Show Notes
We're joined by Dr. Nathan French to discuss the Biblical tale of Sodom and Gomorrah and the ISO team's efforts to examine archaeological evidence supporting its actual historical existence.
Nimoy Fashion:
Dr. Avrahamm Biran (1909 - 2008)
The concept of Biblical Maximalism The big dig at Ebla where the library of clay tablets was found.
In 1976 Giovanni Pettinato claimed tablets found at the dig contained the names of five cities of the plain including Sodom and Gomorrah. Modern scholarly consensus is that this was incorrect. I think this is archaeologist Paulo Matti (Pettinato's fellow researcher on the dig) alongside an unnamed female researcher.
As promised, the animated gif of the sinners in our "re-creations" of ancient Sodom.
Discussion of Baal in the episode doesn't hint that this Biblical "villain god" may actually represent an entire class of deities. About 17 mins into the episode there's a guy who runs a hot spring and his moustache reminded Jeb of a certain someone...
Doctor Bruce Bolt sitting in front of some truly fabulous old equipment.
Finally - one more thing - the link to the Atari E.T. fiasco documentary.
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.