UFOs and Unseen Universes

UFOs- Our Imagination, Our Reality

(Click on images for larger view.)

LITS- There are objects in our skies that we sometimes can not identify, or even relate to. It's a definite possibility, that not everything in our skies are of a terrestrial origin, at least not of this Earth, our atmosphere, or even 'our space".

It's quite possible that some of these objects seen flying, floating, cruising, wobbling, hovering, or streaking across Earth's day and night skies are simply put, from "someplace else".

And just where do these strange and unidentifiable objects come from? Well, for most it is a mystery, others merely speculate and a few think they actually know.

Ours is a mysterious universe. We have yet to discover everything in our own world, our own back yard, let alone the trillions upon trillions of miles of space. That doesn't even suggest a glint of knowledge about other universes, other dimensions of space and time.

What if some of the strange phenomena that thousands witness every week, every month, are not even of this time, or space? What if they are time travelers, seeking to understand the past, hoping for a better future, as we ourselves hope for? Surely we can't step into a time machine and fling ourselves back to the days of the dinosaurs... but what if we could? Wouldn't we?

And what if the aerial acrobatics of a seen, yet unknown vessel is piloted by alien space travelers? Do you think that they are going to stop and ask such primitives as ourselves, how to get to Alpha Centauri? About all we can do, is point out a star. But is that 'their Alpha Centauri' and how many of us humans even realize that Alpha Centauri is not just one star, it's a system of 3? We're still searching for planets around those stars closest to us and the discoveries come slowly.

What would these aliens want with us? I'm afraid the list would be quite lengthy but for some, it is evident that 'they' want the bountiful resources that our planet has to offer, including us, or at least our DNA.

Are the Extraterrestrials (ETs/Aliens) setting us up for world domination? I'd assume that would be a simple task, as it would appear they have already conquered space and most likely other worlds, some possibly more advanced than ours. On a scale of 1 to 10, the aliens being 10, I guess we would rate at about '1.5', no more than a '2'.

Again, what if some of those anomalous lights in the sky are creatures and not mechanical, driven devices? Are there living beings that can live in the vaccum of space, then glide through our upper atmosphere on their way to new feeding grounds? If so, do they live on stellar dust? Solar radiation? Just what are they, how do they survive and are they even aware of us?

What about beings from other dimensions, parallel universes? Can two objects occupy the same space, at the same time, yet be "out of phase" with our reality, thus they exist as we do, yet on a different plane of existence? Are they simply different realities, or different lines of time, or both? How can we see them? How do we see them? Do they see us?

What if you knew that T-Rex just tromped through your living room and was devouring a Triceratops in your back yard? Sounds rather freakish but actually quite possible, according to some theoretical physicists, such as Michio Kaku.

One thing can truly be said about human beings: what we can imagine, we can achieve. In less than 100 years, we went from horse drawn wagons to the Space Shuttle and beyond. So why is it so hard to believe in other worlds, other dimensions, time travel and alien beings?

Parallel universes, multi-dimensions, time travel, aliens from distant galaxies, possibly our own back yard phenomena. The imaginations are limitless. So are the possibilities. Something to think about.

Keep watching the sky! -SW
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Strange creature 'had' experts scratching their heads

Experts puzzle over mystery creature found in Wise County

by JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA-TV

WISE COUNTY -- Animal experts are baffled by a small, hairless creature found dead on the golf course at Runaway Bay in Wise County.

Maintenance worker Tony Potter picked it up Wednesday morning. To him it looked a little like a raccoon with no hair.

"Definitely not a dog," he said.

Potter showed the remains to several people and then took it to a veterinarian's office in Bridgeport. He said no one there could identify it, either.

"My wife wouldn't let me keep it in the freezer," he said, so Potter gave it to the Center for Animal Research and Education, a big cat sanctuary in Bridgeport.

The creature is dark brown, about 18 inches long, with a black nose and a face resembling a rodent -- but with long canine teeth jutting from the upper and lower jaws.

The front claws have narrow digits about a half-inch long, with long, narrow nails.

Whatever this is has powerful rear legs "almost like a kangaroo," according to CARE research assistant Sherre Sacher. She said the front claws look like they're made for digging.

The tail is like that of an opossum, but not quite as long.

"It's really exciting," Sacher said. "I can't wait to find out what it is."

The center hopes to hear from experts who would like to examine the animal. Some who have seen it wonder if it's the legendary chupacabra, an animal that supposedly sucks the blood of goats.

