Believing the Bizarre: Paranormal Podcast

It's time for Bizarre News for January 2025! We have four exciting and strange news stories for you this month.Story 1 - Bigfoot Sighting (Mansfield, Ohio): A man named Andrew Baum and his stepfather reported seeing a Sasquatch while setting up a tree stand on their farmland near Interstate 71 in December 2024. The BFRO (Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization) investigated and found the witness credible, though they questioned whether it might have been a human walking across the field rather than a Sasquatch.Story 2 - Alien Life Search Advancement: Scientists are increasingly optimistic about discovering extraterrestrial life due to technological advancements like the James Webb Space Telescope and the $100 million Breakthrough Listen project. Previous search efforts have been minimal (equivalent to scooping an 8-ounce glass from Earth's oceans), but new technology is expected to dramatically increase our ability to detect potential signs of life in space.Story 3 - Haunted Hotel for Sale (Ballinger, Texas): The Old Park Hotel, an 1886 two-story building known for paranormal activity including full-body apparitions and cold spots, is being put up for sale by its current owners Connie and Dan Lefebvre. The hotel, which has been featured on the Travel Channel, has attracted paranormal investigators from around the world, and the owners are seeking buyers who will continue operating it as a paranormal venue.Story 4 - Haunted Strathpeffer Pavilion (Scotland): A Victorian-era building in the Scottish Highlands has gained a reputation for being haunted, with reports of shadowy figures and unexplained phenomena. Recent paranormal investigators using specialized equipment like EMF detectors and spirit boxes claimed to have received clear responses through their devices, including being told to leave the balcony area.Want two more bonus news stories? Check us out on Patreon.For updates, news, and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterDiscordShop Merch: You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is a Changeling?In this exploration of Celtic changelings and fairy folklore, we dive into the chilling mythology of supernatural infant swapping in Ireland.First, we examine how faerie changelings were believed to infiltrate human families by replacing human babies with fairy offspring, leading to centuries of paranoid parents employing various protective measures like iron implements and father's clothing around cribs. The changeling stories often featured bizarre characteristics that parents were told to watch for, including unusual intelligence, razor-sharp teeth, and an inability to grow - all part of the rich tapestry of fairy kidnapping lore that permeated Irish culture.Then, we discuss both mythological accounts and historical records, including a compelling story about a mother who used boiling eggshells to expose a fairy changeling in her home, demonstrating the deep-rooted nature of these changeling legends in Celtic tradition.Patreon: Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon.For updates, news, and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterDiscordShop Merch: You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Raven MockerWe explore the terrifying Cherokee legend of the Raven Mocker (Kâ'lanû Ahkyeli'skï ), one of the most feared entities in Cherokee mythology.The Raven Mocker is described as an ancient shapeshifting witch that preys upon the dying, consuming their hearts to steal their remaining years of life through supernatural means. According to Cherokee tradition, these malevolent beings appear as withered elderly humans but can transform into fiery, raven-like creatures that soar through the night sky, invisible to all except Cherokee medicine men.It is said that Raven Mockers must feed every seven days to survive and can supernaturally extract their victims' hearts without leaving any physical wounds.We discuss several historical accounts and modern encounters, including a chilling story about an oil field worker's face-to-face encounter with a feathered humanoid creature and a medicine man's lifelong battle against these entities.Patreon: Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon.For updates, news, and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterDiscordShop Merch: You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Top 10 Horror Comedy Movies - Blind RankingsIt's time for another Blind Rankings. This month, we rank our top 10 horror comedy movies (without knowing what film comes next).From Shaun of the Dead and Scary Movie to Lake Placid, we discuss a bunch of great hilarious scary films. What would your list look like?Patreon: Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon.For updates, news, and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterDiscordShop Merch: You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Goblins in the FieldsIt's listener submission time again and we have 3 chilling tales for you.The first story comes from Davis, who experienced paranormal activity throughout his life before encountering a mysterious shadow woman after hitting puberty.In a story from Brazil, Kelvin shares an unsettling late-night experience involving sleep paralysis, a mysteriously moving fork, and an inexplicably relocated blanket.The final tale from Washington state introduces us to "Duendes" - mischievous goblin-like creatures from Latin American folklore that allegedly caused havoc in a young girl's life.Patreon: Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon.For updates, news, and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterDiscordShop Merch: You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paranormal investigators and content creators Audrey and Bella, who met in high school through their shared love of K-pop and ghost hunting shows, have grown their YouTube and TikTok following by documenting their investigations at haunted locations.In this interview, Audrey and Bella discuss their investigation process, which includes extensive planning via Google Docs, using equipment like spirit boxes and REM pods, and taking turns handling editing and social media duties for each investigation.They discuss some of their most compelling evidence, including intelligent responses through the Estes Method (where one investigator is blindfolded and wearing headphones while attempting to communicate with