Bigfoot, Nessie, Chupacabra, oh my. Do they exist? Let's see.
So I often rely on the images provided as part of my website subscription to post on the blog. I don't generally have a hard time finding photos but "cryptids" and "bigfoot" and "Nessie" didn't get me far. This is a dragon, which could be a cryptid and could be Nessie or any number of others.
What is a cryptid? A creature whose existence has yet to be proven. Some past cryptids include the duck-billed platypus (who would have believed that creature exists?) gorilla and okapi (I even have a photo of an okapi from a Ugandan safari which I can't find right now lending credence to its "cryptid" moniker from the past). Indiana University, Bloomington has a great visual of "used to be" and "still are" cryptids.
Forbes has a wonderful piece about cryptids and where to find them or where to look for them. Add this to your travel bucket list but proceed with caution. There is even a museum dedicated to all things cryptozoology (the study of cryptids) in Maine. Access its website here.
My go-to magazine for all things nerdy, National Geographic, had two pieces related to the number of undiscovered species and cryptids. View the piece regarding undiscovered species here and the piece containing an interview with authors, Daniel Loxton and Donal R. Prothero of the book Abominable Science! Origins of the Yeti, Nessie, and Other Famous Cryptids here. The Conversation (I love the tagline of this website: academic rigor, journalistic flair) looks at the same question of undiscovered species and explains why it is so difficult to quantify.
If this podcast and associated blog truly piqued your interest and you've ordered your Cryptid Museum tickets and booked your nearby Airbnb, then you might also want to view the cryptid database. It is a bit rough but it gets the job done. If you spot a cryptid, add your sighting (I think you can....).
We then shifted gears a bit and started talking about television shows dedicated to the paranormal, including cryptids and aliens (which Bryce and I both agreed are cryptids). Travel Channel and A&E are two channels with pretty extensive paranormal programming. You may certainly get your fill of phantoms here. That said, do aliens exist? NPR had a recent report on the existence of aliens. An interview on The Conversation with five scientists delved more deeply into this idea. What do the experts say? (Four out of five scientists surveyed.....)
No conversation about aliens would be complete without a discussion of abductions. Some people do believe they have been abducted and several psychologists and other professionals think they have an explanation for that phenomenon. A recent academic research paper in the Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry offers some insights.
Halloween is right around the corner and with it comes a costume. What does one wear? What are the popular costumes? We have you covered (and costumed). In fact, this week's Arbitrary Random Stat (ARS) deals with just that - could you say we've covered your ARS?
PopSugar notes the most popular costumes of 2021.
Good Housekeeping lists the best and most common costumes of all time.
Ranker ranks for you the costumes you should never wear....Not Ever!
Trick or treat!