In 1859, in San Francisco, Joshua Abraham Norton, declared himself "Emperor of the United States", and eventually "Protector of Mexico". $1.6 million in rare photographs disappear. An owner of one of the oldest photographic galleries in the cou

John R. Brinkley and Forrest Fenn's Treasure

Apr 18th, 2023 1h 36m

John R. Brinkley dreamed of being a doctor. Unfortunately he couldn't achieve that goal. He could however say he was one, and became known for implanting goat gonads into patients. Brinkley was on the forefront of quack medicine, disinformation

Free Town, NH and Salomon August Andrée

Apr 11th, 2023 1h 25m

In 2001, The Free State Project was founded with the intention of recruiting Libertarians to New Hampshire, in an attempt to create a sort of Libertarian utopia. Not too surprisingly, things didn't exactly go as planned.Salomon August Andrée wa

Peshtigo Fire and Norwegian Black Metal

Jan 31st, 2023 1h 1m

The most devastating wildfire in U.S. history was not in the western states, or even a recent event. Instead it was in Wisconsin, on October 8th, 1871. The fire burned around 1.5 million acres, and claimed more than 1,500 lives.In the 1990s, a

Jimmy Hoffa and the Collyer Brothers

Dec 6th, 2022 1h 32m

Jimmy Hoffa, former president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters - a powerful union with ties to organized crime, disappears in 1975. Hoffa is eventually declared dead in 1982, though his body has never been found despite years of in

Ergotism and Howard Hughes

Oct 18th, 2022 1h 18m

In 857 A.D., in the Rhine Valley, an outbreak of a disease causing hallucinations, gangrene, and death occurred. Because the symptoms included a severe burning sensation, and it was believed to be a punishment from God, it came to be known as H

Lake Peigneur drilling disaster and the Darien Scheme

Aug 9th, 2022 44m 20s

In 1980, while Texaco was drilling in Lake Peigneur, a sinkhole opened up and drained the lake, swallowing the drilling platform, and several boats and barges in the process. The 10 foot deep lake was popular for fishing, and was the backdrop f

Flight 980 and the Yugo

Jun 28th, 2022 1h 9m

In 1985, Eastern Airlines Flight 980, crashed at 21,000 feet, on route to La Paz, Bolivia. Decades of searches turned up little, sparking a variety of conspiracy theories. Was it a disaster due to weather, a high altitude airport, a lack of exp

Cults and Nautical Failures

Jan 4th, 2022 1h 20m

Warning: this episode covers cults. Cults often were bad, and the content can be upsetting. This material may not be appropriate for children.After a long break due to Covid, travel, and technical difficulties, Mark and Kevin return with an epi

Jean-Paul Marat and Pietro Querini

Jul 13th, 2021 1h 2m

Jean-Paul Marat was a French political theorist, physician and scientist, and, during the French Revolution, a journalist and politician. Initially an advocate of basic human rights for the poor, he became increasingly uncompromising in his sta

California Water Wars and the Johnstown Flood

Jul 6th, 2021 1h 4m

Starting in the late 19th century, Los Angeles was outgrowing it's water supply, and by the early 20th century, the fight for water, known as the California Water Wars had begun.On May 31st, 1889, the failure of the South Fork Dam sent 14.55 mi

Germ Theory and Mutiny on the Bounty

Jun 29th, 2021 1h 9m

Until the 1850s, the leading theory for disease was Miasma, or "bad air", was the cause of disease. Though basic germ theory was written about around 400 B.C., it wouldn't be until the 1800s, that the idea of germs as the cause of disease would

The Dutch girls who hunted Nazis and the Byford Dolphin Explosive Decompression Accident

Jun 1st, 2021 54m 54s

When Germany invaded the Netherlands, the Dutch Resistance formed, and three women joined the Haarlem Council of Resistance. Freddie and Truus Oversteegen, 14 and 16 years old, joined in 1941, and Jannetje Johanna "Hannie" Schaft, 22, joined in

The Great Molasses Flood and Bon Scott of AC/DC

May 25th, 2021 1h 3m

On January 15, 1919 a tank of Molasses collapsed in Boston, sending a 20 foot tall wave of molasses through town. The tank contained almost 2.5 million gallons of sticky Molasses. The ensuing disaster killed 21 and injured another 150.Bon Scott

Dean Cummings and the Münster Rebellion

Mar 11th, 2021 1h 8m

Dean Cummings was a successful mogul skier on the U.S. ski team in the 80s, a World Champion freeskier in the 1995 World Extreme Ski Championship, and owner and operator of H2O Heli Ski, the premier heli ski company in Alaska.In February 2020 C

Neerja Bhanot and Lenin Peak Climbing Tragedy

Jan 22nd, 2021 1h 11m

When a Pan Am flight was hijacked by terrorists, Neerja Bhanot, heroically rose to the occasion and saved the lives of numerous passengers. Bravery and quick thinking by the Bhanot saves lives, but costs her own life.In 1974, an international g

Kaspar Hauser and the Atafu Boys

Dec 14th, 2020 1h 10m

Enigmatic Kaspar Hauser appears in the town square in Nuremberg, Germany on May 26th, 1828. Seemingly unable to speak more than a few words local officials are soon able to piece together his amazing tale. But how much, if any of it is really t

Henry Johnson and the Burke Wills Expedition

Dec 12th, 2020 1h 10m

Henry Johnson became one of the first Americans to be awarded France’s highest honor for battlefield valor, the Croix de Guerre avec Palme for his incredible bravery in single handedly repelling a German attack in WWI. The search for a passage

Olive Oatman and Juliane Koepcke

Nov 18th, 2020 1h 5m

In 1850, fourteen year old Olive Oatman was taken captive by Native Americans and spent 4 years with the Mohave. Her story after being repatriated into American society against her will would make her a national curiosity. On Christmas Eve 197

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