Unknown Origins of the Crystal Skulls

Sometimes, it’s difficult to determine the origins of newly discovered items. Certainly, many objects that we’ve addressed in these articles have had a mysterious, unsolved past. Crystal skulls are another we can add to the list.

Crystal skulls are hardstone carvings of human skulls made of clear or milky white quartz (or rock crystal) that are said to be pre-Columbian Mesoamerican artifacts; however, none have ever actually been discovered in any archaeological sites there. 

The skulls are claimed to have healing powers and the ability to expand the psychic abilities of people who have been in their presence. Despite these claims, the legends don’t seem to match genuine Mesoamerican or Native American spiritual accounts. An examination of some of these skulls revealed they were most likely made in Germany in the mid-19th century or later. 

Yet, some believe crystal skulls didn’t originate on this earth but are actually ancient alien-made artifacts. They believe the skulls arrived on earth via UFO and are some kind of receiver or communication device to otherworldly beings or other dimensions. Some have reported seeing UFOs within the skulls or witnessing UFOs while in the presence of a crystal skull.

Skeptics claim that most skulls are manufactured in China, Brazil, Mexico, or other Central American locations; however, no one knows their origins for certain. 

In 1992 the Smithsonian investigated a crystal skull provided by an anonymous source who claimed to have purchased it in Mexico City in 1960 and said it was of Aztec origin. The Smithsonian concluded, however, that the skull was most likely made in Germany. 

Crystal skulls have been portrayed in several popular modern works of fiction and film including the Indiana Jones movie series in 2008.

While no one can say for certain where the skulls came from, and with no accurate way to determine their age, the mystery of the crystal skulls continues today.

The Vengeful Pontianak

Supernatural legends from around the world vary in their degree with respect to the creepiness factor. The subjects of many of these legends are docile or protective while others are on the opposite side of the spectrum and show extreme aggression and deadliness. One of those on the latter end of the spectrum is the Pontianak from Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Pontianak is known by different names, and variations of the legend can be found in other Asian countries and cultures. However, the most prominent myth of this creature is that of a vengeful woman who died during childbirth. She could also have experienced a miscarriage or her child died giving birth. For their loss, Pontianak seek vengeance upon the living, particularly pregnant women and men.

Pontianak are described as having long, dark hair, pale skin, sharp teeth, and claws while wearing a white, blood-stained dress. Their cries are said to be like that of a baby crying. The further away the creature is, the louder it cries; however, as it gets closer its cry becomes softer and harder to discern. Primarily a creature of the night, the Pontianak are lured by the smell of clothing left out to dry. They seize upon those collecting the clothing. This is why it’s uncommon for people in these countries to leave their laundry out to dry overnight. Pontianak have also been witnessed standing beside roads as cars pass by. If the driver stops, they become a victim.

The Pontianak’s means of killing its victims is gruesome. Commonplace among legends of vampires, the Pontianak typically sucks its victim’s blood. However, this creature goes a step further and eats the victim’s internal organs. When its prey is a pregnant woman, though, the creature also consumes the fetus. 

Legend says that a Pontianak can be subdued, and even turned into a good wife, by driving a nail into its neck. However, if the nail is removed, the woman reverts to her deadly former self. 

This legend has struck fear in the hearts of locals for many years. It’s no wonder, too. If we believed that our organs would be ripped out and eaten just for doing the laundry, we’d probably also think twice.

Myrtles Plantation

The southern United States is dotted with historic plantations. Many unbelievable and heinous things happened on those properties. But it’s also undeniable that what happened there has influenced American culture to this day. With all the death and suffering that occurred on these collective plantations, it’s not hard to imagine that there might be a few ghosts lingering about the old homes, buildings, and lands. One of the most famous of these plantations is Myrtles Plantation.

Located approximately twenty-five miles north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana in St. Francisville, the land that was later known as Myrtles Plantation was first settled in 1796. Legend says that death and suffering occurred on the plantation between its origin and 1834 when it was sold to Ruffin Stirling. He gave it the name Myrtle Plantation. Over time, the plantation passed into other hands.  

It wasn’t until the 1970s that the plantation’s reputation as a haunted place really took hold. Allegedly, during that decade paranormal activity increased dramatically. Visitors saw ghosts and heard strange noises. A photo taken of the home was examined years later. The figure of a young girl was discovered in the photo. Some believe it was the spirit of Chloe, a slave girl who suffered a sad life and was hung by fellow slaves for allegedly poisoning the mistress of the plantation and two of her children. Witnesses even claim that the spirits of the poisoned children have been seen loitering around the home. 

