Author Robert Zimmerman returned to the show to discuss various aspects of space exploration and development. Rather than teaming up with other countries on say a mission to Mars, he advocated for competition. Cooperative efforts between nations can become bogged down in political game playing whereas competition often yields more efficient and less expensive ways of doing things, he opined. Zimmerman also touched on the profusion of new private space endeavors, the "space elevator" project which uses nanotube technology and the repair of the Hubble telescope. The effect of Hubble, with its clear photographs of far away objects such as nebula has been profound, he said and "has changed our impression of the universe." The way astronauts experience life in space has some interesting ramifications, he said. For instance, in their weightless state, the floor and ceiling become interchangeable and their orientation is based on their perspective. There are a number of physical chang ... More »

Cryptozoologist and author Loren Coleman returned to the show, reporting on an unusual rash of mysterious creature sightings in Texas, Maryland, and North Carolina. He classified most of these animals as unidentified "hybrid canine" types and noted that the majority of them lacked hair. Coleman also discussed "thunderbird" reports of large wing-span birds which may live on the tops of certain mountains and could be similar to condors. He also noted tales of the "Big Hoot," a name coined by Mark Hall to describe a giant owl that may be associated with Mothman sightings.Describing a June Bigfoot sighting in Yukon Village, Coleman said witnesses reported seeing a huge "man" covered in hair that crossed the Alaskan Highway in just two steps. He also mentioned a recent report on the "Lake Champlain Monster," which he speculated may be a Nessie-like creature that is akin to a giant seal or walrus. ... More »