Show Notes
We're joined by Sharon Hill to look into the vital 1970s question: Was Noah's Ark Real? (And does it disprove Darwin's theory of evolution through natural selection?) spoilers: No and No. The episode opens with "footage" (re-creations, repurposed footage) of the famous 1889 Flood. The footage in the movie appears to be from a short film called The World that Perished (1977) but we couldn't find a version of that to share. The 1976 film In Search of Noah's Ark is available (in poor quality) on YouTube. Nimoy reminds of us the other Ark with this library fashion-alert moment.
The episode re-creates the famous "undressing in excitement" story of George Smith discovering the Utnapishtim version of the flood myth. (Later in the episode we get a better shot of Nimoy in the Library.)
We discussed the "Ararat Anomaly" briefly. The many searches for Noah's Ark. Physicist Rainer Berger (1930 - 2003) puts a lot of fake evidence to rest with his radiocarbon dating skills.
Creationist Henry Morris "an expert in the flow of water??"
Jeb discusses Abzu briefly. The "Creation Research Society" is behind a lot of the content in this episode. The episode calls him "Dr. Clifford Burdick" but he doesn't appear to have actually been a PhD.
Burdick reminded some of us of Reverend Kane from Poltergeist 2.
There is some mention of the Younger Dryas - a favorite of Hancockian enthusiasts. Many cultures around the world have flood myths. Many cultures around the world have floods. There may be some connection?
Discussion of the site called Doggerland. Warm Mineral Springs in Florida. The Black Sea Deluge hypothesis.
Burdick did look a little lost in the desert at one point...
More from In Research Of
Jeb and Blake go in research of... MOON MADNESS! Does the full moon drive people mad? Will this episode drive your hosts mad? Was In Search Of... not able to afford a fact-checker in season five? SO MANY QUESTIONS! This is our Halloween Episode for season five. This is our TIME TRAVEL episode for season five. This is... MOON MADNESS.
⚠️ Heads up: this episode opens with combat footage from the Tet Offensive and includes graphic descriptions of battlefield injury, a child in medical crisis, and animal experimentation. If you or someone you know is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available by call or text at 988.⚠️
Note: This episode briefly touches on the topic of suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, please contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
Jeb and Blake tackle In Search Of...'s S05E03 topic of Lee Harvey Oswald. Episode Summary This In Search Of episode examines the assassination of President John F. Kennedy through the lens of (at the time this aired) newly discovered acoustic evidence and Cold War intrigue. Rather than accepting the Warren Commission's conclusion that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, the episode presents "new evidence" suggesting a conspiracy involving multiple gunmen, potential Soviet involvement, and even the extraordinary theory that the man killed by Jack Ruby may not have been the real Lee Harvey Oswald. The episode relies heavily on acoustic analysis of the Dallas police motorcycle tape (1978), testimony from KGB defector Yuri Nosenko, handwriting analysis of Oswald's Soviet diary, and the fringe theory of British investigator Michael Eddowes that a Soviet lookalike carried out the assassination. Notably, this episode aired just three weeks before the election of Ronald Reagan, and sits chronologically between two major investigations: Dr. James Barger's acoustic analysis work (1978) and the National Academy of Sciences' debunking of that analysis (1982).
Blake and Jeb discuss ISO's coverage of FAITH HEALING. The episode goes to places new and old. Jeb gives us historical context. Blake gets angry. Nimoy wears a lab coat.