From the unexplained to the mundane, come join us on a journey to the fringe. Hello and welcome to Journey to the Fringe. If the fringe is calling you, it's really best not to travel alone. There's a lot of assholes out there. Just like so many. We are. You're friendly, I promise. podcast hosts Taylor and Chelsea. Here today, it's been a while since I've done kind of a general overview of a fringy topic, Chelsea, but I wanted to do one. And you know what it's gonna be today? What?
Tunnels. Fringy tunnels. Oh, I thought you said funnels. I was like like the thing you used to help put the water all into one place. OK, I don't know why. I feel like my texting on my phone has gotten worse and I don't know if it's me or the phone. Oh, mine is. But I've been misspelling a lot of things really badly the last little while. I also just switched over to an iPhone and also I was concentrating on how I wanted
to clarify the fringe that we're a part of. We are not the assholes, I think that we border on. on it sometimes. I don't think we are either. I'd like to think we're friendly. I mean, we are mean to the assholes, I think, and I don't think it's, or I shouldn't say mean. We are critical of the assholes, which I don't think is a mean thing. We're just telling it like it is. That doesn't make us assholes. And I think people should be aware of the assholeness of those people.
Nobody's ever called us assholes. They've just told us that we laugh a lot, which is a compliment. Yes. Thank you. or a compliment even though you've never listened again. It's true, we did lose someone there rather quickly into their journey here to the fridge. I still can't tell if they liked the asshole that we were talking about or not but nonetheless they were critical of our laughing which we took as a compliment and continued making no changes to it. This is for
us after all, you're not paying us. Today we're going to be talking about tunnels and that seems like a weird topic or something that you can't really do a whole episode on but Chelsea I got 19 pages here to talk about and oh shit I'm gonna have to go to bed halfway through well I can entertain everybody for the second don't worry about that okay anyhow tunnels can be fringy in many different ways for Chelsea a tunnel can be haunted a tunnel can be mysteriously old and
not known about for a long time a tunnel can be associated with UFOs or aliens and I didn't want it to Dispriminate I wanted to give us a sprinkling of this entire group and just say like hey, there's some weird tunnels out there Let's talk about that. So Chelsea today's never terrified of tunnels I don't think so no more so than you were before I should say so I can't confirm how you felt I'm skeptical for okay.
I'm skeptical but Yeah, I'm excited. The first tunnel we're gonna be talking about is actually in Portland, Oregon It is called the Shanghai tunnels seems like a weird place to be found Yeah, why it's called Shanghai Tunnels. Maybe we'll explain here. I'm actually fairly certain we do because I'm afraid this script is mine, but it is a weird name and Portland's a weird place. Yeah, it is. In downtown Portland, tourists gather in the shops and restaurants completely
unaware of what lies beneath their feet. Lying down there is a series of 150 -year -old tunnels that connect the basements of the city's oldest buildings to the Willamette River, as well as Portland's Chinatown. The tunnels were built by Chinese workers during the time when Chinatown was the center of trade business. The tunnels' original design was for transporting goods from cargo ships to the inner city. By using the tunnels, the ship's crew could avoid the hassles of inner
city traffic. This was good for the business of Portland because many of them stored their goods in their basements. But unbeknownst to the good people of Portland, the tunnels had much more nefarious use back in those days. Portland was a small town at the time, but it had a large port that could support many ships. Many cargo ships sailed for many months across the Pacific
before unloading their cargo in Portland. Because the sailors had a very short window of downtime, before they had to pack up and set sail again. Many sailors spent their time drinking in the bars or fighting in the... loons. Some sailors took the opportunity to abandon their life at sea because they feared death by disease or debilitating injury. This would leave sea captains with empty positions that they would have to fill in order to leave port on time. People were oftentimes
reluctant to sign up for a long sea voyage. So crooked captains would hire men to Shanghai replacement sailors 50 bucks a head. This is where the Shanghai tunnels get their names from. But it didn't explain what that means. Shanghai sailors? They would Shanghai sailors like abduct them. Why is that? That's what it says. I'm sorry. You can't see this people were oftentimes reluctant to sign up to long sea voyages So cookie captains would hire men to quote unquote Shanghai replacements
like abduct them. Why is that the word for it? I don't know. I'm sure there is a reason but I don't know Men looking to make a quick buck would prowl Portland's bar saloons and taverns looking for young, able -bodied men who were alone. These Shanghaiers would wait until the target was drunk and then take him down to the basement. They would knock the man unconscious and drag him through the Shanghai t - Once on board the ships, these men chose labor over starvation.
