Archive for the ‘aliens’ category

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Churchill and the Aliens…

February 16, 2017

Now this is kinda cool, especially if you’re a bit of a history buff as many nerds like myself are.  The history and science fiction nexus gets thick at times over World War II, what with the insane speculation that Nazi Germany was scientifically advanced due to alien “assistance.”  So it really floats my boat to hear that a lost essay has been discovered by none less than Winston Churchill in which he supports the existence of alien life…

…I swear that I am not making this up!  The unpublished essay from 1939 by Churchill was discovered in of all places a Missouri museum to which the paper had been donated and then forgotten.  Now Winnie was a remarkable guy; a politician, statesman, writer, and even a friend of the sciences who while prime minister of England appointed a science adviser, and regularly met with scientists.  Radar was developed during his watch, and may have kept England afloat when the Nazis came calling.  Anyways, Churchill in this essay ponders the timeless question of alien life, and concludes that we are not alone…

…remarkably, Churchill’s reasoning even from over seventy years ago mirrors scientific thought even today, proving that the cigar-smoker was both broad-minded and a man ahead of his time.  Churchill and Carl Sagan probably would have liked each other.  The best politicians are scientifically friendly; if only such could be said of Mr. Trump…

Categories: aliens, controversial, discoveries, sci fi, science, space, speculation
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Of Blood Rain and Star Jelly…

October 6, 2016

 

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Every day, about 100 metric tons of material rains down on Earth’ s surface.  Episode 11 of Season 1 of Monsters and Mysteries Unsolved ventured into the sticky, perhaps revolting question of what exactly was “star jelly” and “blood rain.”  Please be advised that frog spawn will probably be discussed in the post, so if this offends or disgusts you, read no further.– You have been duly warned!

Now references to star jelly and blood rain date back to medieval times, with an account presented as far back as the year 1176.  Modern references are numerous; in November of 2001, for example, a gelatinous blob was found in Manchester, England that emanated a smell of rotten eggs, and dissolved when touched.  In 1950 in southern Philadelphia, two police officers saw a “dissolving UFO” that gave off a purplish glow, and inspired the 1958 Steve McQueen movie, “The Blob.“

In Oakville, Washington in 1994, a gelatinous rain fell during a meteor shower that covered tree branches and made some individuals sick.  Two bacteria were found in samples tested by the Washington Dept. of Health that were capable of causing urinary tract infections and septicemia.  Conspiracy theories then blossomed as black planes and helicopters were later seen over the area. – –  Was Oakville chosen as a military test site? – – Was Fox Mulder summoned?  Alas, the remaining samples disappeared, and department scientists reported being told not to say anything about it.  Fortunately, an area resident kept a sample in her refrigerator (“Don’t eat the jelly, Honey!“), and it was taken to an independent lab that found bacteria present and a eukaryotic cell.  This sample then also disintegrated.

Now in India in 2001, a blood red rain fell to Earth, freaking out the residents.  Originally told that the rain was colored red by dust, it was later disclosed that the rain contained biological cells that strangely matched no known DNA.  The question was raised if these unknown cells were possibly of extraterrestrial origin.

Now Scotland has had numerous reports logged of luminous jelly falling from the sky.  Clarkson University specialist Dr. Langen feels that many of these samples are of terrestrial origin, did not fall from the sky, but are in reality…frog spawn (remember, you were warned)!  Langen exposed frog spawn to freezing and heating, and found that it could dehydrate and rehydrate in a manner similar to “star jelly.” Other creatures such as tardigrades can also survive extreme conditions of heat, cold, and even the vacuum of space.

The panspermia theory holds that life originated someplace other than Earth, and was seeded here by meteorites and comets.  While some scientists and researchers believe that Earth was “pollinated” by outer space, others do not.  At any rate, should you find any star jelly lying around, don’t eat it…you don’t know where it’s been!

Categories: aliens, anomalies, controversial, environmental, mysteries, television, unexplained
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Crop Circles on “Monsters and Mysteries Unsolved”

July 15, 2016

 

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The second episode of “Monsters and Mysteries Unsolved” again hit on mysteries rather than monsters with an installment on crop circles, about 100 of which are sighted each year around the world, but usually in the United Kingdom and most often in fields of wheat and barley, appearing overnight.

Now about 90% of crop circles are fake, but a small percentage are not man-made. It’s possible to tell if they are not caused by human effort by damage done to the crop, which is thought to be from some sort of energy which causes nodes on the plants to expand and ultimately explode. Several different mechanical methods can also cause such damage, however.

