There are few subjects more perfect for Christmastime than the candy cane. Especially in recent years, but dating back centuries, peppermint has become the official flavor of the holiday season, in the same way pumpkin rules Thanksgiving. Unbeknownst to me, hand-rolled candy canes have become a lost art, but Jerry Rowley of Logan’s Candies is […]
There are very few times in life where you get to be the first ever to do something, but that is exactly what happened to Astronomer Dr. Maria Drout. She was one the team that both “heard” and “saw” a Neutron Star Collision/Merger for the first time! Obviously this was exciting for her, but it […]
My 100th episode: The 100 year anniversary of the 100 inch Hooker telescope. How perfect is that? Dr. Cynthia Hunt was my guide down the truly historic path. Why is it such a big deal? This piece of machinery was paradigm shifting in the way it collected light, and how it was constructed. At the […]
BONUS EPISODE! Jeff walks me through his theory that H. H. Holmes was in fact the notorious Jack The Ripper.
In Part 2 of my H. H. Holmes discussion, I talk to one of his living relatives, Great Great Grandson Jeffery Mudgett. At the forefront of Holmes history, Jeff has both literally and figuratively uncovered some long-hidden evidence, culminating in the exhumation of the body buried in Holmes’ Grave. For years, Jeff has postulated a […]
Harold Schechter is an American true crime writer who specializes in serial killers. He attended the State University of New York in Buffalo where his PhD director was Leslie Fiedler. He is professor of American literature and popular culture at Queens College of the City University of New York. He chose the perfect title for […]
In our first episode, just in time for Halloween, Physicist Dr. Michael Dennin, Rocket Scientist Ben Siepser, Microbiologist Dr. Brittany Needham, and The Analytical Mastermind Daniel J. Glenn discuss how to create your very own reanimated corpse. Okay, so reanimating dead tissue is out of our grasp right now, but there are several alternatives for […]
Finally Michael Carbonaro has come to Fascinating Nouns! I love his show The Carbonaro Effect, but I have been following his career since he was the Magic Clerk on The Tonight’s show! After a four and a half year pursuit I sit down with Carbo, and we get WAY into the weeds. We talk about […]
I am from Chicago, the “Windy City”. It turns out that nickname was earned because native Chicagoians were inherently chatty, or “full of wind”, and not because it is windy weather wise. To make matters more confusing, the city does in fact have incredible gusts, especially in the winter. Why am I bringing this up? […]
BONUS EPISODE! We discuss some of my favorite movies including how The Ghostbusters is a film about the battle between zodiac signs, and how RS4 has NEVER listened to The Wizard of Oz w/Pink Floyd. I am not sure how that is even possible.
I have always been a fan of Easter eggs, hidden clues, and occult mysteries. Enter Robert Sullivan IV, AKA RS4. His books on Cinema Symbolism are amazing. He outlines common mystic narrative threads (Gnosticism, Alchemical, Hero’s Journey), as well as hidden meanings behind popular movies/tv shows. Listen as we discuss his fascination with the […]
John Lybrand is the latest in a long line of Rubel Castle Blacksmiths. He sat down with me to talk about about blacksmithing merit badges, a secret blacksmith society, and how to make a dagger out of old railroad spikes. Here is my interview with Scott Rubel, the legacy of Rubel Castle: Video:
In this modern age, there are a few places filled with wonder and magic. There are even fewer castles. In Glendora, California there is a place with both. Michael started his construction career at nine years old when he would build three story forts out of stuff he found from the local junkyard. All of […]
In a city like Los Angeles, it is hard to stand out, although everyone is desperately trying to. The easyish way to do that is to be the first to do something culturally relevant; first viral star, first one to discover blogging, or the first person to walk across the continent. Charles Lummis was all […]
BONUS EPISODE! Sara dares to discuss the very scary Femme Fatale of the firefly world: Photuris, AKA The Vampire Firefly.
