One of the world’s great mysteries is on the verge of being solved. For over 70 years, investigators have sought to identify the unknown man found dead on an Australian beach in 1948. There were no signs of foul play and an examination of the victim’s stylish clothing strangely revealed that all of the labels had been removed. In his pocket was found a passage from a rare book that eerily translates to: It is ended. Was this a suicide or something much more complicated? We are joined by Dr. Lars Petersen to discuss how newly collected DNA evidence may finally reveal the identity of the Somerton Man.

Of all of the professional sports, baseball seems to be the one most closely associated with the paranormal. There are famously haunted ballparks that connect current-day players and fans with the legends of the past. The Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, has had so many strange encounters that it has been featured on shows like Ghost Hunters. Baseball players themselves are a very superstitious bunch, going to extreme and odd lengths to try to give themselves an edge, or at least to keep bad luck away. We are taking you to the ballgame and will be sharing some of baseball’s spookiest stories and the unique connections the game has to the paranormal. Featuring special guest co-host (and serious baseball fan) Dr. Brittney Bos.

Historically in the horror genre, women have often been relegated to playing innocent victims who suffer terrible violence in movies most often watched by young men. Dr. Amy Jane Vosper believes horror movies are changing and has written a Ph.D. dissertation to prove it. Women are now making horror, writing about horror, watching horror, and communicating with one another about horror. We discuss these changes and take an in-depth look at what kinds of horror films are most appealing to women. We also share all sorts of awesome scary movie recommendations. Grab some popcorn and join us!

In 1861, the town of Kendal, England was the site of a chilling ghost story that captured imaginations and made headlines around the world. Late one night while gathered around a fireplace, a group of people suddenly experience a series of forceful knocks that shake the building. The residents search the structure in an attempt to determine the cause of the disturbance. Their ghost hunt culminates with a trip down to the damp and dark basement – where something – was waiting for them. We share the story.

The strange but true story of how child movie star and “America’s Sweetheart”, Shirley Temple, survived a brush with death on Christmas Eve in 1939 during a live radio show. We share Temple’s own account of the terrifying and bizarre incident, as well as key parts of the original radio broadcast. Was it a clandestine operation by a foreign government? Someone jealous of Temple’s success within the entertainment industry? Or, something much stranger and darker than that? In the episode, we explore the wild, disturbing, and relatively unknown events that had an 11-year-old Shirley Temple looking down the barrel of a gun.

Was there a monster hiding in the cemetery? In 1954, the Glasgow Police Department began to receive concerned calls about hundreds of school children descending on a nearby necropolis. These children varied in age from teenagers, all the way down to toddlers who could barely walk. Many carried crucifixes or other protective talismans. More disturbingly, others were armed with knives and makeshift weapons as they patrolled the grounds. There is no doubt the children came looking for a fight with a monster. Did they get one?

The tragic story of the sinking of the Titanic continues to fascinate, terrify and inspire the imagination. As we approach the anniversary of this historic event, we will look at the Titanic from another angle – a supernatural one. Is it possible that some people knew in advance that the great ship’s maiden voyage would end in disaster at sea? Our guest, retired professor Terry Keefe, has recently complied over 200 different cases, many from difficult to obtain or out-of-print sources, in his new book “Premonitions of the Titanic Disaster.” He will be sharing with us some of the most intriguing and eerie examples. It is another mysterious layer to the story of the ill-fated luxury steamship.

Once a year, Canadian literary giant, Robertson Davies, would write and perform a ghost story for his students and colleagues at the University of Toronto. This wonderful tradition carried on for 18 years. In the episode, we share one of the best examples of his spooky and side-splitting stories that blur the lines between fact and fiction.

In the aftermath of one of the deadliest tornadoes in US history, strange stories began to circulate in Joplin, Missouri. Children from a variety of backgrounds reported that angel-like “Butterfly People” had protected them during the terrible storm which claimed 161 lives. These incredible stories of survival are captivating and illuminate the very thin line between the divine and the paranormal.

Warning: The episode contains descriptions of a massive tornadic event and the resulting destruction and loss of life. Listener discretion is advised.

We celebrate our 100th episode with a blockbuster interview! Professor Alexander Puzrin recently made international headlines for a paper he co-wrote in the Communications Earth & Environment academic journal about the Dyatlov Pass Incident. He joins us from Zurich to explain the new scientific discoveries that may finally solve one the world’s most famously frustrating unsolved mysteries. Follow us as we head deep into the Ural Mountains looking for answers.

Due to the unsettling nature of the tragedy, and descriptions of significant injuries, listener discretion is advised.

Has the Dyaltov Pass Incident, one of the world’s most chilling mysteries, been solved? What could explain why a group of expert Russian skiers cut their way out of their own tent in the middle of a freezing cold night and wandered off into the dark without jackets and in bare feet? Avalanche? Animal attack? Military testing? Or…something much more sinister? Join us as we look back at the bizarre story before our big interview next week with one of the authors of the new headline making report.

