Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Wednesday's Witches: Snakes, poltergeists, Balkans and more! 

This week's witches starts with the truly weird.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:37 PM

Archimedes' flaming death ray was probably just a cannon, study finds 

Archemedes' burning mirror, a device that was thought to concentrate the sun's rays into a laser beam that repelled an invading Roman fleet in 212 BC, was more likely a steam cannon, new research suggests.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:27 PM

Why are Scotland's magicians in crisis? 

Very good article.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:12 PM

A real life case of arsenic and old lace 

One of the strangest murder cases of the 1950s involved Rhonda Belle Martin, an Alabama waitress who compulsively poisoned her loved ones again and again, yet went undetected by police for years.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:54 AM

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Did a vampire cause a Colorado car wreck or is this woman just too excited for "Twilight: Eclipse"? 

An unidentified woman in Grand Junction, Colorado, crashed her car Sunday night after she became frightened by what she claimed was a "vampire" in the middle of the road.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:46 PM

Prehistoric man went to the movies, say researchers 

Prehistoric man enjoyed a primitive version of cinema, according to Austrian and British researchers, who are currently seeking to recreate these ancient visual displays.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:41 PM

10 ways to party hard (from beyond the grave) 

Just because you've got a mouthful of formaldehyde (instead of Jägermeister) doesn't mean you have to give up your party-hearty lifestyle deathstyle!

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:09 PM

Top ten "ghost ships" in world 

The Mary Celeste and others. Slideshow.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:03 PM

America's 10 Weirdest Tourist Attractions 

For those who like a dose of wacky with their travel, Sherman's Travel is out with a Top 10 list of America's weirdest tourist attractions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:59 PM

3 men found not guilty in Wone murder mystery 

Joe Price, Dylan Ward and Victor Zaborski were all charged with tampering with evidence, obstruction of justice and conspiracy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:25 PM

Monday, June 28, 2010

The Frightening Folklore of ‘El Cucuy’ 

What we do know is that El Cucuy is some sort of a gobbling goblin with an appetite for children who fail to obey authority. This goblin, ghost, monster, or whatever he may be, will eat you if you don’t listen to your parents.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:49 PM

Tracking a big cat 

Researchers follow tagged mountain lion’s extensive travels and learn about hidden Southern California wildlife.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:22 AM

Science historian cracks "the Plato code" 

Dr Kennedy, whose findings are published in the leading US journal Apeiron, reveals that Plato used a regular pattern of symbols, inherited from the ancient followers of Pythagoras, to give his books a musical structure.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:42 AM

The mystery of Robert Wone's death 

Three men stand accused of covering up the murder of the lawyer in a trial that has gripped Washington.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:07 AM

Sunday, June 27, 2010

Victim's daughter: Charges to be dropped in 'Octopus Murders' case 

Charges will be dropped against the only person to be arrested in a 1981 Rancho Mirage triple-homicide case, the daughter of one victim told The Desert Sun.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:45 AM

Kinetic Energy Generator Powers Gadgets with Magic 

The rather utilitarian phallus is in fact a kinetic energy generator which charges gadgets as it moves.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:14 AM

Motive unknown, mysterious ex-con in Los Angeles seems like movie character Bourne 

Authorities came upon a mysterious scene when they showed up at a luxury apartment in Los Angeles in April while investigating a call about a gas odor.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:13 AM

Why do they call it that? History of the names of Manhattan Project plants X-10, Y-12, and K-25 in Oak Ridge 

Founded in 1942 as the home of the top secret Manhattan Project that enriched uranium for the first atomic weapons during World War II, nearly everything in Oak Ridge was cloaked with code names.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:09 AM

Indian Man Dies After Receiving Receipt for Own Cremation 

An elderly Indian man was so shocked to receive a bogus receipt for his own cremation service that he suffered a heart attack and died.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:01 AM

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Functional yet stylish zombie weapons 

Check out the shield and bat disguised as a nightstand.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:57 PM

'God particle' sound created by Large Hadron Collider scientists 

The sound of a Higgs Boson – or ‘God particle’ - has been created by boffins working on the Large Hadron Collider.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:42 PM

Ancient Egyptian Town Found Using Radar : Discovery News 

Radar imaging in Egypt's Nile Delta has unveiled the outlines of a buried city that was the stronghold of foreign occupiers some 3,500 years ago, Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities announced Monday.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:38 PM

Horseboy freaks out the Internet 

A horse-headed figure caught by a Google Street View camera has become the latest Internet mystery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:25 PM

ASU bioarchaeologist challenges King Tut royal mummy findings 

Tut's mystery continues.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:22 PM

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Ghosts are a time lag 

Are ghosts from the fourth dimension?