If nothing else, one thing appears certain: This is the ugliest bogey ever seen on the Runaway Bay golf course.

You can contact the Center for Animal Research and Education at heidi@bigcatcare.org

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In a followup story: Case Solved


Positive ID for strange creature in Wise County

WISE COUNTY — Texas Parks and Wildlife biologist Jennifer Barrow measures the rear feet of a small, hairless creature laid out on a picnic table.

"The pad is the giveaway," she says.

Barrow has seen feet and claws exactly like this many times; teeth, too. She puts a section of jawbone down next to the animal's head for comparison.

"This tooth right here is this tooth right here," she says. "It matches perfectly."

But she's never seen a critter like this.

It was found dead on the Runaway Bay golf course in Wise County last Wednesday morning. Tony Potter picked it up.

"I get out here and I was like, 'What is that? It's not a dog,'" he said. Potter said a local vet didn't know what it was, either.

Potter posted video of the animal on YouTube, and News 8 reported the story on Monday. All the exposure generated an enormous response; many viewers thought it was a type of hairless dog.

It looked to Potter like a raccoon with no hair.

Jennifer Barrow says Potter is correct. "The feet are raccoon feet. The skull is a raccoon skull. Dental formula matches raccoon dental formula. It's a raccoon," Barrow concluded.

A hairless raccoon.

It is just like another specimen found in Kentucky, caught alive and confirmed through lab tests.

We found other photos on the Internet that match the Wise County specimen.

Researchers suspect the hairlessness is due to a congenital defect, not disease. Game warden Penny Nixon wants to emphasize that point.

"This is just an anomaly of a common species," she said. "We don't want anyone alarmed by it. We don't want people to think we have a mange problem or any kind of problem in our wildlife in Wise County."

So wildlife officials are certain they know what it is, but they also know it will likely perpetuate the myth of a creature called the chupacabra.

"They don't exist," Barrow said. "Most of the chupacabra reports are mangy coyotes. Hairless coyotes."

"I was always told that the chupacabra was a mythical beast that was used to keep children from straying far from home, as in: Don't go out there, because the chupacabra might get you," Nixon said.

The little brownish-gray animal on the table might have been a threat to your garbage can, but not to your children.

Barrow said the raccoon apparently was just an unfortunate trick of nature, with no coat to keep him warm through the winter.

The Center for Animal Research and Education in Bridgeport will take custody of the critter. They hope more tests can be performed.

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In a somewhat related story, A Dewitt County Sheriff's Deputy recorded what he and believe is the mythical creature, a Chupacabra.

The video shows some type of animal, possibly a mangy coyote, running down the road in front of the deputy's car.

Note: Congenital defects, mange and other diseases can change an animals appearance quite drastically.
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Yowies Down Under

From the first time British settlers stepped foot on the island continent, Australia's Aborigines warned of an ape-like creature roaming the country.

Know by the Aborigines as doolagarl, thoolagarl, jurrawarra and tjangara, and by settlers as 'yahoos' or 'youries', the foul-smelling Australian apes are now simply called "yowies".

Do these ape-like creatures roam 'the land down under'? Eyewitnesses such as zoologists, surveyors, rangers and even members of the elite Special Air Service Regiment seems to think so.

Every continent has it's own version of a giant hair-covered ape-like creature. Here in the US they are referred to as Bigfoot, Skunk Ape, etc., and in the northern areas of the US and Canada, 'Sasquatch'.

To read more about Australia's Yowie and see videos, go here and here.

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In The News - January 18, 2010

Body found on NY's Plum Island, disease lab site


Plum Island Animal Disease Center (PIADC).

Washington Post

PLUM ISLAND, N.Y. -- A human body has washed ashore on New York's tiny Plum Island, where a U.S. government lab studies dangerous animal diseases.

Police say a security guard discovered the clothed body Thursday afternoon on the island's southwest beach area where access is restricted.

Police on Long Island say an autopsy found no immediate cause of death but determined the partially decomposed body was that of a black male about 6 feet tall with a large build and very long fingers. They say there were no obvious signs of trauma.

Plum Island is about 100 miles northeast of New York City in the Long Island Sound. It has been called a potential target for terrorists because of its stock of vaccines and diseases, such as African swine fever.

Note: This isn't the first corpse to show up on or near Plum Island. Many may remember the Montauk Monster, that washed ashore in 2008. Then another monster-like corpse showed up in May, 2009 and now the human body in January, 2010. What's really happening on Plum Island?

