New test dates Shroud of Turin to era of Christ

Although the Vatican makes no claim on the shroud's authenticity as a relic, Pope Francis introduced a special TV appearance of the burial cloth on Holy Saturday.



(Photo: Barrie M. Schwortz, AP)

New scientific tests on the Shroud of Turin, which went on display Saturday in a special TV appearance introduced by the Pope, dates the cloth to ancient times, challenging earlier experiments dating it only to the Middle Ages.

Pope Francis sent a special video message to the televised event in the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, Italy, which coincided with Holy Saturday, when Catholics mark the period between Christ's crucifixion on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday.

The Vatican, tiptoeing carefully, has never claimed that the 14-foot linen cloth was, as some believers claim, used to cover Christ after he was taken from the cross 2,000 years ago.

Francis, reflecting that careful Vatican policy, on Saturday called the cloth, which is kept in a climate-controlled case, an "icon" -- not a relic.

But Cesare Nosiglia, the Archbishop of Turin and "pontifical custodian of the shroud," said the special display on Holy Saturday "means that it represents a very important testimony to the Passion and the resurrection of the Lord," The Telegraph reported.

A new app, called Shroud 2.0, display images of "The Shroud of Turin" along with scientific and theological interpretations prepared with the Diocese of Turin and the International Center of Sindonologywhich is the scientific study of the shroud. (Photo: Vincenzo Pinto, AFP/Getty Images)

The burial shroud purports to show the imprint of the face and body of a bearded man. The image also purportedly shows nail wounds at the man's wrist and pinpricks around his brow, consistent with the "crown of thorns" mockingly pressed onto Christ at the time of his crucifixion.

Many experts have stood by a 1988 carbon-14 dating of scraps of the cloth carried out by labs in Oxford, Zurich and Arizona that dated it from 1260 to 1390, which, of course, would rule out its used during the time of Christ.

The new test, by scientists at the University of Padua in northern Italy, used the same fibers from the 1988 tests but disputes the findings. The new examination dates the shroud to between 300 BC and 400 AD, which would put it in the era of Christ.

It determined that the earlier results may have been skewed by contamination from fibers used to repair the cloth when it was damaged by fire in the Middle Ages, the British newspaper reported. The cloth has been kept at the cathedral since 1578.

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He also said his tests also supported earlier results claiming to have found traces of dust and pollen on that shroud that could only have come from the Holy Land.

The latest findings are contained in a new Italian-language book — Il Mistero Della Sindone or The Mystery of the Shroud, by Giulio Fanti, a professor of mechanical and thermal measurement at Padua University, and Saverio Gaeta, a journalist.

Fanti, a Catholic, used infra-red light and spectroscopy – the measurement of radiation intensity through wavelengths -- in his test. He said the results are the outcome of 15 years of research.

The Telegraph also reports that a new app, sanctioned by the Catholic church and called "Shroud 2.0," allows anyone to use a smart phone or tablet to explore the shroud in detail.

(Source: Doug Stanglin, USA TODAY4:25p.m. EDT March 30, 2013/http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/03/30/shroud-turin-display/2038295/)

Contributing: Associated Press

Released FBI Document strongly suggests UFO existence

A one-page internal 63-year-old memo about a UFO report involving three alleged flying saucers and alien bodies recovered in New Mexico is making the rounds again this week. And it all started with a story that the FBI itself released.

In its own memo, titled "UFOs or No?" the FBI has informed the public that one particular memo from 1950 is the most popular file in their Vault -- an electronic reading room made available to everyone since its creation in 2011.

With nearly a million views over the past two years, the memo tells of "an unconfirmed report that the FBI never even followed up on. The file in question is a memo dated March 22, 1950 ... authored by Guy Hottel, then head of our field office in Washington, D.C. Like all memos to FBI Headquarters at that time, it was addressed to Director J. Edgar Hoover and recorded and indexed in FBI records."

The memo told a third party story of an alleged Air Force investigator who reported that three flying saucers were recovered in New Mexico.

According to the original memo and reiterated by the FBI this week, the saucers "were described as being circular in shape with raised centers, approximately 50 feet in diameter. Each one was occupied by three bodies of human shape but only three feet tall, dressed in metallic cloth of a very fine texture. Each body was bandaged in a manner similar to the blackout suits used by speed fliers and test pilots."

If this memo had already been released as part of the Vault files two years ago, why did the FBI decide to focus attention on it again this week?

A number of media stories have surfaced, claiming the Hottel memo was first released or declassified two years ago when the FBI created the Vault. This is completely untrue. Let's get the facts straight.