Some men managed to escape the ships and warned the public about the Shanghaiers. Stories about the Shanghaiers circulated Portland and soon men became more cautious when drinking out at the bar. No kidding. When abducting men became difficult, savvy Shanghaiers kidnapped women instead. Women who frequented bars alone became easy prey for Shanghaiers. Many bars had trap doors that were sprung on unsuspecting women. Once the women fell into the tunnel, it was impossible
to get back out. Prostitution rings often and used the tunnels to hold groups of women in cages for long periods of time. This gave them enough time to secure buyers outside of Portland. Chinese gangsters were also known to Shanghai people after doping them. Chinatown had many different conflicting gang groups who oftentimes had their own separate tunnels towards the docks. They used the tunnels to sneak in immigrants as well
as goods and drugs. And the many different brothels, bars, and gambling lairs received these goods and people through their own personal trap doors and tunnels. Personal. Yeah, like most of these gangs in the area using tunnels. prevented them from being busted by the police. During Prohibition, the Shanghai tunnels became underground expressways. Shanghires used the tunnels to transport alcohol shipments from the ships on the Willamette River
to bars all over Portland. Bars, hotels, and taverns often used secret passages in the Shanghai tunnels to conduct their business away from prying eyes. Police routinely raided bars during Prohibition, making daily operations impossible for bar owners. To combat this, bar owners began stashing their alcohol supply deep in the Shanghai tunnels to avoid arrest. Hidden doors were also commonly
used in bars during this time. Police officers raided bars, taverns, and saloons in large groups, which made it impossible for criminals to escape. Bar owners used hidden doors and passages to hide their business associates when they were on the run. Once the police concluded their business, the criminals would return to their seats at the bar and have another drink. Once police officers realized that businesses and gangs were using tunnels, they began to conduct searches of them.
Unfortunately, police officers were oftentimes unsuccessful because of the time sheer expansiveness. Gangsters and bar owners had long since mapped out the underground passageways and knew exactly where to hide their goods. I did not know that history about Portland, that there's an entire underground. It's actually a fairly common thing on the West Coast, it seems, because Seattle too has like a very extensive underground city.
Yeah, apparently that was a thing. You just had to build a city and then when that didn't work out, you just built another one on top of it. I did find out why it's referred to as Shang Haiing. I thought that it was racist. I would have thought too. But they call it Shanghai -ing because that was a common destination for the ships to go with the abducted crew members because they were doing like routes and stuff like that. Interesting, okay. We've learned more than just
the tunnels in Portland. Today the Shanghai tunnels are used mainly as tourist attractions. You can actually go see parts of them. Of course, yeah. I would do that. Yeah, that sounds actually fairly entertaining. During the height of its operation, an estimated 2 ,000 people a year were Shanghai -ing. hide through Portland's underground tunnels, which is crazy. That's a ton of people, particularly because Portland wasn't a huge city 200 years
ago. Yeah. Well, it would have been, I didn't actually know that Portland was a port city, but it makes sense actually now that I said Portland and port in the same sentence. Funny enough. But I mean, sailing was a huge thing, I guess, back then. So why not kidnap lots and lots of people to work on the boats if you needed them? Well, I'm particularly like, yeah, like a place where you kind of stopped off after long voyages and people just wanted to fuck off. And that's
what happened. According to experts, many unfortunate souls never made it out of these tunnels alive. Many were beaten, starved, and left for dead within the tunnels. Gangs used these tunnels for their hideout and would often drag their victims down into the tunnels to keep them from talking to the police. There's evidence that gangs even kept disobedient members in the tunnels as a form of punishment. Oftentimes disobedient gang members would be left by themselves with
no light. Sometimes the gangs would retrieve their man after a certain period of time and other times they wouldn't. If parts of the tunnels go on for miles and miles, it would be easy to get lost in the dark, especially without a light
to see where you were going. The labyrinth of underground tunnels is still explored today, and explorers can travel underground and see the holding cells once used by the prostitution rings, as well as the trap doors the Shanghais dropped people through, which are still functional in some bars. Although no one should explore the tunnels by themselves, there are many tunnels that have collapsed over the years, and some
tunnels lead to nowhere. If you are going on a Shang - high tunnel adventure, make sure to stay close to your guide as you can. You definitely don't want to get lost. Chelsea, is that guy trapped down there by chance? Are you talking about the picture I just sent you? Yes. I don't know how I got here, but I just wanted you to see the ass on this Loveland Frog. They really emphasize the Loveland Frog's ass. It's juicy. The frog works out and everybody needs to know
