Friday, January 29, 2010

Alligator found in Kansas - again 

Alligators have a long history of showing up in the Sunflower State.

My latest post at the Examiner.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:50 AM

Largest book in the world goes on show for the first time 

Klencke Atlas, which is 350 years old, will be displayed as part of British Library exhibition on maps.

With wowthatsabigbook pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:43 AM

Neil Gaiman’s year of trials and triumphs 

Cheer up - even Neil Gaiman gets writer's block.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:42 AM

Meet some sea monsters in Iceland 

People travelling in Iceland this year will be offered a fascinating insight into local folklore at one of the country's newest and most unusual museums.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:39 AM

Secret source of a Roman aqueduct discovered 

The Romans were masters of plumbing on a very grand scale and built massive aqueducts which allowed entire cities to be supplied with fresh water.

Auto play video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:29 AM

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Big Foot filmmaker sets sights on Humboldt 

A resident of Nevada City, Calif., William Barnes is a modern-day explorer whose strong sense of wonder fuels his drive to uncover age-old mysteries that have haunted humankind for centuries.

See also: Could Bigfoot be on Sand Mountain?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 AM

Were early humans close to extinction? 

A new genetic study concludes that humans living 1.2 million years ago were too few to populate three continents, contrary to popular opinion.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:39 AM

The theremin, a sci-fi favorite, to be featured in Ridgewood concert 

Having a cocktail party? Hire a pianist. Having a square dance? Hire a fiddler.

Having a nervous breakdown, an alien invasion, delirium tremens? What you need is a theremin player.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:38 AM

Lynn native’s book explores alleged 1918 Series scandal 

A Lynn native has raised the possibility that the 1918 World Series - the last time the Red Sox ruled baseball until the 2004 and 2007 breakthroughs - was ill-gotten gains.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:29 AM

Could there be another gold hoard near Tamworth? 

Fifty pieces of gold have been found just 10 miles from where the Staffordshire hoard was discovered – but their origins may remain forever a mystery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:27 AM

Two arrested for stealing head of Garfield statue at Hiram College 

Two Hiram Township men were arrested Tuesday after being indicted by a Portage County grand jury on vandalism charges on suspicion of cutting off the head of the sandstone statue of the 20th president of the United States just one day after it was installed at Hiram College in May.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:39 AM

Scientists unravel diamond mystery at Smithsonian 

Each is beautiful, but beautiful in its own way.

The famed Hope diamond and its chief rival, the Wittelsbach-Graff diamond, were not cut from the same stone, according to a group of scientists led by Jeffrey Post, curator of the National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian Institution, which tested the two storied blue diamonds extensively.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:36 AM

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Object Near Sun? 

With cool enbiggable pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:49 PM

Hypnosis - with an egg? 

Many objects have been used to induce the hypnotic state but an egg is surely the most curious. Yet that's the claim found in a June 1893 issue of the Kansas newspaper The Olathe Leader.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:57 AM

'Jack the Ripper's Secret Confession' by David Monaghan and Nigel Cawthorne 

Was Jack also the author of the Victorian pornographic novel My Secret Life?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:42 AM

Scientist unravel the mystery of bat, dolphin echoes 

Scientists have discovered an interesting similarity in the DNA of bats and dolphins that enable them to echolocate.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:11 AM

Bigfoot believer shows his proof 

One night 54 years ago, Cliff Crook says, he stared into the face of a Northwest boogeyman. He called it a “woods giant.” Today, it’s better known as Bigfoot.

“I had a real terrifying encounter,” said Crook, now 69. “It’s not something that goes away.”

See also: Could Big Foot be in Polk County?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:10 AM

Giant sculptured Mayan head found 

A decorated Mayan head measuring three meters (10 feet) at the base and sculptured out of stucco has been unearthed in northern Guatemala, near the border with Mexico. The sculpture had been buried for centuries under the thick jungle, and its presence may suggest the site could have been part of a Mayan city.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:04 AM

Real-life inspiration for paper target in firearms training, ex-NYPD Lt. Jesse Oldshein, dies at 92 

Thousands of cops opened fire at Jesse Oldshein over the years - and all it did was make him smile.

The retired NYPD lieutenant believed to be the real-life inspiration for a paper target used in firearms training died last week at his Florida home, relatives said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:59 AM

Is the Moon a relic of a nuclear explosion? 