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Ghost-seeking TV crews descend on local sites



theday.com- Historic and rumored as haunted, several sites in southeastern Connecticut have been getting a lot of attention lately from the paranormal-seeking community.

Within the past year, television crews from two major cable networks have spent time in some of the region's most prominent steeped-in-history locations thought to be inhabited by spirits. A third could be setting up shop here for a few days in the near future.

The result of the "Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal" crew's April 2009 three-day stint at the Captain Grant's 1754 Inn in Preston and at the Mystic Seaport will be aired Tuesday night on the A&E channel.

The History Channel's "Life After People" episode featuring the former Norwich State Hospital for the Insane, also in Preston, is still in production. The crew left the property in October.

Negotiations are ongoing between the Preston Redevelopment Agency and producers of the Syfy channel's "Ghost Hunters" series to allow its team of investigators to explore the vacant tunnels and buildings on the vast former state hospital property.

While the lure of documenting a ghost or unexplained activity is strong, it's the stories that the properties have to tell that first get a producer's attention.

When identifying filming locations, Christine Mahin, an associate producer for "Psychic Kids," said she looks for places of historical interest. She had read about the Morgan and then did a Google search for where the cast and crew could stay and found Capt. Grant's.

"What drove our decision to choose these two places wasn't the spooky factor, that they are scary or riddled with ghosts, it's the unbelievable amount of history that leaves its own impression on the locations themselves," Mahin said.

The children who are part of the A&E show, and their parents, go through an extensive screening process prior to being chosen to appear on the show. Once chosen, the families are not told where they are going, or even what state they will visit. Mahin said this is a way of keeping them from researching the locations on the Internet prior to filming.

Mahin said the cast had "unbelievable luck" at the inn.

Producers for the hit Syfy show "Ghost Hunters" are usually surprised by what they find when they visit an allegedly haunted site.

For the four years that Matthew Meltzer has been working on the Ghost Hunters production - the show is currently in its sixth season - he has been pursuing the chance to film at the former state hospital.

As with Mahin, Meltzer said the "local chatter" about the property - most of the cast is from Warwick, R.I., and has heard stories about the site - and its rich history are attractive, but one of the primary lures of the former mental institution campus is that it has been a "forbidden fruit."

"It was something very early on that we wanted to investigate but were always denied. The state was good about restricting access to it, and that adds an element. People don't usually get to go on the site and we honestly cannot wait to see what's in there," Meltzer said.

For Mystic Seaport officials and Capt. Grant's Inn keepers Carol and Tadeshi Matsumoto, having people interested in potential paranormal activity aboard the Charles W. Morgan and at the inn is nothing new.

In 2006, the Matsumotos entertained members of the Connecticut Paranormal Research and Investigations team, allowing them to set up various equipment throughout the house and use cameras with flash in hopes of capturing some evidence.

That same month, a team from the Rhode Island Paranormal Research Group did a preliminary investigation of the Morgan after hearing from three groups of visitors about seeing a tall man standing at the front of the historic whaling vessel.

They deduced that the world's only surviving wooden whaling ship did indeed have spirits aboard. After that, the now 169-year-old Morgan caught the attention of crews from CNN to Good Morning America to CBS radio, in addition to newspapers from across the country.

Michael O'Farrell, spokesman for the Seaport, said the publicity was good for the Seaport, but that the museum is careful about how it portrays the ship, which is a national historic landmark and is currently going through an extensive restoration. He said the story may bring people to the museum, but the staff is quick to tell them about the history of the ship once they're there.

"I believe that the Morgan has a lot of stories to tell. What those stories are and what they believe is up to them," O'Farrell said Friday.

When asked if there was any consistency between what the Rhode Island-based group found and what was "felt" by the "Psychic Kids," children, O'Farrell said, "yes."

"But it's not our place to determine for them what is true and what isn't," he added.

When asked about the expectations, Meltzer and Mahin said they never know what, if anything will be discovered.

"They go to places that have these stories … that have the history, and look around. They'll go down in the tunnels and try to get to the bottom of the story. They'll see if there is anything to back up the claims. If any place is haunted it would be this place, but sometimes places surprise you," Meltzer said.

"The places we go are rich in history, as far as if there are ghosts, well, if there are then that is gravy," Mahin said.