this. It actually has nothing to do with the tunnel. I just happened to come across and I was like, wow, look at his ass. he just comes up in the weirdest spots. I know. I'm gonna close my tab now with a level of rock art. Deep within the tunnels, travelers report feeling goosebumps as if someone is watching them from the shadows. Many people report seeing an Asian man walking past them in the tunnels. Explorers name the spirit Sam and say that he is responsible for
turning off the lights in Bar's basements. Sam also likes to move things around in the tunnels as explorers walk by. One tour guide reported hearing a voice calling out the name Sam over and over again. Ed echoed through the tunnels
and scared him. guess because his entire group was behind him he knew that it was not one of them he says it was one of the scariest experiences of his life go ahead Sam wouldn't be calling his own name that's a fair point but maybe he does because it scares people because he knows he's scary or yeah or because he wants people to know who he is maybe so you're not gonna know the people who are there you've been dead like why would you know them so it is best yellow
your name oh you're into Other seeing quick movement of shadows and feeling ghostly fingers on their
shoulders when no one else is around. Most tunnel tourists say that Sam is good ghost and look forward to feeling his presence that's really creepy that is weird that's a bad touch from a ghost that is stockholm syndrome you should um is that stockholm syndrome no it's still creepy don't let ghost touch sam's fingers touch me tonight that's a weird sentence to say yeah i don't like it i don't want to go there anymore nope he says his name lovingly in your ear i
don't like it sam Other tunnel spirits are known as tricksters who just love to have a good time. They will often pull at your shirt tail or gently tug at the ends of your hair. One gets reported feeling a small tug on her shirt before she tripped. She was not injured, but it was an experience she says she will never forget. Some people recall feeling unwelcome like someone or something is
watching them. One man remembers hearing the sounds of like whistling just before he was thrown to the ground and that is particularly hilarious for me because he keeps saying that he knows how to whistle that's what I'm picturing right now yeah after standing up he turned to see who had knocked him down assuming it was the small chat who didn't know how to whistle. Lifting his flashlight, he saw that no one was behind him. The man reported that it was the last time
he would be visiting. Although there are some scary reports of ghostly activity coming from down in the tunnels, most of the experiences are friendly. If you go, be prepared to experience complete darkness, bring your own water and stay with your group at all times. Why? There's not water down there? Well, you're going to the Willamette River, so I guess if you really want to, you don't want to drink that water. And also, I assume
you're not actually going to be close. Lots of real klutzy people going down into these tunnels. Lots of fallen. And apparently the tour guides really like to push and be handsy, is what I'm getting from this story. That's also what I'm getting from it. Anyhow, that actually sounds like a really fun ghost tour if you happen to be in Portland. Those tunnels sound fascinating. Also, just try and stay on your foot. Wear extra layers that are tight. And watch your footing.
Next up, Chelsea, we're heading to Scotland for the Edinburgh Vaults. Now, the story of the Edinburgh Vaults began in the late 18th century with construction of the South Bridge in 1788. Designed as a grand passage linking the Old Town to the burgeoning South Side, the bridge was more than just a structure. It was Edinburgh's first purpose -built shopping
street. Where behind the facade of the tenements that flanked the bridge, a hidden network of chambers was created within its 19 arches repurposed as storage rooms, workshops, and spaces for bustling tradesmen. For around 30 years these vaults thrived with life serving as taverns, cobblers workshops, and even storage for whiskey distillers. However, the fate of these subterranean spaces soon took a darker turn. A bridge had been hastily constructed
and its foundations were far from secure. Water began seeping into the vaults, flooding the floors, and driving out legitimate businesses. By the early 1800s, only the poorest of Edinburgh's citizens remained. The vaults devolved into a den of inequity, home to illegal gambling dens, illicit whiskey distilleries, prostitution, and even rumors of body snatching. Oh my god. They were boasting about the whiskey distillers at the beginning and now it's the illicit whiskey
distillers that moved in. They're both signifiers of good and bad economies. It's beautiful. Especially in Scotland. It got so bad the whiskey distillers moved in, or it was so beautiful that the whiskey distillers moved in. It was thriving, the whiskey distillers came in. Anyhow, there was not a normal economy there. It was not on its middle times. Conditions further deteriorated. Damp, dark, and devoid of sunlight, the vaults became nearly
uninhabitable. By the 1860s, even the most desperate souls had vacated the vault, and they were sealed, lost to the city above. For decades, the vaults faded from memory, and it wasn't until a chance discovered in the 1980s that they were thrust back into the limelight. A former Scottish rugby internationalist stumbled upon a hidden tunnel leading to the vaults, rediscovering this forgotten world. What Rowan found was a shadowy filled with relics of its past, a time capsule of human
