have been dashed by DNA evidence.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:09 AM

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Brian May rediscovers 'lost' village 

A passion for photography inspired Queen guitarist Brian May to solve the mystery of a 'lost' Victorian village.

Thanks, Rich!

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:55 PM

Reported Bigfoot sightings in Northern Arizona 

Seligman is the birthplace of historic Route 66, but could it also be the home of Bigfoot?

With video and Bigfoot toenail.

See also: Bigfoot believers gather in Felton

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:57 PM

Top 5 Weird Magazine Roundup 

Are you a dedicated sheep herder? Do you enjoy hunting muskies? Get turned on by the sight of rotting corpses? Well then rejoice, because you are the target audience of some of the oddest magazines ever to come off the printing presses.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:13 PM

Weird and wacky inventions wowing London 

Portable gyms, two-man submarines, aphrodisiac bedsheets, bra fixers and Wondercubes are among the wacky but smart innovations catching the eye at the British Invention Show.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:29 PM

Halloween and Horror Books Every Fan Should Own 

Good list.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:25 PM

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Sheriff: Charges to be filed in balloon saga 

A sheriff said Saturday that his office will file criminal charges in the case of a 6-year-old boy who vanished into the rafters of his garage while the world thought he was zooming through the sky in a flying saucer-like helium balloon.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:06 PM

Friday, October 16, 2009

C.I.A. Is Still Cagey About Oswald Mystery 

Is the Central Intelligence Agency covering up some dark secret about the assassination of John F. Kennedy?

Gee whiz, ya think? Thanks, Jennifer!

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:51 PM

Friday's Flying Saucers 

Fortress Moon

I agree that the Apollo moon landings were a hoax. But not the way the Moon Hoax people think they were. The hoax is not that we ever landed on the moon. The hoax is that we ever stopped going.

UFO Analysis By World's Leading Imaging Scientist Reveals Extraterrestrials

UFO came from outer space

City Eyes UFO Memorial

The Case of a UFO Sightings and The Spaceman of Ocean Beach

UFO scare in Germany as shooting star appears in sky

Final Proof Meier's UFO Photos Genuine!

Analysis of the Argentina Cow UFO Abduction

More Proof That Aliens Want Our Beef

Hostile military action on the moon? Was Friday's NASA mission just a cover story?

Orb UFO moves over downtown Providence, Rhode Island (With pic)

Despite partial disclosure, Europe's UFO files remain mostly under wraps

Full moon photographer baffled by UFO over Filey (With pic)

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:01 PM

Stockholm's bunnies burned to keep Swedes warm 

And animal activists are hopping mad. Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:51 PM

The Futurist 

Whether his prophecies always turned out remains to be seen. In October 1897, the Los Angeles Times reported on one of his visions: in 2010, he said, a new civil war would break out in the United States. Imber’s claim was that the ultra-liberal state of Kansas, whose female governor will have declared “the West for Westerners,” will secede from the Union. Kansas will be joined by Illinois and Missouri, prompting the Eastern states to launch a war against all of the Western states, which will have supported the secessionists.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:17 AM

N.J. vampire subculture thrives on blood rituals, fangs 

The Court of Lazarus is made up of those who describe a craving for human connection that only can be authenticated with blood. While members acknowledge its morbid impulse, they point out that their practices mirror centuries of religious traditions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:14 AM

Decapitated body among 100 girls, women killed in Juarez in '09 

Monarrez said that of last week, 100 girls and women had been killed in Juárez since the beginning of the year, a record for the border city. Since 1993, more than 600 women's deaths have been reported. The overall slaying toll so far this year in Juárez is more than 1,900.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:13 AM

Author Writes Of 'Mountain Mysteries' 

From the lore of UFOs allegedly seen at Oak Ridge, Tenn., to ghost tales around Middlesboro, Ky., Thacker uncovers many legends and paranormal happenings in his 226-page book.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:54 AM

From the Files of the RJ's Surrealist Research Bureau 

I’m often asked, in over 30 years of researching such topics as Bigfoot, UFO’s and Ogopogo, which is the strangest case I’ve come across. For sheer “otherness” and the unknown, I’d have to say the bizarre incidents that occurred in the Parisian churchyard of St. Medard between 1727 and 1732. These happenings were so bizarre and so outrageous modern readers might be forgiven for thinking them sheer fantasy or inventions if not for the realms of impressive documents to back them up, including dozens of affidavits by the doctors, judges, and scientists who investigated and witnessed them.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:03 AM

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Add doctor to bizarre Lake County history 

Lake County seems to be the epicenter for weird Florida crime.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:37 PM

Rockets Can Run On Toffee, Engineer Demonstrates 

“Rockets do not necessarily have to be run on materials derived from oil as there may be alternatives that perform well and are very viable.”

