Strange Matters Podcast

In this episode of Strange Matters we discuss the phenomenon of Cynocephaly, the bizarre characteristic of humans that possess a dog-like head.  Creatures of cynocephaly have been recorded in human history for thousands of years, dating back to the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians.  Tales of these human/dog mixes have been seen throughout the middle ages and even up to the modern day.  The origins of these mysterious beings remain a mystery, as well as to why stories of them exist all over the world. Though commonly believed to be a mere myth, some have come up with several logical reasons behind the origins of these creatures to explain their existence and persistence throughout history.  Some theories suggest ancient people mistook certain animals to be cynocephali, while others think people portrayed as these half-dog beasts were simply how civilized societies represented foreigners and barbarians.  Whether there is any realistic explanations for these fantastical creatures will forever be unknown, but the legends of cynocephaly continue to be an intriguing historical mystery!

In this episode of Strange Matters the bizarre and unusual topic of crimes involving sleepwalking murders is discussed.  Though hard to imagine, in rare instances of homicide crimes an individual is actually capable of brutal and violent murder, all the while remaining asleep.  Though many have tried and failed to use the “sleepwalking defense” through the years, for a select few cases the actions of the killer, and the science behind the condition, do show that a person is perfectly capable of murdering others while sleepwalking. The idea that people were capable of killing in their sleep has been around for hundreds of years, but very rarely has it been successful in defending the accused.  Many have tried to claim they were in a parasomnia state at the time they committed murder, but due to the scientific and behavioral studies of the modern world it is known their actions could not have been done while sleepwalking.  However, there are a small number of cases where the most likely and agreed upon theory is that the murderer was actually asleep during the entirety of their crime.

Listen to this special collaborative episode between Strange Matters, Don’t Break the Oath, Zeng This, and Knock Once For Yes Podcasts!  Each of the podcasts and their host discuss a number of local urban legends, mysteries, and unexplained events. From a morbid group of sisters who had a dark reputation for murder, a cemetery vampire, unexplained UFOs, and some  ghostly hauntings, check out this episode to hear a range of interesting and creepy stories! Big thanks to the hosts of Don’t Break the Oath, Zeng This, & Knock Once For Yes podcasts for working with us on this episode!    

In this episode we discuss some of the most convincing, interesting and disturbing reports of real-life zombies. The first story is about a Haitian man named Clairvius Narcisse. At the age of 40, Narcisse died under mysterious circumstances and was buried. 18 years later and much to his sister’s horror, he reappeared and greeted her in a marketplace. Most people believe he was cursed by a witch doctor who used tetrodotoxin to make him appear dead. Once buried, the witch doctor (known as a “bokor”) revived and enslaved Narcisse on his plantation. While far-fetched, this story is likely plausible as there exists a strong cultural belief in zombies in the Haitian culture. This in conjunction with the toxins he was exposed to could possible have created a placebo effect convincing Narcisse that he was a real-life zombie. Rudy Eugene, also known as the Miami Cannibal is known for pouncing on an innocent, homeless man and gnawing 75% of his face off. Initially thought to be under the influence of some recreational hallucinogens, Eugene was shot and died at the scene of the crime. Later toxicology reports showed only trace amounts of marijuana in his body. This has gone down as one of the most disturbing and violent scenes in Miami as many witnesses report. But if not drugs, what could have caused Eugene to commit this horrific crime?

The Keddie Cabin Murders is a disturbing quadruple homicide that took place in Keddie, California.  This infamous unsolved crime involves the murder of several family members in a cabin in the late night of April 11, 1981.  This brutal murder case is notorious not just for its dark and gruesome nature, but also for the fact that many believe the investigation was a failure and the main suspects were allowed to be let go despite the large amount of evidence against them. Sue Sharp and her five children had recently moved from the east coast to California following a troubled marriage.  Sue would rent a cabin in the sparsely populate Keddie area, a run down town in a county that had a rampant drug problem.  On the morning of April 12, Sheila,  the oldest daughter, returned to the family cabin.  Sheila never could have imagined that when the door opened she would find three bloody corpses laying in the main room.  Even more disturbing, her younger sister Tina was no where to be found. The police investigation has been noted as being quite poor and incompetent, law enforcement missing physical evidence and ignoring other pieces that should have been looked at further.  The following interrogations of the primary suspects was handled in a confusingly half hearted way, the men who were thought to have been the culprits were allowed to simply leave without any follow up actions to their shady statements made about the crime.  To this day the mystery of the Keddie Murders is still unsolved, but the continued work into the case has many hopeful that someday we will finally get the full story on what happened in that cabin on that fateful night.