habitation and hidden history. From the moment the vaults were unearthed, stories of ghostly apparitions and eerie encounters began to surface. The vaults, steeped in their grim history, seemed to have soaked up the pain, fear, and misery of those who once lived and died in their damp confines. Paranormal investigators and ghost hunters flocked to the site, eager to experience
the supernatural for themselves. The Edinburgh vaults are widely believed to be haunted due to their dark past, a history filled with crime. death and disease. Several spectral residents are thought to dwell with one called Mr. Boots, also called the Watcher, an intimidating presence often heard by the heavy footfalls of boots. Some believe he was once a safeguard or watchman who still patrols the vault. Yes, it's not because he has a cat. I was gonna say, does he walk around
going, Mr. Boots? Boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots
boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots boots I might also add. That is. And I can't say if that didn't happen to me, I'd be
like, just come home with me. I guess we have a ghost child now. We've adopted him. How do we do this legally? Is that better than coming home with a dog to like a spouse? No, I can't imagine that it would be. It might be a step below that as in worse. OK. How would you be like? Financially, I think it's fine, right? Because like you don't have to feed. You don't have to take it out to go pee. You don't have to worry about biting somebody. I don't think.
Yeah. Also, I think we learned that you don't have to disclose it on a sale of a house unless you specifically market it as a haunted house because you brought the ghost child home. And not if you're officially adopting the ghost child, I think. Yeah, because it would come with you if you moved. Yeah, you'd be like, we have good news. And then they'd be like, what do you mean we? And we'd be like, Mr. Boots here. But his
name's not Boot. His name's Jack. Yeah, it's whatever he screams in the middle of the night. Creepy ghost kid. But we're now the proud parents to Jack here, who's a child ghost. We'll be putting him through college. And they also say this, although I find it hard to believe that it was once the site of witchcraft and this vault is said to trap negative energy. Visitors have reported mysterious scratches and an overwhelming sense of unease, which I have a hard time when people
say like witchcraft was practiced here. I have a feeling that we don't understand what they were practicing and we just branded it vaguely as witchcraft or pig. That's true. I can get on board with that. Definitely. I still do it Yeah, if anyone says anything uncomfortable to me, I'm like witchcraft. Well, you're gonna get burned Yeah, I only have two reactions. That's just what you say. Yeah. Catch them off guard.
The vaults have earned a reputation, at least according to the websites I have read, as one of the most haunted locations in Scotland, which I think is pretty good. Like Scotland has to be a pretty haunted place. People got nothing else to do in Scotland other than drink and haunt and fight. Oh, that's true. Did we not do a haunted forest in Scotland or was it Ireland? No, Ireland. That one was in Ireland. Yeah. That was a good one. That was spooky. Druids too in Scotland,
right? I assume so. I think everything that's not England. I had those might have been just catch all witchcraft in my mind. Oh, good point. Never thought of it that way. And also, Chelsea, this next sentence, shadows of shadowy figures, disembodied voices and strange orbs of light are frequently reported. Those shadowy figures could be droid ropes. We don't know. Shadows of shadowy figures is extremely descriptive, by the way. Lightings of shadowy figures. I might
have missed that. OK, I liked it better when you put it shadows of shadowy. You don't actually see this we figure you see their shadows Definitely could be druids some visitors even claim to have been pushed or touched by unseen hands Of course, it seems like Sam is It's a tunnel thing. I think it might actually be a tunnel thing here It's a tunnel thing I'm thinking first hand accounts from those who have dared to spend the night in the vaults reveal just how unsettling these
Experiences can be also. I'm a little upset. They haven't explained they said these things got flooded and people just abandoned them and forgot about them. So I guess the flooding has gone away over time. I don't know. They haven't really explained that part. Does it? Would it do that though? Or are we, should we picturing everyone exploring like in like waist deep water? I would go in there. I would have thought that. And in like coveralls, like those mud gummies.
up to their chest, looking for crawdaddies. That's just a total note for me. Would never do that. That can just remain in water in silence. Also, I just can't imagine somebody spending the night in something with even ankle -deep water. No, that's true. But if you're ghost hunting, are you taking a rest anyway? I guess the ghosts even haunt watery places. They might be. It doesn't seem like that big a place, but they might be
in a dinghy. I don't know. To that point, I think the Titanic would still be haunted even though it's under like that is an interesting take i don't think the ghost could take the pressure really yeah you think they're pressure based eh not only do i think they're pressure based i just don't think there's enough conscious observation down there for people to ghost to bother haunting it oh it's like if a tree falls in the woods you think that a ghost needs someone to i think
ghosts need something there really interesting i think hmm wow we're really cutting deep on this one i guess This brings the question of can space be haunted Chelsea? I mean, yeah, technically no Mmm, I want to say yeah, but it feels wrong.