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:52 PM

The Mystery of Marie Roget, Murdered by Edgar Allan Poe 

Was Edgar Allan Poe not only a brilliant author, but also a demonic killer who wrote The Mystery of Marie Roget, to boast about the crime he committed?

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:44 PM

The Lethal Search for De Loys’ Ape 

The three-year oil expedition had been unsuccessful, not to say costly. Men had died, killed in clashes with Motilone Indians or taken by disease, and of the original 20 members of the party, only four would survive. The group was taking respite near the Tarra River when suddenly the incredible happened.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 AM

Was Cronkite extorted in '74? 

The website had filed a freedom of information act request after his death, but found - lo - that Walter's had been destroyed.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:17 AM

Scientists hail a thoughtful future with ‘brain-to-brain communication’ 

Ever wanted to read minds? Ever wanted to communicate your thoughts without speaking a word?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:07 AM

Did grotto belong to the great poet Pope? 

Author Ruby Haslam has been studying the underground chambers and passageways, which have been thought to date from Roman or prehistoric times.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:16 AM

10 Most Incredible Giant Hill Figures in England 

To those unfamiliar with the remaining rural landscapes of England, images of giant figures depicting man and beast emblazoned onto hillsides might elicit responses such as: “Wow, is this real?”

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:47 AM

The Collider, the Particle and a Theory About Fate 

A pair of otherwise distinguished physicists have suggested that the hypothesized Higgs boson, which physicists hope to produce with the collider, might be so abhorrent to nature that its creation would ripple backward through time and stop the collider before it could make one, like a time traveler who goes back in time to kill his grandfather.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:28 AM

Top 10 strangest weather events 

Today we look at 10 examples of extreme weather, from the bizarre to the downright scary.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:18 AM

Cat registered as hypnotherapist 

The regulation of hypnotherapists in the UK is so lax that even a cat can become accredited, the BBC has found.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:07 AM

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Mysterious footprint remains a mystery 

A mysterious footprint that caused much debate throughout the province is now sitting on a Hudson's Hope living room table.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:03 PM

Another Lost Goat, Ears Mutilated, Found Wandering Near Hutch 

This makes goat number four.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:02 PM

Christopher Columbus writings prove he was Spanish, claims study 

Italy, France, Portugal and even Scotland are among those who have claimed Christopher Columbus as their own over the years, citing a range of spurious links.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:17 PM

Wine expert settles in lawsuit about Jefferson wine hoax 

"The longest-running mystery in the modern wine world" adds another chapter today with news that octagenerian wine expert Michael Broadbent has settled his suit against Random House, which last year published The Billionaire's Vinegar, Benjamin Wallace's account of faked wine bottles that were said to belong to Thomas Jefferson.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:43 PM

Do you have memories of 'Belt Road Booger?' 

Several sightings of a "monster" sighted on Belt Road near the intersection of West Washington Street were reported that week.

"It was dark. It stands about five feet tall. It's big across the chest. Its eyes look like diamonds at night when you shine a light on them," was how one local woman described the "monster."

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:42 PM

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The Incredible Myth Behind the Feejee Mermaid 

For every Darwin who stepped forward to enlighten the public by dispelling superstition, there was a Barnum who was happy to provide them with some wonder – for a special discounted fee, of course. And for the price of a half-loaf of bread, any child of the 1840’s who was hard up for a little excitement could witness Dr. Griffin’s stupendous find, the Feejee Mermaid, courtesy of his business associate, Mr. Barnum.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:46 PM

Bigfoot Sighted In Downtown Portland 

The International Museum of Cryptozoology is one hairy beastie closer to reality. With video.

See also: More Than One in Three Americans Would Like to See Bigfoot Proven as Real, According to National Poll

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:16 PM

Ten of the best secret societies in literature 

From Agatha Christie to Dan Brown.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:42 PM

Mystery of full moon ritual 

A veil of mystery hangs over what onlookers have labelled a “bizarre full-moon ritual” which took place in the Baakens Valley in Port Elizabeth last weekend.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:02 AM

How Nonsense Sharpens the Intellect 

I must be a genius!

