Astonishing Legends - podcast cover

Astonishing Legends

Astonishing Legends Productionswww.astonishinglegends.com
{"_":"The world is more mysterious than most people are comfortable imagining. We cross paths with the mystical from time to time and may not even notice it. If we do, we quickly return to our usually mundane daily existence. But what if we not only acknowledged the unknown, we investigated it and spoke with those in the know? That's what co-hosts Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, and co-executive producer Tess Pfeifle do at Astonishing Legends. Over 100 million downloads and hundreds of thousands of listeners have discovered the thrill of exploring the mysteries of our world, showing that the unknown can be both captivating and intriguing. Welcome to Astonishing Legends!\n","$":{"audioboom:html":"1"}}
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Episodes

2nd Chances

Sometimes we get a second chance and sometimes it seems we had no chance at all. What we can count on getting is a cycle of the heartwarming followed by heartbreak, the mundane punctuated with despair and assuaged by moments of joy. But greater than our earthly concerns, the cycle of life continues. Birth follows death as spring follows winter. And within this cycle, every once in a while just to keep it interesting, the wondrous happens. Whether you view the seemingly impossible as merely a coi...

Dec 17, 20161 hr 37 min

Unhappy Endings

Life is fragile and an end comes for us all. But whether that end is labeled as mysterious, ironic, tragic, coincidental or altogether unremarkable, is something for those that survive us to decide. The path of life through the wilderness of our choices can be both rocky and smooth, so look where you're going because others will remember where you've been. Tonight's Quote: “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” — Mark Twain (Samue...

Dec 10, 20161 hr 52 min

Astonishing Legends TV01

Astonishing Legends makes digital media and internet history with our first ever "live" YouTube streaming event! Frankly, we weren't sure any of it would work, so we really didn't announce we'd be doing it, but we thought it might be a fun way to interact with our listeners and answer some of their questions in a text chat stream, all while doing our usual rambling, digressing, and nervous stammering. We really appreciate our audience, so we hope you enjoy it. Depending on how much "flame mail w...

Dec 02, 20161 hr 44 min

The Mothman Part 5

As we approach our Thanksgiving holiday here in the United States, Astonishing Legends would like to thank our fantastic fans from all over the world with our final Part 4B of The Mothman series - the rest of the conclusions. Not only did we think this would make a good bonus for our listeners, but an undivided Part 4 would've been, shall we say, monstrous. Of all the things to be thankful for this holiday season, just remember that as weird as things are, they could always get weirder. Happy Th...

Nov 22, 20161 hr 3 min

The Mothman Part 4

Do we only see what we can understand? And if we refuse or are unable to understand, are we then not seeing all of the elements of our reality? If beings and creatures from alternate realities truly exist, then what is their origin story? What is their purpose and what are we to them, or more to the point, what do they want with us? In Part 4A of our series on the Mothman of Point Pleasant, WV, we examine some of these questions and try to find conclusions of our own, outrageous though they may ...

Nov 17, 20161 hr 27 min

The Mothman Part 3

At 5:00 p.m. on December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge which connected Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and Gallipolis, Ohio, collapsed. Being rush hour in mid-December, the bridge was full of commuters on their way home from work and holiday shopping trips. The collapse sent 32 vehicles into the frigid waters of the Ohio river and 46 people lost their lives, with 2 bodies never to be found. The cause was as prosaic and understandable as it was tragic - a minute defect causing stress corrosion in a ...

Nov 10, 20162 hr 5 min

The Mothman Part 2

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Mothman! Well, we're pretty sure "Mothman" isn't any of those things, neither a moth nor a man, or some unholy combination of the two. If the descriptions by over 100 witnesses are accurate and the symptoms of seeing such a sight are related, then whatever this creature is, it's abilities may go beyond even what is considered possible for an earthly cryptid. Magical flight, a burning, mesmerizing gaze, and haunting dreams are some of his reported traits, but is cl...

Oct 28, 20161 hr 57 min

The Mothman Part 1

All legends are local in a way, and when one local person tells a tale of a strange encounter, it can be a cause for skeptical snickers from the townsfolk. When more than a hundred people from the same region all see the same thing, it can lead to books, a major Motion Picture and even an annual festival. Such is the case with Point Pleasant, West Virginia and the Ohio River Valley's own "Mothman" — whose local sightings turned into national legend. There are several elements that contribute to ...

Oct 20, 20161 hr 28 min

Monsters Among Us

In tonight's episode, Scott interviews journalist, author, and Paranormal Investigator Linda S. Godfrey. We discuss her latest book, Monsters Among Us: An exploration of otherworldly Bigfoots, Wolfmen, Portals, Phantoms, and Odd Phenomena. Linda has appeared on numerous TV shows such The History Channel's Monster Quest, Inside Edition, Sean Hannity and of course as a guest on the Coast to Coast AM radio program. She is the author of over a dozen books, such as Real Wolfmen: True Encounters in Mo...

