Squaring the Strange

Episode 179 - Deviant Death Rites and Bizarre Burials

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, as we await Pascual's time-out due to COVID, Ben and Celestia look into strange burial practices over the ages. With a peppering of pop cul...

Episode 178 - You Don't Know Jack (alopes)! Michael Branch and the Art of the Hoax

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We are joined by Professor Michael Branch, who has just released his new book "On the Trail of the Jackalope." What began as an idea for a taxidermy c...

Episode 177 - Field Trip to Bagansland with Susan and Kenny!

17 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We begin with a look at the continuing danger of online rumors igniting mob violence and the Google engineer who is in the news for his belief that th...

Episode 176 - Mass Shootings and Media Literacy

03 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ben has done several deep dives into various aspects of how the public processes mass shootings, and recent events moved us to bring this topic out no...

Episode 175 - Dangers of DIY Baby Formula and Herbal Abortions

20 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ben announces the release of his new book, "America the Fearful," and then Celestia takes over for a main segment inspired by current events. While we...

Episode 174 - A Musical History of the Devil

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After a few words on current events, Pascual takes us on a tour of tales about Old Scratch influencing music. Whether he's giving free violin lessons,...

Episode 173 - Alien Implants

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After some excitement over the release of Science Friction, and Ben's discussion of Huggy Wuggy, we talk about alien implants. No, it's not just about...

Episode 172 - Stigmata and Stigmatics

09 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After a brief diversion about who slapped who at that big pop culture event recently, we look into a much, much different vein of show business. Get i...

Episode 171 - Deathbed Confessions, Real and Rumored

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After a few thoughts on Daylight Savings Time, we discuss a short list of purported deathbed confessions. The last words of a consequential figure can...

Episode 170 - Pet Psychics and Psychic Pets

11 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After a brief discussion on the recent jailbreak (rock break?) of a Japanese nine-tailed demon, and some thoughts on war rumors and viral stories comi...

Episode 169 - Levitation and the Indian Rope Trick (with Prof. Richard Wiseman)

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

From superheroes to saints to trumpets, the idea of things seeming to float inexplicably in the air certainly captures our imagination. First Ben take...

Episode 168 - Sex Urban Legends (with opener guest Russ Dobler)

11 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

First, all the way from New York City Skeptics, Russ Dobler drops in to tell us about AIPT Comic's skepticism month -- and we also chat about Joe Roga...

Episode 167 - Bob Larson, the D-List Demon Dispatcher

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

We are joined by two guests who can share their experiences with televangelist and self-proclaimed exorcist Bob Larson. Alisa Yang has produced a shor...

Episode 166 - 2021 Skeptical Movie Roundup!

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As Oscar season approaches, we wanted to take some time to chat about movies we saw that either tripped our skeptical alarms or warmed our skeptical h...

Episode 165 - Moral Panic Series Part 4: LITERATURE AND COMIC DANGER!

31 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In this final installment of our moral panic series, as well as our final episode of 2021, we go into various banned books, fears about literature's e...

Episode 164 - Moral Panic Series Part 3: Film and TV Danger!

24 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This penultimate episode in our moral panic series starts with a discussion of the TikTok worries that interrupted schools last week as authorities br...

Episode 163 - Moral Panic series part 2: MUSIC DANGER!

10 Dec 2021

Contributed by Lukas

In part 2 of our 4-part series, we talk about moral panics in music history. Some will seem quaint to our modern ears, while others are a bit more rec...

Episode 162 - Moral Panics Series Part 1: GAME DANGER!

27 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

So this week we start by looking at the similarities between Q-Anon fans awaiting JFK Jr. in Dallas and doomsday cults moving their predictions. Then ...

Episode 161 - Magician Roundtable!

12 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

First Tim Mendham from the Australian Skeptics pops in for a quick visit, then we sit down for a discussion with Vegas magicians Matt Donnelly, R.J. O...

Episode 160 - The Entity with Kenny Biddle

29 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We meet up with investigator and photographic ghost evidence enthusiast Kenny Biddle to discuss The Entity -- a 1982 horror movie in the tradition of ...

Ep. 159 - Havana Syndrome with Robert Bartholomew

15 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We all have a few skeptical nuggets to chat about this week, from zebras to the healing power of Satan worship to dangerous rumors. Then we are joined...