Some UFO sightings have been reported in the vicinity of crop circles, and video footage exists. A video analyst examined one such tape, and pronounced it original without the object having been externally added. The specialist could not, however, identify the object depicted, which appeared in the footage as a glowing orb.

Midwestern U.S. formations appear to show a connection to one another, with the circles linked geographically in a straight line pointing directly to other crop circles. It might appear that such circles are not singular, isolated events, but rather parts of a series.

So what does this all mean? An explanation was not advanced, other than to say that crop circles were a phenomena which could not be pigeonholed. Questions were raised, but few were answered…

Categories: aliens, anomalies, speculation, television, the plant kingdom, unexplained
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“Alien Encounters” on “Monsters and Mysteries Unsolved”

July 1, 2016

 

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The good news is that at last there’s a new paranormal show airing new episodes, but the jury is still out on “Monsters and Mysteries Unsolved,” which debuted on the Destination America channel with a first episode titled, “Alien Encounters.”

Now don’t get me wrong…I really want to like this show, but I’m not sold yet.  There are some things that I liked, such as the inclusion of actual astronomers, astrophysicists, and other credentialed people on the show.  The episode simply didn’t have a great flow or direction to it, bouncing around episodically and unevenly from one UFO sighting to another without much unity to it in a manner I found unsatisfying.  Some of the material was old, familiar stuff; considerable time was spent on Roswell, for example, without adding anything new to what we’ve already heard many times before.

Reference was made to the “Phoenix Lights” sightings in 1997 when a large, delta-shaped object was witnessed flying in a mile-wide formation by hundreds of people in Arizona, with more individual lights later seen.  Aspersion was cast upon the official explanation of the lights as being “military flares.” Also covered was a December 1980 incident at Rendlesham Forest in England where strange lights were seen on successive nights and investigated by the military. Another 1975 incident from Pensacola, Florida involved a former U.S. Marine pilot on a training flight who observed a round, red object with defined edges that moved unlike anything he had seen before or since.

To me the most interesting segments of this show involved the efforts of special effects photographer and movie maker Doug Trumbull, who is taking powerful investigative equipment in a specially modified vehicle to locations deemed favorable to UFO sightings. Perhaps through his efforts and others like himself, more credible investigations may be performed.

In my area, Monsters and Mysteries Unsolved airs Thursday at nine p.m. on the Destination America channel, which is kind of paranormal central for shows of this type. Spread the word, and hopefully upcoming episodes will be more satisfying…  

Categories: aliens, speculation, strange happenings, television, Uncategorized, unexplained, unidentified
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Mulder Returns!

January 25, 2016

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I was a big X-Files fan in the 1990’s, and somewhere I still have an action figurine of David Duchovny as Fox Mulder, one of my few heroes…and so almost nothing could be better for me than when I learned that half a dozen new episodes of the show were being made, complete with many members of the original cast!  The previews looked promising and true to the spirit of the original show.  I was more than ready for this; it was the Holy Grail of paranormal television.

So primed and ready, I tuned to FOX at the listed time expecting to see Fox,  and got…a football post-game show!  It was a cruel thing to see jocks celebrating themselves when you’ve gone so many years without a Mulder fix.  No doubt this was some kind of government conspiracy.  Fortunately the DVR and “On Demand” gods were there, and I was able to watch the whole glorious episode later.

The first episode was heavy on exposition and the series mythology, beginning with Mulder’s cerebral, analytical monotone voice and flashing back to the seminal Roswell UFO incident, with the crash gloriously depicted.  Since the series last ended, Mulder has been living a low profile life while his partner, Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) has been aiding in the surgical creation of ears for earless children.  The duo is reunited by a wealthy arch conservative talk show conspiracy adherent (Tad O’Malley), and Mulder appears to have mastered the scruffy cool look to perfection.  From there, things get twisted and complicated, with alien technologies, genetic manipulations, and unspeakable dark conspiracies thrown into the mix.

Some episodes after the second will focus less on the confusing and mysterious X-Files mythology, with some stand-alone episodes presented that will follow the popular “Monster of the Week” format during which the series was at its most enjoyable.  We will apparently, however, be getting visits from such iconic series figures as the Cigarette Smoking Man and The Lone Gunmen, who had a brief unsuccessful spin-off show of their own once upon a time.