The origin of the Moon is still a mystery to scientists. One possible scenario includes a natural nuclear reactor running amok on ancient Earth.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:52 AM

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

UFO sighting puzzles N.L. residents 

Residents in Harbour Mille, a tiny community on Newfoundland's south coast, want to know what they saw in the sky Monday night.

With pic.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:50 PM

Did a murdered virgin give Halifax its name? Mystery clue on old coaching map 

It has long been believed the name Halifax stemmed from the words Holy Face. This was based on the legend that the head of John the Baptist was brought to England and buried at the site of what is now Halifax Minster.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:47 PM

John Constable fan solves 195-year-old mystery by discovering artist's favourite painting spot 

For almost two centuries it has baffled art historians: the exact spot where an inspired John Constable painted this priceless landscape.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:45 PM

DNA may unlock Chinese warlord's secrets 

Scientists in China are collecting DNA from hundreds of men with the surname Cao in the hope they can prove a recently excavated tomb in central China belongs to the legendary warlord Cao Cao.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:35 PM

Historic Welsh pillar that's shrouded in mystery 

While the elements – and the Roundheads, who apparently toppled it during the civil war – may have taken their toll, Eliseg’s Pillar remains a majestic sight on the horizon as you approach.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:29 PM

Folklorists baffled over 'love locks' in Cologne 

Cologne city officials are trying to determine the origins of a new romantic phenomenon dubbed “love locks” on a bridge stretching across the Rhine River.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:28 PM

Holocaust Hip Hop: An Auschwitz Survivor and Her New Rap Band 

Esther Bejarano, one of the last surviving members of the Auschwitz women's orchestra, has made music her whole life. Now, she has joined forces with a hip hop band to keep the memory of the Holocaust alive.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:16 PM

Alien Life May Be on Earth: Scientist 

For the past 50 years, scientists have scoured the skies for radio signals from beyond our planet, hoping for some sign of extraterrestrial life. But one physicist says there's no reason alien life couldn't already be lurking among us -- or maybe even in us.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:14 PM

Tracking the Goat Sucker 

Intrepid FT correspondent ventures deep into the jungles of Nicaragua in search of the fearsome chupacabra...

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:07 PM

Monday, January 25, 2010

Museum exhibit explores history of sasquatch 

“Giants in the Mountains: The Search for Sasquatch” does not attempt to prove or disprove the existence of sasquatch, but instead looks at how and why the story is so ingrained in the cultural fabric of the Northwest.

See also: Bigfoot in Pennsylvania: Some other 'hidden species'

Bigfoot in Pennsylvania: Is he running with mountain lions?

Bigfoot in Pennsylvania: Belief, hope, skepticism

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:49 PM

Murray Tunnel rediscovered in southwestern Holmes, search is on for answers 

The opinions on its age are almost as varied as those on its purpose, but what everyone can agree on is it's absolutely fascinating.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:14 PM

Conspiracy theory: Bizarre claims of malicious "energy attacks" spark mockery of Romanian politics 

Paranormal activities during the presidential campaign such as the use of malicious energy attacks have been blamed by a top Romanian politician and his wife for his losing the presidential poll against Traian Basescu last year.

Thanks Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:14 PM

Neb. author delves into 'history mystery' 

The 200th anniversary of the mysterious death of Meriwether Lewis stirred up dust on the coldest of cases.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:12 PM

Sunday, January 24, 2010

The Snowman Killer of Crawley 

The good people of Crawley, England, have a serial killer on their hands. A killer who prowls the night and decapitates snowmen.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:06 AM

Ice cream cold case of 1967 solved before killer's death in 2009, but still leaves questions 

On April 11, 1967, two young women were murdered while closing up for the night at High's Ice Cream Store in the drowsy Shenandoah Valley town of Staunton, Va.

Interesting stuff.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:03 AM

The Face Of A Famous Skull Found On Flickr 

In 1968, Jack and Beverly Wilgus were charmed by a daguerreotype of a man holding a metal rod. It showed a seemingly self-possessed young man, surprisingly handsome despite missing an eye.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:59 AM

David Kelly post mortem to be kept secret for 70 years as doctors accuse Lord Hutton of concealing vital information 

In a draconian – and highly unusual – order, Lord Hutton, the peer who chaired the controversial inquiry into the Dr Kelly scandal, has secretly barred the release of all medical records, including the results of the post mortem, and unpublished evidence.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:57 AM

I was Hitler's chauffeur... 