This Week's Mysteries And Commentary

Several interesting stories come to light this week, such as the news of a chicken killing fiend in El Paso, Texas and a story about a Hobbit' sighting.

Someone 'found Bigfoot', while scientists discover shapes on Mars that look like trees (see photo).

Does Great Britian have it's own 'Socorro', and why is Ms. Holly harping about HAARP?

And the world still turns, as MUFON's National Director steps down and a game camera captures what could be aliens... or is it all an elaborate hoax?

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*Points to Ponder

I had a dog once, that killed chickens. He didn't tear them apart, just broke their necks and left them dead. Still, a mysterious vampire-like creature makes for good legend, unlike a dog with a bad habbit.

Hobbits on the other hand, could just be Leprechauns in disguise (wink, wink) and Hobbits/Leprechauns 'habit the woods', ya know.

And why not a Bigfoot? How many critters lurk about our world and aside from footprints, scientists still can't find a trace? I guess government funding for Bigfoot research is still 'pending'.

How can the U.S. claim to be the UFO hot spot, when other countries get into the act? It's not like the US is the only country on the planet, one that HAARP is bent on destroying. Or is it?

And this week it all boils down to capturing aliens on video with a game camera meant to spot Bambi, while the staff is passed on at MUFON HQ. Where's Mystery Quest when you need them? Ouch.

* Not necessarily my opinion but I have one, if asked.
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Scientists 'Move The Hands Of Time'

'Doomsday Clock' Moves Away From Midnight but Only by 1 Minute

ABCNews- The world can breathe a sigh of relief today... kind of.

A group of international scientists this morning announced that they are moving the hands of the symbolic "Doomsday Clock" away from midnight -- or the figurative apocalypse -- but only by one minute.

The clock, which is maintained by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, was designed to reflect how close civilization is to "catastrophic destruction." First set at seven minutes to midnight, the clock has been moved only 18 times since its creation in 1947.

The group, which includes more than a dozen Nobel laureates, last moved the hands of the clock in 2007, from seven to five minutes before midnight to reflect the threat of a "second nuclear age" and the challenges presented by global warming.

Today, at a press conference in New York, the Bulletin announced that despite the looming threats of nuclear weapons and climate change, it would move the hands of the clock from five to six minutes before midnight.

Scientists: World Facing 'Hopeful' State of Affairs

"By shifting the hand back from midnight by only one additional minute, we emphasize how much needs to be accomplished, while at the same time recognizing signs of collaboration among the United States, Russia, the European Union, India, China, Brazil, and others on nuclear security and on climate stabilization," the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said in a statement.

Citing collaborative efforts by world leaders to reduce nuclear arsenals, secure nuclear bomb-making materials and pledge to limit greenhouse gas emissions, the group said the world was facing a "hopeful" state of affairs.

The Bulletin also said that the election of President Barack Obama, along with his efforts to initiate arms reduction talks with Russia and negotiations with Iran to close its nuclear enrichment program, affected its decision.

"We are poised to bend the arc of human history," said Lawrence M. Krauss, co-chair of the Bulletin's Board of Sponsors and a professor at Arizona State University's School of Earth and Space Exploration and its physics department.

Still, Krauss said the Bulletin chose one minute to highlight the precariousness of the current global situation.

"What that means is that there's great potential for it to move in either direction depending on what happens," he said, adding that while there's been a "sea change" in attitude and the expansion of possibilities, there still hasn't been a lot of action.

"That's hopeful enough to move it but just by a little bit," he said.

-by Ki Mae Heussner

Note: Sounds like a stay of execution. PhUn

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Haunted Potholes & Cops Add To Fright

Beware of haunted potholes

thetelegram.com- With winter driving season upon us, many motorists across the province have horror stories about that great scourge of our public roads - the pothole. But if you think you have had a frightening experience with tortured tarmac, read on.

Aunt Betty Slaney was born and raised in the community of Britannia on Random Island, T. B. Several years back, when I interviewed her in St. John's, she carried strong memories of growing up in Britannia.

Britannia is a picturesque community located on the wooded north side of Random Island, looking out across Smith Sound. Historically, Britannia was noteworthy as the home of the Currie family, who ran the slate quarrying business across the Sound, in Nut Cove.

Of course, in talking with Aunt Betty about growing up in Britannia, I asked about ghost stories.

"There were always ghost stories," Betty says. "Somebody always had one that would rattle a few chains in your head, but nobody you knew or nobody you were sure of."