Courtney from the Haunts Jaunts podcast chats with Jim about a variety of spooky topics. They discuss intriguing reports coming in from The Haunting at Home. Including Courtney’s own experience. The reports pose questions about the nature of ghosts, reality and our perception. Of course, all this and more, with a good measure a ghost stories sprinkled throughout!

Take part in The Haunting at Home Experiment!

Looking for a fun gift idea for someone spooky in your life? Be sure to check out our gift cards and visit our online gift shop.

Do police officers believe in ghosts? What incredible and difficult to explain events have they witnessed or been called in to assist with while on duty? We are joined by Elliott Van Dusen, a retired member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police turned paranormal investigator, to discuss the intriguing reports he has collected from his colleagues for his new book: Supernatural Encounters: True Paranormal Accounts from Law Enforcement.

What are ghosts? What do they look like? How do they act? Why do they exist? These are all fundamental questions we explore in virtually every episode of Haunted Talks.  As we approach Halloween, when the boundaries between the living and the dead are most blurred – It seems only fitting that we look at these questions once again from a slightly different perspective. In 1900, an article was first published in the Chicago Tribune, “The Habits and Customs of Ghosts – Investigated By Science”. It shares some truly terrifying ghost stories and provides insight into how people thought about the paranormal 120 years ago. Have ghosts changed much over that time?

Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven is a gothic masterpiece. It still gives chills and captures imaginations today. The narrator of this paranormal poetry is tormented by an ominous talking bird and haunted by the ghost of his lost love. More than enough to drive any of us to edge of sanity. In the episode, we explore the Halloween classic and share a reading of the iconic spooky tale.

While living in Bangor, Maine, Stephen King would often visit Mount Hope Cemetery for inspiration. He reportedly borrowed the names of some of his best-known characters, such as Carrie and Georgie, from headstones on the grounds.

Aside from King’s fictional creations, the cemetery has a well-earned reputation for being very haunted. Many visitors have reported seeing apparitions. Unexplained shadows or ghostly figures lurking about the grounds. Some have even heard the voices of small children calling out through the darkness.

This spring there was a notable surge in reports of paranormal activity in people’s homes. What caused this spike and what does it mean? Is there anyway we could test to see how many of us live in haunted houses? Veteran tour guide and founder of Haunted Walk’s Investigation Team, Margo MacDonald, joins us to discuss.

Take part in The Haunting at Home Experiment and have a little spooky fun this Halloween Season!

Please be sure to check out our new Bubble Ghost Tours in Kingston, Ottawa & Toronto, and visit our online gift shop.

“The Professor’s Ghost Story” was published in newspapers across the United States in 1896. A spooky, chilling and surprising tale that combines the elements of a great ghost story with a compelling mystery. It is the story of a man and his horse, and the mischievous spirit they met along a dark country road. Is it a work of fiction or a genuine encounter with the unknown?

We examine a dastardly & largely forgotten crime that shocked a small community in Western Quebec & made headlines across North America. As dawn was breaking on a summer’s morning in 1933, five family members were hunted down and brutally murdered on their farmstead. The evidence gathered from the gruesome crime scene unexpectedly pointed the finger at one of their own. We are joined by Canadian crime writer Keith Landry, author of “The Allumette Island Massacre.”

The Pickman family thought they had found the perfect new home for their growing family. Within days they began to notice strange happenings. Playful at first, they became sinister and terrifying. Forcing the family to flee for their safety, leaving an incredible ghost story and countless questions in their wake. Join us as we explore the disturbing Sallie House Haunting.

Many are worrying about missing out on the best parts of Halloween this year. The haunted houses, costume parties, ghost tours and the other wonderful things that make the season awesome. What if we could give everyone a "Halloween Insurance Policy" to ensure a spooky good time no matter what? Well...that is the ambitious plan we are trying to turn into a reality with The Save Halloween Project.

There are few shows that captured the imagination quite like Unsolved Mysteries. As it gets a reboot on Netflix, we look back at one of television’s most frightening and influential programs. And, prepare for what is to come. With special guest appearance by, Robert Burr, co-host of “Re-Enacted: an Unsolved Mysteries Podcast“.

Convicted murderer, John Lee, managed to survive three trips to the gallows. Fulfilling the prophetic dream he had the night before his execution. Was it divine intervention on behalf of an innocent man or only a coincidence? Would the authorities try to hang him again? We conclude the epic and baffling tale of the life of John "Babbacombe" Lee.

Looking for Part 1 of The Man They Couldn’t Hang?

In 1884, after being found guilty of the grizzly murder of his employer, John “Babbacombe” Lee was brought to the gallows to pay for his crime. Then something completely unexpected happened. The shocking turn of events raise fundamental questions about justice, destiny and supernatural intervention.