Author: Meagan Ankney

Dr. Karen Stollznow from Monster Talk is back with her husband, Matthew Baxter, host of Ask a Paranormal Investigator, to talk about their experiences investigating the paranormal! We discuss some of their favorite investigations, hear some amazing spooky (true!) ghost hunting stories, and learn behind-the-scenes dirt on the production of paranormal TV shows.

You can find Karen on Twitter @karenstollznow or at her Amazon author page. Matt can also be found on Twitter @parabaxter, or on his YouTube series, Ask a Paranormal Investigator.

This episode is the second half of our two-part series on the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan. Most of us have heard of Amelia Earhart but as prominent as she is in the history books there is still a ton of uncertainty surrounding what happened to her. Last time, we focused on the details of the trip and the possibility that she and Noonan ran out of fuel and crashed into the ocean. In this episode, we review some of the other popular hypotheses about what befell the famous pilot and her navigator. You can listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or Pandora.

Here are the sources we used for this episode:

Podcasts: Vanished: Amelia Earhart; Astonishing Legends, Episodes 4 & 5: Amelia Earhart Vanishes Parts 1 & 2

This episode is the first of a two part series on the disappearance of Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan. Most of us have heard of Amelia Earhart, but as prominent as she is in the history books, there is still a ton of uncertainty and speculation surrounding her 1937 disappearance. What actually happened to her and her navigator, Fred Noonan? Did they survive their plane crash? Did Earhart change her name to Irene Bolam? We will attempt to answer these questions, explore the evidence that exists, and talk about what we think the most credible hypotheses are. You can listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or Pandora.

Here are the sources we used for this episode:

Podcasts: Vanished: Amelia Earhart; Astonishing Legends, Episodes 4 & 5: Amelia Earhart Vanishes Parts 1 & 2

In this episode, we are joined by bio-anthropologist Dr. Rebecca Gibson (@RGibsonGirl on Twitter) to discuss the origins of zombie stories and what might need to happen to make one in real life. From stories of brain-control with tetrodotoxin in Haiti to the possibility of transmissible brain cancer, there’s a lot of cool science to unpack! You can find out more info about Rebecca and her books on her Amazon author page at www.amazon.com/author/rebeccagibsonbioanthro.

You can listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or Pandora.

Here are the sources we used for this episode:

Podcasts: StarTalk, “The Science of Zombies and the Walking Dead“; Haunted Talks, Episode 47, “The Science of Zombies“; The Folklore Podcast, Episode 7, “Glitter and Gravedust“

We’re back on the alien train, folks! In this episode, Paige tells us about her husband’s “alien abduction” experience, and we discuss the science and psychology that may be behind your favorite ET encounter stories, from sleep paralysis to recovered memories from surgeries gone wrong. The only thing we know for sure is that your brain is a very weird place! You can listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or Pandora.

Here are the sources we used for this episode:

Podcasts: Strange Arrivals, Episode 11, “Extraordinary Claims”

Happy New Year, Spooky People! Winter is here and since we’re hunkering down for a cold couple of months, we think there’s no better time to discuss the mysterious, snowy deaths that occurred at Dyatlov Pass. In our first episode of 2021, we challenge some of the most popular theories surrounding the demise of nine hikers on February 2, 1959. We cover a handful of possibilities, from avalanches and hypothermia to aliens and government conspiracies. If this story leaves you scratching your head, you are not alone. If you have any thoughts on this topic, drop them in the comments below or reach out on social media! You can listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or Pandora.

Here are the sources we used for this episode:

Podcasts: Unexplained Season 2, Episode 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3; Astonishing Legends Episodes 23 and 24; Timesuck Episode 62

YouTube: Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime, “The Strange Deaths of the 9 Hikers of Dyatlov Pass”; Morbid Mystery, “The Dyatlov Pass Incident”; The Infographics Show, “What Made Hikers Take Clothes Off In Below Freezing Temps? (The Dyatlov Pass Mystery)”

Websites:

Happy Solstice, Merry (almost) Christmas, & Happy Holidays! From child psychology, to vaporizing reindeer, time dilation, and near death experiences – this episode has a little bit of everything, so we recommend you settle in with some nog (or your holiday beverage of choice) and enjoy! You can listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, or Pandora.

As always, here are our sources:

1. https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/growth-curve/science-kids-belief-santa
2. https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2018/12/18/your-kids-believe-santa-scientist-says-tell-them-stop-it/
3. https://news.utexas.edu/2020/01/06/is-believing-in-santa-bad-or-good-for-kids/
4. https://www.parentingscience.com/Easter-Bunny-and-Santa-Claus.html
5. https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2015/12/20/the-physics-of-santa-claus/?sh=1e64feef1e80
6. https://www.museumofidaho.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/The-Science-of-Santa-Claus.pdf
7. https://www.npr.org/2012/12/24/167946053/the-science-behind-santas-christmas-eve-journey
8. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-physics-of-santa-and-his-reindeer/
9. https://gizmodo.com/can-santa-claus-exist-a-scientific-debate-1669957032
10. https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/fauci-santa-innate-immunity-spread-covid-19-christmas/story?id=74316296
11. https://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/holidays-christmas/santa-chimney.htm
12. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00508-017-1306-8
13. https://www.forbes.com/sites/drdonlincoln/2019/12/23/the-science-of-santa-claus–how-can-he-do-it/?sh=fda5a584367a
14. http://www.mit.edu/people/dmredish/wwwMLRF/links/Humor/Existance_of_Santa.html#:~:text=This%20means%20that%20Santa’s%20sleigh,tops%2C%2015%20miles%20per%20hour.
15. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-near-death-experiences-reveal-about-the-brain/

In an effort to be more transparent about the sources we gather information from, we’ll be sharing them for each episode on this site!

Episode 15 was a deep dive into the the possible explanations for the disappearance of the Roanoke colony featuring Sara Head and Karen Stollznow of the Archaeological Fantasies and Monster Talk podcasts, respectively. You can listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, or Amazon Music.

For this episode, we used the following sources:

Book: The Secret Token: Myth, Obsession, and the Search for the Lost Colony of Roanoke by Andrew Lawler

Podcasts: Astonishing Legends Episodes 151 & 152: The Lost Colony of Roanoke Parts 1 & 2; Unexplained Mysteries Episodes 5/5/20 & 5/7/20: The Roanoke Colony Pts. 1 & 2

Websites:

1. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/04/980428075409.htm
2. https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/picture-climate-how-can-we-learn-tree-rings
3. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/starving-settlers-in-jamestown-colony-resorted-to-cannibalism-46000815/
4. https://www.buzzfeed.com/christopherhudspeth/5-theories-about-what-actually-happened-to-the-lost-colony
5. https://ubique.americangeo.org/map-of-the-week/map-of-the-week-the-lost-colony-of-roanoke/
6. https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/roanoke_colonies_the
7. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/mystery-roanoke-endures-yet-another-cruel-twist-180962837/
8. https://www.andrewlawler.com/it-was-americas-first-english-colony-then-it-was-gone/