Okay. Well, we should focus on this because I get a lot to go but those are questions we need to come back to at some point we do we do one investigator shared their tale of several overnight stays describing strange footsteps echoing through the darkened halls and a night when everyone in a room suddenly felt ill despite having eaten in different places earlier that day another group gathering for an investigation at 4am reported a sudden change in atmosphere a mysterious citrus
scent began to walk through the dark room only for them to discover the source was a cleaner mopping the next door proof that not every eerie occurrence can be attributed the paranormal. They were cleaning upstairs and they could smell it. What a weird note to put in there because it's not ghostly at all. There is a cleaner there, okay? Not there, above them, which they didn't know. Yeah, there are more unsettling feelings
that cannot be easily explained. Many visitors, including seasoned ghost hunters, report no overwhelming sense of unease while inside the vault, finding they can only tolerate the oppressive atmosphere for a short period. Some have spoken of a deep instinct to flee as if the very walls themselves are closing in. One of the most chilling explorations of the vault was featured in the popular TV show
Most Haunted in 2003. Presenter Yvette Fielding and her team, including psychic medium Derek Acora, descended into the vault, armed with night vision cameras and an open mind. The episode, part of the show's third series, is now legendary for the eerie encounters it documented. Acora quickly sensed the presence of spirits. The team experienced unexplained noises, footsteps, and even a chilling whistling sound that seemed to come from nowhere. I'm getting the exact same
description. from this tunnel as the Portland tunnel. Creepy hands, a guy yelling his name, although we did just add the name yelling, and really handsy ghosts. These are the same place. Yeah, it's a tunnel thing I'm starting to think. And these things actually look so creepy. Like it looks like compartments under Edinburgh. Like it's super weird. Yeah, they're very aptly named the vaults. And then if you look at some of the pictures, they look like some of them have freaking
like jail. By the end of the night, the crew was more than ready to leave, declaring Edinburgh Vaults one of the most unnerving locations they'd ever investigated. The rediscovery of the Edinburgh Vaults has unearthed more than just hidden chambers. It has opened a portal to the past, revealing a darker, more often forgotten side of Edinburgh's history. These vaults, very deep beneath the city's cobbled streets, are a tangible reminder of the desperate and destitute who once called
them home. Today, the vaults serve as a chilling attraction for those seeking a bri - with the supernatural. Ghost tours regularly wind their way through corridors with guides recounting tales of paranormal sightings and unexplained phenomena. Companies like all Greeky Tours offer, you know, they gotta pay us to say this, I'm taking that out. Meanwhile, The Vault also doubles the unique event space, posting everything from plays and performances to private gatherings,
adding another layer to the eerie charm. So another place that has an identical situation. Creepy nonetheless. Very. looking at them as part of the creepiness too. People in the 1800s, they had to have known they were making it look haunted at that time. You had to have been aware that this was like a creepy place to be. They weren't just oblivious to it, do you think? It had to come up over one of the 15 whiskies that you
drank within a day. which is like the minimum limit that you had to drink in the 1800s when you were designing things. If Mad Men's anything to be extrapolated from. Okay, so we're of the consensus that yes, they did know it was creepy.