Many other unique apparitions have been spotted on Myrtles Plantation. But Myrtles Plantation isn’t unique in this. Plantations across the South draw thousands of visitors each year. The history is mesmerizing. Of all the plantations open for touring, however, Myrtles Plantation should definitely be at the top of any true ghost hunter’s list of places to visit.

Green Children of Woolpit England

It’s not an uncommon thing for people to believe in intelligent life other than humans. In reality, it’s becoming a more popular viewpoint across the world. Outer space is most often the source that is looked to for these beings and lifeforms. But, what if there were already others on earth that we didn’t know about? Beings that were just as intelligent as us? What if they were even human, like us?

In 12th century England, two strange children emerged in Woolpit, a small village in Suffolk. The children had green skin and did not speak any English. The children’s green skin eventually disappeared, which was attributed to a change in their diet. 

Writings of the day say once the children learned English they communicated their origins. They claimed that they came from a place where “the sun does not rise on our countrymen.” Instead, the only sunshine they saw would be equivalent to England’s pre-sunrise or post-sunset. The children claimed they didn’t know how they arrived in England but just appeared there after experiencing a trance-like state. 

Some believe that the children spoke Flemish, and their green skin was a result of a form of malnutrition called “green sickness.” This would appear to make sense when taking into account that their skin changed to a normal skin color after eating, presumably more nutritious, English food. 

This happened so long ago that it’s hard to make assumptions about their origins. However, local lore claims the children came from an unknown place. Is that place still unknown? Perhaps we’ll never know.

The Dover Demon

In 1977, several teenagers saw something that they could not explain in Dover, Massachusetts. On the night of April 21, 17-year-old Bill Bartlett was driving home with friends from a party they were attending. As Bill maneuvered the vehicle, his headlights illuminated a strange creature crawling on a rock wall near the road. The teenager had about a six-second view of the creature. He described it as humanoid. Its head was nearly as large as the rest of its body and disproportionate to its slim figure. Standing between three and a half to four feet tall, the figure looked to have skin that was “like wet sandpaper.” Its arms and legs were thin with large hands and feet. As the car’s headlights lit the creature, its eyes reflected “like two orange marbles.” According to his account, Bartlett told his friends who were not paying attention. They turned the car around to have another look, but the creature was gone. Later, when Bill arrived home, he drew the creature on a piece of paper.

Around midnight that same night, John Baxter was walking home from his girlfriend’s home. After about a mile, something approached him from the opposite direction. He assumed it was a person. However, after getting closer, the figure that had been approaching ran into the woods and down a decline. Baxter heard its footsteps through the leaves and followed it a short distance. That was when he saw it about thirty feet away. The details that he described were similar to Bill Bartlett’s description, but John apparently did not have the advantage of artificial light to better view the creature. As the two stared at each other, John became uncomfortable and slowly backed away. He flagged down a car for a ride home.

A third teenager saw the creature the following night. Around midnight on April 22, Abby Brabham was driving home with her boyfriend. In the same general area, but on a different road from the other teenagers’ sightings, Abby saw a humanoid figure standing next to a tree. The creature was similar in appearance to what Bill Bartlett and John Baxter saw the previous night. 

No other sightings were reported of the mysterious creature dubbed the Dover Demon. The creature has been explained away as being a calf moose, although the timing of the sightings did not correspond with typical moose growth in the area, and a moose would not be on top of a rock wall. Were all three of the teenagers inebriated at the time of their sightings? Did they orchestrate a hoax on their community? Perhaps. However, Bill Bartlett wrote in his sketch, “I, Bill Bartlett, swear on a stack of Bible’s [sic] that I saw this creature.” Maybe there was something. Unfortunately, sightings of humanoids seemed to die down after the 1970s, which leaves us in our usual position of deciding for ourselves whether we believe something happened or not.

The Baghdad Battery - An Unsolved Puzzle

Over the past decades, archaeologists have discovered many items that baffle them. The Roman dodecahedron is an item that we posted an article about several months ago. Another interesting artifact that still stumps specialists is the “Baghdad Battery”. 

The Baghdad Battery was discovered in 1936 in Khuju Rabu, Iraq, which is southeast of Baghdad along the Tigris River. The object is a ceramic pot that was formed to hold or house two other pieces inside of it. A hollow copper tube fit tightly down through the mouth of the pot, and a thin iron rod would be stuck through a plug at the top and down inside the copper sleeve; however, it was designed in such a way that the two items would not touch. The object is believed to have been constructed during the Parthian Empire, which was from 247 BC to 224 AD. 

The artifact, which is now held in the Iraq Museum in Baghdad, has been shrouded in mystery since its discovery, but there are several theories of its purpose. An initial theory stated that when immersed in an acidic liquid, a resulting electric current would be produced. Later experiments replicating the primitive technology resulted in the generation of from 1.5 to 2 volts of electricity. Though this might not be a lot of power, the greater question is, What would this have been used for 2,000 years ago? 