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:32 AM

God is not the Creator, claims academic 

Professor Ellen van Wolde, a respected Old Testament scholar and author, claims the first sentence of Genesis “in the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth” is not a true translation of the Hebrew.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:23 AM

Professor Hex on Facebook 

I just want to thank everyone who took the time to become a fan of the Professor on Facebook. 130 fans and counting! It's easy to do. Just follow the link and clink "Become a fan." You'll be glad you did.

Professor Hex on Facebook.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:06 AM

Unrecognised Leonardo da Vinci portrait revealed by his fingerprint 

The ghost of a fingerprint in the top left corner of an obscure portrait appears to have confirmed one of the most extraordinary art discoveries.



Thanks, Rich!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:52 AM

Top 10 Most Superstitious Athletes 

From wearing golden thongs to eating chicken dinners, these pro players take their quirky beliefs to the extreme.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:37 AM

The Hodag, Wisconsin's Cryptid Nightmare 

I think that, if you’ve read this site for more than a few days, you know just how much I love a good cryptid.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:27 AM

Mystery continues to cloak hijacked cargo ship 

What exactly befell the Maltese-flagged ship, the Arctic Sea, is still largely unknown. Nearly eight weeks after it was supposedly liberated by the Russians, the ship is said to remain at sea under military control. Four members of the crew have not been able to leave.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:11 AM

Want bigger boobs? Just use 'mind power' 

Forget chicken fillets, Wonderbras and silicon implants... apparently big breasts are all in the mind.

At least, that's according to stage hypnotist David Knight, who claims that women "can enlarge breasts through mind power".

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:56 AM

Weird food of the world 

Have you had breakfast yet? You may skip it after seeing these photos.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:53 AM

Mystery at sea tantalizes searchers 

Santa Monica Bay divers find no sign of the Mustang flown by the last missing WWII female pilot. But they haven't given up yet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:09 AM

Filmmaker illustrates intelligence of crows 

An American scientist once called Chatham, Ont., ground zero in the battle between humans and crows.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:34 AM

Monday, October 12, 2009

Monday Night's Murders 

Secrets taken to grave

She went to work, paid the rent on time and resided in a well-kept home she shared with a common-law husband.

But the 27-year-old kept many secrets police are still trying to uncover after Kahlon was found dead in her northeast basement suite last week.

The bodies of three newborns were later found hidden there, wrapped in plastic bags.

One year later, Odessa millionaire's killing remains an unsolved mystery

She'd never seen this car before, or its burly, shirtless driver. She had a strange feeling but thought little of it.

Until a couple of days later, when millionaire horse racer Lawrence Higgins was found killed in his garage.

Colorado detective making progress on 27-year-old double homicide case

Splotches of blood and bullet casings discovered in an old school bus rusting away in a meadow of aqua sage brush on the New Mexico border have reignited interest in a 27-year- old double-homicide.

Slaying of Palomas mayor remains a mystery

The slaying this week of Palomas Mayor Estanislao "Tani" Garcia has become something of mystery in this border community known in history books as the place where Pancho Villa attacked during the Mexican Revolution.

Cold Case Minute: Lane Bryant Massacre

How did one man murder five women inside a clothing store and get away?

FBI vows Parkway Murders to get thorough investigation

A string of six slayings and two disappearances known as the "Parkway Murders" that has confounded investigators for more than two decades is getting a "top to bottom" review by the FBI.

Police target 12 lovers in Claudia Lawrence mystery

Police searching for Claudia Lawrence have revealed for the first time details of a string of secret relationships involving the missing chef that may have led to her murder.

Who Really Poisoned the Goebbels Children?

To this day, the murder by poisoning of the six children of Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels remains a mystery. Newly discovered records show that a doctor confessed in the 1950s to having been an accomplice, but that the judges in the case let him go unpunished.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:11 PM

Was Columbus a spy? 

With school children still learning "in 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue," and that he stumbled across North America by accident, it's no wonder Manuel DaSilva Rosa has a hard time convincing people the sailor was actually a Portuguese spy who knew exactly what he was doing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:00 PM

Carlos Castaneda’s Ultimate Idea - Controlled Lucid Dreaming 

Are you experienced?

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:31 PM

Capybara sightings continue in Barnet 

The mystery surrounding the identity of a large rodent-like creature seen tottering through Totteridge continues as further sightings are reported.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:28 PM

New scientific breakthrough proves why acupuncture works 

More on the new research with lots of relevant links and information.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:26 PM

Right Stuff, Wrong Sex: NASA’s Lost Female Astronauts 

Imagine if the first person on the moon had proclaimed, “That’s one small step for woman, one giant leap for mankind.”