All in all, the limited revival series is worthy, and makes us want to put on suits, grab large flashlights, and follow conspiracies and monsters wherever they may lead, for The Truth is Out There…

Categories: aliens, anomalies, cryptozoology, sci fi, television, unexplained
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The Rocky Mountain Demon Wolf…and More on “True Supernatural!”

April 14, 2015

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Once again the Destination America channel has spawned a new show on the strange and the unexplained, this one called True Supernatural, a title which in itself may be an oxymoron. The introductory episode I viewed rehashed an artifact from the alleged alien abduction of Barney and Betty Hill in 1961, alternating with a story on an as of yet unidentified “demon wolf.” Rather than running one storyline through to completion, the show spent several minutes on one tale then bounced to the other, going back and forth in this fashion until this viewer at least was annoyed…it’s not like there were any commonalities between the stories being covered!

Now many of us are familiar with the classic Betty and Barney Hill abduction tale, and aliens are apparently pretty rough on human clothing, tearing and staining Betty Hill’s blue dress, which was the artifact examined.  A pink powder was left on the upper portions of the dress which unfortunately was lost when the victim aired the dress out. The stains remained, however, and persist on the dress to this day.  Speculation exists as to whether the stains may harbor alien DNA, but despite testing by six labs, none can identify the powder, extract DNA from the stains, or even reproduce the stains on the dress fabric by human means.  This might even suggest that the aliens in question did not even have DNA, at least as we would recognize it.  Betty Hill’s poor damaged dress continues to exist in university storage, and if a smart lawyer ever catches up with said aliens, they’re gonna be smacked with major damage claims, not to mention pain and suffering!

Now the town of Ennis, Montana has the stuffed remains of an unknown species referred to as the Rocky Mountain Demon Wolf, a gigantic and ferocious creature.  Reports of the creature’s predations date back to the 1880’s, with the specimen shot in 1886.  The animal has an oddly-shaped head, and slopes off towards its hind quarters, rather like a hyena.  It’s hide is so tough that it’s reportedly resistant to arrows and even bullets, making it hard to kill.  Known to take sheep and dogs, modern killings recorded in 2005 and 2006 suggest that perhaps the creature may still be active.  As to what the animal is, speculations range wildly from a mutant wolf to a hybrid to a wolf with birth defects caused by exposure to heavy metals.  Wilder still are speculations that this demon wolf may be a primitive canine, a kind of prehistoric remnant or “Lazarus Species.”  

DNA testing on the Demon Wolf has been delayed due to the fact that two groups are claiming ownership of it, and the courts must decide who to award it to before such work can be performed.  With the glacial pace of some court proceedings, I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for that ruling!

Categories: aliens, anomalies, anthropomorphic, controversial, cryptozoology, paranormal, strange happenings, television, unexplained, weird
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The John Keel Files Special…

April 4, 2015

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Many of us are familiar to at least a degree with the Mothman saga, and the S3/Ep09 2015 installment of Monsters and Mysteries in America spent the full episode on Mothman, emphasizing the investigative role of pioneering paranormal journalist John Keel. Now Keel was on assignment from Playboy magazine to look into UFO’s, and together with area reporter Mary Hyre looked into the hundreds of Mothman sightings that occurred up and down the Ohio River within only two months of time, especially within the area of Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

…now Mothman is described as standing about seven feet tall, and resembling a cross between a man and an alien with wings. A number of sightings had occurred in the so-called TNT area, where old abandoned bunkers had stored explosives during the World War II era. The most intensive time of sightings occurred between November of 1966 and December of 1967, but Mothman was actually just the headliner in what was actually a cluster of paranormal events. In addition to Mothman, lights were seen in the skies, the presence of which attracted dogs which were later found slaughtered and drained of blood. Cattle mutilations were also reported, and a bloodmobile was supposedly attacked at night by a UFO which gripped it in mechanical arms until the presence of other car lights drove it off. Point Pleasant also saw an influx of “Men in Black,” those dark-clad, sunglasses-wearing figures that some see as government operatives while others regard as aliens. MIB’s supposedly tried to intimidate key investigators, including Mary Hyre and her niece. John Keel was contacted by various unknown entities over the phone even after he had left Point Pleasant, and he had the impression that some of them could foretell the future.

