• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

MonsterTalk.org - Word!

Horrifying Hybrids - MT #007

New MonsterTalk up at http://monstertalk.org Horrible Hybrids featuring Dr. Steven Jones.
banner-MonsterTalk.jpg

Horrifying Hybrids
In this episode, MonsterTalk examines monsters that genetically blend humans with the other. Hosts Blake Smith, Ben Radford, and Dr. Karen Stollznow explore the plausibility of alien-human hybridizations, dig into the real science of genetics — and consider the ethical questions involved.
Weighing in on these issues is Dr. Steven Jones — noted geneticist, teacher, and television presenter. (He is also the author of many books including Darwin’s Ghost, Introducing Genetics, and Coral: A Pessimist in Paradise.)

Did Stalin really want to build an army of gorilla-human hybrids? Is the upright-walking chimp called Oliver really some kind of chimpanzee-human mix? No - but the plausibility of such creatures may surprise you…
Steven-Jones.jpg
 
UFOs & Aliens from Outer Space

An interview with outgoing president of the JREF, Dr. Phil Plait.
Will be live on Wed.
 
Monster Talk: Episode #008 - They Came From Outer Space!

philplait.jpg

Are aliens from another planet visiting Earth? Astronomer and science writer Dr. Phil Plait seems a bit skeptical. In our discussion with Dr. Phil we cover a lot of interesting ideas including:

ALH84001 — what is it and does it prove aliens have come to Earth?
The role of extremophiles in the development of life on Earth?
The ratio of isotopes within a sample can tell us its origin — and what would we expect to see in an extraterrestrial sample?
Do amateur astronomers see more UFOs than average people?
Plus Dr. Plait tells us about his favorite monsters, favorite movies, and favorite paperback.

Music

Introductory background music: Alien Alchemy by Man Manly
MonsterTalk theme: Monster by Peach Stealing Monkeys
 
Upcoming Episodes

New episode on Ben Radford's Chupacabra investigation is up at http://www.monstertalk.org.

Also - we've got both Greg Long and Jimmy Chilcutt lined up for future episodes.

If you have questions for those folks, email us at our MonsterTalk mail addresses:

Contact Blake : blake at monstertalk.org
Contact Karen : karen at monstertalk.org
Contact Ben : ben at monstertalk.org
 
The chupacabra episode was full of excellent information. I haven't heard all those interesting aspects of the story discussed in one place before. I'm all excited about Ben's new book. We will have to have a book discussion thread somewhere when that comes out.

Another thing I noticed is that, being the same age at both Blake and Ben, I get their (sometimes ridiculous) cultural references (to music, or old video games, books, shows, etc.). :D That makes me happy because I don't always understand old guys babbling about Heuvelmans and Sanderson.

One comment about the Coleman stuff above. Loren can act elitist as if the few True cryptozoologists only know what they are talking about and the other poseurs and scientists do not. That's annoying. But his reference to "cryptozoologists no longer see the plesiosaurus theory as plausible" was not the point. The point was that the media and public at large still do. Nearly every stinking story about Nessie sitings contains the word plesiosaur in reference to its description. And they typically call it a dinosaur. Mmmkay, I'm done complaining.
 
MT #010 - Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum!

January 13th: Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum!
Giants appear in cultures around the world: Biblical tales of giants more than ten feet tall; Roman and Greek stories of titans and heroes; European stories of giants of mountain and hill. They all have one thing in common: enormous monsters.

On this episode of MonsterTalk we chat with archeologist Dr. Ken Feder about giants, biblical archeology — and one of the biggest hoaxes in American history.

In this episode:

cardiff-giant.jpg

Photo by John and Keturah used under a Creative Commons License.