It could have happened. In the late 1950s, the United States government contemplated training women as astronauts, and newly released medical test results show that they were just as cool and tough as the men who went to the moon.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:20 PM

Mystery of pigs born without snouts 

With crazy snoutless pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:13 PM

Haunted business is boo-ming 

Big-budget special effects, elaborate sets and exotic locations are turning what once were neighborhood haunts into weekend destinations for those who love to scream.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:08 PM

Crime and Communism: An interview with Rick Geary 

Great interview with the awesome Rick Geary. Check out his new entry in the Murder series:

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 PM

Computer program proves Shakespeare didn't work alone, researchers claim 

The 400-year-old mystery of whether William Shakespeare was the author of an unattributed play about Edward III may have been solved by a computer program designed to detect plagiarism.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:35 PM

'Accidental Mummies' making US debut in Detroit 

Through a replica of cemetery gates, a new exhibition offers a glimpse into the lives of people whose bodies were accidentally mummified in the mining town of Guanajuato, Mexico, more than a century ago.

With great pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 PM

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Scientists discover bacterium that transmutes gold, were the alchemists right? 

From prehistoric times and Egyptian goldmines; from the gifts of the Magi in the New Testament to King Midas’ coins, not only were alchemists captivated by this shiny yellow metal, but once upon a time, we converted our skills and energy into this precious metal when our society’s monetary system was based on the gold standard.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:06 PM

Friday, October 09, 2009

Local residents report mysterious blasts, tremors 

Deming was not under attack, nor was it the victim of an earthquake in recent days. The loud noises reported by locals on Tuesday and Wednesday may have been the result of sound waves from explosions coupled with atmospheric conditions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:33 AM

Demon ready to kill in city church 

A witch who plans to open an occult centre in Cambridge says he has conjured up a demon - in the city's Catholic Church.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:12 AM

The mysterious effect of pets on sick kids 

When Chad, a yellow Labrador retriever, moved in with Claire Vaccaro's family in Manhattan last spring, he already had an important role. As an autism service dog, he was joining the family to help protect Vaccaro's 11-year-old son, Milo -- especially in public, where he often had tantrums or tried to run away.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:24 AM

Friday's Flying Saucers 

UFO footage captured on phone video (With video)

Famous people and UFOs

UFO hunting not for the faint of heart, light of pocket (With pic)

UFO cases: Not just Roswell

UFO Photographed By World's Leading Imaging Scientist Reveals Extraterrestrials Part II (With pics)

The Socorro Incident: A Hoax Exposed or a Case of Jumping The Gun?

UFO Tracks Iranian Missiles

Mysterious light in the sky baffles residents (This one - like so any reports - comes with a mysterious power outage)

Oval UFO and small 'creature' reported by California man

Michigan witness catches disc-shaped UFO on camera (With pic)

Great UFO doc — what’s for supper?

Iranian UFOs: OK, fine, whatever …

Mysterious UFO sightings continue on Cannock Chase - is it aliens?

Are these drawings UFOs?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:12 AM

Secret Behind Acupuncture Unlocked 

Morry Silberstein, professor at Australia's Curtin University of Technology has developed the mechanism of Acupuncture. For the last 3,000 years it had been a mystery for the whole scientific community.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:38 AM

The unfilmable Edgar Allan Poe 

Although it’s early for Halloween, the one hundred and sixtieth anniversary of Poe’s death seems a fitting time to take stock of Poe’s literary legacy. And from a cinematic standpoint, a time to note that Poe is damn near unfilmable.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:02 AM

Hike along Montour Trail leads to startling discovery 

The path rose up hill to a bluff, and when Mr. Gallant approached Peters Creek, he came across a rather startling sight -- a monolith that he believes could weigh as much as a ton and once stood on top the bluff but either tumbled or was dragged 23 feet down the embankment.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:28 AM

Queen Victoria's curse: New DNA evidence solves medical and murder mysteries 

Queen Victoria and many of her descendants carried what was once called "Royal disease"—now known as hemophilia, a blood clotting disorder.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:08 AM

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Cast Away: 5 Amazing Stories of Messages in Bottles 

Whenever a message in a bottle is discovered on a beach or floating in the ocean, it feels like something out of a fairy tale.

Thanks, Rich!

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:20 PM

Attack of the triped (and a giant mantis) 

Very strange sightings in Philadelphia.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:02 PM

Entering the Unknown With H.P. Lovecraft 

Frank H. Woodward’s Lovecraft: Fear of the Unknown explores the world of author H.P. Lovecraft, who was little-known during his lifetime but later became infamous for his horrific creations — tales of people driven to madness by the existence of tentacled creatures from other planes of existence.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:04 PM

My apologies 

Due to a lack of time over the last few months I have neglected Professor Hex's sister blog Haunted Hex. I have, however, recently posted a whole bunch of spooky stories for October, the scariest month. I hope you enjoy them.

