Historical Blindness

An examination of the so-called Battle of Los Angeles, when during WWII LA believed it was under attack. Also, a brief discussion of the conspiracy theory that would paint the incident as an alien encounter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An examination of the Great Lighthouse Mystery, in which three lighthouse keepers mysteriously vanished from a barren island far off the coast of Scotland in December of 1900.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I share a twisty tale of a ghost ship featuring mutineers and pirates in the modern era. This episode's topic was chosen in response to a patron poll that expressed interest in another episode about a mysterious disappearance, like my episodes on the Lost Colony and the Dare Stones.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this companion piece to my last episode on the blood libel, I expose the 19th and 20th centuries' conspiracy theories attributing plots of global domination to the Jews. The focus of the episode is on the forged document known as the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, which has fueled anti-Semitic conspiracy theory ever since.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this exploration of one of the darkest and most destructive myths in history, I examine the blood libel, the accusation that Jews of the Middle Ages and beyond ritually murdered Christian children, a lie that I trade back to its roots in medieval England. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In part two of a Halloween special, Mike Brown and I continue to scrutinize claims of devil worship throughout history. Go back and listen to part one, if you haven't already. Listener beware: this subject matter involves alleged violent crimes against children. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This special two-part crossover Halloween edition explores the Satanic Panic and accusations of devil worship throughout history. Special thanks goes out to our guest co-host, Mike Brown of Pleasing Terrors. Check out his show if you don't already listen! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a bit of a warning for any Southern patrons, I tackle some major myths in Southern and Civil War history in this episode, and there is the possibility it may offend those who embrace those myths. Please listen with an open mind and check out the sources I mention (plus, when the episode is released on the website on Tuesday, you'll find the books linked in the reading list and as always you'll...

In this companion piece to Episode 11, I detail the later misfortunes of Aaron Burr and explore the further mystery of his daughter's disappearance at sea and the many versions of the ensuing legend surrounding her fate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode provides an account of America's first "Trial of the Century," a murder mystery involving both Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton that, as our first documented court case, has become the first entry in the modern True Crime genre.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a companion piece to our story on Mulhatton, we take a look at some other fabulous caves full of hidden treasure that may have been total fabrications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we take a look at the fake news of the late 19th century, focusing on the life and work of one of the greatest hoaxers who ever lived. After a brief overview of "fake news" today, we look back at the distinguished history of 19th century newspaper hoaxes before following the hoaxing career of Joseph Mulhatton, the Modern Munchausen and Monarch of Mendacity! Learn more about your a...

After digging deeply into the folklore of the White Lady of the Berlin Schloss, harbinger of Hohenzollern doom, this companion piece explores other legends of guardian spirits and ominous entities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a departure from our usual fare, we explore the legends of the German White Lady, harbinger of Hohenzollern doom, and its many variations, spiderwebbing throughout German history and mythology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the capstone to our series on mysterious foundlings, we examine the story of Louisa, a vagabond woman who lived among haystacks in England, and the outrageous claim that connected her with an aristocratic forger on the Continent who may or may not have been the natural-born daughter of a Holy Roman Emperor Francis I. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Part Two of our exploration of the mysterious foundling of Bavaria, Kaspar Hauser, we examine the suspicious attacks on his person as well as the outrageous theories regarding his royal patronage, and we try to discern the truth of the matter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As an interlude to our 2-part exploration of Kaspar Hauser, Wild Boy and Foundling of Bavaria, we look at a story that bears some striking similarities. Eleven years before Hauser appeared in Nuremberg, a beautiful woman appeared in England, speaking an unrecognizable tongue, and she became both a beloved sensation and a scoundrel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1828, a strange teenager walked awkwardly into Nuremberg claiming to have been held captive his entire life. Was he an abused child, a wild boy, an impostor... or perhaps someone of noble birth hidden away from the world? In Part One, Foundling, we explore the popular narratives of wild foundlings and look at Kaspar's introduction into society. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone....

In this Blind Spot, we look at some further theories put forth supposedly proving that the Nazis burned the Reichstag themselves and then undertook to cover up their crime with murder, and we examine the documents that serve as the supposed evidence of these crimes.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On February 27, 1933, the Reichstag, a grand building that housed the German legislature in Berlin, was set afire. One man was caught in the act, but had he set the blaze alone? Was he a patsy? Was the fire a Communist act of terror or a "false flag" operation designed to further the Nazi agenda? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aside from the Voynich Manuscript, there is perhaps no other unreadable book that has fueled more speculation than the Rohonc Codex. In this Blind Spot, the first of a series of interstitial mini-episodes, we look at its known history, attempts at deciphering it, and theories regarding its authenticity or fraudulence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Voynich Manuscript has fueled debate and speculation for decades. Is it written in code or in some unrecognizable language? Do its illustrations depict otherworldly flora? Is it a book of magic? Who wrote the book and why? Join us as we delve into all these questions and answer none of them.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There was dancing in the streets, but this was a danse macabre, compelling people to dance until they died. Was it demonic possession or divine punishment? Was it a physical ailment or a mental illness?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this rerelease, as with the first, I have completely rewritten and rerecorded the second episode in an effort to demonstrate the eventual quality of the podcast to new listeners who choose to start at the beginning. There is a lot of new material, so I'm also releasing it as a bonus episode. In the new version, I have restructured my exploration of the Dare Stones hoax and included more recent...

In 2024, I completely rewrote and rerecorded this first episode from 2016 in an effort to demonstrate the eventual quality of the podcast to new listeners who choose to start here at the beginning. The new version better reflects the audio and content quality of later episodes, and in it, I dive far deeper into the mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke than I previously did.  Direct all advertisin...