spirits), physical touches, and unexplained sounds at locations like Madison Seminary and Hotel Conneaut.Despite their rapid success on YouTube, they maintain a grounded approach to investigating, emphasizing the importance of showing respect at haunted locations, proper research, and careful planning for those interested in pursuing paranormal investigation.Make sure to check out Audrey and Bella's investigations and give them a subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@audreyxbellaPatreon: Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon.For updates, news, and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterDiscordWant to discuss the episode on the day it drops with Tyler and Charlie? Follow on Twitch and check out the extended Twitch streams every Tuesday.Shop Merch: You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It is listener submission time again!The first story follows Emma and her family in Colorado, where unexplained phenomena escalate from mysteriously stacked pots and pans to a child being repeatedly thrown from his bed, leading her coal miner father to make a difficult decision.Strange shadows with skeletal features and long fingers begin appearing in doorways, while scratching sounds and unexplained voices echo through their home.The second story delves into Richard's experience as a foster parent in Los Angeles, where his 13-year-old foster daughter Tina's connection to a mysterious entity named Melable sets off a chain of increasingly disturbing events.What begins as concerning behavior from Tina evolves into a series of terrifying encounters that drive even mental health professionals to take extreme measures.Patreon: Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon.For updates, news, and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterDiscordWant to discuss the episode on the day it drops with Tyler and Charlie? Follow on Twitch and check out the extended Twitch streams every Tuesday.Shop Merch: You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Manhattan Alien AbductionIn a 1989 case known as the Manhattan Alien Abduction, Linda Napolitano claimed she was lifted through her apartment window in a blue-white beam of light and taken aboard a UFO, with 23 witnesses reportedly observing the incident from various locations including the Brooklyn Bridge.UFO researcher Budd Hopkins, known for his regression therapy work and theories about alien-human hybrids, investigated the case and documented additional claims from Linda about subsequent alien encounters involving her son Johnny, who suffered persistent nosebleeds afterward.The case took an even stranger turn when two mysterious men named Richard and Dan, who initially came forward as witnesses, began stalking Linda for over a year before kidnapping her twice at gunpoint to question her about the abduction.While skeptics including Hopkins' ex-wife Carol questioned the credibility of the investigation and suggested the case was embellished for media attention, the high number of witnesses and physical evidence like Linda's x-ray showing an unexplained object in her nose have made this one of the most compelling and well-documented alien abduction cases.Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/believingthebizarre For updates and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media: https://www.instagram.com/believingthebizarre/ https://www.facebook.com/believingthebizarre/  You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch here: https://believing-the-bizarre.creator-spring.com/ Join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/RFqzeQ8dVM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's time for December 2024's Bizarre News! This month, we discuss four strange news stories. Phantom Neuro, an Austin-based startup, is developing a groundbreaking muscle implant that allows amputees to control prosthetic limbs through thought alone, with clinical trials planned for 2025 showing 94% accuracy across different gestures.Multiple oarfish, rare deep-sea creatures typically found 3,000 feet underwater, have mysteriously washed up on California beaches since August, leading scientists to suggest changes in ocean conditions or El Niño might be responsible.Researchers have developed an "Earworm Eraser," a 40-second audio track that switches between different tempos and musical styles to help eliminate unwanted songs stuck in people's heads, while a 106-year-old woman from Loveland, Ohio named Florence "Fireball" Smith celebrated her birthday by going skydiving and attributes her longevity to staying active and having a daily shot of Fireball Whiskey.For our monthly Blind Rankings, we have to rank the top 10 Horror Movie Villains.Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/believingthebizarre For updates and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media: https://www.instagram.com/believingthebizarre/ https://www.facebook.com/believingthebizarre/  You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch here: https://believing-the-bizarre.creator-spring.com/ Join our Discord here: https://discord.gg/RFqzeQ8dVM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Jersey Drone SightingsSince November 2024, residents across the northeastern United States have reported mysterious large drones, approximately 6 feet in diameter, appearing in coordinated formations at night over populated areas and military installations.These unidentified drones possess unusual characteristics: they're undetectable by radar, demonstrate advanced evasive capabilities when pursued, and have been spotted coming in from the ocean, leading to various theories ranging from foreign surveillance to military testing of new technology.While thousands of sightings have been reported, government agencies including the FBI, DHS, and Pentagon have downplayed the incidents, stating they've found no evidence of threats to national security and suggesting many sightings may be misidentified conventional aircraft.The lack of clear explanations and minimal government response has frustrated local officials and residents, with some state leaders calling for expanded authority to track and neutralize unauthorized drones in their airspace.Patreon: Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon.For updates, news, and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media:InstagramFacebookTwitterDiscordShop Merch: You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices