Expanded Perspectives

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about how researchers have discovered a 5,000-year-old beer recipe by studying the residue on the inner walls of pottery vessels found in an excavated site in northeast China. It’s the earliest evidence of beer production in China so far. Then, the researchers at DeepMind have been working with two games to test whether neural networks are more likely to understand motivations to compete or cooperate. They hope that this research could lead to AI being better at working with other AI in situations that contain imperfect information. Then, a man in Maryland claims he and two other people saw an unknown big bird he believes to be Thunderbird. The 55-year-old press operator, who asked to be kept anonymous, told Cryptozoology News that he was in the kitchen when his twin brother noticed the oddity. Then, frightening first-hand accounts of the Black Eyed Children have been flooding the internet for the last few years, terrifying readers

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about how for some people the the snapping of gum. The slurping of soup makes them shudder. They despise it. If that person is you then you likely have Misophonia. For you that  have misophonia, these sounds are more than merely annoying—they’re rage-inducing. Being trapped in a room of snappers and slurpers is enough to make you  walk away or set yourself  on fire. All too often, folks with misophonia—which literally means “hatred of sound—are dismissed as being over dramatic. But new research suggests that they aren’t just making this up—there’s a neurological basis for your anger. Then, a Florida witness at Titusville reported watching an oval-shaped object crossing the sky “shrouded in the bright, meteor-like light” while waiting for an Atlas V rocket launch. Then, Lon Strickler over at Phantoms and Monsters, recently posted an interesting sighting of some sort of bat winged type creature that sounds eerily similar to another si

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start the off by talking about how over the millennia, animals have gone extinct on Earth for many different reasons. Sometimes it's because of a dramatic shift in the climate. Other times it was because of human intervention. Advances in science, specifically biotechnology, could enable scientists to bring some of these animals "back" from extinction, and there are a few already on the list. Then, Lon Strickler over at Phantoms and Monsters posted a story about a man who spotted what he can only describe as a White Bigfoot. Then, Lon posted a sighting a Werewolf like creature spotted along a road in rural Pennsylvania. The witness saw it swim across a river and the re-emerge on the other side. It stood up on two legs and ran off. Then, according to Cryptozoology News a man in Canada reportedly spotted three alien beings working on a spacecraft. The anonymous man claims he was walking his dog at Earl Bales Park when he noticed a few lights in the distance. Af

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys talk about how a lot of people mix up children's names or friends' names and as it turns out it's because you love them. It's not related to a bad memory or to aging, but rather to how the brain categorizes names. It's like having special folders for family names and friends names stored in the brain. Then, according to a new study recently published in the journal Science Advances, evidence shows that humans occupied much of the Sahara during the ‘wet period’ around 8,000 years ago. Through an analysis of marine sediments, researchers at the University of Arizona have determined rainfall patterns in the Sahara over a period of 6,000 years obtaining fascinating results. The UA-led team has identified the climate pattern that generated a “Green Sahara” from 5,000 to 11,000 years ago. The region had 10 times the rainfall it does today. Then, a Tennessee resident was recently startled by a Bigfoot type creature. Around 10:00pm a man heard some rustling around on

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start out talking about how in tests on mice, alcohol activated the brain signals that tell the body to eat more food. The UK researchers, who report their findings in the journal Nature Communications, believe the same is probably true in humans. It would explain why many people say they eat more when they have had a few drinks. Rather than loss of restraint, it is a neuronal response, the Francis Crick Institute team says. Then, recently someone wrote Lon Strickler over at Phantoms and Monsters about a strange Dogman like creature they saw one evening in 2013 in southeast Manitoba. Then, a team of scientists selected by federal officials in Seattle have come across new evidence in the mystery of D.B. Cooper. The Citizen Sleuths have been analyzing particles found on the clip-on-tie that Cooper left behind after he hijacked a Northwest Orient airplane in November 1971. Tom Kaye, the lead researcher of the group, told King 5 on Friday that a powerful microsco