For me, the nostalgic draw of fireflies (which I call lightening bugs) is overwhelming. I remember waiting until dusk to see these amazing creatures take flight, tangible and twinkling, as if the night sky had come down to earth. Their bioluminescence has always captivated me. Luckily Dr. Sara Lewis, the world’s foremost firefly expert, […]
BONUS EPISODE! Carla sticks around to talk about some specific pieces in her collection, including grave wax, items extracted from a human butt, and a teratoma the size of a human head!
Carla Valentine is trailblazer in the Death Industry. She is an author (Past Mortems), blogger, creator of the only Death Industry networking/dating website Dead Meet, former pathologist, and current Technical Curator of the most famous Pathology Museum in the world: St. Batholomew’s! There she is in charge of preserving and categorizing 5,000 specimens of human […]
BONUS EPISODE! Stanton sticks around to discuss a second concurrent crash, one that backs up his theory, and describes a scene involving possible extraterrestrial bodies.
In celebration of the 70th anniversary of what is commonly referred to as “The Roswell Crash”, I was incredibly honored to sit down with none other than Stanton Friedman, the godfather of Ufology. He was the first civilian to seriously investigate the crash. In this interview, we discuss his tenacious research skills, his falling bass […]
What images are conjured when one utters the word “hermit”? An unshaved guru who resides in the wilderness? A Luddite who fears and shuns society? A fancy way of saying homeless? We explore this concept in depth as Michael walks us through his latest book “A Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the […]
When it comes to jerky, most people are familiar with the traditional forms: Beef, turkey, and if you live further out in the country, then venison. If you are REALLY rural, then squirrel and racoon. But what do you do if you are a recovering carnivore, looking to take to the vegan life? Well, I […]
Like most things, I became slightly obsessed with LaVar Ball and his company Big Baller Brand despite every instinct in my body telling me otherwise. LaVar started the company to promote his basketball playing sons, the eldest of which (Lonzo) is a top NBA prospect this draft. He caught a lot of flack in the […]
In the world of paranormal investigations, AKA stories of High Strangeness, credibility can be hard to come by. With all the skeptics, hoaxers, and frauds, it is nearly impossible to provide enough proof and plausibility to convince people of what is happening. Enter Linda Moulton Howe. With over 40 years of impeccable journalism behind her, […]
Cold Atom Laboratory When it comes to Absolute Zero, Dr. Anita Sengupta is a total tease. Her new project, The Cold Atom Laboratory, cools atoms down to a fraction of a degree above Absolute Zero in order to create and verify a new state of matter first postulated by Einstein. Attaining Absolute Zero is […]
BONUS EPISODE! Jason and I discuss Victorian Era Eyeglass Innovations! We talk about the difference between a monocle and a quizzing glass, as well as President Teddy Roosevelt’s pince-nez.
Jason Merrill is a connoisseur of a bygone era. If you want to know proper formal attire from 1837 until 1920, Jason is your guy. We discuss all sorts of ways to improve your fashion. Do you know the difference between shirt studs and cuff links? Are you aware that the so-called fedora you are […]
The British are known for their incredible politeness and impeccable manners. This is fertile ground to produce a world renown etiquette expert. That expert is William Hanson. Besides writing the book on the subject, he also is a Guinness World record holder! The longest curtsy relay, if you must know. We get into the do’s […]
Ben Harrison is the author of the book Undying Love, which tells the story of Karl Tanzler, AKA Count Carl von Cosel. In brief: Karl Tanzler, a German immigrant, makes his way to Key West Florida by way of Havana Cuba. Once there, he sets himself up as an x-ray technician at the local hospital. […]
I have often pondered which is better: Dolls or Teddy Bears. Luckily one woman has designed the perfect museum to answer this question: The Susan Quinlan Doll & Teddy Bear Museum & Library has hundreds of examples of dolls & teddy bears, as well as the world’s largest research library on that same subject. *Spoiler […]