Oct 06, 20161 hr 57 min

Choose Your Own Adventure

Tonight we are joined by an old friend of Scott's, David Sullivan, or Sully to his friends. Sully has had some interesting things happen in his life, especially when heard through the filter of Astonishing Legends. He relays a few stories that start out pretty light and get progressively darker and darker as the show continues, and by darker we mean real dark. So if you're in the mood for an episode that evokes images of rabies, fate, the forgotten dead and sociopathic behavior, tonight's episod...

Sep 29, 20161 hr 50 min

Skinwalker Ranch Part 3

Could it be that impossible creatures and craft from unimaginable worlds are able to intrude upon ours at will? Real Estate magnate Robert T. Bigelow thought so and assembled a team of scientists and researchers to find out if "Skinwalker Ranch" could be a portal to all manner of weirdness. In order to obtain verifiable data, accepted scientific methods were applied to observation and analyzation at the Sherman family property, by Bigelow's newly formed National Institute for Discovery Science. ...

Sep 15, 20161 hr 48 min

Skinwalker Ranch Part 2

If there are truly supernatural forces at work on the “Skinwalker Ranch,” they do not seem to have your best interests at heart. At the least, they seem to be indifferent to human concerns and endeavors, content to go on about their mysterious business and not above the occasional, seemingly magical prank, no matter the consternation or cost. At the worst, some entities may just want your animals or they may want the spark that gives you life. What the purpose is for their deeds and interactions...

Sep 08, 20162 hr 14 min

Skinwalker Ranch Part 1

Where do you go for your One-stop Shopping for the supernatural? Why the "Skinwalker Ranch" in northeastern Utah of course! It's got it all, including, but not limited to: Skinwalkers (naturally), UFOs, powerful poltergeists, deadly orbs, cryptids, cattle mutilation, interdimensional portals, disembodied voices, shadow beings and other assorted aliens, reptilian creatures, and hybrid wolf beasts, to name just a few. And all this for the low, low price of your grip on reality. It was a cost that ...

Sep 01, 20161 hr 29 min

The Mary Celeste - Ghost Ship Part 3

Whatever the confluence of unfortunate events that caused those on board the Mary Celeste to abandon her, one can surmise two possible final fates for them: either they perished in a maelstrom of sudden violence, or they died a languishing death of attrition. These two perils every sailor must acknowledge for the sea is a merciless mistress, but too cruel to imagine for the likes of a mother and child. If you wish to contemplate the mystery of the Mary Celeste, you would do well to remember the ...

Aug 18, 20161 hr 24 min

The Mary Celeste - Ghost Ship Part 2

The mysterious disappearance of ten souls would not be the last of the misfortune to befall the ill-fated Mary Celeste. Insurance fraud, lost revenue, madness, and suicide would all become dreadful notches in the gunwale of her sad history, along with the premature deaths of three of her captains. Whether you believe in curses or not, often the best insurance is to leave fate untempted. Tonight’s Quote: “The sea has never been friendly to man. At most, it has been the accomplice of human restles...

Aug 11, 20161 hr 9 min

The Mary Celeste - Ghost Ship Part 1

The Mary Celeste is perhaps the most famous case of a "ghost ship." However, when it was discovered adrift on December 5, 1872, no ghosts were found nor any human form for that matter, not Captain Briggs, his wife, his two-year-old daughter, nor the seven crew members. They remain forever missing. But what caused them to vanish? Theories range from seaquakes to hazardous cargo, to a giant squid attack, and even aliens... yes, aliens. We're not saying it was aliens because we'd rather believe it ...

Aug 02, 20161 hr 25 min

The Coral Castle

Is it just a quirky rock sculpture garden, or a megalithic mystery that baffles engineers and scientists to this day? It seems to be both. How was a diminutive man in ill health able to accomplish such a monumental feat all by himself? Ed Leedskalnin, builder of the Coral Castle in Homestead, Florida would never say and he took the answer with him. We know of a few reasons why he made The Coral Castle his life's work, but as for how he made it, we may never know. Tonight's Quote: “I know how the...

Jul 19, 20161 hr 46 min

The Sludge Entity Part 2

There's no greater fear for a parent than their child being harmed and when that child faces a threat, they'll do whatever they have to to protect them, from this world into the next. Whatever that threat is, it had better beware. Tonight's Quote: “We had been through this step before. We know what it’s like to get into that fight or flight mechanism and when it comes to your children, you fight. — "John" the father of "Jack" from The Sludge Entity, Part 1 Show Links: We've found that some sites...

Jul 12, 20161 hr 38 min

The Sludge Entity Part 1

When your loved one is seriously ill, you take them to the doctor. But what do you do when you've taken them to every doctor, specialist and holistic healer you could see, ran every recommended test and all the professionals can tell you is something is definitely quite wrong, but no one can tell you why or what to do about it? This was the case with our guests John and Deborah, whose son Jack was so sick and getting worse that they sought answers where most wouldn't consider looking. Tonight's ...

Jul 04, 201646 min

The Delphos Ring Part 2

What happens when a single event turns out to dominate your life, and for everyone else who isn't a close friend, it's all they want to know about you? Only the Johnson family knows what happened or didn't happen to them, and regardless of what people believe or don't believe, all you can do is to go on living your life as best you can. Except you'll never look at the world the same way again. Tonight's Quote: “Mrs. Johnson noted an immediate numbing at her fingertips. She rubbed her hand agains...

