Guest host Connie Willis (info) welcomed author Dr. Leo Ruickbie for a discussion on the significance of Friday the 13th, its historical origins, and the superstitions associated with it. Ruickbie explained that the superstition surrounding Friday the 13th has deep historical and cultural roots that predate modern pop culture. Historical references include the death of composer Gioachino Rossini on Friday the 13th in 1868, as well as earlier folklore traditions. He pointed to religious and mythological associations, such as the Last Supper, where Judas was considered the 13th guest before the crucifixion on a Friday, and a Norse myth in which the trickster god Loki appears as an uninvited 13th guest at a banquet that ultimately leads to tragedy. These traditions helped reinforce the idea that both the number 13 and the day Friday were unlucky, eventually combining into the widely recognized superstition.
Ruickbie suggested that superstitions like Friday the 13th persist because the human brain naturally seeks patterns and meaning. People tend to remember events that confirm a belief, such as misfortunes occurring on Friday the 13th, while ignoring the many times nothing unusual happens. Ruickbie pointed out that this tendency likely evolved from our ancestors' need to quickly detect potential dangers in their environment. When coincidences occur, they can accumulate into a larger narrative that strengthens the superstition over time, much like a snowball rolling downhill, gathering more associations and stories, he said.
Ruickbie also recounted an unusual personal experience that left him with lingering questions. During his PhD research on contemporary witchcraft, he attended a ritual intended to invoke the Egyptian deity Horus. While observing the ceremony from a dark balcony, he briefly saw what appeared to be a man-shaped figure of fire leaning over the railing, watching the ritual below with a smile. When he turned to look directly, the figure disappeared. Ruickbie acknowledged that the experience could have psychological explanations, such as being primed by the ritual context, but he also admitted it was a powerful and puzzling moment that continues to fuel his curiosity about unexplained phenomena.
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Open Lines followed in the latter half of the program. Caller Kirk, a truck driver traveling through Oklahoma, mentioned an upcoming astronomical event he associated with a future Friday the 13th. He explained that the asteroid Apophis will make an extremely close pass to Earth on April 13, 2029, which he noted falls on a Friday the 13th. Kirk described the asteroid as roughly the size of the Empire State Building and potentially passing about twelve times closer than the Moon, with a small estimated chance of impact.
Caller Don spoke on topics related to paranormal research and alternative health technologies. He mentioned a researcher who set up monitoring stations with infrared and night-vision cameras to track Sasquatch activity, noting a case in Pennsylvania where something reportedly knocked on equipment but did not appear on camera. Don referenced early night-vision technology used during the Vietnam War and speculated about phenomena beyond normal perception. He shifted to discussing quantum interfaces and energy-frequency devices he has used, which he claimed can analyze and help correct health issues remotely, originally developed to monitor astronauts.
Stu from Phoenix recalled that in the days leading up to the famous Phoenix Lights sighting, Coast to Coast AM founder Art Bell had asked listeners to participate in a mass consciousness experiment by mentally inviting extraterrestrials to reveal themselves. Stu suggested the experiment may have worked since the mysterious lights appeared shortly afterward, though he personally missed the event because he was recovering from surgery that night. He noted that several of his cab-driving colleagues saw the lights and had mixed reactions, with some expressing fear.