Episode 158 - Magic Cards: Decks of Divination and Deception

01 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We begin on somber note, with the passing of friend and contributor Erik Kristopher Myers, who will be greatly missed. Then we take a close look at ca...

Episode 157 - The Aztec UFO Crash with Dave Thomas

16 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

First, Ben and Celestia are skeptical of the media representations of vaccination "mandates," as well as chiropractors who believe spinally induced im...

Episode 156 - Thylacines with Folklorist Daisy Ahlstone

03 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Folklorist and self-described "enthusiasm enthusiast" Daisy Ahlstone shares some facts, folklore, and even furry art celebrating the thylacine, also k...

Episode 155 - The Soothing Sounds of Woo: Vibrational and Sound Healing

20 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We go on an exploration of the somewhat recent trend of trying to heal, calm, or "raise the vibrations" of human beings by means of sound therapy. Whi...

Episode 154 - Fishy, Fraudulent Food

06 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We run down a history of food fraud that stretches back to ancient Rome, and continues today in supermarkets and restaurants just about everywhere. Fr...

Episode 153 - Brian Regal Talks Pseudoscience and Pseudohistory

23 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After some thoughts on the resurgence of dowsing, we sit down with Professor Brian Regal once more, this time to talk about his encyclopedia of pseudo...

Episode 152 - Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot: Spontaneous Human Combustion

09 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We tackle one of the grand old traditions in weirdness--spontaneous human combustion (SHC), the phenomenon wherein your loved one goes POOF so quickly...

Episode 151 - Mick West and UFO video analysis

24 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mick West joins us again, this time to talk about the recent flap of UFO sightings and media interest. Major news outlets are giving airtime to what s...

Episode 150 - Mysterious Masked Musicians

11 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Pascual leads us on a romp through the myriad masked musicians of our time (and a few before our time), and we discuss the benefits and reasons why so...

Episode 149 - The Beast of Gévaudan with Jay Smith

28 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

First we have a special guest SWAYSO participant join us to discuss a Covid-19 vaccine rumor going around. Then historian Jay Smith brings us the frig...

Episode 148 - Steak-Umms' tweets of reason, and the 2001 Monkey Man Panic!

14 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We are joined by a surprise guest, the critical thinker behind the Steak-Umms popular brand voice (aka Nathan Allebach), who talks to us about targeti...

Episode 147 - Brian Regal and the Secret History of the Jersey Devil

30 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

First, Pascual notices an uptick in unrelated, inflammatory Facebook threads in the wake of the Chauvin trial, and we get a refresher on troll-spottin...

Episode 146 - 666, the Number / Mark of the Beast

16 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ben looks into a TikTok-fueled panic about sex trafficking abductions in Target stores, then we move to our main topics, the Mark of the Beast and the...

Episode 145 - Bottomless Pits and Spooky Geology with Sharon Hill

02 Apr 2021

Contributed by Lukas

First we chat about Lil Nas X's "satanic shoes" and some litigation against a Las Vegas alkaline water company. Then geologist, author, and all-around...

Episode 144 - Prof. Jeannie Banks Thomas and the SLAP test

19 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We begin with a supposedly cursed guitar that was purchased by a somewhat infamous Vegas resident. Then folklorist and self-proclaimed "lover of all t...

Episode 143 - Merfolklore, Merfact, and Merfiction

05 Mar 2021

Contributed by Lukas

This episode we talk all manner of things mer . . . mermen, mermaids, merb'ys, and many more. People love conjuring up creatures that are half human i...

Episode 142 - Crankery and Notable Cranks

19 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ben, Celestia, and Pascual help define what makes a crank a crank, and we look into the history of this concept. Then we bring a couple of examples we...

Episode 141 - The Crying Boy Curse, with David Clarke

05 Feb 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We are joined by folklorist and author David Clarke, who traces the legend of the Crying Boy curse, a curious story surrounding prints of several pain...

Episode 140 - Steve Kulls and the Georgia Bigfoot Body Hoax

22 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

After some thoughts on the inauguration and future of our science agencies and news landscape, we talk to Bigfoot investigator Steve Kulls, of Squatch...

Episode 139 - 2020 Hindsight!

15 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Yay, 2020 is over! This bonus episode is a casual, nonscripted, barely outlined roundtable with Ben, Celestia, and Pascual as we go through how this y...