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about space junk. How big is the problem and what are we going to do about it. Few humans have ever stepped foot in space but as a species we've already managed to make a mess of Earth's backyard. Space junk from satellites and rockets is crowding out spacecraft and telecommunication satellites in Earth's orbit, and putting humans at risk. It's a big problem, and getting bigger every day. Then, robots can be terrifying all on their own, but stick a human being inside and give them control of the mechanical muscles that provide superhuman strength and you've got a recipe for a horror movie. South Korean robotics firm Hankook Mirae Technology has done exactly that, and its Method-2 robot just took its first steps towards world domination this week. The robot is just one year into development, but it's already a hulking beast that could give anyone nightmares. The bot stands over 13 feet tall and weighs over one and a half tons. Its stu

This week on Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about how when you engage in international travel, you may one day find yourself face-to-face with border security that is polite, bilingual and responsive—and robotic. The Automated Virtual Agent for Truth Assessments in Real Time (AVATAR) is currently being tested in conjunction with the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) to help border security agents determine whether travelers coming into Canada may have undisclosed motives for entering the country.  "AVATAR is a kiosk, much like an airport check-in or grocery store self-checkout kiosk," said San Diego State University management information systems professor Aaron Elkins. "However, this kiosk has a face on the screen that asks questions of travelers and can detect changes in physiology and behavior during the interview. The system can detect changes in the eyes, voice, gestures and posture to determine potential risk. It can even tell when you're curling your toes." Then, an ano

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start off talking about how according to reports, scientists in china claim they have successfully created a ‘working prototype of the impossible, reactionless engine, and say that they have already begun testing it orbit aboard their Tiangong-2 space laboratory. The controversial, radical and revolutionary fuel-free EmDrive has created a buzz in the scientific community after a paper published by scientists at NASA showed the technology works successfully. Then, a now-submerged Stone Age settlement has been mapped in the Baltic Sea, revealing how its ancient inhabitants lived along what was once a lagoon on the coast of Sweden some 9,000 years ago. The exceptionally well-preserved site was discovered about seven years ago, after divers came upon what are now considered to be the oldest stationary fish traps in northern Europe. It turns out that those fishing traps were a part of the Haväng site, which archaeologists now believe was once a lagoon environment w

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about how back in September 1904 a group of people witnessed something truly bizarre near Preston, Texas. When discovered by a party of hunters on his all fours pawing and neighing like a horse, their attention was first attracted by what they took to be the whining of a startled horse in the undergrowth. When advanced upon, the strange being ran off on his hands and feet but the pursuers gained upon him so rapidly he sprang to his feet and quickly covering the short distance to the river, plunged headlong from a rather high bank into the water and swam to the Indian side. When he reached that bank he stood up, shook himself like a horse just out of a bath, and with what might really be called a horse laugh ran off into the woods. Then, another odd sighting, this too back in the early twentieth century. From the December 19th, 1913 edition of the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper,  A Werewolf in the Bronx. According to the article, sev

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show talking about they're favorite Holiday drinks and then in Italy, the legend of La Befana is one that is popularly told around the time of the Epiphany. What does a Catholic holiday have to do with modern Paganism? Well, La Befana happens to be a witch. According to folklore, on the night before the feast of the Epiphany in early January, Befana flies around on her broom, delivering gifts. Much like Santa Claus, she leaves candy, fruit, or small gifts in the stockings of children who are well-behaved throughout the year. On the other hand, if a child is naughty, he or she can expect to find a lump of coal left behind by La Befana. Then, Researchers at Oregon State have patented a new strain of seaweed that tastes like bacon when it's cooked. The seaweed, a form of red marine algae, looks like translucent red lettuce. It also has twice the nutritional value of kale and grows very quickly. Did we mention it tastes like bacon? According to Oregon S