...and I was at the bunker to hurl a flaming rag on his petrol-soaked corpse.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:56 AM

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Meeting Bigfoot on the Road to the Worst Movie Ever Made 

Bigfoot needs a better agent.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:12 AM

Tourist photographs crocodile in Gold Coast canal 

Or did they?

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:04 AM

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

What to make of the Yowie? 

Like many people interested in cryptozoology (the study of animals - or alleged animals - known only from anectodal evidence), I'm of the opinion that the Australian Yowie is one of the most problematic of mystery beasts.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:33 AM

Detective Holmes is still under copyright in the US- ET Cetera-News By Industry-News-The Economic Times 

Interesting read for the curious.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:12 AM

Positive ID for strange creature in Wise County 

Chupacabra is hairless raccoon. They're not nearly as cute without hair. With video.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:07 AM

Viking Shipwrecks Face Ruin as Odd "Worms" Invade 

The dreaded wood-eating shipworm is invading northern Europe's Baltic Sea. The animal threatens to munch through thousands of Viking vessels and other historic shipwrecks, scientists warn.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:00 AM

Janet Chandler parents fail in bid to convince judge that Wackenhut Corp. partly responsible for daughter's rape, murder 

First, it was justice delayed for Janet Chandler's parents, James and Glenna, who waited almost three decades for her 1979 rape and murder to be solved.

Now, a federal judge has rejected the family's bid to punish Wackenhut Corp. the security company that employed five of the six people convicted in the slaying, barring their quest for cash damages for mental pain and suffering inflicted by her death.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:11 AM

Beast of Bockhampton - New big cat mystery in Dorset 

A farming family is now convinced one of their flock was attacked by a panther.

See also: Whittlesea sightings fuel big cat legend

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:00 AM

Viral Infections May Be the Cause of Appendicitis 

Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (UT Southwestern) argue in a new scientific paper that appendicitis may in fact be caused by a viral infection of some sort.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:54 AM

Mystery over baby skeleton wrapped in 1930's newspaper 

The story began with the grisly discovery of the skeleton of a baby wrapped in a newspaper from the 1930s and hidden between the floorboards in the attic of a derelict house in Portstewart.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:50 AM

Mysterious visitor to Edgar Allen Poe's grave disappears 

A mysterious visitor who each year leaves roses and cognac on Edgar Allen Poe's tomb in Baltimore, Maryland, has missed his rendezvous for the first time in 61 years, the Poe Society has said.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:46 AM

Monday, January 18, 2010

The Sound of Found 

I stumbled upon this amazing collection of homemade and circuit bent noisemakers from Not Breathing Sound Systems & Carrion Sound. Really really cool.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:07 PM

Revisiting the Flowing Wells “Witch Trial” of 1971 

A teacher is accused of witchcraft in Tucson.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:33 PM

Portrait shows morbid Poe in more flattering terms 

Edgar Allan Poe's fertile imagination has endured for more than 150 years - and so has his pale, death-haunted image, with his sunken eyes, a trim mustache and unruly mop of curly hair.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:33 PM

'Ice Comet' To Blame For Crashing Through Roof Of Home? 

The mystery continues in Brush after something fell from the sky and crashed through Danelle Hagan's kitchen.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:27 AM

Hunt for Russia's famed Amber Room leads to Nazi bunker 

The mystery of Russia's famed Amber Room, seized as the spoils of war by the Nazis, has puzzled historians and experts since it disappeared in 1945.

Sergei Trifonov, however, believes he has solved the riddle, and that the treasure - ornately carved panels of glowing amber, formed from fossilised resin - lies underneath a bunker in the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:36 AM

Friday, January 15, 2010

Fresh sighting of UFO's and Werewolves on Cannock Chase 

Hound of the Cannock hills?

