Lost Monster Files is a cryptid bust
A recap and summary of Discovery’s cryptid show Lost Monster Files and its failings regarding science, education, and entertainment.
Category Archives: Cryptozoology
Modern problems with scientific naming: Example – Bigfoot
A new article in the Journal of Mammalogy calls out the problem with poor naming practices of new species in our internet age. “Bigfoot” is the perfect bad example.
Lost Monster Files Thunderbird episode flies in the face of reason
Lost Monster Files show examines the claims of thunderbirds in Pennsylvania and, once again, fall far short of a coherent presentation.
Made you look! Zoos create cryptids
Zoos are using hoaxed or dubious photos to drum up business.
Lost Monster Files produces some abominable research
The second episode of Lost Monster Files on Discovery channel is a confusing mash-up of old and mis-information about “abominable snowmen” in British Columbia.
Lost Monster Files – Carolina Chupacabra review
The new Discovery show Lost Monster Files debuts with a cast of non-experts playing scientist and jumping to conclusions about hybrid dogs in North Carolina and Texas based on questionable evidence.
The uncanny tales of the Not-Deer
Tales of spooky encounters with “Not-deer” appeared decades ago but have evolved to fit modern cryptid ideas.
A tour of popular mystery monsters
A mishmash of monster mentions. A quick book review, a link to info on the latest Bigfoot hoax and dogman programming, and an upcoming must-have volume for pop cryptid fans.
The many degrees of freedom of the griffin
The popular origin of the griffin as inspired by Protoceratops dinosaur fossils is questioned. Can we ever really know for sure if there is a connection?
Zoological melodrama – Hutton on dragons
Professor Ronald Hutton gives a fantastic and entertaining lecture on why we have dragons worldwide.
Pop cryptid chatter: Beards and encryptids
Pop cryptids items: Representation at cryptozoology conferences, the EFF incorporates cryptids into their promotional drive and the passing of a well-loved author and artist.
Location and imagination equals ‘cryptid’
Cryptids have increasingly become associated with location and entertainment and less connected to the failed scientific endeavor of cryptozoology. Long live the cryptids!
Suspicious photos of alleged thylacine revealed by pop wildlife biologist
New photos claim to show a thylacine in Tasmania. Distributed by a popular television personality who popularizes mysterious animal sightings, the photos and the backstory appear bogus.
A class in cryptozoology: When you know too much
A review of an online class in Cryptozoology 101 via Universal Class reveals incomplete, and erroneous content creating a misleading presentation of the field.
What’s with these latest opinion polls on ghosts and cryptids?
Two sets of survey results asking about the reality of questionable entities show high rates of belief in ghosts, Bigfoot, and other cryptids.
Dogs, not a lizardman, will rip your car apart
Dogs were caught on camera doing surprising damage to cars. It’s yet another reminder that we do not need to invoke monsters as the cause of mysterious situations.
The coelacanth as a red herring
This post is updated from its original publication in 2009.– SH In researching three areas of what I concluded were mostly “scientifical” fields of inquiry for my book – cryptozoology, ghost hunting, and creationism – I was amused to find one example used to the same end for all three – the discovery of the… Read More »
Freak Out Over Hairless Mysterious Animals
Weird hairless animals attract morbid attention. Is it a mutant? A monster? Well, it’s most likely an unfortunate local animal who fortunately left remains for us to photograph, gawk over, get grossed out about, and share around the world on social media.
Fake tiger tales and other plush hoaxes
Police in the Steyning area of West Sussex, England, were called to a public park on the evening of July 23, 2020 to respond to a report of a big cat on the loose. The Horsham police were likely familiar with the popular idea that large, non-native, “alien big cats” are roaming the UK. Hundreds… Read More »
Copy-paste cryptozoology
A review of Chasing American Monsters: Over 250 Creatures, Cryptids, and Hairy Beasts by Jason Offutt (2019). I’ve been thinking a lot about cryptozoology lately. While consuming content about many other subjects, I see excellent examples in cryptozoology to illustrate public attitudes towards and understanding of science, paranormal thinking, colonialist themes, misperceptions about evidence, media… Read More »