The convergence of all of these strange events seemed to be building towards something dire, and sure enough the Silver Bridge collapsed on December 15th, 1967 during rush hour, killing 46 people in the worst bridge collapse in U.S. history. Mothman was said to have flown over the bridge prior to its collapse…

…new sightings of Mothman and related encounters are said to continue, with a reported frequency of one perhaps every month or two. One man interviewed had seen the Mothman while a child in his parent’s car, and he returned to the area to experience another encounter as an adult, when he saw a black figure emerge out of what was described as a shimmering curtain. The gentleman involved speculated that perhaps Mothman was a Thunderbird, some kind of ancient being, or perhaps a multidimensional creature.

Well, everyone’s got to believe in something. I believe I’ll have a diet Coke…

Categories: aliens, anomalies, anthropomorphic, controversial, cryptozoology, paranormal, speculation, strange happenings, television, unexplained, unidentified

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Demon Panthers; Helicopter Crew Meets UFO; Doppelganger

March 28, 2015

wpid-wp-1427508717485.jpegThe S3/Ep08 episode of Monsters and Mysteries in America featured a cryptid, an otherworldly encounter, and a paranormal experience, a bit of something for everyone!  In Alexander City in Illinois in the Shawnee National Forest (Devil’s Kitchen sector) lurks a never-identified feline creature, similar to a black panther but at over 9′ in length much larger.  The panther is further extraordinary in that it can apparently appear and disappear.  Accounts of the demon panther date back to the mid-1800’s, with a butler working on the exterior grounds of a mansion reportedly attacked in July of 1917 but the attacker never found.  More recently in fall of 1969, cryptozoology investigator Loren Coleman traveling as a passenger in a car saw a large black panther crossing the road, wishing to exit the vehicle to search for tracks which he was not able to do as his companions wished to leave the vicinity.  A bit later in fall of 1969, Mike Busby was out driving late at night when his car quit, causing him to exit the vehicle to work on the engine.  The panther then pounced on him, and the situation was dire until he went limp and the headlights of another vehicle caused the creature to break off the attack.  Remarkably, the panther was then seen to walk off into the woods on its hind legs! The police thought that the panther was a large wolf, although the victim knew better and suffered a lengthy recovery from the attack…

…there are those that believe that we all have a doppelganger, a “double walker” that is essentially a duplicate of a living person although they are a kind of imperfect evil twin that may be bent on replacing their mainstream version.  Abraham Lincoln supposedly saw a pale and deathly image of himself in a mirror, a vision which his wife interpreted to mean that he would not survive his term of office.  In Oviedo, Florida a family was reportedly invaded in April of 2003 by a duplicate of one 17-year-old daughter which both the girl’s mother and her sister reported seeing.  The duplicate could supposedly open doors and perform actions in the physical world.  The doppelganger even appeared to the young woman at work, and to the mother at home after the daughter had gone off to college…creepy, huh?

Lastly, an incident was covered in Louisville, Kentucky where two air police officers in a helicopter were pursued by a UFO in February of 1993.  The supposedly alien craft circled and chased the hopelessly outmatched helicopter, eventually shooting three fireballs at them which required emergency evasive action.  The UFO was described as moving quickly with no visible means of propulsion, and it vanished following the encounter.  Two police officers on the ground also reportedly saw the strange craft but were unable to pursue it.  The segment also touched upon a January of 1948 incident when planes unsuccessfully chased UFO’s, as well as a 1955 encounter when a family saw small alien creatures outside of their farmhouse, later finding glowing material left on the ground. – – Where is Fox Mulder when we need him?!

 

Categories: aliens, anomalies, anthropomorphic, cryptozoology, paranormal, speculation, strange happenings, television, unexplained, unidentified

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Mantis Man; Spottsville Monster; Tornado Phantoms…

March 23, 2015

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In the S3/Ep07 installment of Monsters and Mysteries in America, the first segment concerned a huge, hostile Bigfoot-type beast reported in Spottsville in the northwest part of Kentucky. Reports of the creature date back to 1892, but the segment largely concerned the Nunnelly family who in 1975 moved to a farm house in the back woods, where they sensed something strange. Chickens went missing, and two brothers in the family found a dog carcass, later finding eight dogs killed and mutilated in the same manner. Family members heard rustling sounds in their yard, and reported seeing a seven to nine foot tall hairy creature with piercing eyes covered with hair and emitting the odor of rotten eggs…