The idea that ghosts were always of people you didn't know changed when Betty's uncle, Moses Currie, passed away suddenly.

"He dropped dead with a heart attack," says Betty. "He died when I was around 10 or so - 9 or 10."

Moses Currie was well-known in the community, and was part owner of one of the local sawmills, something which were at one point common on Random Island.

"They all did their share of logging," says Betty. "I know he did, because he was Grandpa's brother, and I know that he owned part of the sawmill."

The old sawmill was located down in the cove in Britannia. "Later on, there was another sawmill there that belonged to the Curries," Betty says, "but it was a different family of Curries."

The ghost story started when Uncle Mose went out for a walk one night, and never returned home alive.

"There was a gate there, Uncle Pierce's," says Betty. "There was a pothole. He fell down and by the time they got him home, he was dead."

"He died in the pothole!" exclaims Betty. "And after that, it was Uncle Mose. Whenever any light shined on that place, it was Uncle Mose."

"We were all youngsters," she says. "Going home at night, you know, you had to pass Uncle Mose to get home. I was always inside before it was time to leave. I was always inside! That was always a worry."

I asked Betty what it was like, knowing the ghost of Uncle Mose was lurking near the pothole where he had died.

"I was scared," she admits. "There were no lights. When you went out, you went out in the dark.

You either didn't go out, or you were scared and you went out and had to have friends. That was hard because you were different ages, and you had different times you had to be in."

The Hefferton Causeway has linked Random Island to the mainland of the province since 1952, and power lines mean electric lights keep the shadows at bay. But even today, if one visits Britannia in the night, it is easy to imagine what it must have been like in Aunt Betty's childhood. It is a quiet place, of an evening. Only a little bit of imagination is required to conjure up the shadowy image of Uncle Mose by the side of the gate, ready to spook youngsters out past their curfew hour.

I have heard a lot of ghost stories from across Newfoundland and Labrador, but I have never heard anything to exactly match Aunt Betty's story. As far as I know, Uncle Mose is the only Newfoundlander who returns from the Great Beyond to the land of the living, who chooses to haunt a pothole.

As always, if you know of a story that disproves my claim, or if you've seen something spooky on the side of the road, you can contact me c/o The Telegram or by e-mail at info@hauntedhike.com.

Dale Jarvis can be reached at info@hauntedhike.com.

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You Can Laugh Now

Police take unexpected role in ghost story
By Melanie Lockhart of the Leader


ptleader.com- Port Townsend police officers were dispatched to the 800 block of Clay at 10:28 p.m. on Dec. 29 after reports of possible prowlers within a residence.

Police witnessed two males, later determined to be ages 20 and 28, and a 36-year-old female with flashlights inside the house, with the lights off.

When officers knocked on the door, the two males scattered and the woman answered. The woman is the soon-to-be resident who had permission from the landlord to move in early, police confirmed. She and the males had been moving all day and were sitting in the residence with flashlights, eating and telling ghost stories.

Officers “apparently knocked at just the right time during the stories,” said Police Sgt. Ed Green. “It scared the crap out of the two men.”

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50 Things that we didn't know this time last year

TBO.com- If there were an award for best quote of the year, our money would be on Richard Fisher, the director of NASA's Heliophysics Division.

Fisher was interviewed in October by National Public Radio after NASA scientists discovered a mysterious ribbon of hydrogen around our solar system.

The layer, a sort of protective barrier called the heliosphere, shields us from harmful cosmic radiation. Its existence defies all expectations about what the edge of the solar system might look like.

Fisher's response: "We thought we knew everything about everything, and it turned out that there were unknown unknowns."

In other words: We don't know what we don't know until we know that we don't know it.

Life is funny that way. You think you've got the world wrapped up in string, only to watch some bit of news come along to unravel your comprehension of how things work.

One thing we did expect: that 2009 would be full of strange and wonderful revelations.

A prediction for 2010? Same thing as this year, only different.

Here's a list of stuff we culled from 2009 that may have come as a surprise:

1. Domestic pigs can quickly learn how mirrors work and use them to find food.

2. Grumpy people think more clearly because negative moods trigger more attentive, careful thinking.

3. High cholesterol levels in midlife are associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia later in life.

4. Analysis of Greenland ice samples shows Europe froze solid in less than 12 months 12,800 years ago, partly due to a slowdown of the Gulf Stream. Once triggered, the cold persisted for 1,300 years.