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:34 PM

Times Square Kiss Photo: Nurse in Times Square Photo Dies in Los Angeles 

The nurse who claimed to be at the center of the iconic " Times Square Kiss" World War II photo has died.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:07 PM

Wednesday's Witches 

More World Cup, African, and Salem witchery!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:59 PM

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Spirals Underground 

Diego and Paola Meozzi, the Italian archæology journalists who produce the admirable Stone Pages website, have alerted the outside world to an amazing discovery on the Italian island of Sardinia.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:02 AM

Parascientifica 

I added Parascientifica to the links.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:39 AM

7th-graders discover mysterious cave on Mars 

A group of seventh-graders in California has discovered a mysterious cave on Mars as part of a research project to study images taken by a NASA spacecraft orbiting the red planet.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:12 AM

The Green Hornet Trailer 

Another classic American character gets the big screen treatment. Looks like fun. I'm glad they kept the car.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:11 AM

Andrew Jackson's duel victim, once forgotten, gets second burial 

More than 200 years after he fell in a duel with a future president, and almost a century after his grave was lost and forgotten beneath someone's front lawn, Charles Dickinson will be laid to rest again.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:48 AM

Seeking to Illuminate the Mysterious Placebo Effect 

The phrase “mind-body connection” has many connotations. For some, it’s shorthand for New Age quackery. For others, it’s a source of hope and a way to reconcile their spiritual life with modern science.

For Tor D. Wager, it’s just another day at the office.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:46 AM

Chimpanzees kill each other to expand their territory, study says 

Chimps kill their neighbours, a study says, in order to expand their territory.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:37 AM

Ada filmmakers spotlight infamous 1909 hangings in documentary 

Indie documentary about infamous, unsolved 1909 Ada hangings, which aired in 30 states, is nominated for a regional Emmy.

With buggy video. Get your act together, NewsOK.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:25 AM

Bones from a Cheddar Gorge cave show that cannibalism helped Britain's earliest settlers survive the ice age 

New carbon dating techniques reveal that 14,700 years ago humans living in Gough's Cave in the Mendips acquired a taste for the flesh of their relatives, and not just for ritual reasons.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:07 AM

Monday, June 21, 2010

Mystery of Ned Kelly's skull to be solved by scientists 

Australians have been asked to help scientists determine whether a skull thought to belong to the outlaw Ned Kelly is genuine or not.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:42 AM

Holy Grail hiding in plain sight, claims author 

British author EC Coleman claims the hunt for the Holy Grail is over.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:48 AM

Ancient legends once walked among early humans? 

Wild, hairy, folks who fought griffons and nomads — have paleontologists unearthed mythic figures of folklore?

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:36 AM

19th-Century Spirit Photos -- A Marriage of Technology and the Irrational 

In the latter part of the 19th century, a range of powerful new visual technologies were developed that used the intrinsic mechanics of light-sensitive media to achieve spiritual allusions and illusions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:29 AM

CIA Report Confirms NSA Psychic Spy Program 

A footnote found in an article written by Gerald K. Haines for the CIA's classified "Studies in Intelligence" confirms the existence of a rumored National Security Agency psychic research program.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:07 AM

'Queen of Blues' has story cloaked in mystery 

Who was Marion Harris?

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:02 AM

Tales From The Crypt - Germany's Aristocratic Mummies 

When they died, Germany noble families of the 18th century did what the Egyptians had done before them: They had themselves mummified. As an increasing number of such well-preserved corpses are found, scientists are trying to find out why.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:54 AM

Phantom of the Pines: More Tales of the Jersey Devil 

More than twenty years after their first book about the Jersey Devil was published, James F. McCloy and Ray Miller Jr.’s, new research into this phenomenon continues to intrigue readers.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:50 AM

Mystery big cats of Australia 

Exotic feline or enduring phantom? Something big, something strange has been stalking New South Wales' Blue Mountains for decades and it's back in the spotlight.

See also: Do big cats exist in the Hills?