Via Ghost Theory.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:43 AM

Operation Mincemeat: Nazi struggle to see secrets made to fool them 

On April 30, 1943, the body of Glyndwr Michael, disguised as Major William Martin of the Royal Marines, was dropped into the sea off Huelva on the Spanish coast. In his briefcase were letters, meticulously faked by British intelligence officers to give the impression that the Allies intended to attack Greece, and not Sicily.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:41 AM

Jamestown Slate Update 

Well it looks like curators at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington D.C., have started to decipher the text etched into this slate. The tablet has on one side inscribed: “A Minon of the Finest Sorte“ and a more cryptic message: “EL NEV FSH HTLBMS 508,” among drawings of people and single letters. The article does not mention anything about those cryptic phrases, so my guess is that they are still scratching their heads.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:41 AM

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Across the Multiverse: Physicist Considers the Big Picture 

Is there anybody out there? In Alejandro Jenkins’ case, the question refers not to whether life exists elsewhere in the universe, but whether it exists in other universes outside of our own.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:50 PM

Cures in ancient Egyptian cosmetics 

New research suggests ancient Egyptians could have deliberately used lead-based cosmetics to help prevent eye infections.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:49 PM

Valuable painting stolen in New Year law library mystery heist 

A valuable painting has been pinched from one of Scotland’s top law libraries in a “mystery” heist.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:36 PM

The Devil Rides Out 

By the time he died in 1977, Wheatley had shifted around 50 million books, helped by a massive surge in paperback sales during the “occult explosion” of the late Sixties and early Seventies. By then, his books seemed to be every­where, in a uniform range of black paperbacks, each one featuring a naked woman who seemed to be go-go dancing behind a splurge of flame.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:51 AM

ARS ARCANA: The secret science of Magic in the Roman World 

Magic. The enunciation of this term can stir contrasting reactions in the minds of men: suspicion, fear, doubt, mockery… It is a controversial term, mostly because its definition leads to subjective interpretation and its connotation has varied across the centuries.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:47 AM

I Just Found Bigfoot 

An eye-opening tale of what can happen when you find something unexplained.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:45 AM

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

'Dalby Spook' mongoose mystery back in the spotlight 

Speculation has surrounded the case of the Dalby Spook — a talking mongoose called Gef — since a 13-year-old girl is said to have first seen it in 1931.

One of the classic tales from the Annals of the Weird. More here and here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:46 PM

Theories abound over killing of atom scientist 

There is an element of mystery about yesterday's murder of the physics professor at Tehran University, described as a nuclear scientist by the regime but a supporter of the Green Movement by the opposition.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:32 PM

Newly released recordings shed light on Hitler's suicide - Haaretz - Israel News 

New testimony on the death of Adolf Hitler in his Berlin bunker came to light in Germany this week. The Spiegel TV channel discovered recordings of statements given by the first two people to discover the bodies of Hitler and his bride Eva Braun after they committed suicide in the bunker on April 30, 1945.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 PM

Chimps and monkeys could talk. Why don’t they? 

Do apes and monkeys have a secret language that has not yet been decrypted? And if so, will it resolve the mystery of how the human faculty for language evolved? Biologists have approached the issue in two ways, by trying to teach human language to chimpanzees and other species, and by listening to animals in the wild.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:01 PM

Inventor Nikola Tesla Is Back in Tech Fashion 

Decades after he died penniless, Nikola Tesla is elbowing aside his old adversary Thomas Edison in the pantheon of geek gods.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:52 PM

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Sea slug surprise: It’s half-plant, half-animal 

A green sea slug appears to be part animal, part plant. It's the first critter discovered to produce the plant pigment chlorophyll.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:13 PM

The Most Beautiful Smith in the World 

Yes, she's cute but her work is amazing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:22 PM

‘Ningen’ humanoid sea creatures of the Antarctic 

Reportedly observed on multiple occasions by crew members of government-operated “whale research” ships, these so-called “Ningen” (lit. “humans”) are said to be completely white in color with an estimated length of 20 to 30 meters.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:15 PM

Canal Street Loews theater to be reborn as arts center 

Hidden deep behind a shuttered electronics shop on Canal Street is what an Asian-American arts group hopes will become the Lincoln Center of Chinatown -- a massive 2,300-seat theater that's been sealed off for three decades.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:03 AM

A Common History of Assyrians and Native Americans 

Those who dare thinking the same might be wrong, but Chief Joseph had an actual Assyrian cuneiform tablet in his medicine bag when he got captured by American army in 1877. The army took the small tablet, which later on ended up at the West Point Museum.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:46 AM

At a Mighty 104, Gone While Still Going Strong 

Joe Rollino once lifted 475 pounds. He used neither his arms nor his legs but, reportedly, his teeth. With just one finger he raised up 635 pounds; with his back he moved 3,200. He bit down on quarters to bend them with his thumb.

Amazing life. He was still bending quarters at 103.

