By Tim Binnall
The search for Noah's Ark, the life and legacy of Harry Houdini, and the mysteries of Antarctica were among the fascinating topics explored this past week on Coast to Coast AM. Meanwhile, at the C2C website, we told you about weird UFOs filmed by a webcam in Mexico, a lightning strike that took down a theme park's giant dinosaur, and 140 chickens felled by a wedding DJ's loud music. Check out our round-up of highlights from the past week ... In Coast You Missed It.
The mysteries of Antarctica were in the spotlight on Sunday night's program as adventurer Brad Olsen discussed his visit to the frozen continent and the peculiar historical claims that continue to swirl around it. Recounting his journey to the frosty world by way of a Polish research vessel, he mused that the experience was "bar none, the hardest travel I've ever made." Olsen recalled visiting multiple scientific stations and investigating longstanding tales of Nazi activity on Antarctica. He also talked about Admiral Richard Byrd's Operation Highjump expedition to the continent in the mid-1940s that ended under mysterious circumstances months ahead of schedule.
A pair of interesting videos showing possible paranormal activity in Mexico City made headlines this past week, beginning with an intriguing piece of webcam footage showing some particularly puzzling UFOs soaring over a luxury hotel. The curious scene sparked considerable speculation online, with some suggesting the aerial anomalies were otherworldly and others arguing that they were birds that looked unusual because they flew too close to the camera. Later in the week, an unsettled witness captured footage of what appeared to be a transparent figure moving around an abandoned hospital. Similar to the webcam UFOs, the reaction to the viral video was largely split between those who thought the anomaly was supernatural and skeptics who said the 'spirit' was a trick of light and shadow.
Could the remnants of Noah's Ark be buried on Mount Ararat in Turkey? Independent researcher Andrew Jones made the case for that fantastic scenario on Tuesday night's program. Pointing to a specific boat-shaped anomaly first spotted in aerial photos of the location in 1959, he observed that the oddity seemingly matches the dimensions for the legendary vessel as described in the Bible. Jones also detailed how an examination of the area using ground-penetrating radar and other sensitive scientific instruments suggests that there are multiple cavities and tunnels that would appear to correspond to what one would expect to find with the famed Ark.
The power of sound played a pivotal role in a pair of stories this past week. First, it was revealed that a study on the effect of infrasound, or inaudible sound waves, on the human body found that it produces peculiar feelings of irritability, fear, and discomfort. Since such unheard noises are often produced by old pipes and heating or ventilation systems, it was suggested that this could explain why people perceive paranormal activity in locations where such conditions are common. Later in the week, a far less scientific application of sound occurred in India, where a poultry farmer lamented that a wedding procession playing particularly loud music past his property had shocked a staggering 140 of his chickens to death.
The life and legacy of Harry Houdini took center stage on Thursday night's program as 'weird historian' Marc Hartzman discussed the legendary escape artist's astonishing feats and his fight against fraudulent spiritualism. Marveling that the performer was a media sensation in his day, he explained that Houdini pulled off his death-defying stunts, wherein he often had to hold his breath for several minutes, in part thanks to his staunch commitment to physical training. Hartzman noted that Houdini was profoundly impacted by the passing of his mother, which is what led to his disdain for sham mystics and mediums, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's wife.
Easily, the oddest story of the week came from Kansas, where a theme park's enormous animatronic dinosaur went up in smoke after a lightning strike set the iconic piece on fire. Creating an incredible visual, the massive inferno devoured the faux sauroposeidon that measured approximately 100 feet long and stood a towering three stories tall. When the smoke finally cleared at the family attraction in the community of Derby, all that remained of the piece was an eerie 'skeleton' of the once-mighty dinosaur. The unfortunate incident did have something of a silver lining as it has resulted in an uptick of curious visitors to the theme park, which may keep the creepy framework of the lost sauroposeidon as its own unique attraction.
Coast Insiders can check out all this week's shows as well as the last seven years of C2C programs in our enormous archive. Not a Coast Insider yet? Sign up today.