Oh, they had to. there they had to have they were negligent designers that they did not know do you think they liked being down there they had stores down there they like like going shopping down there and i look at them like this is not a shopping place they didn't like going down there they liked their workers being down there i think was the beginning oh okay Okay. They thought they were quaint little places for the people who wanted to work work. Okay. I get it
now. They just so happened to doom them all to a haunted life in the like not too distant future. And that helps us have a podcast today to talk about things. Yeah. So thank you for that guys. Your whiskey riddled corpses and therefore ghosts are thanked. We're very thankful for you. Thank you, Sam. The next place we're going to talk about is something that we probably should have talked about at some point in the last four years, and we're only going to very vaguely touch on
it. And that is Denver International Airport. Okay. I was like, they're haunted tunnels, but okay, it's just tunnels in general. Tunnels in general, and we're moving away from the ghosty bits now we're moving into the UFO bit now. the variety in this episode. When Denver International Airport, DIA, opened in 1995, few could have predicted it would become a magnet for conspiracy theories that it became to this day, which is also why I think that we haven't touched on it
because it is so widely known. Yeah. Have you been there? No, but I've seen so many documentaries on it. I don't. Yeah. Yeah, me too. I never even. They've embraced it so much now. Yeah, they've embraced it so much. Why not? Like it stops conspiracies by being two main It really does. Yeah. Yet its combination of artwork, mysterious construction elements, and vast underground infrastructure, which is the part we're going to be talking about, has made it a focal point for speculation about
subterranean secrets. Conspiracy theorists point to several unusual features to the airport. Its dedication capstone bears Masonic symbols and mentions the New World Airport Commission, a name suspiciously similar to the New World Order, referenced in many conspiracy theories. Well, that's suspicious. Meral throughout the terminals depict a pos - that some interpret as predictions of future devastation. Even the runway layout has drawn scrutiny, which claims that it resembles
a swastika when viewed from above. Beneath the terminal lies an extensive network of tunnels, which were originally built for an automated baggage system that famously failed. These tunnels, along with the underground trains that carry passengers between the concourses, provided the infrastructure for theories about deeper, more secretive levels beneath. Stacey Stechman, the airport's senior vice president of communication has addressed these series directly. Quote, we
served almost 78 million passengers here. Do people think we can hide secret bunkers and alien testing from them as well as the 40 ,000 people who work here? That's pretty brilliant if we could, end quote. And that's the tongue in cheek side that they've taken with this as the conspiracy is just kind of approaching them head on. Which frankly, not enough things do that. I feel like you could belittle conspiracy theorists completely out of it if you jokingly address their issues.
Yes, exactly. I mean, you look at a lot of conspiracy theories and they just don't address it. Yeah. I mean, I could and that's how it grows. And that exactly. But I'm not going to lie. Like why you make him run ways in the shape of swastikas. Like that's not normal. I know. And seriously, the fact that like it is a very extensive underground tunnels that they put in here that kind of are unaddressed because they didn't actually end up getting used for what they were supposed to
be used for. Yeah. time like okay I get it you tried to do something state -of -the -art and it didn't work okay fair enough fair enough but what's down there now gotta be people like touching you and pulling on your shirts and like saying their name probably just I mean for yeah for the loving touching this you got to yell your name yeah yeah exactly that's the rule unlike most targets of conspiracy theories DIA has embraced reputations and even installing a talking animatronic
gargoyle that jokes with passengers about the rumors this playful approach has paradoxically fueled I haven't heard from it a long time. That probably doesn't mean just because I'm not paying attention to it that it doesn't still exist. But seriously, what's up with this gargoyle? Is that not really weird? And you will see this connected with blizzard people, UFOs, with alien transport. I don't know for sure. I couldn't
find anything of him doing that. Like that gargoyle has like completely discredited the entire conspiracies around this airport. The gargoyle and the PR team in whole. I mean, bravo to the PR team. That is pretty awesome. I want to know like what he jokes about. That is so funny. I love it. Maybe we can put it in if we can find it. Like I said, I'm keeping it vague on the Denver International Airport, that's all I have on it. It might have
a whole episode on it in the future. And I particularly want to look at it as like how it was able to successfully quash conspiracies. I think it is a very interesting case study to look at, but that's what we're looking at it right now. Are you following that though? Like, would you know that it adopts the conspiracy theories? I look at conspiracy websites and this whole topic in
general. I don't Google Denver International Airport that often, but But like, I'm part of the conspiracy community said it doesn't come up anymore. And it, everything was about it 10 years ago. That's true. I will, I will agree with you on that actually now that I'm thinking about it. Cause I was like, where would I see it? But I am on conspiracy Reddit threads and where else are you going to see it if you're not seeing it on Reddit? Yeah. And I don't go