Episode 138 - Insurrection Wednesday and an Antivax Primer

08 Jan 2021

Contributed by Lukas

We recorded a special opener to discuss the late-breaking, Capitol-invading events of the past 36 hours and the role misinformation played in getting ...

Episode 137 - Musical Legend Grab Bag

24 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

First, Celestia recounts a couple of spooky incidents she's experienced during the pandemic. Then we look at a handful of music-related urban legends,...

Episode 136 - Revisiting Dr. Leo Igwe on Witchcraft Persecution in Africa

11 Dec 2020

Contributed by Lukas

First, we run down the "mysterious monoliths" found so far, and get a special call out to Louie Raffloer, the blacksmith who created a much more true-...

Episode 135 - Investigative Skepticism with Kenny Biddle

27 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ben, Celestia, and Pascual discuss the otherworldly monolith that's popped up in a remote part of Utah, and Ben shares another in his series of "used ...

Episode 134 - The Ghost Army and Military Deception, with Col. Francis Park, Ph.D.

12 Nov 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After some chatting about the recent election and alleged voter fraud, we dive into the Ghost Army, a tactical unit of hoaxers in WW2 that saved thous...

Episode 133 - A History of Contacting the Dead

30 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ben and Celestia go through a timeline of the different ways people have tried (or pretended) to chat with dead people and get meaningful information ...

Episode 132 - Pop Music Plagiarism, from Vanilla Ice to Alien Globolinks

15 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

In this episode Pascual takes the helm and brings us some audio goodies to puzzle over. Several lawsuits have resulted over pop songs that are too sim...

Episode 131 - Baby Lake & Sea Monsters

02 Oct 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ben brings in two guests, Scott Mardis and Darren Naish, to discuss two different instances of alleged "baby" versions of lake monsters and sea serpen...

Episode 130 - The Bangladesh Toilet Ghost: A Study in Mass Hysteria

18 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After some chatting about current and upcoming events, we dive into a mysterious entity in a women's toilet in Bangladesh. Ben brings his love of ghos...

Episode 129 - Faked Abductions

04 Sep 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Who would fake their own abduction? It turns out, plenty of people. Whether it's the "runaway bride," who says the stress of wedding planning made her...

Episode 128 - ¡Feliz Cumpleaños, el Chupacabra!

21 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

First, Ben, Pascual, and Celestia discuss the recurring social media uproar about why something isn't being covered by the media, as well as the recen...

Episode 127 - Susan Gerbic on Misinfo, Wikipedia, and Psychic Shananigans

06 Aug 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Susan Gerbic, of Guerilla Skepticism on Wikipedia, joins Celestia and Ben to bring us up to date on her recent psychic research and writings, as well ...

Bonus Episode - Rumor Roundup!

26 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This is a bonus episode (free to all, as I'm not clicking the box that says "charge patrons for this creation"), wedged between episodes 126 and 127, ...

Episode 126 - Strangeness Set in Stone: Mysterious Statues

24 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

With statues being front and center in the news earlier this month, we decided to take a few tours of the stranger side of statues. From graveyard sta...

Episode 125 - Tonight We're Gonna Party Like It's Covid-1999

10 Jul 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Heard about the college parties where kids are intentionally trying to infect themselves with Covid--even betting money on who can catch it first? We ...

Episode 124 - Antifa as an Emergent Panic

26 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After some discussion on a few current events that resulted in quick debunkings, Ben, Pascual, and Celestia take a close look at what could be real-ti...

Episode 123 - Snuff Films with Erik Kristopher Myers

12 Jun 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We are joined today by filmmaker and encyclopedia of weird film knowledge Erik Kristopher Myers. The notion of a "snuff film" is a strange convergence...

Episode 122 - Plant Folklore (Bring Us a Shrubbery!)

29 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We chat a bit about various news, including the passing of physicist Peter Brancazio, who explored popular sports illusions, and Ben's recent outreach...

Episode 121, Noah Nez, Native Skeptic

15 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

First, Ben and Celestia briefly discuss the roller coaster that was the rise and fall of "Plandemic," then we talk murder hornets with Heidi McMaster,...