First, the bureau explains that this document wasn't released in 2011 -- "It was first released publicly in the late 1970s and had been posted on the FBI website for several years prior to the launch of the Vault."

Second, the Hottel memo actually was obtained in 1977 by retired U.S. Navy optical physicist Bruce Maccabee, who got it as part of 1,600 documents released to him via the Freedom of Information Act.

Also, the FBI notes that when the Vault was launched in 2011, "some media outlets noticed the Hottel memo and erroneously reported that the FBI had posted proof of a UFO crash at Roswell, New Mexico, and the recovery of wreckage and alien corpses. The resulting stories went viral, and traffic to the new Vault soared."

The bureau wants everyone to know that the memo in question was written three years after the alleged events at Roswell, with no connection between them at all.

Interestingly, right after the Vault was created and offered to the public, this reporter wrote a story about it in 2011, focusing on some evidence that had surfaced surrounding an oil scam artist who, two weeks before the Hottel memo was written, had spread stories about three crashed UFOs with aliens.

The FBI hints that some people had suggested the flying saucer-alien story was a hoax that had circulated in 1950. The bureau ends its tale saying, "Sorry, no smoking gun on UFOs. The mystery remains..."

(Source: Lee Speigel, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/27/fbi-ufo-document_n_2965993.html?utm_hp_ref=weird-news)

Best Evidence: Top 10 UFO Sightings

Here is a fun video on youtube to watch that looks at the concensus top 10 UFO sightings from around the world, based on evidence collected. Enjoy the 47 minute episode from Redstar Films.

Updates on The Ketchum/Bigfoot DNA Study

(Source: http://www.ghosttheory.com/2013/03/22/news-on-the-ketchumbigfoot-dna-story)

According to Dr. Ketchum on her Facebook page:

Melba Ketchum:

We just heard from some mtDNA geneticists and they have found uniqueness in our mtDNA findings that prove that 1. The data is real and couldn’t have been hoaxed 2. That it shows relatedness amongst a large percentage of the samples 3. Supports our hybridization theory 4. Supports our timeline. I am estatic. We are asking permission to make these findings public. As soon as we have it, we will post them.

We just received permission to post. There will most likely be a new paper come from this so we will not post the new findings but you will see enough of the proof to validate the paper. I am SO excited!!!!!

Here is an excerpt that Ketchum says appears in the evaluation:

The following was a unsolicited commentary by A. John Marsh on a geaneology DNA page which scientis use to discuss mtDna origin. This is not the complete discussion . However it sums up the analysis.T2 BIGFOOTS FOUND IN 5 DIFFERENT STATES:Along with the fact that all Bigfoots seem to have several different mtDNA mutations from each other, they also are found in 5 different states. It suggests that if a single T2b human female mated with a Bigfoot male 13,000 years ago, that the descendants of the T2b ancestor have spread widely in USA since then.
…
AGE OF T2b:Web site
http://www.nature.com/srep/2012/121018/srep00745/full/srep00745.html. If T2b is 12-10kya, and T1/ T2 coalesced about 19kya, T2b might very roughly originate about 10,000 to 15,000 years ago.


THINGS I NOTED ABOUT MUTATIONS DIFFERENT IN BIGFOOT AND HUMANS:

One thing I noted was that all the 52 number diverse T2b haplogroup listed humans in the T2 project had a mutation 146T, but none of the Bigfoot had that mutation. It seems in fact that all T haplogroup have 146T. I am guessing that the earliest common ancestor of all Bigfoots had a back mutation on that marker to the CRS value.

Another thing I noticed was that all Bigfoots which appear to have been tested on the lower number markers, have mutation 73G. Yet not one of the
52 human mtDNA T2b persons had the mutation 73G. Why not? Was 73G a very early mutation in the Bigfoot line?

All the fully tested 4 Bigfoots had the 263G mutation, but not one single one of the 52 humans had 263G. Why not?

It seems all human T2bs have have 16187C and 16189T, but no bigfoots have either. In fact, all human haplgroup T are postive for both these mutations, so presumably in the common ancestor of all Bigfoots there was a mutation reverting to CRS.

According to the Ketchum knockers, all the mtDNA Haplotypes in her project are modern contamination. All of these Bigfoot haplotypes are different.
Isn’t it a bit puzzling that all of these humans mistaken as Bigfoot have different T2 mtDNA haplotypes, all have 73G and 263G mutations not found in humans, and all seem to have had back mutations on 146T, 16187C and 16189T, where these back mutations are apparently not found in any human T2b s?