Haunted Hex.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:14 AM

Scientist re-creates Turin Shroud to show it's fake 

An Italian scientist says he has reproduced one of the world's most famous Catholic relics, the Shroud of Turin, to support his belief it is a medieval fake, not the cloth Jesus was buried in.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:31 AM

The Black Plague: Revenge of the Cats? 

If it hadn’t been for the common house cat, the human populations in European countries might have been completely wiped out hundreds of years ago by the Black Plague, also known as the Black Death.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:31 AM

Conspiracy Watch: Were the Dark Ages Faked? 

No wonder the Dark Ages were so dark—they didn't really exist. The years between 614 and 911 never happened, yet due to some suspicious mathematical manipulation, they have been included in the Western calendar.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:15 AM

'Blue Stonehenge' May Be Funeral Complex 

The discovery of a small prehistoric circle of stones near Stonehenge may confirm the theory that the mysterious monument in southwest England was part of a massive funeral complex built around a river, researchers said Tuesday.

See also: B.C. town mulls Stonehenge replica

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:30 AM

Watered Down Etymologies 

Where does the word ocean come from?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:55 AM

Was this man the first terrorist of the modern age? 

It's eight years to the day since the first shots were fired in America's War on Terror. But can the terrorism tactics it sought to crush be traced back to a single attack on a Parisian cafe more than 100 years ago?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:17 AM

Black Eyed Kids 

Ghosts are passe and Sasquatch seems about as scary as a bucket full of lollipops. Whatever is the former world of terror/monsters to do? Why, they need to invent some sort of a new creature to fear – and by new creature, we mean of course, children. Not just any children though – needy ones with black eyes.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:59 AM

Top secret: A century of British espionage 

In October 1909, Britain’s intelligence services were born – and for a century since, they’ve inspired myths, half-truths and glamorous fiction. Simon Usborne uncovers the most colourful chapters in a very secret history

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:25 AM

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Some Wednesday Witchcraft 

Woman Forced To Live With Daughter’s Corpse For 14 Months

Police capture huge sorcerer gang

Sorcerers casting spells on Cristiano Ronaldo: reports

12 Things You Didn't Know About Paganism

Proud to be Pagans

Witching hour approaches

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:04 PM

Murder or Suicide? 

More information on the strange death of Hugues de la Plaza.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:16 PM

Better Than Dan Brown: On the Hunt for Leonardo Masterpiece in Florence’s City Hall 

The quest for the Renaissance master’s mural of a battleground, depicting Florentine military victories alongside work by fellow painter Michaelangelo, started almost three decades ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:08 PM

Study proves brain to brain communication through power of thought alone 

The University of Southampton recently demonstrated that communication from person to person through the power of thought alone is absolutely possible.

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:50 AM

The world’s most dangerous foods 

Plenty of people travel by their stomachs. Some people’s stomachs, however, have a death wish.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:37 AM

Lumps of blue ice strike Sirohi village 

The mystery of blue ice' rocked the non-descript Tokra village in Sirohi district and Babu, the guard who was the sole witness to the supernatural event at a local farm house was the most talked about guy in the region.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:36 AM

Unlocking a Titanic mystery 

Those words led Fitzpatrick into an amazing story of a small boy never meant to board the Titanic; a pair of tiny shoes that helped identify him; and her own connection to the family of the Unknown Child.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:21 AM

Exploring the multiverse 

Do quantum computers offer proof of parallel universes? And where does that leave philosophers?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:59 AM

Knights Templar display in NNY 

Exhibit has copies of Vatican transcripts.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:58 AM

An ancient sorcerer’s village was discovered in the Rhodope Mountain in Bulgaria 

The site was inhabited during the eighth millennium B.C. and the sacrifices were committed until the late medieval ages.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:56 AM

Hidden symbols everywhere 

Australian expert in religious myths and symbols, Dr Julian Droogan, shares the secrets hidden in everyday symbols.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:34 AM

Tracking the big cats 

As restless as humans, Bay Area mountain lions have commute patterns just like ours. A new research project is identifying where humans and pumas cross paths, in hopes of preventing deadly consequences.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:06 AM

George Langworthy & Maryam Henein Interview 

Nice interview with the makers of Vanishing of the Bees.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:05 AM

From Kyoto to Machu Picchu: world's heritage at risk 

From vanishing Kyoto merchant houses to the tourist-inundated ruins of Machu Picchu, heritage sites around the world are under pressure as never before, according to a New York-based preservation group.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:32 AM

Search for missing female WWII pilot 

Tuesday, specially trained divers scoured an area of the Pacific Ocean near LAX hoping to solve a mystery six decades in the making.