More here and a great audio interview is here.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:28 AM

Officials say they may have identified 'Muck Monster' 

Florida Fish and Wildlife biologists believe that the cold weather has helped to uncover a local mystery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:55 AM

IMAX Bigfoot: Did wildlife film capture really wild life? 

Sharp-eyed Bigfoot hunters have noticed something odd in the the background of an 2001 IMAX nature film.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:36 AM

Neanderthals Wore Make-up and Liked to Chat 

Francesco d'Errico, an archaeologist from the University of Bordeaux, France, has found crafted lumps of pigment – essentially crayons – left behind by Neanderthals across Europe.

Thanks Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:57 AM

Giant Spider Species Discovered in Middle Eastern Sand Dunes 

Scientists have unearthed a completely new species of spider hiding in sand dunes on the Israel-Jordan border.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:54 AM

Giant paw prints found in snow 

It's back - Cambridgeshire's wraith-like mystery beast, the Fen Tiger, seems to be on the prowl again.

See also: Please stop the mountain lion cryin'

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:17 AM

Seahenge set to be complete for the first time in 10 years 

An iconic ancient monument uncovered by the tides on a Norfolk beach will soon be complete for the first time in a decade.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:15 AM

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Has mystery of Wolds Panther been solved? 

With piercing black eyes, about two feet long with a one-and-half-foot tail, slick pointed ears and jet black fur, he thinks it was a black fox.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:49 PM

The Fate of Amelia Earhart is Still a Mystery for Over 70 Years After Her Disappearance 

According to Felix Girard, Executive Producer, the new feature film will “finally provide the movie going public with answers about the ultimate fate of Amelia Earhart in her round-the world globe circling attempt”.

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:47 PM

Man believes he found site of bloody battle 

At issue is the Battle of Medina that occurred Aug. 18, 1813. On that day, 1,830 Spanish royalists handed a crushing defeat to 1,400 Tejanos, Anglos, Indians and former royalists in what was the first military attempt to sever Texas from what was then a Spanish colony. Less than 100 revolutionaries survived.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:12 AM

What happened to vanished woman? 

Eighty-four years ago, the entire nation was captivated by the weird disappearance of another well-known person. But to this day, no one is really sure what happened when evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson vanished.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:46 AM

Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Mysterious gravestone monument on North York Moors could predate pyramids and Stonehenge 

Archaeologists have discovered a monument in the North York Moors which could date back more than 4,500 years to Neolithic times.

With pics and some cool links..

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:44 PM

Need a New Hand? One Day, You May Be Able to Regrow One 

Each year, thousands of Americans lose fingers, hands or entire limbs in terrible accidents. Prosthetics can help amputees regain some function, and successful hand transplants have recently been achieved.

But wouldn't it be great if humans could simply regrow missing parts on their own?

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:19 PM

Odd Wisconsin: Holy Hill near Hartford had that name for a reason 

One night in about 1850, a farmer near Hartford noticed a weird shape silhouetted against the moon. On a hilltop miles from any town, someone was kneeling before a cross. After an hour, the shrouded figure rose up and disappeared.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:17 PM

Skull and Bones Ballot Box Up For Auction 

An 1872 skull ballot box from Yale University's mysterious Skull and Bones society will be sold as part of Christie's New York's Important American Furniture, Folk Art, Silver & Chinese Export sale on January 22.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:08 PM

The Top Ten Sexiest Cryptomundo Images Of The ’00s 

Cryptotastic!

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:51 PM

The Winsted Wild Man 

The Winsted Wild Man made his first documented appearance in August of 1895, when the Winsted Herald reported that then Selectman Riley Smith, while traveling to Colebrook, stopped along the road to pick blueberries, accompanied by his bulldog. The dog became frightened of something, and ran to Smith, whining and cowering.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:12 PM

Shipwreck taking shape on Washington coast 

Washaway Beach got its name for the powerful surf that has steadily been removing a small community south of Grayland Washington. Now that same surf has given something back - the remains of a mystery ship.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:07 PM

Tales of great Amazon civilisation true 

It is the legend that drew legions of explorers and adventurers to their deaths: an ancient empire of citadels and treasure hidden deep in the Amazon jungle.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:03 PM

Zodiac murders continue to haunt 

Around San Francisco, the name "Zodiac" evokes darkness. Four decades have done nothing to diminish the brutality of his crimes -- five executions by bullet and blade -- or their hold on the popular imagination.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:01 PM

James McCreet's top 10 Victorian detective stories 

Sherlock Holmes and his predecessor, Edgar Allan Poe's Auguste Dupin, were always fantasy detectives. Their powers of deduction often bordered on the paranormal, and what passed for deduction was more usually just imagination. In fact, the real Victorian detectives, though more prosaic, were much more interesting.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:59 PM

Tuesday, January 05, 2010

“God Helmet” Inventor, Dr. Michael Persinger Discovers Telepathy Link in Lab Experiments 

Neuroscience Researcher and Laurentian University professor, Dr. Michael Persinger, demonstrates telepathy under laboratory conditions.