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:48 AM

Philo Vance meets Nick Charles 

Old Ass Movies dug up this old trailer for The Thin Man featuring detectives Philo Vance and Nick Charles - both played by William Powell. Fun stuff. Not quite enough Myrna Loy, but fun stuff.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:39 AM

Ohio martial-arts pioneer remembered on Father's Day 

Interesting story.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:30 AM

Archaeologists hunt for Native American relics 

Seeing a backhoe rip up a well-maintained front lawn might bother some people.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:02 AM

Making sense of acupuncture's mysteries 

Although acupuncture has been used for relieving pain for the past 4,000 years, exactly what makes it an effective painkiller is still largely a mystery. A recent study may have found at least one answer, however, suggesting that adenosine, a neurotransmitter with analgesic properties, is released in the area where the small needles are inserted and manipulated.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:01 AM

Seeing double in Bulgaria's 'twin' village 

This otherwise rather unremarkable miners' village of around 5,000 inhabitants gives new meaning to the term "twin town", with its unusually high -- and so far inexplicable -- twin population.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:59 AM

Hills reveal WWII secret 

A village schoolteacher’s personal challenge to his clan’s fear of the unknown has led him to the wreckage of a World War II aircraft on a perilous wooded hill in Arunachal Pradesh.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:58 AM

Friday, June 18, 2010

North Carolina Bigfoot: Track found day after Peeler sighting 

Another North Carolina man claims to have found possible evidence of Bigfoot only one day after the reported sighting of a 9-to-10 foot tall creature in the woods around Casar.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:25 AM

North Carolina Bigfoot 911 call released: "It looked like a giant ape with a man's face." 

Interestingly, Mr. Peeler seems to acknowledge that he has seen similar creatures before.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:11 AM

Consumer Maker of Eco-Connect Bottle System has lofty goals 

Developed by Steve Klein, a former New York City schoolteacher, the Eco-Connect Bottle System is intended to be a green, inexpensive way to make a soccer goal (a computer-generated version of the goal is shown) out of empty, used plastic soda bottles. The Eco-Connect system, hopes Klein, could also be used for toys and building materials.

Cool. Via Fark Geek.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:15 AM

World's most expensive meats 

Hungry. Very very hungry. Except for the puffer fish. I'm not that hungry.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:38 AM

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Pato Fu - Música de Brinquedo - Live And Let Die 

The band Pato Fu has released a video showing some of the recordings, what will your new CD, which will be called 'Music Toy', the tenth album of their career Pato Fu. The novelty of staying on behalf of the entire album was recorded with toy instruments and miniatures.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:51 PM

Finding a strange power amid the ancient stones 

I was sceptical about dowsing right until the moment when the copper alloy rod seemed to take on a life of its own and turned a full 180 degrees.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:53 PM

WWII Code-Breaking Archives to Be Digitized and Posted Online 

The exact contents of the archives are a mystery.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:33 AM

Rent a White Guy 

Not long ago I was offered work as a quality-control expert with an American company in China I’d never heard of. No experience necessary—which was good, because I had none. I’d be paid $1,000 for a week, put up in a fancy hotel, and wined and dined in Dongying, an industrial city in Shandong province I’d also never heard of. The only requirements were a fair complexion and a suit.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:13 AM

Wednesday's Witches: World Cup, Salem, and Burkittsville witchery! 

This week in witchcraft starts with the World Cup.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:03 AM

Extreme Personal Finance: Eating Well on One Dollar a Day 

I love stuff like this.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:11 AM

Austin's 'Cathedral of Junk' to close 

A unique piece of Austin history may be headed for the, ahem, junk pile.

Photo by Robert Gaal via Flickr/Creative Commons

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:49 AM

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Where's the fort in Fort Worth? 

Common sense would lead one to believe that any city named after a fort would have once had a fort somewhere in it's vicinity.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:42 PM

The Legend of Sink Hole Sam 

One of my favorite Kansas legends.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:26 PM

Latest Details in the Wone Conspiracy Case: Still Weird 

Today's update in the Washington Post from the trial of Joseph Price and co-defendants Victor Zaborsky and Dylan Ward reveals that the prosecution narrowed its focus this week on one piece of evidence regarding the alleged conspiracy to murder Robert Wone: the knife. The case took two significant turns this week.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:55 PM

The Thunderstone Mystery 

What's a Stone Age axe doing in an Iron Age tomb?