Dairy industry sneaking aspartame into your milk

There have been conspiracy theories for years suggesting our own government is trying to kill some of us off, to bring us to more manageable numbers, and "decrease the surplus population". Well, here's another example that is shocking! They want to be able to put stuff (that they know is bad for you) in your food without your knowledge by removing labels on the product that identifies the chemicals. 

Check out this article from the Examiner, written by Margie King.

MARCH 17, 2013 

By Margie King

It’s bad enough that aspartame, that sickly sweet chemical, has made its way into over 6,000 products on your grocery store shelves. According to the Weston A. Price Foundation, the dairy industry has now petitioned the FDA to allow the addition of artificial sweeteners to flavored milks served to school children -without disclosing it on the front of the label.

In a press release, Sally Fallon Morell, president and founder of the Weston A. Price Foundation, said:

“The integrity of our food supply is poised for another blow. By asking the FDA to alter the definition of "milk" to include chemical sweeteners such as aspartame and sucralose without full disclosure will only lead to further distrust among consumers. This is a bad idea for consumers and not a smart idea for the industry either.”

Filed by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), the petition seeks to allow the chemical sweetener without the current requirement that the label declare the product is “artificially sweetened.” According to the FDA, disclosure of the artificial sweeteners would still be required in the list of ingredients.

Under pressure to reduce calories in school lunches, suppliers are looking for ways to cut sugar. The current petition to the FDA is aimed principally at replacing sugar in flavored milks served to school children. Ironically, aspartame has been linked to weight gain.

But it also asks for the right to put artificial sweeteners in other dairy products including nonfat dried milk, yogurt, cream, half-and-half, sour cream, eggnog and whipping cream without declaring that the product is artificially sweetened.

Numerous scientific studies point to the toxic effects of aspartame, including cancer, digestive issues, and memory impairment.

For decades, researchers and natural health practitioners have warned about the toxicity of artificial sweeteners. Over 75% of adverse reactions to food additives reported to the FDA concern aspartame. Among the problems reported are headaches, migraines, vision problems, tinnitus, depression, joint pain, insomnia, heart palpitations, and muscle spasms.

According to the WAPF, children’s brains are four times more susceptible to damage from excitotoxins like aspartame than those of adults, and children react with ADD or ADHD symptoms, impaired learning, depression and nausea.

The scientific evidence against aspartame continues to build:
A 2012 study published in the European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences found that repeated aspartame administration to mice impaired their memory performance and increased brain oxidative stress.
In May, 2010, writing in The International Journal of Genomics, scientists advised caution when using aspartame in food and beverages after finding significant chromosomal irregularities in the bone marrow cells of mice following exposure to aspartame.
A 2010 Swiss study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine found aspartame to be a cause of liver and lung cancers in mice and rats, and that its effects are increased when animals are exposed to the chemical while in their mother’s womb.

Consumer group SumOfUs is urging the FDA to reject the dairy industry petition. To add your objection visit http://action.sumofus.org/a/aspartame-milk/?sub=homepage.



Source: http://www.examiner.com/article/dairy-industry-sneaking-aspartame-into-your-milk

Finding Bigfoot Weekly Recap

March 24, 2013

With two episodes to go, "Bigfoot the Friendly Ghost" explored an interesting take on Finding Bigfoot, looking where paranormal investigators have had strange experiences near cemeteries. Ranae did her solo investigation in this are, but came up with nothing. She even questioned the tree that was allegedly knocked down by a Bigfoot as being cracked by natural means.

The stories from the locals ALL seemed explainable by explanations other than a large hairy bipedal walking around. One woman saw Bigfoot walking along the highway at 8:30 at night! Another woman saw what she thought was a polar bear; she never said it walked on two legs, so it could have been a lot of different known creatures. And the audio recordings that brought the team to south western Illinois in the first place were clearly coyotes and the like.

Cliff decided to play the bass guitar to elicit a reaction on the final night's investigation. It did produce several wood knocks, which suggested one or more Sasquatch in the area, but nothing was picked up on thermal, and the evening went silent after that.

The season finale will take Matt, Bobo, Cliff, and Ranae to Vietnam, where sightings are numerous. It will be bittersweet to watch the episode, knowing new episodes are a season away, but thank God for DVR recordings. I am able to watch my favorite episodes whenever I like.

And if you haven't watched Finding Bigfoot: Further Evidence, you must. It is the same episodes with personal incite from the cast in a "pop-up video" format  as well as answers to some of the things left a mystery in the original airing of the episode. Also, it's funny. They like to take shots at each other.