The follow up episode in the series discussing the mysterious Montauk Project!  This episode covers the amazing and wild experiments that took place in the project’s main base of operation, Camp Hero.  The Montauk Project remains one of the most daring and comprehensive secret military programs in history: experimenting in time travel, teleportation, time travel, psychic abilities, and even contact with Aliens. The Montauk Project is a rumored series of experiments that took place in Montauk, NY in the 1970s and 80s.  A follow up to the previous Philadelphia Experiment, researchers hoped to achieve even greater feats.  Stationed at Camp Hero, the Montauk Project operated in secret to push the boundaries of human knowledge, experimenting in psychological warfare, manipulation of time and space, and dealings with extraterrestrial lifeforms.  Despite the wondrous claims of the project, very few sources of information and witness accounts exist as evidence. Did the military secretly experiment with time travel and mind control, even using alien technology? Or is the entire project simply a hoax or myth?  Listen to the story of the Montauk Project and come to your own conclusion! Part I – The Philadelphia Experiment Check out other great podcast over at Dark Myths! Featured Dark Myths podcast of the month: Bohemican Podcast

This episode of Strange Matters is the first part of a series discussing the legendary Montauk Project, a rumored series of top-secret military projects carried out by the United States government.  The Montauk Project includes experiments in psychological warfare, teleportation, and even time travel.   However, years before the Montauk Project would supposedly be created, another secret military operation took place that acted as a predecessor: The Philadelphia Experiment.   The Philadelphia Experiment was an alleged top secret military operation that took place in 1943 at the Naval shipyards in Philadelphia, PA.  Seeking an advantage over the Germans, the US Navy used newly developed scientific equipment in an attempt to create a ship that would be undetectable to enemy radar.  The events that would actually occur during the experiment would instead baffle the observing scientists, even going so far as defying the laws of physics as we understand them. As extraordinary and fantastic as the story of the Philadelphia Experiment is, many believe the whole thing is simply fiction.  Only a few witnesses exist who claim to know about the experiment, and there is no evidence or records that the secret project ever took place.   Is the Philadelphia Experiment a hoax? Or is it one of the greatest secret military projects in history? Part II discussing the Montauk Project coming soon!  

This episode of Strange Matters covers the dark and disturbing series of deaths known as the Bridgend Suicides.  Over the course of several years, dozens of people, mostly young adults and teens, would suddenly and without warning take their own lives.  Almost of all these deaths were caused by hanging.  The story of the Bridgend Suicides spread globally due to the heavy media  involvement, as news spread across the world of the mysterious and deadly trend that was plaguing this small Welsh town. Starting in early 2007,  a number of teens were found dead,  apparently from hanging themselves in areas around Bridgend, located in South Wales.  No one could figure out why the suicides continued one after another.  Worried parents grew concerned about their children, scared that they could be next.   Making matters worse, the media stirred up more attention and popularity for the events that were occurring in Bridgend, to the point of nearly glamorizing the deaths and making the recently deceased famous in the area.  Some believe that all this attention from the media may have led to even more suicides. Over the years,  many have wondered at the cause behind the deaths.  Some blame an internet death cult of some kind.  Others state the boredom caused by the small town caused depression in the youth.  Still more came up with more outlandish explanations.   Whatever the cause, the deaths at Bridgend remain one of the most infamous suicide clusters in the modern world.

Ross Moore approached the entrance to his brother’s house. He could tell something wasn’t right. The neighbor was used to seeing the Moore family up at an early hour, performing chores and starting their day… but not today. Ross, having a key to the house, slowly opened the door. Nothing could prepare him for what he was about to discover. He mustered up his courage and cautiously walked into the living room to discover a grizzly scene… The Villisca Axe Murders are one of the most notorious family slayings in the United States. This small town was shaken to its core upon the discovery of the remains of an entire family of well-liked individuals. Accusations flew, crime scenes were tampered with, all chaos broke loose; but one thing was for certain: the Moore family was no more. Over the years numerous leads would be followed only to dead ends while the killer went free. Was this the work of a hitman or a cold-blooded and sadistic serial killer?

In this episode of Strange Matters the cryptic and mysterious Shugborough Inscription is discussed.   The basis of the Shugborough Inscription are 10 letters carved onto a structure known as the Shepherd’s Monument, a mystery onto itself.   Though this sequence of letters may not seem all that intriguing at first glance, the Inscription has launched dozens of wild and diverse theories that have been proposed in the hundreds of years since its creation. The Shepherd’s Monument was commissioned by Thomas Anson and built on his estate in Staffordshire, England.   The exact reason behind his inspiration for creating the monument is unknown, as is the explanation for the inscription carved into the base of this monument.  Over the years, many people have pondered the mysterious nature behind these letters, and have come up with a wide variety of theories.  Are these letters a code, perhaps leading to a hidden treasure? Could they be a secret message that only members of a secret society would understand?  Many believe the letters are meant to spell out a cryptic phrase or saying.  Or is the whole thing simply a joke that a 18th century prankster thought of.  The possibilities are nearly endless as all the popular ideas and explanations for the Shugborough Inscription are covered in this  history-mystery episode!