on TikTok. Maybe it's on TikTok. Maybe I got to take a look around there, but you're right. Okay. I agree with you now. Next place we're looking at area 51. There's underground tunnels there. Yes, potentially. Oh no, are there gray fingers in these tunnels? I don't know why, but they're creepier than human fingers. What was his name? The visitor from Serpo. EB1 or EB2? Yeah. Do you think he's yelling that and touching you? Yeah, probably. Because he died too, probably
in these very same tunnels. Yeah, he could be a ghost there, were them likely. Yeah. No, I don't want gray fingers. I have more to this part of the episode than just us speculating about EBs. Or even, god, I can't remember. We need to do another episode on these guys. I love those guys so much. Serpo. No discussion of a - alleged alien facilities would be complete without mentioning Area 51. The classified U .S. Air Force base in Nevada, U .S. has become
synonymous with government UFO secrecy. Though its existence was only officially acknowledged in 2013 following a Freedom of Information Act request, Area 51 has basically been the subject of speculation and rumors since the 50s. I think, nah, probably 70s, but a long time. Yeah. The documented secrecy surrounding the base including restricted airspace, armed guards, and the use
of deadly force. authorized, warnings provided fertile grounds for theories about what might be happening not just on the surface but beneath it. Locals have reported seeing convoys of military vehicles disappearing near the base, fueling speculation about an entrance to vast underground tunnel networks. Mining expert Christian Gronau, who works in the region, suggested Area 51's most sensitive operations have moved underground
in the 70s. Quote, Area 51, what you see like on Google imagery, that was the 50s, 60s, and 70s. Since then, they've gone everything they do is underground." End quote. Grown -out and others propose that the massive amount of excavated materials from these alleged underground expansions is disguised through heap leaching at nearby
mines. This process, which uses mercury and cyanide to break down ore into slurry that can be pumped away, would theoretically allow the disposal of thousands of tons of excavated rock without obvious surface evidence. The speculation about Area 51's underground component intersects with the persistent claims about recovered aliens. spacecrafts and bodies, particularly with the alleged 1947 Roswell incident, which for the sake of it, we're just going to pretend that
we believe at this point. Go look back on our actual beliefs of Roswell from there. Interesting take that we're taking on this one. It's very shocking. The theory holds that materials were transported to Area 51 for study and reverse engineering, and with the most sensitive work occurring in deep subterranean labs shielded
from both radiation and surveillance. While the US government has acknowledged that Area 51 was was used to develop secret aircrafts like the U -2 spy plane and the SR -71 Blackbird, explaining many of the UFO sightings in that area, it has never addressed claims about underground facilities or alien technology. This official silence, combined with base's remote location and extreme security measures, ensures that Area 51 remains a blank slate onto which theories about the underground
-alien collaborations continue to object. The combination of verified secrecy and persistent witness accounts create an enduring mystery, while skeptics note that the logistics of maintaining both secrecy and life's for extensive underground facilities would be enormously challenging. Believers counter that the technological capabilities of the US military, particularly with potential alien assistance, would overcome these obstacles.
Without definitive evidence, either way, Area 51's underground secret remained tantalizing, yet out of reach. There are people that we could look at who report to have worked at Area 51 too, including Bob Lazar, who do talk about the underground facilities. Interesting. I've never heard that before. I don't think, maybe I have.
And two, we could have included Dulce in the - as well, but we have clearly talked about the Dulce Tunnels, the deep underground military base there, so we don't need to worry about that one. Yeah, don't worry about it. That's our stance. Now, Chelsea, those are the alien tunnels that we're going to be talking about. Next up, we're going to be talking about ancient tunnels that are just weird. Okay. Have we not talked about
that yet? Different. kinds of weird. Okay, I'm looking forward to finding the distinction between the two. We're just gonna go to the Erdstahl tunnels from here, Chelsea. Okay, I've never heard of that. These ones are so weird. I know you say never heard of it, but it is not one thing in particular. The Erdstahl tunnels are unexplained passages numbering in the thousands
are located in a mix of European countries. There are 2000 known Erdstahl tunnels throughout Europe with the highest concentration being Bavaria with 700 of them. and Austria having 500 of them. They have also been found in France and Great Britain. Researchers are at a loss of their origins. There are countless earthen tunnel systems around the world, but a few features distinguish earth cell tunnels. The term earth cell is German, loosely translating to earth stable or a mining
tunnel. The label has come to be associated with a very specific variety of human -made subterranean passages. An earth cell system is made up of narrow tunnels that have been carved into a smooth ovular shape aligned either vertically or horizontally. The passages tend to be notably tight, measuring only a few feet tall by a few feet wide. Some of the discovered ursal tunnels contain crude structures in their terminus that could have been benches. although who would have waited
to sit there in the dark is unknown. Another aspect of the tunnels are choke points called schlups or slipouts. These uncomfortably tight holes would act as a transition point between portions of the passages dug at a higher or lower elevation, requiring anyone passing through to contort and squeeze their way by. Ritzel tunnels are also notable for having only one point of entry and exit, usually tucked away in the footprints of old settlements or even hidden in the wilderness.