Frauds, Myths & Mysteries - the book by Ken Feder


The bible has stories of races of giants (but also people who lived to be several hundred years old!); Is there any reason to think that people who lived in ancient times were any larger than modern man?
Are humans generally growing shorter or taller over milliennia?
Why do ancient cultures postulate giants?
What evidence would we expect to see if such creatures existed?
From a physiological point of view, what are the advantages and detriments to gigantism?
Gigantism often is implicit in the term “monster,” — almost all monsters are large (Bigfoot, Nessie, etc.) — you don’t really hear about many “monsters” that are only a few feet tall; what do you see as the link between gigantism and monsters?
One of the most famous hoaxes in American history is The Cardiff Giant. Can you give us an overview of that?
Were most scientists fooled by the giant?
Why were so many people treating the Biblical giant-tales as literal truth?
Are there other examples where people have misinterpreted archeological data to infer that it implied Giants?
Does giant architecture imply giant builders?

Interesting link:
A site that seems to promote credulous acceptance of retouched photographic evidence.

Music
Opening Music: Battle of the Stone Giants by Dragon Ritual Drummers
Monstertalk Theme: Monster by Peach Stealing Monkeys
 
Monster Talk: Episode #011 - First Impressions (Jimmy Chilcutt)

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

This week on MonsterTalk we talk with fingerprint expert and self-described Bigfoot research “cheerleader” Jimmy Chilcutt. Chilcutt, a retired Texas lawman and crime-scene investigator, came to prominence in the Bigfoot community when he joined Dr. Jeff Meldrum in the documentary Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science making the pronouncement that his research had found evidence that some Bigfoot track-castings showed signs of dermal ridges — the equivalent of primate fingerprints. This is the first time we have interviewed someone on the “believer” side of the fence in cryptozoology, though you’ll hear in the interview that what Chilcutt is willing to attest to is somewhat different than the impression you’d get from his TV appearances.

Topics in this episode include:
  • How did Chilcutt get involved with Bigfoot?
  • Did he identify any hoaxed tracks in the casts he examined?
  • What are “dermal ridges?”
  • Has he examined any latent Bigfoot prints?
  • How many casts showed the ridges?
  • Has anyone replicated his findings?
We also discuss Matt Crowley’s research which shows that it is possible to mimic dermal ridges during the casting process. Crowley’s excellent research is detailed on his website in a series of essays and articles. His work on casting artifacts and the track hoaxing of Ray Wallace should be required reading for Bigfoot researchers.

Resources of Interest
Ben Radford: 50 Years of Bigfoot
Matt Crowley: Bigfoot Research into Casts & Hoaxing
Skookum Analysis reprinted from Bigfoot Times

Music
Monstertalk Theme: Monster by Peach Stealing Monkeys
Celestial Stereogram by Sinfonia Electronique

Subscribe to MonsterTalk on itunes
Thanks to all the JREF folks who submitted questions! We tried to get 'em all in, and hopefully we covered them all. If you asked a question and didn't hear the answer in the show let me know and I'll see if it hit the cutting room floor - and perhaps I can give Chilcutt's answer.
 
When are the Jimmy Chilcutt and Greg Long episodes going to be aired? Why don't you guys have any upcoming episodes announcements on your site?
 
Chilcutt is live now.

William Parcher said:
When are the Jimmy Chilcutt and Greg Long episodes going to be aired? Why don't you guys have any upcoming episodes announcements on your site?
Click to expand...

Chilcutt's interview is up now. (See post previous to yours.)

Long's got delayed because I'm sick, but I'm going to try and muscle through it tonight - and it will go live in 2 weeks from today.
 
doctoratlantis said:
Chilcutt's interview is up now. (See post previous to yours.)

Long's got delayed because I'm sick, but I'm going to try and muscle through it tonight - and it will go live in 2 weeks from today.
Click to expand...

I hope you get better soon.

It would be nice for you to provide dates and times for the episodes. Please provide this and comprehensive links in these kinds of posts. Such as...

Jimmy Chilcutt Episode 2/3/2010 (with time): http://www.skeptic.com/podcasts/monstertalk/10-02-03/

Listen here: http://monstertalk.skeptic.com/media/skeptic/011_Monstertalk.mp3
 
Walla Walla cast has genuine biological scars and dermals... it can really only be from a Bigfoot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom