Cosmic Sponge
86 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 months ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsCosmic Sponge explores the bizarre landscape of UFOs, cryptids, and fringe science. Join both Jim and Steven on a hysterical journey as we dive headlong down the rabbit hole of the unexplained!
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Episodes
Ancient Alien Artwork The Nazca Lines
December 12, 2021 16:00 - 56 minutes - 39.1 MBLocated in the Nazca Desert of southern Peru, incredible images were etched into the landscape over 2000 years ago. Rediscovered in the late 1930s, these amazing artworks provided researchers a puzzle. Why were such large and elaborate earthworks viewable only from an airplane or hot air balloon carved into the desert floor well before such technology existed? Was it a massive irrigation project, a religious or cultural practice, or was it something from the stars? Support the show
Alien Contactees
December 08, 2021 05:00 - 1 hour - 57.9 MBGeorge walked into the desert to meet the alien, as if drawn there by some unknown force. It would be the start of series of alien communications that would include a trip into outer space, a conversion with royalty, and a secret meeting with the pope. Woodrow wasn't the only one who witnessed the strange craft parked in middle of the road but he was the only one who stopped to have a conversation with the odd man standing next to it. His life would be turned upside down by men in black, ...
Airships of the 1890s
November 28, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 44.3 MBBefore the UFOs of the 1940s, there were sightings across America from the fall of 1896 through the spring of 1897. Witnesses were in the thousands and descriptions ranged from lights in the sky to cigar or egg shaped craft of unknown origin. Was this the first wave of UFOs to visit our planet or a fad driven by outlandish tall tales, cleverly designed hoaxes, and the greed of newspaper companies eager to sell more issues to entertain a willing public? Stick around for the twist and turns...
The Legend of Mothman
November 21, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 59 MBIn the small town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia sightings of a winged humanoid terrified locals and culminated in the tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge. While movies, books and even video games have been produced around the myth of the Mothman, much remains unknown about its true nature. Is it a supernatural creature, a harbinger of doom, or case of mistaken identify? Join us as we explore the stories from actual witnesses in the first year of the Mothman legend and the myth that gr...
The Mystery of Portlock
November 15, 2021 02:00 - 1 hour - 41.7 MBCosmic Sponge welcomes Jason Ruehl of The Esoteric Book Club Podcast as we explore They mystery of Portlock, Alaska. Located on the western tip of the Kenai Peninsula in Southern Alaska, sits the remnants of Portlock, a town hastily abandoned in 1950. Having suffered mysterious deaths, supernatural visitations and the sightings of the Nan-te-nuk also known as the big hairy man or half man, half beast, the citizens fled leaving behind their homes and all they knew to escape the cursed town. ...
Father Gill's Close Encounter
November 07, 2021 17:00 - 1 hour - 43.3 MBIn 1959, an Anglican missionary and 37 staff and parishioners witnessed a UFO sighting which took place over three evenings and lasting several hours. In that time, the witnesses interacted with beings walking on the exterior of the craft using hand gestures and a flashlight. A detailed account was taken including times, locations, distances, and drawings of the craft by various witnesses. This event was deemed one of the most compelling cases investigated by J. Allen Hynek and remains...
Mediums and Spirits With Wendy Fedan
October 31, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 56.6 MBIn this episode of Cosmic Sponge we discuss Mediums, the afterlife and the in-between with author Wendy Fedan. Wendy has many titles under her belt but we focus on her adventures in the afterlife series and discuss the research that went into writing her novels as well as personal experiences with mediums and the other side. You can check out Wendy's books at: cawbooks and amazon Support the show
The Mysteries of New Zealand
October 24, 2021 20:00 - 48 minutes - 33.5 MBWelcome to New Zealand, a nation of mysterious events including UFOs, goat men, cannibal bigfoots, monstrous emus, and more! Support the show
Terrortober and the Spooky Sponge
October 17, 2021 14:00 - 57 minutes - 39.8 MBCosmic Sponge jumps into the Halloween season with some spooky stories of murder and mayhem. Join us as we explore unsolved mysteries and creepy wonders in the world! Support the show
The Yeti
October 10, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 51.8 MBEvidence of the Yeti can be found in Himalayan monasteries, museums, and private collections around the globe. DNA testing reveals that much of it points to various bear species native to the Himalayans. However, from time to time, the results point to unknown primates or humanoids closely related to Neanderthals. Is it possible that a large primate roams the earth at over 17,000 feet above sea level? We explore the history and evidence of the infamous Yeti in an effort to discover the t...
The Singularity and AI Overlords
October 03, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 52 MBFire, the wheel, bronze, the printing press, automobiles, moving pictures, flying machines, sliced bread, computers, and the internet all leading to the inevitable Singularity. At some point in the future, Skynet or something like it, will emerge from the efforts of mankind. Will it be the end of us or a bright shiny new future? From Elon Musk to Stephen Hawking, we look to tomorrow and try to see beyond the event horizon of the future they and other modern geniuses predict. Stick around...
The Rhodes Photographs
September 26, 2021 21:00 - 1 hour - 41.6 MBNestled between the Kenneth Arnold UFO sightings, which coined the term "Flying Saucer", and the Roswell Crash one can find two photographs captured by William Rhodes of the "saucers" so many had witnessed in the weeks between the two major UFO events. The government's response to William Rhodes spanned Projects Sign, Grudge, and Bluebook. It also is a perfect example of how the government treated UFO cases during each of them. The the photographic negatives Rhodes took would disappear b...
The Bell Witch with Heather Moser
September 20, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 51.6 MBIn this episode of Cosmic Sponge we invite classics professor, author, and researcher Heather Moser to take us on a trip into the supernatural history of one of the most compelling ghost stories from American lore, the Legend of the Bell Witch! Heather currently works as a researcher for Small Town Monsters and is a writing contributor to Into the Fray Radio. She co-hosts the podcast Caravan of Lore exploring cursed objects, legends, Ouija boards, as well as many other paranormal subjects...
Cattle Mutilations - Declassified
September 12, 2021 17:00 - 1 hour - 57.2 MBThe modern day cattle mutilation mystery started with a horse named Lady. The horrific scene would lead to speculation of the involvement of aliens, government agents and satanic cults. Surgical cuts, missing organs and an unusual placement of carcasses devoid of any footprints, human or otherwise, in the nearby surrounds would only add fuel to the fire that something was amiss. Eventually, a Senator, the FBI, Airforce, journalist, and prisoners at the infamous Leavenworth Petitionary wou...
The Search for Lake Monsters
September 05, 2021 19:00 - 1 hour - 48.5 MBBeneath the surface of some of the largest lakes in the world mystery abounds. Sightings of monstrous beast liter the history of mankind and even persist to this day in places like Loch Ness, Lake Okanagan, Crescent Lake, and Lake Champlain, to name a few. This week explore the claims and history behind some of these monsters and weigh the science against the evidence to see how likely such monsters might actually exist. Support the show
The Russian Roswell
August 30, 2021 01:00 - 1 hour - 43.2 MBIn this episode we go behind the Iron Curtain to look at Russian UFO cases including a crashed saucer, an alien autopsy, and a mass sighting of a jelly fish UFO. The curtain might be down but secrets persist! Stick around, its going to be a good one! Support the show
The Tasmanian Tiger
August 23, 2021 03:00 - 55 minutes - 37.9 MBLazarus species are animals which go extinct by all accounts and then are rediscovered alive and well in the wild. In this episode we discuss the possibility of the Tasmanian tiger joining that exclusive club and then the possibility that even more extraordinary extinct species in the cryptid realm are hiding in the wilds of Peru. Support the show
The Falcon Lake Incident
August 16, 2021 03:00 - 1 hour - 51 MBStefan Michalak survived World War II after serving as a soldier for Poland and then, after Poland fell, as part of the United States occupation forces. In time, he left his native country and immigrated to Canada, becoming both a industrial mechanic and an amateur geologist. In May of 1967, Stefan would add surviving a UFO encounter to his bio after observing two UFOs in the wilderness of Manitoba, getting close enough to touch one and then receiving a blast of exhaust which caught him on...