Via Barf Stew.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:13 AM

Mexico's drug 'saint' draws Facebook fans 

They ask him to protect them from arrest and safeguard their drugs. They thank him for riches and keeping them alive.

Cyber citizens with a cult-like bent are using Facebook to reach out to Mexico's so-called patron saint of drug trafficking.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:44 AM

"Lost" Amazon Complex Found; Shapes Seen by Satellite 

Hundreds of circles, squares, and other geometric shapes once hidden by forest hint at a previously unknown ancient society that flourished in the Amazon, a new study says.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:43 AM

Monday, January 04, 2010

Vatican Secret Archive not so secret 

The Vatican Secret Archive.

Sounds pretty ominous. And documents from the Secret Archives sounds even cooler. There should be enough material for a dozen Dan Brown novels.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:10 PM

At Bronx Botanica, New Year Means Spells and Charms 

This is the busiest time of the year for Original Products and the many other botanicas around the city and country — purveyors of herbs, amulets and other items used in Afro-Caribbean religions and occult practices including Santería, voodoo and Wicca.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:02 PM

Flamboyant Frontier Photographer Leaves Legacy To Library 

According to his highly inventive--and invented--autobiography Joe's life was the stuff of dime novels: one thrilling, cliff hanging, death defying, adventure after another, each more spectacular than the last. The irony is that a man who recast his life as a transparently tall tale ended up being remembered for his genuine ability to capture reality with a camera.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:27 PM

Wired Science’s Most Popular Space Stories of 2009 

The Perseids are great and all, but we couldn’t let space be this underrepresented in our 2009 roundups, so here are the rest of our most popular spacey offerings of the year.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:32 PM

Sunday, January 03, 2010

A Sucker Born Every Minute 

Leeches make a comeback. Thanks to Scott, for the tip.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:58 PM

Hole in Red Rock Lounge Roof Still a Mystery 

Was it lightning, some sort of space rock, or ice from a plane?

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:04 PM

Unraveling an old mummy mystery 

A Worcester librarian and researcher believes she has found definitive proof that an urban legend — that American paper manufacturers once made paper from the linen wrappings of Egyptian mummies — is indeed true.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:43 PM

Top Fortean Books of 2009 

Loren Coleman counts them down.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:41 PM

Biblical scholar's date for rapture: May 21, 2011 

This is not the first time Camping has made a bold prediction about Judgment Day.

On Sept. 6, 1994, dozens of Camping's believers gathered inside Alameda's Veterans Memorial Building to await the return of Christ, an event Camping had promised for two years. Followers dressed children in their Sunday best and held Bibles open-faced toward heaven.

You can guess how that ended. But hey, maybe he'll get it right this time.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:37 PM

A new Leonardo painting to love? The mind races 

Is the world about to gain another Leonardo da Vinci painting?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:33 PM

Friday, January 01, 2010

Top Ten Worst Bigfoot Stories of 2009 

Cryptomundo counts them down.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:38 PM

Discover Literary Oddities in the Weird Book Room on AbeBooks 

Fun stuff. Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:42 PM

Psychic predictions for 2010: Obama assassination and giant bats 

Those who claim to see beyond the veil of space and time are predicting more bad news for 2010.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:41 AM

2009 ends with 'pink' snow 

Less than eight hours before the arrival of 2010, Hilltown police began what was likely their strangest investigation of 2009.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:36 AM

Mystery launch visible off O.C. 

I’ve received photographs from two different readers who believe they took images of a missile launch at around sunset today, New Year’s Eve.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:35 AM

Animals Used in Ritual Killings: Officials 

Pennsylvania SPCA officials continued to clear out animal remains, bizarre statues and ritualistic devices from a Feltonville home where dozens of dead animals and starving dogs were found Sunday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:05 AM