With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:06 AM

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

'Horrorcore' singer suspected in Virginia killings 

Elizabeth McCutchen and a friend were walking to book club two weeks ago in quaint Farmville, Virginia, when they strolled by a home on First Avenue. "Something smells dead," her friend said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:53 PM

In Taming Dogs, Humans May Have Sought a Meal 

Were wolves first domesticated for their meat?

Hat tip to Scott.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:07 PM

Victorian ouija board found in college’s secret passageway 

A Ouija board thought to have been used by the creator of Sherlock Holmes has been found in a secret compartment at a school of paranormal studies.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:52 PM

Thermal Bats 

Cool, cool, cool. Thanks John!

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:37 PM

'Michael Jackson appears in my ultrasound scan' - Burnley mum-to-be 

Michael Jackson is watching your child - from beyond the grave! With pic of ultrasound.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:06 PM

Is Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat? 

Mount Ararat, the highest of two, dormant volcanic peaks in the easternmost part of Anatolia, is the mythical home of Noah’s Ark. Once merely signifying a doorway into magical Persia, the mountain has added disputed borders, fraudulent expeditions and altitude sickness to its resume.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:35 PM

Professor Hex on Facebook! 

Become a fan of the Professor on Facebook! It's easy!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:02 AM

Walking Sam Revisited 

The woman, who was elderly but otherwise quite lucid, described Walking Sam as a big man in a tall hat who has appeared around the reservation and caused young people to commit suicides. She said that Walking Sam has been picked up on the police scanners, but that the police have not been able to protect the community from him. She described him as a bad spirit.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:53 AM

Iron helmet 'from Battle of Stamford Bridge' found in Midlands antique shop 

A rusty iron helmet that may be the only surviving relic of one of the most decisive battles in English history has been found in an antiques shop.

A label on the helmet suggests it was fished out of the River Derwent at Stamford Bridge, where King Harold Godwinson defeated Viking invaders in 1066 before he was beaten by William the Conqueror at Hastings.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:38 AM

Buried Coins May Hold Key To Solving Mystery Of Ancient Roman Population 

Using a mathematical model to predict population trends based on ancient coin hoards, a UConn biologist and a Stanford University historian have concluded that the population of ancient Rome was smaller than sometimes suggested.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:39 AM

Yes, we do have a sixth sense 

The in-depth study of our intriguing dreams that convinced one doctor.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:02 AM

Sea cow makes appearance in New England 

The body of the baby manatee on a cold steel table in a Massachusetts science lab was a long way from its home on the St. Johns River.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:41 AM

Goebbels tapestry finds home at last in museum 

A garish tapestry made for Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s propaganda minister, has finally found a home after a bizarre odyssey during which it was stolen, traded on the black market, hidden from the East German secret police and smuggled across the Iron Curtain by a Greek pop singer.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:48 AM

Ask a Korean!: FAN DEATH IS REAL 

Last year when I was in Korea I learned about the phenomenon “Fan Death”, which quite astonished me. How could a simple fan kill a man while he's asleep in a room with windows closed? In other words, why must the window be open when you're running a fan the whole night?

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:33 AM

Mystery head could be rare statue of Emperor Nero 

A piece of a marble statue discovered at a Roman site in Sussex could be one of only three in existence depicting the Emperor Nero.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:17 AM

Myth of ancient Greece's 'heroes' blown away 

Spartans! Prepare for, well, embarrassment. It seems that far from being elite, noble warriors, each worth 1,000 of any rival soldiers, King Leonidas' crack troops were a bunch of bullying thugs. And Alexander the Great? A mummy's boy: in fact, his mum was a better fighter by a long chalk and died a soldier's death on the battlefield.

Via Daily Grail

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:05 AM

Satanism on the prowl in Harare 

In Zimbabwe, Satanist sects operate in disguised syndicates that pry on unsuspecting individuals and incorporate them into their occult worship.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:02 AM

Monday, October 05, 2009

Monday Night's Murders 

SF Investigators Explain Why Hugues de la Plaza's Cause of Death Remains 'Undetermined' (With video)

In mid-September, attendees at the annual meeting of the National Association of Medical Examiners got to see a detailed, audio-visual presentation aiming to explain why the bizarre 2007 death of French immigrant Hugues de la Plaza was not ruled a murder -- despite protests of friends, family, and French investigators that this was a clear case of homicide.