Jun 14, 20161 hr 26 min

The Delphos Ring Part 1

When it comes to the paranormal, people always say they want proof. Well, on Friday, November 2nd, 1971, evidence of what many believe to be "proof" of an Unidentified Flying Object touching down on the Johnson family farm in Delphos, Kansas appeared on the ground and would remain for a very long time. A crusty "ring" in the dirt and damage to the adjacent flora was left behind after the Johnsons described seeing a strange, brightly lit and noisy hovering craft of some kind leaving their propert...

Jun 07, 20161 hr 9 min

The Somerton Man Mystery Part 4

In death, The Somerton Man remains a mystery. But what was he in life? A Russian spy? Was he a black market racketeer, a professional dancer on holiday, an estranged lover saying goodbye one last time, or perhaps a combination of all of the above? Tonight in our final episode on the mystery of The Somerton Man, we look at most of the major theories put forth, and until that day a breakthrough in the case comes to light, we say, Tamám Shud… It is finished. Tonight’s Quote: “Please be advised that...

May 18, 20162 hr 26 min

The Somerton Man Mystery Part 3

We wrap up most of our interview with Professor Derek Abbott in Part 2B of The Somerton Man series, where we learn that when you engage a mystery, the mystery can engage you. Tonight's Quote: "Ah, make the most of what we yet may spend,Before we too into the Dust descend;Dust into Dust, and under Dust, to lie,Sans Wine, sans Song, sans Singer, and—sans End!" Quattrain 23 from Edward Fitzgerald’s translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam Show Links: We've found that some sites are not showing t...

Apr 29, 20161 hr 48 min

The Somerton Man Mystery Part 2

As with any great mystery, it can turn some individuals into steadfast researchers and citizen detectives, dedicating years to a quest for answers. We were lucky enough to interview one such person, Professor Derek Abbott of the University of Adelaide in Australia. In addition to teaching Electrical Engineering at the University, Professor Abbott also has a background in Physics, biomedical engineering, complex systems, and probability theory, which can involve the fields of cryptography and for...

Apr 20, 20161 hr 38 min

The Somerton Man Mystery Part 1

Of the six questions — who, what, when, where, how and why — we only know three when it comes to the mystery of "The Somerton Man." What and where: a middle-aged man found dead on Somerton Beach, which borders the Adelaide, Australia, suburb of Glenelg. When: he was found by passersby at 6:30 a.m. on December 1, 1948. As for the remaining questions, authorities, academics, authors, Australians and curious citizens the world over have been seeking answers ever since. The mundane yet mysterious it...

Mar 17, 20161 hr 30 min

The Somerton Man MiniCast PROMO!

New Episode Friday 3.18.16! Audio of a quick promo of our pending episodes on The Tamam Shud: Somerton Man Mystery. Associated Video of Promo here - http://bit.do/somertonpromo2

Mar 16, 20161 min

The Pearl of Siberia

What's down there? Lost treasure? Legend has it. 20% of the world's unfrozen freshwater sitting on 4.3 miles of sediment? Science confirms it. What about humanoid creatures almost 10 feet tall, wearing silvery suits with helmets out for a deepwater swim, who don't care to be messed with? Well... yes — if you believe a report from the Soviet military. Unbelievable as this sounds, this story is only one of many frequently occurring reports of supernatural events at this magnificent body of water. ...

Feb 27, 20161 hr 46 min

Polybius Ultra

Our ancient ancestors spoke of a legendary place -- where the young and young at heart could test their skills against a magical, electronic device, using strategy, and their reflexes at 25¢ a pop. These wondrous havens were called "Video Arcades" and these hulking machines were called "Video Games." Believe it or not kids, it was the only place you could play a decent-looking, somewhat sophisticated video game, housed in a heavy, laminated wooden cabinet, because at the time the only thing you ...

Feb 04, 20161 hr 34 min

Kincaid's Cave of the Grand Canyon

On March 12, 1909, The Arizona Gazette published an article titled, "G. E. Kincaid Reaches Yuma." It was a short, mildly interesting announcement that Mr. "Kincaid" was only the second person to make the perilous boat trip down the entire course of the Colorado River, starting from Green River, Wyoming and eventually reaching Yuma, Arizona. A feat worthy of mention in the papers of course, but aside from stating that he took over 700 photographs and "Some interesting archaeological discoveries w...

Jan 19, 20161 hr 46 min

The KGC: An American Conspiracy Part 3

They had lawyers, guns and money, as well as cartographers and engineers, tradesmen, politicians and professionals of all station, all embedded in American society and the money in the earth itself. One day these would all be needed by the Knights of the Golden Circle and if the people, their skills and their ideals would not survive the generations then their amassed fortune would. And here is where one legend intersects with another: The Lost Dutchman Mine and the Knights of the Golden Circle....

Dec 19, 20152 hr 13 min
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