By Tim Binnall
The Salem witch trials, UFO disclosure, and near-death experiences were among the fascinating topics explored this past week on Coast to Coast AM. Meanwhile, at the C2C website, we told you about a possible sighting of Argentina's version of Bigfoot, several strange UFO videos, and a Texas woman who married her ex-boyfriend without his knowledge. Check out our round-up of highlights from the past week ... In Coast You Missed It.
Near-death experiences took center stage on Thursday night's program as neurosurgeon Dr. Eben Alexander recounted his transformative glimpse of the 'other side' that occurred when he suffered a severe brain infection that left him in a coma. He marveled that his journey to this unearthly realm altered his view of the universe and caused him to eschew his previously held materialistic view of the world. Alexander described the 'other side' as a place where angelic balls of light attend to festivities filled with love and joy. During his appearance, he also reflected on the profound sense of gratitude he felt upon returning to the realm of the living.
A couple of curious cryptid sightings made headlines this past week, beginning with a case out of Argentina where a witness captured footage of a large bipedal creature that some suggested was an Ucumar, the country's version of Bigfoot. Filmed from approximately 300 feet away, the sizeable beast could be seen bounding across a field as a bewildered observer wondered if they were watching a person or something far more extraordinary. Later in the week, a man visiting Loch Ness for the annual 'monster hunt' was credited with this year's second official sighting of the legendary cryptid after he spotted an unusual anomaly emerge from the water in the wake of a boat.
The infamous Salem witch trials were revisited on Tuesday night's program as Professor Paul DeBole reflected on the hysteria that unfolded in Massachusetts during the 1600s and how it applies to our contemporary times. Pointing to McCarthyism in the 1950s, he cautioned that similar events wherein panic overrides rationality can still occur today. He detailed the societal factors that led to the witch trials and specifically how "spectral evidence" was used in the proceedings. DeBole mused about the legacy of the notorious persecutions and what they taught us about what happens when wrongful accusations are allowed to run amok.
This past week featured a pair of puzzling UFO videos that left us scratching our heads. First, in China, a witness filmed a strange metallic sphere cruising through the sky over a reservoir. The silent object's unusual maneuvers left the observer convinced that it was not a drone nor a balloon. The odd orb is remarkably similar to equally mystifying spheres that have been seen over the last few months. Later in the week, footage emerged of a veritable flying saucer filmed during a US reconnaissance mission military over the Afghan-Pakistan border. Abruptly changing directions in mid-air, the sizeable object showed no sign of any propulsion system and, weirdly, no heat signature was detected by thermal radar.
The past few years have been transformative for the UFO phenomenon as government and public interest in the topic has increased exponentially. On Saturday night's program, longtime disclosure activist Stephen Bassett returned to C2C to discuss the current state of the search for answers about unidentified aerial phenomena. He posited that we are currently seeing the collapse of a decades-long effort to keep the reality of UFOs hidden from the public. While an array of esteemed individuals have given their proverbial endorsement for the phenomenon being genuine and worthy of exploration, Bassett stressed that only the president making an official announcement would truly break the case open in the minds of the public.
By far the weirdest story of the week came by way of Texas, where a man was stunned to discover that his ex-girlfriend had married him without his knowledge. The bizarre case came to light when his former paramour sent him a puzzling package. Contained in the bundle was a picture of his ex holding a seemingly completed marriage license for the duo as well as documentation confirming that it was genuine. A subsequent police investigation revealed that the pair had previously planned to get married, but broke up following an argument. Still in possession of the paperwork, the enterprising ex somehow convinced a pastor and county officials to sign off on the marriage license with the stunned man none the wiser.
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.