Episode 120 - Emery Emery on Science Friction

01 May 2020

Contributed by Lukas

First, Ben, Celestia, and Pascual discuss a few pandemic-related things that set off some skeptical alarms over social media this past week. Then we a...

Episode 119 - Poll Lotta BS

17 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

You know, Ben came up with the pun for this title and we are just so darned proud of him for coming over to the pun side of life. We chat about variou...

Episode 118 - Our Third Anniversary! (While Sheltered in Place)

03 Apr 2020

Contributed by Lukas

For anyone who has been craving an episode with far less research, facts, or formality, this is the episode for you! Ben, Pascual, and Celestia, refle...

Episode 117 - Testing Psychic Detectives in Real Time, part 2

27 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This installment finishes our discussion on three missing persons cases that Ben, Celestia, and Kenny followed in real time and tracked with psychic d...

Episode 116 - Testing Psychic Detectives in Real Time, part 1

20 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

After some discussion on the recent pandemic declaration and unprecedented social distancing most of us now face, special guest Kenny Biddle joins Ben...

Episode 115 - A Few Angles on the Bermuda Triangle

06 Mar 2020

Contributed by Lukas

The Bermuda Triangle is a perennial favorite for seekers of the strange; Ben still gets calls regularly from students eager to ask him questions about...

Episode 114 - The Minnesota Iceman with Ron Pine

21 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

Ben and Celestia discuss one of the most memorable fakes in Bigfoot history. What began as a carnival side-show exhibit ended up the center of multipl...

Episode 113 - Coronavirus (COVID-19) Myths & Misinfo, Plus a Virus Lesson from Doctor Dan

14 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

We made time to record a special bonus episode this month! Due to the late-breaking nature of the Wuhan/novel coronavirus (now officially named COVID-...

Episode 112 - Literary Hoaxes, part 1 of ?

07 Feb 2020

Contributed by Lukas

There is a rich field of literary hoaxes to pull from, and for this episode we pulled a few favorites. Ben brings a selection of "misery memoirs," sto...

Episode 111 - The Mothman

24 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Ben recounts his recent investigation into the Mothman, a creature first spotted in the 1960s in rural West Virginia. Ben takes us on a tou...

Episode 110 - The Head Show

10 Jan 2020

Contributed by Lukas

This is a long one, and be advised that this episode contains some grisly details. Ben and Celestia go on a sometimes quirky, sometimes bone-shivering...

Episode 109 - Penis Castles, Teletubby Purses, and Suicidal Larpers

28 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Ben and Celestia are joined by Erik Kristopher Myers to discuss a short history of a particular sort of easter egg: the dreaded "hidden subv...

Episode 108 - Dangers and Consequences of Ghost Hunting

13 Dec 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We are joined by Kenny Biddle, our east coast paranormal investigator and skeptic, to discuss the darker side of ghost hunting. Not a demonic dark sid...

Episode 107 - Crystal Skullduggery

29 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Fresh from a convention of caricature artists and with heads full of pareidolia, Ben and Celestia discuss a few topics of the day and then dig into cr...

Episode 106 - Leo Igwe on Modern Witchcraft Accusations

14 Nov 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Human rights advocate Dr. Leo Igwe joins us to discuss the dangers posed by so-called "witch hunters" in his home nation of Nigeria and other parts of...

Episode 105 - Pop Culture and Music in the Shadow of the Satanic Panic

31 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

The Satanic Panic is a veritable cornucopia of skeptical angles, and for this episode we limit ourselves to a look back at the cultural feel of the 80...

Episode 104 - A Brief History of Clown Panics

24 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Just in time for Halloween, when scary clowns abound, Ben takes us on a tour of the modern clown panic phenomenon . . . from bands of phantom clowns i...

Episode 103 - Mysterious Animal Deaths and the Great Elk Murder Conspiracy

17 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

First, we look into an outrage-inspiring headline about a woman arrested for being topless at her own home. Then we dive into animal carcasses and rea...

Episode 102 - Alienstock, Joker Fears, Homicidal Dwarves, and the Ica Stones

04 Oct 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We begin with a longer-than-usual opening segment (because gosh darn it, a lot happened). Ben recounts his latest TV appearance and chupacabra follow-...

Episode 101 - Vaccines with Dr. Hans House and Academic Snake Oil with Kenny Biddle

20 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We open with Dr. Hans House, who schools us on infectious diseases, especially some little-known facets of ebola, measles and the flu. He shares some ...