The feature made the airflow through the nearly non -existent. This feature made the air flow through the tunnel nearly non -existent. The single most common trait among Earth's little tunnels is a sense of mystery. While it is likely that such tunnels were created in the Middle Ages, as far back as the 12th century, the complete lack of archaeological signifiers found in the barren underground passages make them difficult
to date. In addition, the historical records do not contain any known account of the tunnels' construction. Given their strange appearances and even odder lack of artifacts, no small amount of specular guarding the use and purposes of these tunnels. In 2011, an article in Der Spiegel that sparked a rush of online interest in the Erdstil tunnels sparked a rush of online interest in the Erdstil tunnels. A number of possible
meetings were put forth. One theory is that the tunnels were used for storage, but the narrow slip passages and the fact that many of them lie below the waterline and occasionally fill with water make this seem largely impractical. Another popular explanation championed in the article by Erdstil researcher Joseph Weischenberger described the tunnels as essential hiding places
for tribes. In Weischenberger's view, the peasant carvers of the Erdsel Passages would take temporary shelter in the tunnels along with their valuables, allowing the rampaging whores to pass overhead. The slip -outs separating the chambers, Weischenberger said, were put in place to trap oxygen in each section so people could move deeper as the oxygen
in their chamber depleted. The tunnels as defense explanation is problematic, not just because the Erdsel Passages are also so claustrophobic, even if they were used as temporary shelters, the ability to cut off the air supply to the entire system via the single entrance makes the proposition extremely dangerous, but not impossible.
While Weichensberger had rejected the idea that the tunnel had a spiritual purpose, given the lack of records pertaining to the creation of the aerosol systems, it seems like they could have been almost anything. Dr. Spiegel says that they might have been created as way stations for the souls of the deceased or even hideouts for demons and dark souls. spirits. Explorers
suggest that they were built by goblins. Conversely, the tight slip -outs also have been likened to symbolic birth canals, with the implications that the ursel tunnels may have served as locations for ceremonial rebirth, in which people attempted to slew off disease and sickness as they squeezed through the tight openings. While the ursels seem reluctant to give up their secrets anytime soon, a collection of researchers known as the Working Group for Ursel Research continue to
search for answers. They are committed to finding the truth behind the strange tunnels and have been sharing their findings at annual meetings using new techniques such as 3d surveying and can you two hypothesize about the original purpose of these tunnels the list of possible intended uses continues to grow and Chelsea that's where I end this episode interesting I'd never heard of these ones before and they are like everywhere why would through different cultures and that's
the weird part you have to have an explanation for all of Europe basically as to why they were building these just in one location it doesn't give you an answer. No, it would have to be particularly like one weird culture you can't answer it with. It has to be an entire like European thing. Yeah, but it could have been like an empire that was going through, right? Well, it could have been, but we know about empires. Like we know all the empires, especially in like the 12th century.
Like it's not that long ago that we have lost civilizations. That one's weird to me, actually. That one. No, I don't even know what to say about it. It is truly weird. And I actually want to learn more about them. Yeah. That's basically all you can find on them. I googled them. They have enough room for a person in it. So obviously they were used. But like just a person. Yeah. That's it. Yeah. And like you can't be comfortable in there either. Like they're not tall enough
for you to be comfortable. very thin, especially going down to the lower level. I do not envy those who are looking at those. No, but definitely you could do it. And they can extend for miles. Yeah, this is great. I mean, I wouldn't go down there. No, like, yes, I do the Ember ones. Not these ones. I would not. This is like a caver type thing. Like if you want to get stuck in there. Oh, this one's real tiny. This guy's crawling through it. Oh, yeah. Some of them can be absolutely
tiny. yeah they're not so weird i shouldn't say they all are identical but they all kind of meet the same parameters hmm i wonder if it was mining or something they're looking no they wouldn't connect them no and there would be evidence of like mining like people would have like had documentation for paying for or something like that yeah that's so weird hmm i don't know maybe it's like some ancient mole that inhabited europe that we don't know you know what that would be my favorite
explanation if it was an ancient mole that would be really cool with that that's our answer we're leaving it with that. I have been Taylor here with Chelsea. We are Journey to the Fringe. Thank you all for listening. We'll see you next week. Bye. Thank you for listening to Journey to the Fringe. If you have liked what you have listened to, please like, share, subscribe or follow depending on what. venue you are listening to us through.
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