Monsters and Mysteries in America

All-New Series Premieres Sunday, March 24 at 10 PM E/P


Each episode focuses on a different American region and features stories of people who claim to have encountered creatures of local legend. The first two episodes include:Mysterious shadows. Screams in the night. A hair-raising sense that something is watching. Stories of the unknown capture our imagination and curiosity in Destination America's new series MONSTERS AND MYSTERIES IN AMERICA, premiering Sunday, March 24 at 10 PM E/P. From all across the country emerge tales of close encounters with legendary creatures, from horrific monsters and ancient spirits to alien sightings and unexplained paranormal phenomena. Thirty percent of Americans believe that a beast such as Bigfoot is living in our forests*; in a quaint Montana town, reports of an elusive lake serpent have persisted every year since 1889; last year, UFO sightings were reported in 36 of 50 states in one week alone.** Featuring first-person accounts with everyday people who believe they have come face to face with real-life folktale fiends, MONSTERS AND MYSTERIES IN AMERICA travels our country's untamed wilderness to tell of its storied past.

Appalachia premieres Sunday, March 24 at 10 PM E/P
Sheepsquatch (Breckenridge County, KY) - The border between southwest Virginia and West Virginia is an area shrouded in mystery and folklore, but few mysteries are more unusual and intriguing than that of the Appalachian white beast known to the locals as Sheepsquatch. Dakota Cheeks and his best friend Ricky Joyce become prey to the legendary white beast during a weekend hunting trip.
UFO/Little Green Men (Kelly and Hopkinsville, KY) - One quiet summer evening in 1955, the Sutton family farm is invaded by unexpected visitors. The family is hardly prepared for what they encounter - a small, green creature with glowing yellow eyes, about 3.5 feet tall with pointed ears and long arms raised high in the air. And he's not alone. At first, the family is captivated by this transcendental moment... but evil quickly takes over.
Mothman (Point Pleasant, WV) - An innocent drive down a country road turns into a nightmare for Faye LaPort and her siblings as they come face to face with the legendary Mothman. Sightings of the Mothman began in 1966 and continued for more than a year, electrifying and baffling the entire region of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Although the hype has died down since then, the sightings have not.

Pacific Northwest premieres Sunday, March 31 at 10 PM E/P
Sasquatch (Sierra Mountains, CA / Olympic Mountains, WA) - Within the region's dark, tightly packed interior, wildlife is so abundant that it's become the rumored home of an elusive wild creature known as Sasquatch. Many adventurers are drawn to these mountains in hopes of encountering the famed hairy giant, but some confront the monster purely by chance, like Justin Smeja who encountered a family of Sasquatch during a routine hunting trip.
Shanghai Tunnels (Portland, OR) - Deep underneath the city of Portland lies a maze of underground tunnels. At one time, they were used for transporting goods between businesses and the Willamette River, but recently the possibility of a far more sinister purpose has come to light. Residents claim these underground chambers remain turbulent from the horrors that took place a hundred years ago and visitors claim to see spirits and phantom wolves.
Flathead Lake Monster (Flathead Lake, Polson, MT) - Resting on the edge of the Pacific Northwest region, Polson is a quaint lakeside town with a mysterious monster resident. For decades, people from all around the world have flocked to Flathead Lake in the hope of spotting an elusive aquatic creature living below the surface. Sightings occur every year, dating all the way back to 1889. Skeptics have questioned the authenticity of these sightings, but to those who have seen it, this monster is very, very real.

Other episodes will features mysteries in the Ozarks, Badlands, Bayou, and Desert.

MONSTERS AND MYSTERIES IN AMERICA is produced by M2 Pictures for Destination America. For M2 Pictures, Mike Sinclair is executive producer. For Destination America, Fay Yu is executive producer, Sara Kozak is SVP of production, Marc Etkind is SVP of content strategy, and Henry Schleiff is president and general manager.

* SOURCE: Angus Reid Public Opinion Poll: http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/44419/americans-more-likely-to-believe-in-bigfoot-than-canadians/

** SOURCE: Mutual UFO Network: http://www.mufon.com/

Painful Deceptions: 9/11 still not investigated

Why are we as Americans scared to know the truth? AND, why are we SURPRISED that the Government (within our government) would kill that many Americans to make literally trillions of dollars from oil, cocaine production and sales, and stock market manipulation when it has in the past (this is all public record) sprayed its own people with poisonous gas over major cities to see the effects, injected unwitting men with syphilis, and tested LSD on soldiers without their knowledge?