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:53 PM

Newsweek ‘covers up’ secret zombie invasion headlines 

"Programmers for Newsweek’s Web site, Newsweek.com, have apparently placed a hidden joke on the magazine’s home page for readers who enter a special keyboard combination, triggering a page of headlines purporting to provide coverage of an uprising by the undead."

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:08 PM

What do zombies and Nazis have in common? 

What worse than zombies? Nazi zombies!

See also: Ultimate zombie summer reading list of death

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:15 AM

$100 Million 'National Treasure' Found at Flea Market 

A true copy of the original handwritten 1776 Declaration of Independence rescued from obscurity by Tom Lingenfelter of Bucks County, Pennsylvania is to be offered for sale at a yet undetermined venue.

Press release.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:04 AM

Monday, June 14, 2010

Her Sweet Murmur 

Strange sounds and paranormal activity.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:14 PM

North Carolina Bigfoot: The return of Knobby 

The area around Carpenter's Knob was famous for more than a dozen Bigfoot sightings in the late 1970s.

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:14 PM

Latte Art Contest: Time to vote for your favorite! 

As someone who does not drink coffee regularly I was impressed at the skill on display here. I voted for the cat, but the monkey was a close second. Check 'em out.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:51 AM

The Mystery of the Wax Museum 

I tried something a little different over at the Examiner today - an article that is also a short story. Let me know if I succeeded in the comments. And be sure to watch the slideshow. I had a lot of fun putting it together. The idea for this article came to me in a dream. No joke.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:11 AM

The 5 Greatest Books With Psychotic Fan Bases 

Books can change the world. That's not a controversial statement: From the Holy Bible to Reading Rainbow, just about everybody acknowledges the importance and influence of the written word. Even psychopaths.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:08 AM

The red plains of Mars were once covered by a vast ocean 

Far from being a dusty red desert, our neighbouring planet was once wet and rainy - raising the prospect that it was home to extra-terrestrial life.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:07 AM

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Historian revisits mystery of the Lost Colony 

When James Horn started writing a new account of the founding of Jamestown in the early 2000s, he hoped to find some fresh leads.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:47 PM

Mystery ice 'meteors' strike village 

Beijing meteorite experts are examining samples of ice that fell from a cloudless sunny sky on June 5 in Bodong village, Fengning county, Hebei Province.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:39 PM

Renaissance plot captured in forgotten opera 

Even the tumultuous banking events of today can't beat the Pazzi conspiracy of 1478 when one family of Renaissance power brokers tried to murder the competition on a fine Easter Sunday in Florence.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:11 PM

SNP looks to bring last Wallace possession home 

The Scottish Government has started moves to repatriate the only surviving possession of William Wallace.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:09 PM

Wiltshire vicar revives ancient archery law 

A vicar has revived an ancient law to call members of her parish together for archery practice.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:59 PM

Saturday, June 12, 2010

How Frozen Humans Are Brought Back 

Yeast and worms can survive hypothermia if they are first subjected to extreme oxygen deprivation, a new study finds.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:38 AM

Was Ambroise Vollard murdered? 

What he found exceeded even his wildest expectations: a lost hoard of artworks by many of the greatest artists of the late 19th and early 20th century, including Cézanne, Picasso, Matisse, Gauguin, Renoir, Degas, Derain, Bonnard and Man Ray. They had belonged originally to Ambroise Vollard, an art dealer who made a fortune in Belle Epoque Paris and helped to shape our idea of modern art by giving Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, Picasso and others their first solo shows.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:37 AM

Shroud of Turin Center in California Offers Vivid Replicas of Legendary Cloth 

Founded in 1996, the center is the brainchild of Dr. August D. Accetta. Its official mission statement reads: "The Shroud Center of Southern California is a scientific research and exhibit center dedicated to discovering the truths within the shroud and giving all interested visitors an opportunity to examine these truths."

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:35 AM

Friday, June 11, 2010

Brad Pitt's psychic advisor 

Ron Bard is the son of Yolana Bard, the "Queen of the Psychics."

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:38 AM

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Pagan Antiquities Unearthed in Israel 

Israeli archeologists have found a large cache of intact pagan vessels piled one atop the other in a natural hollow of bedrock in Tel Qashish, southeast of Haifa.