MAX HAINES MURDER MYSTERY

Here you will be told stories of headless horsemen, of figures that are half man and half beast and of a black dog with luminous eyes who roams the countryside seeking victims.

According to legend, he who gazes upon the black dog is doomed. To this day, it is believed that the close-mouthed inhabitants of the area practice witchcraft.

A creepy true tale.

Jonesboro’s witch trials of 1994

This past weekend the Greene County Fine Arts Council put on a marvelous rendition of Arthur Miller’s 1952 classic drama, “The Crucible.” As I watched our own local thespians bring to life the vengeful Abigail Williams, the sensible John Proctor and the greedy Rev. Parris, I couldn’t help but compare the drama on stage to the infamous West Memphis Three trial held in Jonesboro in 1994.

Murder houses are hot property

Houses in which brutal murders are committed are now becoming hot property as home buyers put aside superstition and fear in their quest to find their cheap dream home.

Mysterious death leaves son seeking truth in Clay Co.

Josh Sparkman is tired of the media asking him about his father, Bill Sparkman, who was found naked, tied to a tree in Eastern Kentucky last month, bound and gagged with the word “fed” scrawled on his chest. He is frustrated with police. And he feels that his family hasn't been there for him.

The unfolding of a cruel crime in Farmville, and a strange one

The killings and the arrest of Emma Niederbrock’s boyfriend, Richard Samuel Alden McCroskey III, 20, of Castro Valley, Calif. — an aspiring rapper with songs about murder, rotting bodies and voices in his head — have shaken the Farmville community of 7,300. Residents are alarmed not only at the cruelty of the crime, but also its utter strangeness.

The Tough Women of the Amanda Knox Case

Most accounts of the Amanda Knox trial, now winding into its final phase, pit the American girl against Perugia's chief prosecutor, Giuliano Mignini, the man who officially charged Knox; her Italian boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito; and the son of an African immigrant, in the case of the grisly murder of British exchange student Meredith Kercher two years ago. But anyone watching the trial soon notices that the case rests on the work of a band of fierce women who bear no resemblance to the caricature of the womanhood in Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Italy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:04 PM

FBI Veteran Executive Calls For Special Counsel Investigation, Prosecutions in Sibel Edmonds Case 

Details panic inside the Bureau, executive effort to 'keep this whole thing quiet' when matter first came to light in 2002.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:14 PM

Winners of the Ig® Nobel Prize 

The Improbable Research winners for 2009. Thanks again to Scott.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:42 PM

Italian scientist reproduces Shroud of Turin 

An Italian scientist says he has reproduced the Shroud of Turin, a feat that he says proves definitively that the linen some Christians revere as Jesus Christ's burial cloth is a medieval fake.

Via Fark Geek.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:20 PM

Scientists Search for WWI Munitions Buried in D.C. Neighborhood 

The biggest mortars were fired from the concrete gun emplacement that still sits in the underbrush beside the driveway of Robert Herzstein's elegant home near American University in Northwest Washington.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:27 PM

Bigfoot and friends coming soon to a storefront near you 

Loren Coleman, an expert on creatures that exist at least in the imagination, but have yet to be documented by scientists, is about to open the International Cryptozoology Museum, the only one of its kind in the world.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:31 PM

Tsunami: Surfing to Safety 

It's not unusual to hear about surfers hitting the waves right before a hurricane hits the coast, but surfing during a tsunami? That's crazy talk!

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:24 PM

The Highbury Hunchback! 

The sinister ghoul clutched a table knife in one dirty paw, and slowly ascended the stairs, step by step, towards the cowering Mr Stock.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:58 AM

Ted Williams' frozen head for batting practice at cryogenics lab: book 

Workers at an Arizona cryonics facility mutilated the frozen head of baseball legend Ted Williams - even using it for a bizarre batting practice, a new tell-all book claims.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:34 AM

On Monsters: An Unnatural History of Our Worst Fears by Stephen T. Asma 

Review.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:38 AM

Ill. treasure hunt halted as possible prank 

An Illinois woman who set out on a treasure hunt for buried gold coins after finding a cryptic note in an antique rocking chair may have been the victim of a prolific prankster who died more than 30 years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:36 AM

FBI Claims OKC Bombing Tapes Not Edited 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation claims that surveillance tapes of the Oklahoma City bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995 have not been edited, despite the fact that all of the more than two dozen tapes released fail mysteriously to show the moments just before the truck bomb exploded.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:56 AM

In Brazil, I Found Out, Magic Is an Everyday Reality 

Living in Brazil, a country of nearly 200 million people, most of them Catholic, I'm encouraged to examine my mythological compass.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:33 AM

What lurks at the bottom of B.C.'s Cameron Lake? 

Could a sea serpent be lying at the bottom of Cameron Lake in British Columbia? As crazy as it might sound, a group of researchers is convinced there's something down there and are beginning to assemble proof.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:24 AM

New book offers some surprises about Witch House 

John Goff, Salem historian and preservationist, has written a history of the Witch House, best known as the home of Witch Trials judge Jonathan Corwin.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:53 AM

The hermit's code 

Book documents life of Adirondack loner, using his own secret encryption.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:31 AM

'Morgue attendant was Jack The Ripper' 

Author Mei Trow claims Robert Mann, a Whitechapel morgue attendant, was the mass murderer who brought terror to the streets of London in 1888.

See also: Jack The Ripper's Identity Revealed

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:22 AM

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Alchemy: An Ancient Solution to Modern Problems 

Beyond the old lead-into-gold legend, though, the new alchemy strives for an even more powerful result: the positive transformation of the human body, mind and spirit.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:32 AM

Georgia family's massacre has similarities to 1887 case 

About 12 miles west of Macon, nine members of that prominent family were hacked to death with an ax 122 years and 23 days before Glynn County's now infamous case in the New Hope trailer park.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:26 AM

Vermont’s dark side 

Dummerston’s Vampire Vine! Bighead! Pmola! The Woodman! Fanny’s Fiend!

If these names don’t ring a bell, prior to your next hiking or boating trip in Windham County, you might want to pick up "The Vermont Monster Guide" and try to be prepared for the unexpected.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:29 AM

Beware of the bushy-tailed Sullivan County wildcat! 

Sometimes, though, no matter how hard you believe something it turns out to be an urban, or, more precisely, upstate legend. One example is the Sullivan County wildcat, a creature I spotted lurking in the woodsy treeline at the edge of our lawn, under a gnarled apple tree.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:28 AM

Is she the world's greatest DNA Detective? 

And has she finally met her match?

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:38 AM

Primatologist: If Bigfoot exists, it's not an ape 

If Bigfoot exists in North America, the mythical beast is no mere ancient representative of an ape family that migrated across the Bering land mass with mastodons and ancient man, a primatologist says.

Texas Bigfoot Conference more boring than you would think

Bigfoot making tracks to two Indy exhibits

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:27 AM

Saturday, October 03, 2009

The Antikythera Mechanism: Art or Science? 

Someone with an extraordinary imagination built the Antikythera Mechanism and, if he were alive today, we wouldn’t hesitate to call him a scientist.

Via Skull in the Stars.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:45 PM

Henge with no stones: Unearthed, the site that could be monument's little sister 

Archaeologists have discovered Stonehenge's little sister - just a mile from the famous monument.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:47 PM

Confessions of a drug smuggling CIA hit man 

According to the FBI’s official story, repeated in the 9/11 Commission Report, the fact that three of the four terrorist pilots at the controls of hijacked airplanes in the 9/11 attack all attended flight school at the Venice Municipal Airport is little more than happenstance.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:19 PM

Vampire Hunting Kits: Travel-Sized Boxes of Pain & Vengeance 

For those trips to the old country.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:16 PM

Information about mystery man 'Chauncey Wolcott' comes to light in Mount Sterling woman's search for buried treasure in Springfield 

Answers about who Chauncey Wolcott was came to light this week, and now Patty Henken is more determined to resume the search for a treasure that Wolcott claims to have buried on a Springfield property.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:30 PM

Understanding Psychopaths 

While many psychopaths are violent criminals, others prefer to stay within the bounds of the law and achieve their career or interpersonal aspirations by manipulation and intimidation.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:04 PM

A bloody Belgrade bogeyman of 1903 

The city was then – thanks to the June 1903 disembowelling of its unfortunate king, Aleksandar I – in the midst of one of its frequent bouts of extreme political instability, and the Serbian bogeyman had some extraordinary features.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:50 PM

The Green Hand reaches toward mystery 

Michelle Souliere, of Strange Maine, is openinga weird bookstore called the Green Hand in Portland, Maine, conveniently located right next to the International Cryptozoology Museum. That's going to be one weird corner of the city. Best of luck, Michelle.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:15 PM