Just look at the facts in the case of 9/11. It's not even close. They assumed we were stupid, scared, or powerless. Only history will tell which of those we are.

The Final Pope is Here. Petrus Romanus. Pope Benedict XVI steps down 2/11/2013

There is a lot of talk right now about prophecies regarding the Pope. I listened to Cris Putnam, co-author of "Petrus Romanus: The Final Pope is Here" talking on public radio, in my Wisconsin listening area, about what some believe is the beginning of the end for Catholic Popes, and even Rome, itself!

One prediction that was made long ago was that there would be a Pope who would resign at the end of March, 2012, which would lead to the final Pope. Well, as it turns out, Pope Benedict XVI announced his intension to resign to insiders at the end of March 2012.

Here's a You Tube that talks about the book, posted by the other co-author, Thomas Horn. Very interesting stuff! Let me know what you think.

NASA to reveal contents of drilled Martian rock

Associated Press/NASA - This image released by NASA shows the Curiosity rover holding a scoop of powdered rock on Mars. The rover recently drilled into a Martian rock for the first time and transferred a pinch …more



LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Mars rover Curiosity drilled into its first rock a month ago. Now scientists will reveal what's inside.

Gathering at NASA headquarters Tuesday, the rover team will detail the minerals and chemicals found in a pinch of ground-up rock.

The results come seven months after Curiosity made a dramatic landing in an ancient crater near the equator. It has been slow going since then as engineers learn to handle the car-size rover, which is far more tech-savvy than anything that has landed before on the red planet

While previous Mars spacecraft carried tools to grind into rocks, Curiosity was the first to collect a pulverized sample from deep inside. The complex exercise — played out over several weeks — involved boring a hole 2 ½ inches deep, sifting the powder and running it through its onboard laboratories.

By analyzing the crushed rock, researchers hope to determine whether the landing spot ever had the right conditions to support primitive life in the form of microscopic organisms. They already have one hint of a watery past — an ancient streambed that Curiosity crossed to get to the flat bedrock, a pit stop to its ultimate destination.

Over the years, Mars spacecraft in orbit and on the surface have beamed back a wealth of information about the planet's geology. Scientists have also been able to examine pieces of rocks from Mars that have occasionally landed on Earth. Several places on Mars — now a frigid desert — show evidence of a warmer and wetter environment early in the planet's history.

One of the main reasons Curiosity was sent to Gale Crater was because images from space spied signs of clay layers at the base of a mountain. The rover was supposed to start the trek there before the new year, but instrument checks took longer than expected.

Despite a pokey start, scientists have been pleased with the mission. The biggest problem to plague Curiosity so far is computer-related, preventing it from doing science experiments for several days.

___

Online:

NASA: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/index.html

___

Follow Alicia Chang at http://twitter.com/SciWriAlicia

Conspiracy Files 2013 Big Foot Documentary sasquatch evidence classifieds government hiding

Finding Bigfoot Weekly Recap

March 10, 2013

The investigators of Animal Planet's "Finding Bigfoot"  traveled to Connecticut to search for Sasquatch, but were "skunked" in the end. 

Matt Moneymaker (Founder and President of the BFRO), Ranae Holland (Field Biologist), James (Bobo) Fay (Field Investigator), and Cliff Barackman (Evidence Expert) explored the most heavily-populated state per square foot in the US in search of the elusive bi-pedal on the March 10, 2013 episode. 

It was frustrating to not get any sights, sounds, or smells of Bigfoot, but the eye witness testimonies from the non-traditional "town hall" meeting were interesting. They all rang true EXCEPT for the final witness who was somehow able to identify very specific  colorings of the quick-moving beast at a long distance across a street and yard. The team wasn't fooled at all by his bizarre account. And poor Ranae -- the eye witness kept saying, "yes, sir" to her trying to be polite!

For episode schedules, go to http://animal.discovery.com/tv-shows/finding-bigfoot/tv-schedule.htm. 

Source: http://animal.discovery.com/tv-shows/finding-bigfoot

Psych episode explores Bigfoot mystery

On the 3/13/13 episode of USA series, PSYCH, the Bigfoot legend lures Shawn and Gus from civilization to the wilds when they join film students on their quest to document its existence.

The hand-held style of shooting and the comic timing of co-stars James Roday (Shawn) and Dule Hill (Gus) will make this a fun spoof of Finding Bigfoot.

The series airs 8 p.m. central time, March 13, 2013.