In Search of Ancient Civilizations
August 09, 2021 01:00 - 1 hour - 78.1 MBDid an advanced ancient civilization exist before the last ice age, eliminated by a comet strike or other cataclysmic event? In this episode we look at the earliest civilizations and then go backwards as we look for evidence that supports the existence of an earlier advanced civilization that predates what archeologist currently acknowledges. Is it time to rewrite history or just sit back and let the ink dry on what's already been written? Stick around and find out on this episode of Cosm...
The Stephenville UFO Incident
August 01, 2021 22:00 - 1 hour - 49.6 MBWelcome to Stephenville, a small Texas town with a lone star sized UFO flying overhead invades this week's podcast. It's a mass UFO sighting of a massive UFO. It has everything you come to expect in a UFO case of this magnitude. It has military coverups, civilian and ex military witnesses, an international news sensation, and a local reporter that gets it right and then takes it to the stars. Join us on this Texas sized UFO case, it's a big un! Support the show
Investigating Bigfoot - An Interview with Les O'Dell
July 25, 2021 14:00 - 1 hour - 47.7 MBMysteries surround us and here at Cosmic Sponge and one elusive cryptid captures our imagination more than any other, Bigfoot. A recent opening of a Bigfoot museum in Sutton, West Virginia led us to Les O'Dell who has accumulated significant knowledge of local myths and sightings behind the various cryptids of the Mountain State. He is a founding contributor to the West Virginia Bigfoot Museum, has written West Virginia Cryptids: A Visual Travel Guide for Traversing the Mountain State, al...
The Westall Incident
July 18, 2021 18:00 - 1 hour - 58 MBIn April of 1966, over 200 people witnessed UFOs in the skies over Victoria, Australia. Some say there was a landing, others saw more than one UFO, while local workers recount military personal conducting an on-site investigation Over fifty years later, witnesses continue to come forward despite a government conspiracy, local coverups, and dead end investigations to keep the incident alive. Stick around for the intriguing story of the Westall UFO. Support the show
The Betty and Barney Hill Abduction
July 11, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 48.9 MBAlien abductions are reported every year by ordinary, everyday individuals including teachers, doctors, police officers, and others. The case that started the modern abduction stories shared by so many arguably began in the White Hills of New Hampshire. It's the story of a Betty and Barney Hill and their dachshund, Dempsey. Support the show
The Shag Harbor USO
July 04, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 48.4 MBIt stands to reason that if an alien craft can transverse a vacuum, it should be able to handle an underwater jaunt with ease. So when an object crashed into Shag Harbor off of Novia Scotia in the Autumn of 1967 leaving behind in its wake a yellowish foam and a search effort which including the military which yielded no wreckage, Canada had all the pieces for its very own crashed saucer mystery. Support the show
Bigfoot Origins
June 27, 2021 20:00 - 1 hour - 65.6 MBDeep in the dark forest of North America lurks a creature boasting a shoe size of 21 inches. Where did he come from? Where does he live? What does he eat? How do we know he is real? It's time to dive into the history of this elusive beast to determine if he is indeed fact or just fiction. Support the show
Japan Airlines Flight 1628, Wine, and UFOs
June 20, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 48.8 MBOn November 17, 1986 a Japanese Boeing 747-200F flight from Reykjavik to Anchorage encountered multiple UFOs. The event lasted 50 minutes, included radar data from multiple locations and was witnessed by the three crewmembers of the aircraft. Subsequent analysis was ultimately inconclusive, with explanations like planets and stars on the horizon and ground lights reflected off of ice crystals all but disproven. While radar data supports the possibility of unknown craft operating near flig...
JAL Flight 1628
June 20, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 48.8 MBOn November 17, 1986 a Japanese Boeing 747-200F flight from Reykjavik to Anchorage encountered multiple UFOs. The event lasted 50 minutes, included radar data from multiple locations and was witnessed by the three crewmembers of the aircraft. Subsequent analysis was ultimately inconclusive, with explanations like planets and stars on the horizon and ground lights reflected off of ice crystals all but disproven. While radar data supports the possibility of unknown craft operating near flig...
The Belgian UFO Flap
June 14, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 52.1 MBTriangular UFOs navigated the skies over Belgium from November 1989 to April 1990. The first sighting included nearly a dozen police officers and over 100 civilians. By the time it was all over, thousands claimed to have seen these craft. Skeptics and debunkers provided explanations ranging from hallucinations brought on by tainted mayonnaise (so we were told, but unable to confirm) to misidentified stars, planes, satellites, and helicopters. Who knows what the truth might be? Jim and S...
The Belgian UFO Wave
June 14, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 52.1 MBTriangular UFOs navigated the skies over Belgium from November 1989 to April 1990. The first sighting included nearly a dozen police officers and over 100 civilians. By the time it was all over, thousands claimed to have seen them. Skeptics and debunkers provided explanations ranging from hallucinations brought on by tainted mayonnaise (so we were told, but unable to confirm) to misidentified stars, planes, satellites, and helicopters. Who knows what really happened? Jim and Steve look ...
The USS Roosevelt UFOs
June 07, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 81.9 MBThree videos were released and verified by the US Navy showing UFOs from 2004 and 2015. We looked into the 2015 videos Go Fast and Gimbal gathering the available data including pilot interviews, CIA projects, and US patents which may give a clue to what the pilots saw. Join us as we explore the USS Roosevelt UFOs of 2015! Support the show
Fire in the Sky
May 31, 2021 12:00 - 2 hours - 84.8 MBTravis ran up to the saucer floating a mere 20 feet above him. A blue light flashed and he was thrown to the ground. What followed was a five day search and rescue, an alien encounter, and a suspected murder. The Travis Walton Abduction case is perhaps the most compelling alien abduction cases since Betty and Barney Hill. What makes it so interesting is the number of witnesses that passed multiple lie detector test with a statistical chance of a false positive being less than one in a m...
The Zamora UFO
May 24, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 60.8 MBOn April 24, 1964 at 5:50 p.m., Lonnie Zamora encountered a UFO sighting involving unknow entities and trace evidence. Several explanations have been suggested including a hoax perpetuated by students of New Mexico Tech, ball lightning, and a mirage of the star Canopus. Regardless, Project Bluebook's casefile listed this incident as unexplained. Additionally, J. Allen Hynek noted this encounter as one of the more interesting ones and it remains an open case of an unidentified object to th...
A History of UFOs Declassified Part 2
May 17, 2021 12:00 - 1 hour - 81 MBWe continue our journey into the history of UFOs and how government policy established an environment of ridicule around the UFO topic which persist even today. In this episode we discuss Project Blue Book, the Condon Report, some of the big cases of the 1950s to the 1960s. Support the show
A History of UFOs Declassified Part 1
May 11, 2021 04:00 - 1 hour - 54 MBTo understand how UFOs are viewed by the government, military, scientist and most of the general public, you have to go back to the beginning. From the start, UFOs posed a problem for the leaders of our country and the response was to ridicule and dismiss. From project Sign to project Grudge, we explore the beginning of the modern UFO phenomena. Support the show
UFOs, Bigfoot, and Other Weird Things
May 11, 2021 02:00 - 1 hour - 65.3 MBWelcome to Cosmic Sponge, a podcast about UFOs and Other Weird Things in the World! We are a podcast devoted mostly to UFOs but are happy to jump into discussions about cryptids and the paranormal. Join us on this wild ride through the strange topics and mysteries of the unknown! Support the show
The Nimitz Encounter
May 05, 2021 23:00 - 1 hour - 52.1 MBIn 2004 the Nimitz Carrier Group was conducting pre-deployment exercises off the west coast. Over the course of several weeks, multiple systems tracked UFOs and several encounters with the flight crew including a brief chase makes this UFO event the most convincing to date. Support the show