Cryptozoology

Monster Weekend Report

Newcastle, UK: The home of the infamous Lambton Worm, known for its Curse and the Lambton Worm song. Journalist Tim Chapman shares his straight-from-the-scene report on the September 1-2, 2007, “Monster Weekend” in Newcastle, United Kingdom. With no official Fortean Times UnConvention this year (and, as I understand it, little prospect of one in the foreseeable future), FT stalwart Ian Simmons assumed the task of organising a partial substitute. Conveniently, Ian holds a senior job at the ‘Centre for Life’ science museum in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, which just happened to be hosting a ‘Myths & Monsters’ exhibition on loan from London’s Natural [...]

Where Are The Orang Dalam?

August is one of the most active months, from past experiences, for sightings and encounters with Malaysia’s Orang Dalam. By September, we usually have heard of what encounters have taken place over the summer. But where are the reports this year? Have you heard of any? Here’s a gallery of flashbacks from the past, from those high seasons of sightings, progressing down through the years, including those from merely a year ago last spring and summer 2006. Ah, what a difference a year makes. Close up of the track of the Orang Dalam on a Malaysian sandbar found during Harold [...]

Pondering Cuero’s Chupacabras

Phylis Canion and her dead head are all over the internet and the media today. Is it a Chupacabras? The answer may rest soon in a lab in Maine. Perhaps Ms. Canion will read this or someone in authority in Texas shall – and they will contact me. I was telephoned tonight by Dr. Irv Kornfield, Professor of Biology and Molecular Forensics, at the University of Maine, who was helpful in running the DNA samples on last summer’s “Maine Mutant” carcass. Dr. Kornfield has volunteered to run DNA tests on this new Cuero specimen, and I shall be attempting to [...]

Delphos Hyena

The following report recalls the historical stories of the Shunka Warak’in of Montana, as represented in the now missing taxidermy example above. Delphos, O., July 31. – Considerable excitement was created here yesterday when Isaac Good, who lives on the Noah Miller farm in Marion township, about a mile east of Delphos, came into town and reported that he had seen in the Pohlman woods, near the W. C. Baxter farm, between 8 and 9 a.m., a strange looking wild animal that had all the appearance of being a hyena. Mr. Good first saw the animal in the woods. It [...]

Ratatosk Predicts Red Sox Victory

I’ve spent some time here discussing melanistic or black squirrels. It seems only logical, perhaps even nuts, to not ignore the significant publishing of an article in today’s New York Times regarding some squirrel lore that can be seen to unfold in the coming weeks. What is being set up is a testable experiment. If a scholar of Norse mythology had been in the stands of Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night, he or she probably would have advised Yankees fans to not make too much out of the 5-3 victory against the Red Sox. The result, after all, still left [...]

Newcastle’s Monster Weekend

I’m traveling again, tomorrow, flying over to England, apparently via Paris. (I know, I know, my arms will be very tired from all the flapping.) Saturday, September 1 and Sunday, September 2, 2007, “Searching for Bigfoot and Other Cryptids.” It all will be taking place at Monster Weekend, Centre for Life (science center), Newcastle, United Kingdom. For more information, see “Monster Weekend” or look over the schedule below: Monster Weekend Speaking Schedule Saturday, September 1, 2007 Dragons: More than a Myth? (Richard Freeman) 10.00-10.45 Before daemons, vampires, werewolves or giants the dragon haunted the minds of men and coiled their [...]