100,000 killer bees attack 2 Tampa workers in shocking swarm

Update on 100,000 killer bees attack: A swarm of Africanized honeybees that attacked two Tampa, Fla. workers Wednesday have been destroyed. The hive with all the aggressive insects was removed after the park workers were hospitalized from dozens of bee stings.

According to a Mar. 7 WTOC report, the two Picnic Island Park workers are expected to make a full recovery after being attack by a swarm of 100,000 killer bees.

Rodney Pugh, one of the men attacked by the killer bee swarm, described the shocking encounter from being stung dozens of times:

"So I'm trying to swat, and they say never swat bees, so they were all in my face, on my back, and in my shirt. So I jumped out of the payloader and ran for my office.


"My ears and right here were just throbbing with pain. It's the worst feeling because you just had so many and they wouldn't stop."

Ahead of the attack of the killer bees, Pugh and another worker were in the process of cleaning up a lot of rubbish and trash in the park.

When one of them turned over an old rubber tire -- an ideal bee hive location -- thousands of honeybees began stinging the men, who ran and swatted the attacking insects, to no avail.

Even after running nearly 80 feet away from the angry bees, the stinging attack continued.

Luckily, the men made it to the office before being totally overcome by the aggressive insects; African honeybees are known to pack a lethal punch, especially to anyone with a bee stingallergy.

Lesson learned: Don't go looking under large objects in parks or wooded areas without proper precautions.

After the 100,000 killer bees attack in Florida, an expert says more swarms are possible; the season is just beginning.

Source: http://www.examiner.com/tampa-top-news-in-tampa-bay/bruce-baker

Hindenburg mystery solved after 76 years

By JONATHAN OWEN





The dream was a fleet of hydrogen-filled airships criss-crossing the globe, silvered hulls shining in the sunlight. And for a while the fantasy became reality, For the Hindenburg was the Concorde of its day – able to cross the Atlantic in about three days, twice as fast as going by sea.


With nearly 100 on board, the 245m airship was preparing to land at Lakehurst, New Jersey, on 6 May 1937, when the age of airship travel ended. In front of horrified onlookers, the Hindenburg exploded and plunged to the ground in flames. Thirty-five of those on board died.

Now, 76 years later, a team of experts claims to have solved one of the greatest mysteries of the 20th century: the real cause of the Hindenburg air disaster. And they name static electricity as the culprit.

Led by a British aeronautical engineer, Jem Stansfield, and based at the South West Research Institute in the US, the team blew up or set fire to scale models more than 24m long, in an attempt to rule out theories ranging from a bomb planted by a terrorist to explosive properties in the paint used to coat the Hindenburg.

Investigations after the disaster concluded that a spark had ignited leaking hydrogen gas, but could not agree on what caused the spark, or the leaking gas. Conspiracy theories took hold that the airship had been brought down by a bomb, or had been shot down from the ground. Through recreating different scenarios with mini-replicas, and studying archive footage of the disaster, along with eyewitness accounts, experts believe they have discovered what really happened.

Mark Heald was eight when he watched the Hindenburg coming in to land. He was watching from a distance and able to see what those closer to the airship couldn't – where the fire started. "Years later, my father realised that he should have volunteered testimony in some of the initial investigations, because we were probably in a rather unusual location. As I recall, we were seeing it from pretty much a side view. We saw a little bit of blue fire just forward of the vertical rudder, the upper rudder. It hung right to the top ridge."

In a documentary being broadcast on Channel 4 on Thursday, experts reveal the sequence of events that triggered the explosion. The airship had become charged with static as a result of an electrical storm. A broken wire or sticking gas valve leaked hydrogen into the ventilation shafts, and when ground crew members ran to take the landing ropes they effectively "earthed" the airship. The fire appeared on the tail of the airship, igniting the leaking hydrogen.

"I think the most likely mechanism for providing the spark is electrostatic," said Mr Stansfield. "That starts at the top, then the flames from our experiments would've probably tracked down to the centre. With an explosive mixture of gas, that gave the whoomph when it got to the bottom."

The airship historian Dan Grossman agrees. "I think that's exactly what happened. I think you had massive distribution of hydrogen throughout the aft half of the ship; you had an ignition source pull down into the ship, and that whole back portion of the ship went up almost at once."

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2287608/Hindenburg-mystery-solved-76-years-historic-catastrophe-static-electricity-caused-airship-explode.html

Finding Bigfoot Weekly Recap

March 3, 2013

The team used whale sounds to draw out the elusive creature, but only heard a metallic knock on a shed near by. On the thermal, I thought I saw an object near the water, but it must have been checked out as a different animal. I often wonder if the investigators are patient enough to stare at a landscape for a long period of time after hearing a sound so see if anything would eventually move. Bigfoot does tend to wait you out. It blends in so well, he could be sitting right in front of you and you may not even know it...unless you waited him out. 