…well, the family reported coming under siege from the creature, who would rattle their door knobs and screech on their porch. They repeatedly called the police, who would investigate and discover nothing, finally refusing to come further. Deciding to take matters into their own hands, family members and friends staged a stake-out on their roof one night. They heard sounds, released their dogs, and fired with shotguns into the area with no result. They finally left the house, fearing for their lives. One unrelated Kentucky native put out a recorder in the general area, and recorded an eleven second scream which wildlife experts said matched no known species…

…on a more benign note, the second segment concerned “butterfly people,” luminous beings of light with wings who were reported seen largely by children during a devastating tornado in Joplin, Missouri which occurred on May 22nd, 2011. The entities reportedly shielded people from debris during the tornado. Curiously, forty to fifty children reported seeing the same thing, which only one adult witnessed, describing the beings as angels or guardians.

Last was the account of the Mantis Man, a huge, hideous, insectile-type creature reported in Hacketstown, New Jersey. The monster was described by two unrelated fishermen as standing about seven feet high, having mandibles, and large intense black eyes. One observer described the creature as fading as it moved up the river bank where it was spotted, leading to speculation that perhaps the beast was using camouflage and blending into its surroundings. The second observer reported hearing a humming and feeling tingling sensations, and seeing the mantis-man spread its wings when observed by him in a threatening gesture. The fisherman felt like the big bug was somehow sucking information from him. It also eventually vanished as if into a fog. Speculation followed that the giant, scaly creature was psychic, and may have even been an insectile type of alien…better summon multiple exterminators for this one!

Categories: aliens, animals, anomalies, anthropomorphic, controversial, cryptozoology, speculation, strange happenings, television, Uncategorized, unexplained, unidentified
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The Mill Race Monster; Deadly Rain; Devil Dogs…

March 1, 2015

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On Monsters and Mysteries in America, we were recently presented with the Mill Race Monster, a gargantuan green beast reportedly observed in Mill Race Park in Columbus, Indiana.  The creature is described as being bipedal, standing about 6 to 7 feet tall, and having a mossy-green appearance.  Forty years ago on November 1, 1974 four women walking in the park saw the beast walking in the trees; they beat a hasty retreat.  Later that same night, three other young women in a car parked near a river by a boat launch in the park to eat, and were approached by the creature which beat on the windshield of the vehicle.  The monster was described as having claws and slime on his face.  Managing to drive away, they reported the attack to police who saw scratch marks on the car, which also bore a stench from the monster.  

These sightings of the monster set off a wave of mob hysteria, and a monster-hunting mob formed of hundreds of souls intent at getting a crack at the creature; as Kermit the frog observed, it’s not easy being green.  The park was then shut down for a time owing to the presence of such self-appointed armed vigilantes.  Prior to the sightings, strange lights were seen in the sky as if from a UFO.  Appearances of Bigfoot-clones have been associated with UFO sightings in a number of other cases, some of which we’ve mentioned here before.

A second segment involved the appearance of a deadly and peculiar rain in Oakville, Washington on August 7, 1994. This rain was peculiar in that it was thick, syrupy, and gelatinous.  Cats and dogs exposed to it died, and people became sick, including one cop who ran a high fever and vomited; investigating the rain prior to to onset of his illness, he reportedly saw official-looking men in hazardous materials suits collecting material.  There was a spike in public respiratory illnesses as well following the slimy rain, and laboratory testing on samples revealed the presence of bacteria and human white blood cells in the goo.  The question was raised as to whether the government had been conducting a biohazard test in the area, with the people unwilling subjects…government conspiracy theories, anyone?

The third segment concerned reported appearances of Devil Dogs (the canines, not the Drakes Cakes snacks) in the Meridean Island area of Wisconsin.  Reported sightings extend back to at least the early 1900’s of something about the size of a bear, but dog-like.  A couple in the fall of 2004 at a boat landing reported hearing movement and sounds of growling, with a Devil Dog pursuing their car for a time.  Paranormal ties were made in the feature to a woman called Mary Dean who drowned in the river there in the 1800’s; her spirit was reportedly trapped in the vicinity, and has attracted such monsters.  Supporting such speculations was the story of two young paranormal investigators who in October of 2014 went to the boat landing to investigate the legend, and heard a low growling coming out of a fog which swiftly developed in front of their vehicle.  They reported seeing a woman’s figure appear out of that fog accompanied by a large dog which pursued them as they retreated…good scary stuff!

 

Categories: aliens, anomalies, anthropomorphic, controversial, cryptozoology, speculation, strange happenings, television
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