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about a person who had a very strange encounter with what appeared to be a 7ft tall monkey who was in control of an Owl with the face of person. Then, Dr. Hirotaka Sato, an aerospace engineer at Nanyang Technological University. Sato and his team are turning live beetles into cyborgs by electrically controlling their motor functions. Having studied the beetles' muscle configuration, neural networks, and leg control, the researchers wired the insects so that they could be controlled by a switchboard. In doing so, the researchers could manipulate the different walking gaits, speeds, flying direction, and other forms of motion. Essentially, the beetles became like robots with no control over their own motor functioning. Interestingly, though the researchers control the beetles through wiring, their energy still comes naturally from the food they eat. Hence, the muscles are driven by the insects themselves, but they have no willpower ove

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about how recently Egypt has unearthed a city more than 7,000 years old and a cemetery dating back to its first dynasty in the southern province of Sohag, the antiquities ministry has said. The find could be a boon for Egypt’s ailing tourism industry, which has suffered a series of setbacks since the uprising that toppled the autocrat Hosni Mubarak in 2011, but remains a vital source of foreign currency. The city is likely to have housed high-ranking officials and grave builders. Its discovery may yield new insights into Abydos, one of the oldest cities in ancient Egypt, the ministry said in a statement. Experts say Abydos was Egypt’s capital towards the end of the predynastic period and during the rule of the first four dynasties. The discovery was made 400 metres away from the temple of Seti I, a New Kingdom period memorial across the Nile from present day Luxor. Then, space is still the final frontier, and as NASA scientists prep

This week on Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about how six years ago, divers discovered the oldest known stationary fish traps in northern Europe off the coast of southern Sweden. Since then, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have uncovered an exceptionally well-preserved Stone Age site. They now believe the location was a lagoon environment where Mesolithic humans lived during parts of the year. Other spectacular finds include a 9,000-year-old pick axe made out of elk antlers. The discoveries indicate mass fishing and therefore a semi-permanent settlement.  Then, Medieval archer's 'unique quiver' and arrows with iron tips found in hole in a cliff, along with his wooden sarcophagus. Two local residents accidentally stumbled across the burial site, close to the village of Kokorya, which contains the bones of an adult man, his birch bark quiver, arrow shafts and iron arrow heads, intricate ornaments and utensils made from the roots of trees, as well as the remnants of silk ribb

This week on Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about how if you want a decent night’s sleep stop fiddling with your phone, researchers have warned. A US study has found that greater screen time, particularly at bedtime, is linked to disrupted sleep patterns - including taking a longer time to drop off. “The more screen time, the worse the quality of sleep,” said Gregory Marcus, co-author of the research from the University of California, San Francisco. The research ties in with a growing body of evidence that suggests that using electronic devices can get in the way of shut-eye. Then, on a quiet day in March, 1966, seven eyewitnesses reported an unidentified flying object maneuvering over Livingston and Washtenaw counties in Michigan. But these were not just some crazy people who watched all this there were police officers, sherrif deputies and over a 100 other people. an official investigation declared it was an optical illusion created by swamp gas. But some say that's just what the

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives we talk with documentary film maker Seth Breedlove about his latest movie "The Boggy Creek Monster". As well as some of his previous movies "The Minerva Monster" and "The Beast of Whitehall". These documentary films are all made by "Small Town Monsters". Small Town Monsters is an independent film series that explores lost and bizarre history around the United States. In addition to film, STM is also merchandise, and other media devoted to this same subject matter. The legend of the Boggy Creek Monster has long captivated the people of Fouke, Arkansas, a little town about 150 miles outside of Little Rock. It is said that Fouke is the first place that this cryptid was spotted. According to legend, the Boggy Creek Monster stands between seven and eight feet tall on two feet and weighs close to 300 pounds. Its chest, legs and arms are covered with thick, long hair. The first reported sightings go all the way back to 1834, when it is said that the large, hairy “wild man”