Via Fark.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:47 PM

The Dodgers and the Psychic - Owners paid healer to boost team performance 

Dodgers owners Frank and Jamie McCourt paid "scientist and healer" Vladimir Shpunt to boost team performance through the use of positive energy.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:11 PM

Who or what is killing animals at the Kiev zoo? 

Officials blame poison for recent animal deaths.

posted by Prof. Hex at 3:06 PM

Mysterious mountains found hidden beneath Antarctic ice 

Beneath the ice of Antarctica is a vast mountain range that rivals the Alps in its majesty.

posted by Prof. Hex at 2:00 PM

Fear Liath: Scotland’s Monster 

It’s said that in the summit of Scotland’s Ben Macdui dwells a creature described as “The Greyman”. A tall bipedal monster with short gray hair, who stalks the climbers who dare ascend to the summit.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:54 PM

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Wednesday's Witches - Memorials, Military, Mayhem and more 

Another weird week in witchcraft world news.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:55 PM

Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Chinese farmer declares war on property developers with homemade wheelbarrow cannon 

A Chinese farmer is fighting off property developers who want his land, firing rockets from a homemade cannon made out of a wheelbarrow and pipes, state media said on Tuesday.

Thanks, Joe!

posted by Prof. Hex at 12:06 PM

NASA wants to take your face to space! 

NASA has announced that astronauts will be taking pictures of earthbound space enthusiasts with them on the last two remaining shuttle missions.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:25 AM

Ann Yarrow's murder gripped New York City during the winter of 1955 

Ann Yarrow was a twenty-three-year old NYU honors graduate who was found raped, strangled, and stabbed thirty-seven times in a cheap apartment in an area of Manhattan known today as the East Village.

posted by Prof. Hex at 11:12 AM

Lost WWII battlefield found -– war dead included 

An Australian trekker said he has discovered the site of a significant World War II battle in the jungles of Papua New Guinea, complete with the remains of Japanese soldiers right where they fell almost 70 years ago.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:25 AM

The `Ontological Cracks’ Humans Experience 

Recently, THS has been examining what I call the 'cracks' in the reality structure.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:18 AM

Ground-breaking research: Incredible clothing that senses moods and soothes 

There is a garment that might know you better than you do and that will try and soothe you during times of despair. It appears the future is being fashioned through a new fashion.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:16 AM

Philadelphia exhibit attempts to unravel the mystery of Cleopatra 

It's one of those ironies of history that Cleopatra, the last pharaoh queen of Egypt, is still the most famous 2,000 years later, even though she wasn't actually Egyptian nor even a legitimate ruler.

posted by Prof. Hex at 9:09 AM

Himan Brown, Developer of Radio Dramas, Dies at 99 

Himan Brown, who long before there was television created immensely popular radio dramas like “The Adventures of the Thin Man” and “Dick Tracy,” employing an arsenal of beguiling sound effects that terrified or tickled the shows’ many listeners, died on Friday at his home in Manhattan. He was 99.

Brown also produced the still-effective Inner Sanctum Mysteries.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:53 AM

Apollo 12 art caper: Does the moon harbor a tiny museum? 

Andy Warhol and five other artists likely left a 1969 calling card — a so-called moon museum of six sketches etched in miniature on a penny-wide ceramic chip — on the Apollo 12 lunar lander, an upcoming PBS show concludes.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:29 AM

Bigfoot and Willatuk the sea serpent featured in new mockumentaries 

Cryptozoological themes pop up in two very different mockumentary films coming soon to a theater or DVD player near you.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:39 AM

Monday, June 07, 2010

Scouting the Occult in Brooklyn 

Film location scout Nick Carr looks for an occult shop in Brooklyn. Cool pics.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:31 PM

Scientists peer into past lives 

Peruvian mummies undergo medical scans to uncover secrets.

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:38 AM

Druids hired to cut road accidents 

Motoroway bosses in Austria secretly hired a full-time team of druids to drain 'negative energy' from accident blackspots.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 7:33 AM

20 years on: What really happened to Llangollen antiques dealer Trevaline Evans? 

Police at the time said it was the strangest case they had ever investigated.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:48 AM

Artifacts suggest Earhart’s final days a struggle 

Evidence backs view that pilot, navigator died as castaways.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:39 AM

The lotion bottle that looks like Hitler 

Can you see it?

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:19 AM

Scars from lion bite suggest headless Romans found in York were gladiators 

Evidence from tests on 80 skeletons of young men found in Yorkshire gardens points to world's best-preserved gladiator graveyard, archaeologists say.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:17 AM

Hitler once worshipped as Vishnu in elite Kolkata homes: Historian 

If Britain-based historian Nicholas Goodricke-Clarke is to be believed, German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler was "compared to Kalki, the last avatar of Vishnu" by an Indian spiritualist, practitioner of occult and Nazi sympathiser from Kolkata, Savitri Devi.

posted by Prof. Hex at 5:46 AM

Holy Terror: The Rise of the Order of Assassins 

By conventional standards, the Assassins should have been no match for the superior conventional military power of any of their many enemies. But near the end of the 11th century, the charismatic and ruthless Hasan-i Sabbah forged this small, persecuted sect into one of the most lethally effective terrorist groups the world has ever known.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:40 AM

Friday, June 04, 2010

Gift shows grisly killer also had her softer side 

While visiting the Pinal County Historical Society Museum in January, one area in particular caught the eye of Richard Phelps and his wife, Loy, of Tucson. It was the display of needlework done by Winnie Ruth Judd, the notorious convicted “trunk killer” of the early 1930s.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:54 PM

Mystery seafaring ancestor found in the Philippines 

The discovery of a single foot bone is forcing anthropologists to rethink how people first reached the islands off south-east Asia. It suggests that humans arrived on Luzon, the largest and northernmost major island in the Philippines, at least 67,000 years ago, tens of thousands of years earlier than had been thought.

posted by Prof. Hex at 4:47 PM

The 6 Most Impressive Cases of Identity Theft Ever Pulled Off 

Impersonation and identity theft are no laughing matter. Except when it's a horse wearing a top hat trying to be people. That's goddamn hilarious.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:37 PM

Welcome to Boozetown 

We all dream of a homeland for drunks, but one visionary spent much of his life trying to make that dream a reality. This is his story.

Thanks, Scott!

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:27 PM

Did Amelia Earhart Died As A Castaway? 

Researchers scouring a remote, uninhabited South Pacific island believed to be the final resting place of Amelia Earhart have discovered clues that the aviatrix may have struggled to survive there after an emergency landing.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:26 PM

Crocodiles 'Surf' Ocean Currents 

One of the things that are very true about crocodiles – but which seem counterintuitive at first glance – is the fact that they are relatively poor swimmers, especially over large distances.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:25 PM

Kingsville boy discovers pioneer headstones 

Some of Essex County's oldest gravestones have been found by an eight-year-old boy exploring under his family's house deck.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:17 PM

New study suggests that whales evolved in the blink of an eye 

It took only 5 million years - an instant in geologic time - for whales to diversify into the vastly different body types seen today, a new study indicates.

posted by Prof. Hex at 1:14 PM

Thursday, June 03, 2010

Stone Age Color, Glue 'Factory' Found 

A 58,000-year-old ochre powder production site has been discovered at Sibudu, South Africa.

posted by Prof. Hex at 8:08 PM

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Mystery surrounds 26 headless chickens in North Pole 

Twenty-six chickens were mysteriously beheaded at a North Pole chicken coop this week. Then things got weird.

Very strange. Thanks, Scott.

posted by Prof. Hex at 6:17 PM

Digging for Peter Falconio: A rod for our own backs 

A psychic searches for the body of murder victim Peter Falconio.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:31 AM

A ship that vanished 

The mystery surrounding the fate of the SS Waratah, the ocean liner that sailed from Durban harbour 101 years ago en route to Cape Town and England with 211 passengers and crew aboard and vanished without trace, is one that still exerts a fascination.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:24 AM

Fossil suggests the food that made humans possible 

New fossils have provided a snapshot of proto-human diets during a critical evolutionary moment, when better fare helped our small-brained ancestors boost their cognitive capacity.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:12 AM

Clayton South residents remember the 1966 day they saw flying objects 

Flying saucers, crop circles, missing film, disappearing files, denials, military cover-ups, threats and shadowy Men in Black.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:10 AM

Drunken parrots falling out of trees in Australia 

When in Rome...

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:03 AM

Walt Whitman meteor mystery solved 

A team of astronomers from Texas State University-San Marcos have applied its unique brand of forensic astronomy to reveal the secret behind famed poet Walt Whitman’s description of a “strange huge meteor procession” in his landmark collection Leaves of Grass.

posted by Prof. Hex at 10:02 AM