Was the battery used as a treatment for ailments? Perhaps it was used to intentionally inflict pain. Or perhaps the truth has yet to be theorized. Regardless, the Baghdad Battery is a marvel that will likely puzzle scientists for years to come.

The Men Who Really Did Stare at Goats

The 1970s was a very explorative decade. It followed on the heels of arguably the most transformative decade for thought, action, and belief. So, it is not a stretch to say that some weird stuff happened in the 1970s. Starting then and continuing, the US Army, in an effort to develop better soldiers, experimented with the vast potential of the human brain. 

An officer named Jim Channon, who served in the Army from 1962 to 1982, conceptualized a new type of warrior that would develop and use psychic abilities for battles of the future. Lieutenant Colonel Channon was assigned as the commander of the First Earth Battalion and adopted the term “warrior monk” for his soldiers. He also wrote a manual called Evolutionary Tactics that emphasized a positive, holistic view of the earth and mankind’s interactions upon it. 

According to recent interviews with some of the soldiers involved in these paranormal programs, there actually was a lab with goats located at Fort Bragg, NC. According to some of the same men, there was at least one instance in which an Army Master Sergeant killed a goat simply by staring at it.

Remote viewing was another paranormal effort by the US Army during these years. The main purpose of remote viewing was to acquire intelligence on America’s cold war enemy, Russia. In one alleged case, Army remote viewers saw a Russian Typhoon-class submarine that had not yet been discovered by US intelligence agencies before. The remote viewers claimed the ship’s existence, and it was later discovered that their claims were accurate.

British-American journalist Jon Ronson wrote the book The Men Who Stare at Goats, which was published in 2004. In 2009, the film of the same name starring George Clooney, Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, and Ewan McGregor was released, giving audiences a satirical, modern look at the paranormal work performed by the First Earth Battalion and the US Army.

It is true that many people doubt the supposed abilities of psychics, remote viewers, and such. For sure, it is hard to believe. Most of us do not have psychic abilities, and fictional entertainment mediums have only strengthened our dogmatic views against such ideas. Still, there is a glimmer of interest in all of us. If only we could have seen that goat keel over dead from nothing other than the honed stare of a warrior. Maybe then we would believe.

Krampus - Central Europe's Opposite of Kriss Kringle

Christmas is a holiday that is celebrated in much of the world. The nostalgia, excitement, anticipation, and much more make Christmas one of the most looked-forward-to holidays of the year. In addition to the religious focus on the birth of Jesus Christ, most observers of Christmas also have fun dabbling into figures like Santa Claus, elves, reindeer, and others. However, parts of Europe have another figure that is part of their celebration of the season-Krampus.

Krampus is a half goat, half demon whose origins in parts of Germany and Austria are thought to precede Christianity. The figure is the counterpart and literal opposite of Santa Claus. Where Santa brings gifts and happiness, Krampus brings punishment and suffering. The Krampus figure’s role is to help children make good decisions. If they do not, he will punish them by giving them lumps of coal, whipping them with a bundle of sticks, or taking them in his sack back to the underworld. 

In Germanic-speaking areas of Europe, Krampus has his own special day. December 5th is known in those parts as Krampusnacht. That is the night that Krampus roams and visits the homes of naughty children to mete out their deserved punishments. Much like leaving cookies out for Santa, residents leave schnapps out to appease Krampus.

In these areas, it is customary for people, particularly young men, to dress as Krampus during the season. Parades, runs, and other events often see elaborately costumed performers showing their creations and attempting to scare the crowds. Even Hollywood has gotten in on this action. Many movies have been created in the past decade with the Krampus figure as their chief antagonist. If young people were not scared of Krampus before, the films will surely push them over the edge.

So, this holiday season, enjoy your traditions. Food, family, faith, and fun are all par for the course. But, do not forget that there is a dark side to Christmas, too. Although Krampus may not be part of your cultural beliefs, that does not mean that you will not find a lump of coal in your stocking.

They Put What in Our Water?

It is generally believed that advances in medical care have improved the overall lives of billions of people on the earth. It is hard to argue against that overall premise. However, there are many people that don’t exactly agree with all aspects of how governments, corporations, and medical communities force medical submission upon the public. Fluoridated water is one of those contested practices.

It is said that fluoride helps prevent tooth decay. So, adding fluoride to water sources is an easy way to provide the masses with better dental health. Fluoridation has been deemed safe and effective by many countries and the international health and dental communities. However, there is still much variance, even from country to country and region to region. For example, Australia regards water fluoridation as the most effective way to provide fluoride to more people. Europe, on the other hand, claims that water fluoridation has no greater value than the topical application of fluoride. 