Episode 100 - "Alienstock" and Numerology

05 Sep 2019

Contributed by Lukas

It's our 100th episode! We begin with a discussion of "Alienstock," the planned alien-themed music festival being imposed upon Rachel, NV, in the comi...

Episode 99 - Movie Curses with Erik Kristopher Myers

23 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a deep dive into some popular movies of the past few decades and their associated curses . . . some that are due to genuinely tragic o...

Bonus Mini-Not-So-Mini-Episode!

19 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This started off as a little bonus mini-episode (in between episodes 98 and 99) where we have a little roundtable about some frustrating patterns of t...

Episode 98 - Talking Bigfoot Conferences and the Skookum Cast with Matt Crowley

09 Aug 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Ben and special guest Matt Crowley reminisce about their first encounter, at a Bigfoot conference in Idaho about a dozen years ago. We look at some cu...

Episode 97 - The Dancing Coffins of Chase Vault

26 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is a walk-through of Ben's investigation into the facts, theories, and folklore of a mysterious burial vault on Barbados. Due to strange ...

Episode 96 - Organ Theft Tales

19 Jul 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Richard Saunders of The Skeptic Zone joins us to discuss organ theft tales! The notion of waking up one day without a few organs, the biological equiv...

Episode 95 - MLMania!

27 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

Ben and Celestia are joined by the SciBabe, Yvette d'Entremont, to discuss the scourge of MLMs (Multilevel Marketing) companies. These organizations, ...

Episode 94 - Psychic Hot Takes on the Holly Bobo Case

13 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We begin with Ben's breakdown of the just-released documents that show FBI involvement with Bigfoot. Then Celestia examines an "uncanny" drawing of a ...

Episode 94 - Psychic Hot Takes on the Holly Bobo Case

13 Jun 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We begin with Ben's breakdown of the just-released documents that show FBI involvement with Bigfoot. Then Celestia examines an "uncanny" drawing of a ...

Episode 93 - Grab Bag!

31 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We have several short topics this week, starting with a few news items of interest. Pascual brings us a reasoned look at 5G network coverage and how i...

Episode 92 - The Skinny on Djinn

17 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This episode is an on-the-road recording, with the welcome addition of an old friend. We discuss a favorite topic of Ben's, fabled creatures we Wester...

Episode 91 - eHarmony Dissonance

03 May 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we look at a few things going on, from Ben's recent jaunt to Puerto Rico to a new Conjuring movie to beards vs. dogs to chocolate milk and b...

Episode 90 - Doppelgangers, They're Just Like Us!

19 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

First Ben and Celestia talk about a disturbing modern case of false abduction rumors. Then we get into doppelgangers, a topic with (not surprisingly) ...

Episode 89 - Some Sketchy Psychological Tests

05 Apr 2019

Contributed by Lukas

First Ben and Celestia look at a couple concoctions that have their skeptical senses buzzing this week. Then we pick three personality assessment test...

Episode 88 - Bad Cryptozoological Arguments and What They Can Teach Us

21 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

We take a long walk through a dozen or so arguments put forth by cryptid advocates, and see which ones (if any) make reasonable points. If you want a ...

Episode 87 - Momo & Part 2 of Enter the Warren-verse!

08 Mar 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we take a quick look at the Momo challenge's resurgence and surprisingly mainstream fall; then for our main segment we dive back into the st...

Episode 86 - Psychic Sting and the Ballad of Ed & Lorraine Warren, part 1

28 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

First we chat with Susan Gerbic about the recent buzz surrounding her soon-to-be published expose in the New York Times Magazine, describing the under...

Episode 85 - Snake Squeezins and Other Oily Elixirs

15 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week we start with a discussion of assumptions, as Ben brings two outrage-provoking news stories that turned out to not be what was originally as...

Episode 84 - Hyman's Proper Criticism

01 Feb 2019

Contributed by Lukas

This week Ben and Celestia start by looking at a Newsweek headline that's been circulating again recently, implying that one-third of Americans doubt ...

Episode 83 - Ogopogo-a-go-go

21 Jan 2019

Contributed by Lukas

First, Ben brings us an interesting dustup from the BFRO involving some paranormal researcher snubbing. Then we do a deep, murky, cold-water dive into...