I don't know if anyone else thought this, but the whale sounds did have some similarities to the Bigfoot screams. 

What did you think of "the redhead" in the episode's title. I actually found him a little too expressive. I wasn't sure I bought his story. 

As you have read in the previous blog, the Finding Bigfoot team will be heading to Kansas in a future episode. When will they come to Wisconsin--in my neck of the woods?

Bigfoot: Lurking in Kansas or just figment of the imagination?

by Melanie Thomas
on February 26, 2013 in Edge (Kansas State Collegian)

With the emergence of several TV shows, numerous movies and the quirky Jack Link’s “Messin’ with Sasquatch” commercial campaign, there’s little chance that anyone is unaware of the legendary creature Bigfoot.

But is there a possibility that this famed creative could be roaming Kansas? Some researchers and fans believe so.

“There’s ‘squaches pretty much everywhere,” said Carter Buschardt, investigator for Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization and a firm believer in the existence of Bigfoot.

BFRO was established in 1995, and, according to its website is, “a virtual community of scientists, journalists and specialists from diverse backgrounds” who investigate the phenomenon through field and laboratory work.

Buschardt, who lives in Kansas City, Mo., has been researching the Bigfoot concept for about five years and investigating for BFRO for about a year and a half.

While sightings cover the entire nation, some are closer to home than others. There have been numerous Bigfoot sightings near Wichita, Salina, Manhattan and Pratt, Kan., and several places in Riley County, including near Tuttle Creek State Park.

Buschardt recounted a sighting reported in Pottawatomie County that was never made official due to the requests of a nearby Indian reservation.

“A lady … saw one, and one of her best friends, a school bus driver up there, hit one with her school bus. It busted her window,” Buschardt said.

On Jan. 29, crew members from Animal Planet’s “Finding Bigfoot” television show visited Salina, following reports of Sasquatch sightings northeast of the city. Although the crew took some video, they reported not finding any evidence of Sasquatch activity.

There is a good reason that Sasquatch sightings are relatively rare, Buschardt said.

“‘Squatch are as intelligent as you or I are, just in a different way. They’re good at maintaining their distance from humans,” Buschardt said.

Buschardt believes that the Sasquatch species is intelligent because the creature is likely an offshoot of the giant ape Gigantopithecus, an extinct genus that the fossil record suggests existed for millions of years but became extinct about 100,000 years ago. He said that it is possible both humans and Bigfoot developed from Gigantopithecus, but in different ways, giving them different types of intelligence.

“We’re smart at building rockets and computers. They’re smart at surviving off the land and staying unseen,” Buschardt said.

Buschardt is not the only person who is interested in the sightings of Bigfoot in Kansas. Crew members from “Finding Bigfoot” recently made a trip to Wichita to hold a meeting to discuss sightings in the area.

Buschardt, along with six witnesses he had spoken with, attended the meeting. The meeting invited anyone in the area to share about any encounters with Bigfoot and provide information about sightings in Kansas.

But not everyone is as certain as Buschardt about the existence of Bigfoot at all, never mind whether he lives in Kansas. Lauren Ritterbush, associate professor of archaeology, believes that Bigfoot is not a real creature, but that it “serves a mythological role in our society.”

Referencing “Bigfoot Exposed,” a book by anthropologist David J. Daegling, Ritterbush explained that she, like Daegling, believes that Bigfoot’s mythological purpose may be as an “eco-messiah” of sorts.

According to Daegling’s book, as an eco-messiah, “Bigfoot signifies wilderness and the power of nature. The Sasquatch is the eco-messiah, for if we understand this monster we might overcome our ambivalent relationship with nature.”

“Bigfoot Exposed” claims that “this symbolic aspect of Bigfoot is rarely talked about among advocates,” who, Buschardt confirmed, “are all pretty much outdoor people.”

But while this theory could explain much of the reasoning behind the continued search for Bigfoot, it cannot say for certain whether Bigfoot does or does not exist as a real, physical creature. In “Bigfoot Exposed,” Daegling wrote, “we only know for certain that the Sasquatch is meaningful.”

Glenn Sipes, junior in industrial engineering, said that he “most certainly” believes that Bigfoot exists.

“There’s no reason to believe that it doesn’t exist. You can’t disprove something that you haven’t found,” Sipes said.