So, why is there variance on this matter? Well, many studies have been cited that show the efficacy of water fluoridation. Paradoxically, many studies have been cited showing the opposite, that water fluoridation does not increase overall dental health in communities that drink the treated water. 

But, what is conspiratorial about this? Great question! Here are a few theories that have taken route over the years: 1) Fluoridation was attributed in the 1950s and 1960s to a communist scheme to impair their enemies’—namely capitalists—health. 2) It is a ruse to cover up the government's failure to help poor people and communities with their oral health. 3) Fluoridation was a smoke and mirrors cover-up of the fluoride pollutants in the environment that ended up in water sources. 

If fluoridation is safe and effective, why have countries including Sweden and Denmark banned water fluoridation within their borders? Are other countries’ researchers and doctors better than theirs? Or, is it perhaps the other way around? Until there’s decisive evidence either way, and if you’re a resident of a pro-fluoridation country…bottoms up!

Flatwoods Monster of West Virginia

The state of West Virginia is no newcomer to monster lore. Probably the most famous was Mothman which originated with sightings in the late 1960s near the town of Point Pleasant. Other creatures such as Snarly Yow and the Grafton Monster help solidify the mysterious and supernatural history of the state. Another monster sighting over a decade before Mothman’s appearance captured the interest and imaginations of people all across America. On a dark night in September 1952 in the town of Flatwoods, the legend of the Flatwoods Monster was born.

That evening as the sun was setting, several local youths saw something streak across the darkening sky that they described as a bright light. When the object crashed into the ground, they set off to investigate. Along the way, they stopped and picked up two adults, Kathleen May, the mother of two of the youths, and Eugene Lemon, a 17-year-old member of the West Virginia National Guard, and a dog. Together, the inquisitive group moved to the crash.

The story they told after the event said that when they arrived at the crash site they saw a pulsing red light. Eugene shined his flashlight in that direction and what they saw next scared all of them. Illuminated in the flashlight’s beam was an approximately ten feet tall, human-like character with a head like an ace of spades, hands like claws, and a body that was red like blood. They claimed that the creature then moved towards them. At that point, the entire group ran with fright, and even the dog ran, tail between its legs. 

The encounter was reported to authorities, but further investigation of the area produced no evidence to support the group’s account. Still, the story made the local headlines and spread from there to national news. People came from all over to visit the site and speak with the witnesses. The attention paid to the area stuck, and, to this day visitors can visit the Flatwoods Monster Museum in Sutton, WV, a short five miles from Flatwoods.

In typical fashion, the details of the incident were attributed by experts and the military to the usual culprits—shooting stars and wildlife, namely a barn owl. To the experts' credit, a barn owl does have an ace of spades-shaped face. But, with the number of appearances of new monsters in West Virginia, it’s hard not to ask, “Who will be the next person to see something that just doesn’t fit right in the Mountain State?”    

The Spirits of Babylon

Ghosts play roles of varying importance from culture to culture. In the western world, the existence of ghosts is not a heavily debated topic among people. Mostly, people have their opinions, and they are content to let others have their own, even contrary, opinions on the subject. Regardless of personal beliefs, ghosts play a significant role in the modern world, primarily through entertainment mediums. Naturally, though, ghosts are not a new, imaginative creation. But, just how far back do beliefs in ghosts go?

In the 1840s, a clay tablet that had been buried by the Babylonians was uncovered at the site of the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh, which is where modern-day Mosul, Iraq is located. The tablet ended up in the British Museum in London where archaeologist Reginald Campbell Thompson translated it. In 1903, the contents, along with those of other translations, were compiled into a book, The Devils and Evil Spirits of Babylonia: Being Babylonian and Assyrian Incantations Against the Demons, Ghouls, Vampires, Hobgoblins, Ghosts, and Kindred Evil Spirits, Which Attack Mankind. Quite a title!

The clay tablet contained words or incantations to exorcise and repel evil beings. Thus, some believe the tablet is the earliest evidence of a belief in ghosts or malevolent spirits. As the title of Thompson’s book of translations suggests, the Assyrians and Babylonians believed in many different types of evil entities. As part of the ritual of exorcising the ghosts, figurines would be made. When the incantations were said, the figurines were present. The spirits would then leave the person and enter one of the figurines. 

Although placed in the British Museum in the 19th century, the tablet has never been displayed for the public to view. Still, images of the clay tablets, which are said to be small enough to fit in one’s hand, are fascinating to observe. 

If you, like many, are a believer in ghosts, know that you are in good company. Going back in history at least to the civilizations of Mesopotamia, ghosts have been a part of the earth’s varied cultures and belief systems. Of course, there is always a sinister side that is thought of and depicted with spirits of the dead. Perhaps, though, the fact that arguably all people live their lives without the negative influence of spirits should convince us that there is less to fear than movies and books convey.       

