31: The Why Behind the Weird

A warning, a song, an explosion. Some people have tried desperately to contact aliens; but one strange act on Christmas may have been an attempt to save us from them. Thank you again to BE/HOLD for licensing "These Woods Are Haunted" from the album " Where They Landed ." Find more about BE/HOLD here . For listeners in the US, if you are considering harming yourself or others, p...

Happy Halloween! Enjoy this short, spooky tale by Quinn Lovecraft. Music used in this episode: "Abandoned Places" - Material Gurl "Doll's Eyes" - Wicked Cinema Text the show! Support the show Follow on Instagram: @31pod31

Werner Herzog claims to have shot a short film involving children and a rooster that was so disturbing he never released it. But with so little known about this film, some speculate that this never existed at all. In this episode, "31" follows the breadcrumbs left by Herzog throughout the years to try to piece together the truth. Sources Music (licensed via Soundstripe): Moments - Find i...

This year, "31" is bringing you a fictional short story for our Halloween Special. Today's tale is "How to Cook a Soft-Boiled Egg," written and narrated by Quinn Lovecraft. Happy Halloween! Music (licensed via Soundstripe): Lunareh - Jack O Lantern Jive CJ-0 - Evidence Board Text the show! Support the show Follow on Instagram: @31pod31

In 1922, the famed creator of Sherlock Holmes came to America to lecture on Spiritualism. How much was he accountable for the tragedy that occurred in its name two days later? 31 dives into how the author's history intertwines with a movement founded by tragedy and fueled by outcasts. A complete list of sources can be found here. Music used in this episode (licensed from Soundstripe): Cody Ma...

Many people have heard about the theory that Paul McCartney died midway through his Beatles run, and some have even heard the rumor that Avril Lavigne was replaced by a woman named Melissa. In this episode, 31 explores these conspiracy theories along with a lesser-known doppelgänger in music: the mysterious case of the two Nikki Sixxes. Music (licensed via Soundstripe): glasseyes - "Kaleidosc...

"31" investigates the mysterious disappearance of the "world's dirtiest joke" by diving into the history of obscenity and the state of comedy today. Featuring an interview with comic Martin M. Morrow. Find Martin Morrow on Instagram , YouTube, Threads , TikTok, and listen to his wrestling podcast B4 The Bell . Sources: "The Aristocrats" Directed by Paul Provenza,...

The Crystal Palace debuted at the first World's Fair in London, and many imitators followed. This episode explores a strange architecture mystery: why did every Crystal Palace meet the same fate? You can find all sources on a document here. Music (licensed via Soundstripe) "Airport Lounges" - Nu Alkemi "Where the Money Comes From" - Sam Barsh "Mutual I'm Sure&quo...

The 1990 theft of 13 works of art from Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is the largest unsolved art heist in history. Theories abound - but today we look at a fascinating one that's never talked about. Was this a rescue mission all along? ................................. Complete list of sources can be found here Music featured in this episode (licensed via Soundstripe): Rarefac...

A man walks into a library, steals a book he's written, and burns it.  ................................................................. Sources: YIVO Archives & Library Collections | YIVO Institute for Jewish Research Tablet - The Lost Poems of Ka-Tzetnik Tablet - Holocaust Pulp Fiction JSTOR Daily - Why John Baldessari Burned His Own Art Haaretz - Who Were You, Karl Zetinkski? Fort Wort...

Strange. Vile. Completely anonymous. This is the most unusual flash-fiction to ever hit the internet. (Note: this episode contains content for listeners 18+. Listener discretion is advised.) Sources: Backlinko - Reddit Statistics YouTube - Best Posts & Comments - What's a dark piece of Reddit history... reddit.com Medium - KiwiFarms Went Down Wikipedia - KiwiFarms Voices by Play.ht  Excer...

Two couples are murdered 35 years apart. The crimes are completely unrelated, but both share one strange similarity: art found in the home that seems to mimic the crime scene. ............................. Sources: The Corpsewood Murders: 40 years later - Atlanta Magazine Corpsewood Manor - Autopsy of Architecture The most brilliant scientific discoveries will in time... (libquotes.com) Satanic Pa...

What do "Tom and Jerry," "The Simpsons," and "Neon Genesis Evangelion" have in common? More than you think. ....................................................................... Sources: https://geekdad.com/2015/06/the-gene-deitch-collection/ Gene Deitch - Lambiek Comiclopedia https://www.cbr.com/the-simpsons-some-enchanted-evening-almost-killed-show/ Illustration H...

Quinn Lovecraft tells you her own spooky campfire story about an abandoned place in the middle of nowhere. Sources: Weird Ohio by Andy Henderson, James A Willis, Loren Coleman, and Andrew Henderson https://www.facebook.com/ghosttownfindlay Quinn Lovecraft's personal files Music: "Trick or Treat" PALA "Disappearance" Wicked Cinema "Hell's Bells" GEMM Text the...

William Bernard's strange death - and the equally strange fate of his body - tells us a lot about the chaos of goldrush-era San Francisco. .......................................... Sources: Daily Alta California 11 January 1854 — California Digital Newspaper Collection (ucr.edu) 1854: William Snyder killed in most bizarre and terrifying way ever - Flashbak Sacramento Daily Union 13 January 1...

What if a group of strangers started accusing you of a terrible crime just because you weren't very interesting? ........................................................................... Sources: Funny115 Survivor: Kelly Shinn reacts to her infamous purple edit in Nicaragua (ew.com) Buzzfeed News IMDB EW The Traidar Podcast Episode 5 Tiktok - Benedict Townsend Purple Kelly's Confession...

Why are people misremembering violent events en masse - events that never happened at all?............................................ Sources: https://www.cnn.com/2014/11/23/world/asia/afghanistan-violence/index.html https://www.denverpost.com/2006/09/27/hostage-horror/ https://obscurban-legend.fandom.com/wiki/Doveland,_Wisconsin https://mickey-pal.tumblr.com/post/168142627743/haiku-robot-russian...

Shergar was a top-tier athlete who had just retired to have children when he was kidnapped by masked gunman, never to be seen again. This is the strange story of Shergar, the fastest racehorse in Ireland. ........................................................................................................ Sources: https://www.history.com/news/the-troubles-northern-ireland https://www.history.co...

Maybe you've never thought about the last sound you'll hear. That's okay - someone has chosen it for you. .................................................... Sources: https://jalopnik.com/this-is-the-video-cnn-will-play-when-the-world-ends-1677511538 https://youtu.be/z6f7j1E61sM?si=PqMw4eiHC3UrM6T7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWhgKuKvvPE&t=470s https://www.intheknow.com/pos...

Thrill-seeking tourists flock to Tonopah, Nevada's Clown Motel, eager to run into a spirit among the eerily-smiling clown figurines. But the real horrors of Tonopah have little to do with the clowns, and they're buried next door... ........................................................................ Sources: https://www.theclownmotelusa.com/history https://www.tonopahnevada.com/histo...

There are very few towns in North Korea that non-North Koreans can lay eyes on. Kijong-dong, just outside the demilitarized zone, is one of them. With bright blue roofs and a large school set against the hills, it looks like the embodiment of its nickname, "Peace Village."  ... So where are all the children? .......................................................................... Sourc...

Massive stars don't just vanish into thin air, but that's exactly what it looks like happened to N6946-BH1... and the first theory astronomers come up with to explain its disappearance is terrifying... Sources Music (obtained with license from Soundstripe): "Space Flex" Raw Lew "The Birth of a Planet" Falls Text the show! Support the show Follow on Instagram: @31pod31

In 1998, Ronaldo was one of the most promising soccer stars in the world. But something happened to him right before the World Cup that inspired a multitude of theories - part of a long line of conspiracy theories in professional sports. ............................................ Sources: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1887294-1998-world-cup-final-conspiracy-theories https://www.golfdigest....

Houska Castle's bizarre architecture and mysterious past all point to a massive secret. What truth is there to the rumor that Houska is covering up something beyond this world? A list of sources for this episode can be found here. Music (obtained with license from Soundstripe): "Pendragon" JMPSCR "Spanish Ladies" Fare Ye Well Text the show! Support the show Follow on Insta...

One family has had increasingly bizarre encounters with unknown entities since the 1980s. From doppelgängers to eerie phone calls, someone won't leave the Sudbrinks alone. ............................................................... Sources: https://www.vertigo22.com/2019/12/decemystery-2019-24-gary-sudbrinks.html https://www.scribd.com/document/21368199/Mufon-UFO-Journal Sue Swiatek (11-1...