Sipes said he doesn’t look down on those who don’t believe in Bigfoot.

“There’s no proof that it doesn’t exist, and there’s no proof that it does exist, so it’s logical to believe either way,” Sipes said.

There are K-State students on the other end of the spectrum, too. Steven Kelly, graduate student in English, holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and now focuses his study on cultural studies in English literature.

Kelly said that while he doesn’t believe Bigfoot exists as a real, physical creature, he does think Bigfoot plays an important social role as a myth.

“The evidence, to me, shows that Bigfoot does not actually exist, and that Bigfoot is in fact a myth and not real, but the fact that the myth isn’t true doesn’t mean it’s not important,” Kelly said. “Myths are critically important to gluing people together into group cohesion. They’re big parts of identities.”

Kelly said he thinks one reason people are drawn to Bigfoot is the mystical nature of the creature.

“People don’t always need a reason for believing in something,” Kelly said.

Kelly also said that the commercialization of Bigfoot plays a large part in its popularity.

“There’s an industry around Bigfoot. The media is part of that industry, so they put out the shows to get people to watch TV, to watch the shows that advertisers and companies are paying for to keep the networks alive,” Kelly said.

Sipes said that it was a movie, “Harry and the Hendersons,” that first made him believe in Bigfoot.

“‘Harry and the Hendersons’ … is an encounter that’s obviously faked, but could legitimately happen in my mindset,” Sipes said.

While both sides can provide evidence to support their viewpoints, it is up to individuals to decide what they believe about the existence of Bigfoot. But one thing is for certain: Bigfoot will likely stick around for years to come, whether he lives on in the wilderness or as a myth that continues to circulate the nation.

2013 Texas Bigfoot Conference Coming Soon

The twelfth annual Texas Bigfoot Conference will take place Saturday, March 16, 2013, at the Fort Worth Convention Center. It will run from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM. The conference is
sponsored by the Texas Bigfoot Research Conservancy, a nonprofit 501c(3) scientific
research organization. To pay in advance to attend the conference, go here.

The Texas Bigfoot Confernece host hotel is the Sheraton Fort Worth Hotel and Spa, just two short blocks away from the Convention Center. Conference attendees will enjoy a discounted room rate when booking though this website.


A superb lineup of speakers will offer fascinating, never before heard, presentations on a variety of topics concerning the existence of a large bipedal ape living in remote parts of North America, including Texas and surrounding states.





Archaeologist and adventurer Josh Gates, star of television’s Destination Truth. Josh has
traveled the world investigating mysteries and unexplained phenomena, including
creatures similar to the North American wood ape (bigfoot).


Lyle Blackburn, writer and cryptid researcher from Texas and the author of The Beast of Boggy Creek: The True Story of the Fouke Monster



Jeff Meldrum, Idaho State University Associate Professor of Anatomy and Anthropology
and author of “Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science.”



Bill Munns, Veteran Hollywood FX artist and author of “The Munns Report,” a detailed analysis of the Patterson-Gimlin Film. Munns’s research is ongoing and he will be presenting information not yet presented to the public.



Kathy Strain, U.S. Forest Service anthropologist and author of “Giants, Cannibals & Monsters: Bigfoot in Native Culture.” Strain will be sharing some of her latest research regarding historical accounts of apelike creatures as recorded in Spanish-speaking cultures.



Brian Brown, owner of the digital marketing agency ideapark and producer of The Bigfoot
Information Project and The Bigfoot Show podcasts; member of the Texas Bigfoot
Research Conservancy Board of Directors. Brown will be presenting information
pertaining to prolonged observational field studies conducted by the TBRC the last two years in the Ouachita Mountains of southeastern Oklahoma and southwestern Arkansas.




Schedule (subject to change):

9:00-9:15 - Intro and welcome
9:15-10:15 - Bill Munns "The Patterson/Gimlin Hominid: Extraordinary costume, or extraordinary reality?"
10:15-11:15 - Kathy Strain
11:15-12:15 - Jeff Meldrum
12:15-1:30 - Lunch
1:30-2:30 - Lyle Blackburn
2:30-4:00 - Brian Brown "In the Valley of the Wood Ape"
4:00-4:20 - Break
4:20-5:30 - Josh Gates
5:30-5:45 Break (set up for panel)
5:45-7:00 Panel
7:00 - Closing remarks




Source: http://www.texasbigfoot.com/index.php/news/news/48-news/225

UFO Sightings in February 2013 World Wide:Video Compilation

What are we seeing in the skies? Judge for yourself.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwZgabX8OGg