Canberra's Haunted Archive

Change is often considered one of the constants of life. Weather, people, governments, norms—they all change over time. The sun rises to its apex, and the sun sets into its nighttime course. Buildings are erected, and buildings decay to dust.  People are born, and people are committed to the grave. Time is a double-edged sword; we benefit, in ways, from the onward marching of time, and, yet, we are also doomed by time’s incessant ticking. Change also plays a factor, often, with how things are used. Objects, whether great or small, can be repurposed for other applications. Famous buildings are no exception. One such famous building that was repurposed for a more modern use can be found in Canberra, Australia.

Canberra is the site of the National Film and Sound Archive. However, it did not always welcome visitors interested in film, television, and music. As a matter of fact, its previous visitors usually never left…alive. To be fair, though, they did not arrive there alive. Prior to 1984, the facility was the Australian Institute of Anatomy. The Institute’s basement was used as a morgue where actual human skeletons lined the corridor walls. Over one hundred human skulls were kept there. One room called the “Blood Room” was where the deceased were drained of their fluids. In that room, a trench was formed in the floor to catch the fluids. Nowadays, visitors to the blood room often describe eerie feelings, sometimes even feeling faint. Famously, it is said that a visiting electrical contractor was once pinned to the wall by an unseen spirit. It is also said that children visiting the Archive have reported seeing a young girl hiding behind a grate.

Without the context of history, people frequently just take things at face value. The real history of the National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra would not be known by anyone unless they received a brief history lesson on the building. How many places that we visit have “a history” of some sort, whether supernatural or not? That is a hard question to answer. It can be said, though, that with a historical understanding and lens, much, even in our own communities, has more than meets the eye. Perhaps that “more” just might be a haunted place.

The Abandoned Spirits of Everest

Next to the abysmal depths of the oceans, the peak of Mount Everest on the border of China and Nepal would arguably be the least visited place on earth. Yet, attempting the momentous task of reaching the summit has driven many explorers up the frozen crags for decades. Unfortunately, many of those intrepid explorers never left the mountain. 

The danger of climbing the 29,031 ft. is immensely great. So, naturally, the skill of those that make the climb would have to be great, too. To date, 310 people—guides and climbers—have perished on Mount Everest. Of the deceased, more than two-thirds of them never had their bodies removed from the ice and snow. Many of them are lost, possibly forever, covered by avalanches and snow drifts. Perhaps that’s why Mount Everest is considered one of the many haunted places in the world. 

In 2004, the famous sherpa Pemba Dorje set the record for the fastest ascent of Mount Everest. Later, he allegedly discovered a group of frozen, deceased hikers. The sherpa claimed that, while in their presence, he saw “spirits in the form of black shadows coming towards me.” He believed they were the spirits of some of the climbers who had died there. He also believed they were “begging for something to eat.” 

The accounts of how climbers have died on the mountain are sad, often even horrifying. But, could their spirits really roam the sparsely-trafficked slopes of Everest? Well, that’s up to you. There are many, though, who feel that if there are ghosts that haunt hotels, homes, and other locales far below Everest, much closer to sea level, then why can’t the spirits of the dead, forever abandoned in the Himalayas, wander, too, in search of that which they never received: solemn recognition and a proper burial.

The Enigmatic Roman Dodecahedron

There’s a little bit of an archaeologist in all of us. The Indiana Jones series, and many others like it, has sparked in millions of people an interest in artifacts and treasures of the past. Whether it’s sunken treasure or Mayan sculptures or Viking swords, we are fascinated by objects from the past. But, what happens when archaeologists don’t recognize an artifact or cannot identify the purpose it served in history? In reality, this is a common enough occurrence. One such object that, for centuries, has fascinated seekers of the past is the Roman dodecahedron. 

First discovered in the early 18th century, a dodecahedron is a twelve-sided, hollow object. Each of the twelve pentagonal sides has a hole that is open to the center, and no two holes are the same size. At each corner point of each pentagon, there is a knob that gives the object a somewhat prickly appearance. Most dodecahedra that have been discovered are made of bronze, but stone has also been discovered. Some speculate that these devices could have also been made of wood, which would undoubtedly have decayed away over centuries. 

The dodecahedra are dated to the Romans from the 2nd to the 4th centuries AD. They have been found all across Europe, from Great Britain in the west to Hungary in the east. They have been found as far south as Italy and as far north as Germany, with the latter being the region where the greatest number of specimens have been found. Most dodecahedra have been found in archaeological sites that were once military encampments. However, others have been found elsewhere. Of note, one was found in the burial site of a wealthy woman, and two were found amongst coin hoards. 

There is much speculation about the purpose of the dodecahedra. Theories have been postulated that they were used as devices for knitting gloves. This theory has flaws, particularly as people have tried to make gloves with the devices and have found that there would have been much more effective ways. Another hypothesis is that they were used as planting calendars. This does not seem plausible, as the Roman calendar was already in use by the 2nd century. Also, this would not account for the great number of dodecahedra being found in ancient military encampments. Two theories that would account for that, however, are that the objects were some type of game to pass the time, or that they were some type of range finders for the use of military projectiles. The latter does not explain the knobs on the outside, or why they have been found as part of wealth and treasure outside of military settings. The objects have also been considered religious artifacts and even horoscopes. Each of the twelve sides could correspond to a sign of the Zodiac. Interestingly, a dodecahedron was unearthed in Switzerland in the 1980s that had a name of the Zodiac engraved on each face. The holes could have corresponded in some way to a sign. However, as with other theories, this does not account for the exterior knobs.

Despite the many theories, archaeologists still do not understand the purpose for the dodecahedra. No writings from that era have been found that mention the objects. So, scientists are left to guesswork until more clues come forward. Perhaps the truth will be discovered, one day, and we can look forward to that revelation with patience. After all, if Indiana Jones taught us anything, it’s that archaeology is more of an ongoing puzzle than an immediate slam dunk.

Finnish Air Force UFO Sighting

Military observations of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) have given a new perspective on the reality of unexplained objects in the sky. With the development of better sensors and recording devices, much evidence of UFOs has come forward from military channels in recent decades. However, military sightings of UFOs in the sky are not a new occurrence. In fact, many World War II pilots claimed to have seen unexplainable objects with them in the battle-torn skies over Europe. Those sightings have continued to today. Two decades after the war, the Finnish Air Force had their own run-in with UFOs in their airspace.

On April 12, 1969, pilots from the Finnish Air Force were conducting training exercises in Fouga Magister jets above an airfield in the city of Pori. Seven objects were seen in the air at a moderate altitude of between 5,000 and 10,000 feet above ground level. One pilot, Tarmo Tukeva, was tasked to intercept the objects to investigate. He, along with dozens of other pilots involved in the day’s exercises, described the objects as “round, like balls, with no extremities and pale yellow in color.” After the flight, Tukeva declared that as he had approached, the objects retreated away “at great speed”, much faster than his jet was capable of, and into a headwind measured at 180 km/hr. No sensor detection was made at Pori, but it was reported that the objects were seen on radar in the town of Vaasa approximately 125 miles away.

Tukeva maintained his story until his death. In fact, he was interviewed and appeared in the 1992 UFO documentary Visitors from Space. He died of a heart attack two weeks after his interview. 

To this day, the Finnish government has no explanation as to the identity of the seven objects observed over Pori that day. Undoubtedly, these objects were “unidentified.” But, were they spacecraft of extra-terrestrial origin? Perhaps, we’ll never know.

Saqqara – The Ancient Egyptian Necropolis

Of all of the Egyptian pyramids, probably the most well-known and oft-visited is the Great Pyramid located on the outskirts of Cairo in the Giza necropolis. However, many other historical sites draw the attention of locals, tourists, and scientists, too. One of those is the Step Pyramid of Djoser in the Saqqara necropolis.

Saqqara is a vast, ancient burial ground in Egypt, serving as the necropolis for the ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis, and is known as the city of the dead. Saqqara contains numerous pyramids and tombs. The Step Pyramid of Djoser is claimed to be the oldest complete stone building complex currently known throughout the world. Saqqara was an important complex for non-royal burials and rituals for 3,000 years, and, as such, the site holds many secrets about how the ancients valued their dead.

In addition to housing thousand-year-old corpses, Saqqara has an additional eerie aspect. For believers in curses, many of the tombs have curses inscribed on the walls. Salima Ikram, an Egyptologist at the American University of Cairo, explained in an email to Business Insider that the inscribed misfortunes were intended to scare off possible trespassers and grave robbers. The curses vary in severity, from milder results like having all of one’s property stolen, to mid-range impacts like psychiatric afflictions such as seeing ghosts, to the most severe—death. 

Egypt is one of the most fascinating countries with respect to relics and knowledge of an ancient civilization. At Saqqara, Archaeologists are still exploring the vast labyrinths of underground passages and tombs. Undoubtedly, there will be more discoveries to come, which will add to our knowledge of this great, ancient civilization. 

The Deepwater Horizon - An Environmental Conspiracy

There is no argument that what happened aboard the Deepwater Horizon on April 20th, 2010 was a tragedy. The blowout and subsequent explosion of flammable gases led to the deaths of 11 men, and the resulting oil spill was the worst marine oil spill in history. It took two days for the flaming oil rig to sink and settle on the ocean floor far below. It took nearly three months to cap the spewing well at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, but not until nearly 5 million barrels of oil had escaped into the environment. Legal battles ensued and ultimately resulted in BP, Transocean, which owned the rig, and Halliburton being fined.

Despite the amount of time it took to stem the flow of oil into the Gulf and conduct legal proceedings, conspiracy theories surrounding the event were much quicker to materialize. Generally, theories were categorized based on political lines with Republicans blaming Democrats, and vice versa. In one theory, left-wing environmentalists, and even Barack Obama himself, were blamed for intentionally destroying the Deepwater Horizon in an attempt to force the government to impose greater regulations on the offshore oil drilling industry or ban it altogether. Reciprocally, the left claimed the oil industry destroyed the rig to lower production and supply, which would raise the price of oil, and, thereby, their own profits.

But, theories based on American politics weren’t the only ones making the rounds. North Korea was even blamed by some. According to this conspiracy, North Korea sank the Deepwater Horizon with torpedoes from a miniature submarine. Then, two days after torpedoing the oil rig, the crew maneuvered the submarine under the flaming structure and blew up themselves and their boat. Apparently, this was done in an attempt to hurt South Korea via the rig’s owner Transocean, which was a South Korean company.     

The 2016 Hollywood blockbuster Deepwater Horizon, starring Mark Wahlberg, portrayed the events differently, in a less conspiratorial light. That view is generally the norm. Yet, as with most conspiracies, the believers see clues in places that aren’t as obvious to others, and they attribute motivations that are nearly impossible to prove accurate. 

So, what camp are you in? Was the disaster aboard the Deepwater Horizon an accident, or was there a sinister hand at play upon the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico?

The Banshee – Ireland’s Herald of Death

Popular culture has often associated the Grim Reaper with the impending demise of unsuspecting victims. As a harbinger of the end of mortality, the Grim Reaper, often simply called Death, is typically portrayed as a malevolent spirit, wearing flowing black robes, and carrying a scythe. Yet, Death isn’t the only portent of doom. Ireland has had its own similar lore for centuries—the banshee.

Anyone who’s seen the 1959 Disney movie Darby O-Gill and the Little People knows of Ireland’s forerunner to the lonely grave. However, the banshee was by no means made up by Walt and his team of Imagineers. Instead, the banshee has been a part of published Irish folklore since the 14th century and is believed to have been an oral tradition dating back much further. 

Unlike the Grim Reaper who has been depicted as only appearing specifically to the people who will die, when the banshee appears to a person the encounter does not mean that the observer has a date with the grave. Rather, someone in their family will die, but not necessarily immediately. Who that person will be isn’t revealed by the banshee, either, and only time will tell who the deceased will be. It is sometimes believed that the banshee will only foreshadow death when there will be a tragedy, not death from natural causes. 

Physically, the banshee, who is always described as a woman, has been attributed with different characteristics in different accounts. In some cases, she is described as adorned in a dress, sometimes green, silver, black, or white, possibly with a veil or covering over her face. When visible, her eyes are red from incessant weeping. Sometimes, she has been headless; in those cases, she is said to carry a bowl full of blood. The banshee’s age varies from young to old, as does her size, which has been described as tall by some, yet short—as in 1 foot to 4 feet—by others.   

The difference in the physical appearance of this Irish lady of death has been attributed to the belief that all banshees may be different, and that each one may uniquely follow one specific family. Thus, each sighting would be of a different banshee who, of course, would be unique in appearance from others. Imagine having your own family spirit... creepy! 

If her physical appearance isn’t enough to unnerve even the most hardened horror film fans, her wailing could very well push them over the edge. The malevolent version of the banshee is described as having a chilling wail capable of severely frightening anyone that hears it. As we’ve seen with many descriptions of the banshee, however, there’s another version—a happier version—of the banshee’s vocals. In this case, the spirit portends death by singing loving, beautiful songs. 

The good news for most of humanity is that we will never encounter a banshee. Lore says that banshees only appear to traditional Irish families. So, unless you fall into that category, you shouldn’t have to worry about seeing a banshee, even if you one day visit the Emerald Isle. Regardless, the banshee is a formidable spirit at the top of the list of frightening spooks. One has to admit, too, that she might just be creepier than good ol’ Grim.

Allagash Abductions - The Mystery of the Missing Time

Most alien abduction accounts have zero factual evidence to support them—no photographs, no corroboration, no proof whatsoever. They are generally just anecdotal tales from a single person of an event that no one else witnessed. But, what about the accounts that do have supporting facts? Those are the cases that are harder to overlook and outright dismiss. One of those interesting instances occurred in Maine’s Allagash Wilderness.

In August of 1976, Jack and Jim Weiner, Charlie Foltz, and Chuck Rak went on a two-week camping trip into the wilderness. On the second night, Jim noticed a strange bright object in the sky that appeared for about thirty seconds and then vanished. Two nights later on August 20, the men started a fire before launching a boat to fish. Once the men were on the water, the bright object appeared again. Rak was the first to notice the object and tried to signal to the object. Suddenly, the object shot out a bright light, which began following the men along the water. The men began to paddle back to shore. However, when they reached shore, they noticed that the fire had almost completely died down, indicating that there had been a considerable passage of time. However, the men continued their camping trip with no other sightings. 

Years later, Jack and Jim allegedly began having nightmares of the four men sitting on a bench naked and feeling very fearful. Jim contacted a UFO researcher. The researcher found similarities in their stories to those of other claimed alien abduction accounts. Subsequently, all four men agreed to undergo hypnosis. Under hypnosis, the four men all described frightening details of an event. They depicted aliens taking samples of their skin and body fluids. Jack remembered that the aliens had terrifying faces. Charlie described the ship as like a doctor's office. He claimed that they put a panel over his chest and scraped skin from his body. Chuck claimed that he had a good view of what the aliens were doing to Charlie. The device that the aliens used was silver and had curves. To him, it appeared that Charlie was in pain. Interestingly, the men all subsequently took polygraph tests about their abduction and passed.

It must be noted that in 2016 Chuck Rak recanted much of his story. He stated that on multiple nights they had indeed witnessed a strange object in the air while camping in the Allagash Wilderness in 1976. However, he stated that he and the other three men had concocted the abduction accounts in an attempt to make money. 

Many analysts point to one key factor in the event—the campfire. All four men, including Rak, noted that the fire had indeed died down considerably. However, accounts from Rak and Foltz disagreed. Rak claimed the logs that were thrown on the fire were about 3 inches in diameter, which would burn to coals easily and quickly. Foltz, on the other hand, claimed that there were several logs as big around as his thigh. Wood that large in diameter would, of course, take much longer to burn down. 

The mystery remains open, although, for many, Rak’s recanting of the abduction aspect of the story has destroyed the entire narrative. The Allagash Abductions are an interesting story but seem destined to remain on the ever-growing list of unsolved UFO encounters.

The Whaley House - San Diego's Crown Haunting

Any person anywhere in the world would be hard-pressed to find a city—even the smallest, most mundane—that doesn’t claim to have at least a couple of popular haunts with background stories ranging from benign to downright sinister. The stories all seem to have just materialized over time—kind of like their ghostly characters. San Diego, California fits nicely into this mold. Ghost tours take tourists and chill seekers to various locales. The most famous, however, would be the Whaley House in Old Town. 

So, what ushered in the ghosts that reportedly have called the Whaley House “home” for decades? Thomas Whaley purchased the land in 1855 and began construction of the home in 1856. Interestingly, he did so with full knowledge that the site had been used previously for the slow, ignominious execution of infamous horse thief James Robinson. Some might argue that Jim had it coming, as he was suspected of many crimes including arson that completely destroyed a small mining town. Robinson was described as a tall, lanky man. So, at his hanging, when the wagon that he was standing on moved so he could fall, his neck wasn’t broken, as would happen in typical hangings. Instead, Robinson hung and slowly choked to death. It is said that due to this grotesque death, he has remained just beyond the veil of mortal eyes to haunt the site of his execution—which became the Whaley House.

James Robinson is claimed to be the most famous spirit that roams the home. However, other spirits are said to call the Whaley place home, too. Many of the Whaley household are said to haunt the house, including Thomas Whaley himself, his wife Anna Eloise, his daughter Violet who killed herself in the home in 1885, and his son who died in the home of scarlet fever as a small child. Each ghost bears its own unique personality to visitors to the home. Anna brings a comforting, motherly influence while Violet exudes sadness and despair. For the males, visitors can hear the boy Thomas’s cherubic, childish giggles while Mr. Whaley carries the stature and reputation of the successful businessman that he was, cigar smoke and all. 

Some claim that several other ghosts reside in the home, too. Regardless, manifestations have occurred since the 1800s. Owners of the home after the Whaley’s had many encounters with their dead housemates. Eventually, the home was opened as a museum in 1960 and remains open today. Visitors can take guided tours during the day or guided ghost tours at night. 

So, for anyone that enjoys the paranormal—and let’s face it, if you’re reading this, that’s probably you—do a little research in the city where you live and see what haunts are available. Or book a trip to San Diego to check out one of the most haunted homes in America. Either way, it shouldn’t be too hard to get that spine-chilling feeling that so easily puts a smile on your face.