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start off talking about how recently while sifting through the remains of an Iron Age burial plot dating from 400 to 450 B.C. in what is today Germany, Bettina Arnold, an archaeologist and anthropologist at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and others uncovered a cauldron that contained remnants of an alcohol brewed and buried with the deceased. So she decided to team up with Milwaukee's Lakefront Brewery to re-create the ancient brew, using a recipe inspired by evidence collected from the archaeological remains. Then,a remarkable 7,000-year-old megalithic site that served as an astronomical observatory has been found in Muduma village in Telangana, India. The discovery has been hailed as one of the most significant archaeological findings in India over the last few decades. According to Times of India, the team of archeologists described it as  ''the only megalithic site in India, where a depiction of a star constellation has been identified''. The anci

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start off the show talking about how Australian researchers have discovered that peptides contained in the milk of Tasmanian devils can kill some of the most deadly bacterial and fungal infections, including golden staph. Then, Russian researchers have stumbled on the site of this lost weather station, along with a handful of wartime relics from the 1940s. Among the artifacts discovered on the island are objects bearing Nazi insignia and swastikas. Most importantly for the researchers, many of the items also appear to be marked and dated to give further confirmation that this is the real deal. Then, Cam re-tells a terrifying experience one camper had in Michigan with what is believed to be a Bigfoot like creature. Then, a recent article claims the Earth faces another ICE AGE within 15 years as Russian scientists discover that the Sun is cooling. Experts say that solar activity as low as it currently is has not been seen since the mini-ice age that took place

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives week talk with friend and author Joshua Cutchin about his latest book "The Brimstone Deceit". Witnesses the world over claim to see spirits, UFOs, Sasquatch, and other phenomena that are not supposed to exist. Most cannot believe their eyes, yet some of these observers have also detected evidence of a more ephemeral nature--odors abound, in particular the stench of brimstone. In the first book of its kind, Joshua Cutchin, author of the highly praised A Trojan Feast, documents these uncommon scents and poses a startling possibility... that smell is a sense ripe for deception. We trust our eyes and ears, but should we trust our noses? Prior to pursuing his dream of becoming a full-time author and musician in 2015, Joshua Cutchin served as Public Affairs Director of the University of Georgia Hugh Hodgson School of Music for three years. During his tenure at UGA, Joshua authored over one hundred articles, press releases, and blog posts. In addition to appearing in local

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start the show off talking about how a reeally astonishing trail cam footage showing a UFO followed by the mysterious appearance of a very large, mechanical-looking object has been sent to MUFON (case 79614) and reported on many UFO sites. Then, nuclear weapons are already scary enough, but when you dig deeper and find out how powerful the weapons truly are, they get even more terrifying. The weapons we’ve built after the first atomic bombs are so strong that you can basically use Hiroshima as a unit of measurement. The largest nuclear explosion in human history, the Tsar Bomba, detonated with a force of 50 megatons or the power of 3,333 Hiroshimas. Then, an eagle cam appears to have captured an ape-like creature walking around on the ground below, prompting speculation that it could be the elusive creature. The shadowy figure was filmed near the Platte River State Fish Hatchery in Beulah, Michigan, back in May, The Detroit Free Press reported. The camera had

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives the guys start off talking about how recently archaeologists were left baffled by the "strange" discovery of ancient Roman coins buried in the ruins of a castle in Japan. The four copper coins were retrieved from soil beneath Katsuren Castle on Okinawa Island, and were originally thought to be a hoax before their true provenance was revealed. Then, a recent study by Japanese researchers has added some much-needed extra data about the phenomenon of life after death. In 2014 a questionnaire was sent out to bereaved family members of cancer patients across Japan who died in hospital, palliative care units, or at home, in order to evaluate the quality of the end-of-life care they received. Part of that nationwide survey asked about deathbed visions. Remarkably, of 2,221 survey responses, the researchers found that visions of dead loved ones were reported in 463 cases (21%). Then, a Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia couple were scratching their heads after discovering an odd-loo