September 28, 1999: Nostradamus - John Hogue

Art Bell is joined by prophecy expert John Hogue for a wide-ranging exploration of Nostradamus and the predictions surrounding the approaching millennium. Hogue interprets the famous 1999 prophecy about the "king of terror from the sky" not as a single figure but as a reference to climate disruption and the growing environmental crisis, connecting it to global warming, collapsing fisheries, and rainforest destruction.

The discussion covers potential Y2K disruptions, with Hogue warning of power outages in the former Soviet bloc and developing nations, along with longer-term economic consequences. He addresses the symbolic meaning of Nostradamus's vision of the world plunging into "perpetual darkness," suggesting the prophet may have been witnessing massive electrical blackouts from his 16th-century perspective. Hogue also examines prophecies about water wars in the Middle East and the Temple Mount as a flashpoint for conflict.

Art and Hogue debate whether humanity can navigate what Hogue calls a critical 30-year transition period. Hogue argues that the real transformation must be individual rather than collective, with each person examining their own contribution to the problems facing civilization. He notes that many prophetic traditions also foresee an extraordinary future if humanity survives this passage.