Big black cats of the Southern U.S. get their own book (Book Review)

By | April 15, 2018
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Michael Mayes’ book ‘Shadow Cats: The Black Panthers of North America’ provides a comprehensive exploration of black big cat sightings in North America. The various theories considered include melanistic jaguars, cougars, or giant feral cats. Mayes argues most sightings are likely misidentifications of other animals. Although the book sometimes lacks academic rigour, it remains a significant contribution to cryptozoological literature.

Georgia river monster report is highly suspicious (Updated – hoax)

By | March 21, 2018
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Since none of the major news outlets are doing justice to this story and I have the day off for snow, I might as well put these pieces together about a so-called “mystery monster” report from Wolf Island, in southern Georgia on March 16. The first report I saw was from local outlet First Coast News… Read More: Georgia river monster report is highly suspicious (Updated – hoax) »

A rarity: An impressive and useful ghost guide (Book Review)

By | March 4, 2018
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Steve Parsons criticizes amateur ghost investigators for sensationalizing paranormal inquiries without adhering to scientific guidelines in his book, ‘Ghostology: The Art of the Ghost Hunter’. He argues that investigations get lost amid personal ambitions, useless data, and lack of awareness about the subject’s history. Parsons calls for practical and ethical standards for paranormal investigations and recommends his book as a guide to help investigators avoid common mistakes and misleading conclusions.

Narcissistic America (Book Review)

By | February 22, 2018
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The book “The Narcissist Next Door,” written by Jeffrey Kluger, explores the concept of narcissism, particularly in figures of authority. It claims Donald Trump as a prime example of an overinflated ego in a leadership role: something that can prevent an organization from functioning efficiently. The book highlights that individuals with narcissistic attributes, such as inflated self-importance and lack of empathy, tend to be influential in various sectors including politics, Hollywood, and academia.

Ghosts as modern history (Book review)

By | February 20, 2018
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Lisa Morton presents another version of the history of ghosts in Ghosts: A Haunted History (Reaktion Books, London, 2015). In this case, it is an international popular history of ghosts in philosophy, literature, movies, television and pop culture. It is general and short, but good. The glossy pages are full of illustrations. The theme of this, and other… Read More: Ghosts as modern history (Book review) »

Sometimes, an alien artifact is just a rock

By | January 3, 2018
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Paranormal investigators often lament the lack of scientific interest in anomalous or paranormal claims. Many have stated they want to contribute to a shift in thinking about these anomalies, to “prove to science” (or scientists) that “the paranormal” exists. Some want to “change the science”. None of this makes any sense, though, since science is… Read More: Sometimes, an alien artifact is just a rock »

Devils Tower: UFO Bulls-eye

By | August 31, 2017
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Devils tower

Devils Tower, a landmark of the Black Hills, isn’t just another chunk of volcanic rock. It is a native sacred place, an icon of cinema and UFO lore, and focus of other ridiculous alt-geo ideas.

The manufactured, badly-behaved Ouija demon: Zozo (Book Review)

By | July 2, 2017
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In the classic book Psychology of Superstition, Gustav Jahoda writes that beliefs are not just in our heads, they affect our behavior, and that self-fulfilling prophecy is not uncommon in human affairs (p. 8). Many events seem trivial and unspectacular, but when placed into a paranormal context, they take on a new and enhanced meaning.… Read More: The manufactured, badly-behaved Ouija demon: Zozo (Book Review) »

Haunted rocks: The Stone Tape theory

By | May 11, 2017
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stone tape, spooky geology

The “stone tape theory” is frequently used as a sciencey-sounding explanation to explain residual hauntings – appearances of images, sounds, and apparitions that do not interact directly with people. The premise is that the rock or building materials somehow record the event and play it back like a film. But they never asked a geologist about it.