In this follow up  to our latest Patreon episode, Strange Matters continues the End of the World discussion with several events which could lead to an apocalyptic downfall for humanity.  In this episode we talk about the dangers of Super Viruses, as well as the threat of an Artificial Intelligence Takeover.  Both of these hazards have the potential to wipe out a large portion of humanity, if not drive mankind straight into extinction. A “Super Virus” is any virus that is considered particularly powerful, deadly, and resistant to any type of treatment.  In order for a virus to be deadly enough to pose a threat to human life on Earth, it would have to possess several key traits.  Fortunately for us, any such deadly virus in the recent years has  been  contained and quarantined, but the risks is out there that a highly contagious and fatal Super Virus could show up at any time. Artificial Intelligence is a term describing the intelligence that can be exhibited by a machine.  The goal being worked on currently is to create an A.I. in which a robotic machine or program had the ability to learn and think, much in the same way that a human mind works.  However, while many are excited about the prospect of man creating such superhuman intelligence in a machine, others are wary of the dangers.  An Artificial Intelligence could turn hostile, thinking of humans as its competitor on Earth, causing it to eliminate mankind rather than working alongside it. Tune in to this episode and hear all about these two deadly events which could lead to an Apocalyptic end to humanity!    

“On a crisp December day in 1910, Dorothy Arnold walked out of the pages of life and left behind her a mystery that outdoes fiction. There have been a thousand theories, a million rumors- but not one shred of real evidence which might explain where she went, how she went, or why.” This newspaper quote perfectly summarizes the unsolved disappearance case of Dorothy Arnold, the heiress of a wealthy New York family, who vanished suddenly and without explanation.  Dorothy Arnold was a well known and liked socialite of a prestigious family.   The young woman had aspirations of becoming a writer, though all of her submitted works came back rejected.  Dorothy was secretly carrying out a romantic relationship with an older man, against her family’s wishes.  On one fateful day in December of 1910, Dorothy said farewell to her mother and left the house to go shopping.  The distinguished Arnold family would never see her again. The mystery of this cases revolves around the bizarre question, how does a woman simply vanish while walking along a busy city street in the middle of the day?  There are far more questions than answers in this intriguing mystery: Did Dorothy run away?  Was she abducted, kidnapped, or murdered? Did her secret lover have anything to do with her disappearance?  Was Dorothy’s depression too great to continue living? Almost any theory is as plausible as any other due to the complete lack of evidence and clues following the young lady’s disappearance. Listen to this episode of Strange Matters and hear all about what was called at the time the most famous Missing Persons case in American History!  

In this episode of Strange Matters the unique and interesting lives of Charles Domery and Tarrare are discussed.   Infamously known as the hungriest men who ever lived, these two individuals were cursed with a constant feeling of starvation, and an insatiable desire to eat anything possible to satisfy their endless hunger.   Capable of eating in a single meal what would normally satisfy a dozen men, there is still no answer as to what was the cause for their notorious appetite. Both Charles Domery and Tarrare lived in Europe, born in the 1770’s.   From an early age they displayed an ability to eat a tremendous amount of food.  Both would go on to serve in the War of the First Coalition, where a shortage of food drove the men to eat anything they could get their hands on, from small living animals to even grazing on grass.   Experiments would be done on both men to test the limits of their appetite, where they performed impossible feats of eating.   Though the exact cause for Charles’ and Tarrare’s endless hunger is unknown, there are several medical explanations that may provide some clues as to what made these two men so special.   Regardless, there is little doubt that these two men stand at the top of history as the two hungriest men who ever lived.     Special thanks to listener Michael Adams for sending us new Strange Matters Artwork used for this episode!

In this Strange Matters Short the legend of the ancient creature known as the Sirrush is discussed.  This dragon-like beast was heavily featured through the great city of Babylon.   The Sirrush was an obscure creature that was nearly lost to time, and widely believed to be merely a myth.  However, after its rediscovery there have been new theories and explanations that would instead claim that the mysterious beast was in reality an actual living animal! Was the Sirrush a descendant of the dinosaurs, a leftover of an extinct species? Perhaps a rare breed that was brought to Babylon from a distant land? Or are all the new theories a fantasy, and the truth remains that the Sirrush is, and has always been, simply a made up myth or legend created by the ancient people of Mesopotamia.  Check out this Strange Matters Short and hear all about this strange and interesting creature!

In Finland, near Helsinki, there exists a body of water over a square mile in size, known as Lake Bodom. Over 50 years ago, a small group of teenagers went out to this area to camp and enjoy a night of drinks and fun. Unfortunately the events that would occur at their campsite would fall short of anyone’s definition of fun. Sometime between the hours of 4:00 and 6:00 am, an unknown suspect, standing outside of the tent would slash and bludgeon three of the teens to death. Only one, Nils Gustafsson would survive the violent onslaught. The local police department was not only caught off guard by the gruesomeness of the crime scene, but would go on to conduct a less than thorough investigation. The unique part of this case is not just the violence but also the fact that multiple significant suspects would admit to committing the crime at different times. To this day, no one has officially been convicted of the murder of Maila Björklund, Anja Mäki and Seppo Boisman.