5. One mutated gene is the reason humans have language and chimpanzees, our closest relative, do not.

6. Obesity in teenage girls may increase their risk of later developing multiple sclerosis.

7. A fossil skeleton of an Aardonyx celestae dinosaur discovered in South Africa appears to be the missing link between the earliest dinosaurs that walked on two legs and the large plant-eating sauropods that walked on all four.

8. Women who have undergone successful breast cancer treatment are more likely to have a recurrence if they have dense breast tissue.

9. Babies pick up their parents' accents from the womb, and infants are born crying in their native dialect. Researchers found that French newborns cry in a rising French accent, and German babies cry with a characteristic falling inflection.

10. Surfing the Internet may help delay dementia because it creates stimulation that exercises portions of the brain.

11. The oldest known silken spider webs, dating back 140 million years, were discovered in Sussex, England, preserved in amber. The webs were spun by spiders closely related to modern-day orb-web garden spiders.

12. Scientists have discovered how to scan brain activity and convert what people are seeing or remembering into crude video images.

13. Pumpkin skin contains a substance that inhibits growth of microbes that cause yeast infections.

14. Hormones that signal whether whales are pregnant, lactating or in the mood to mate have been extracted from whales' lung mucus, captured by dangling nylon stockings from a pole over their blowholes as they surface to breathe. (This method could allow scientists to study whales without having to slaughter them.)

15. The higher a patient's body-mass index, the less respect he or she gets from doctors.

16. The blue morpho butterfly, which lives in Central and South America, has tiny ears on its wings and can distinguish between high- and low-pitch sounds. The butterfly may use its ears to listen for nearby predatory birds.

17. The ochre starfish or sea star pumps itself up with cold seawater to lower its body temperature when exposed to the sun at low tide. It is equivalent to a human drinking 1.8 gallons of water before heading into the midday sun, scientists say.

18. The eyes of the mantis shrimp possess a feature that could make DVDs and CDs perform better. By emulating this structure, which displays color wavelengths at all ranges, developers could create a new category of optical devices.

19. The calmest place on Earth is on top of an icy plateau in Antarctica known as Ridge A, several hundred miles from the South Pole. It is so still that stars do not twinkle in the sky because there is no turbulence in the atmosphere to distort the light.

20. The thrill of driving a sports car makes the body produce more testosterone. The findings suggest a biological explanation for why some men buy a sports car when struck by a "midlife crisis."

21. Remains discovered in China of a flying reptile named Darwinopterus could be a missing link between short-tailed pterodactyls and their huge, long-tailed descendants.

22. Bagheera kiplingi, a jumping arachnid from Central America, is the first known vegetarian spider. It eats nectar-filled leaf tips rather than other animals.

23. A massive, nearly invisible ring of ice and dust particles surrounds Saturn. The ring's entire volume can hold 1 billion Earths.

24. A new chemical compound that mimics the body's ability to fight bacteria could be added to cleaning detergents to prevent bacterial infections in hospitals.

25. Seven new glow-in-the-dark mushroom species have been discovered, increasing the number of known luminescent fungi species from 64 to 71. The fungi, discovered in Belize, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia and Puerto Rico, glow constantly, emitting a bright, yellowish-green light.

26. Hormones in oral contraceptives might suppress a woman's interest in masculine men and make boyish males more attractive to her.

27. Women who revealed about 40 percent of their skin attracted twice as many men as those who covered up. Any more than 40 percent and the signal changes from allure to one indicating general availability and future infidelity.

28. Communities of 850 species of previously undiscovered insects, small crustaceans, spiders, worms and other creatures were found living in underground water, caves and micro-caverns across Australia.

29. The human body emits a glow that is 1,000 times less than what our eyes can detect.

30. If you're trying to attract a partner, an athletic body helps, but a good-looking face is more important.

31. Cockroaches hold their breath for five to seven minutes at a time through a respiratory system that delivers oxygen directly to cells from air-filled tubes. One reason they hold their breath may be to prevent their bodies from getting too much oxygen, which could be toxic to them.

32. Earth was bombarded in 2008 with high levels of solar energy at a time when the sun was in an unusually quiet phase and sunspots had virtually disappeared.

33. Scientists have discovered female eggs in the genitalia of a third of all American male smallmouth bass and a fifth of their largemouth cousins. Female bass occasionally show signs of male testes in their reproductive organs.

34. Nearly all animals emit the same stench when they die, and have done so for more than 400 million years.

35. Previously unknown molecules called hydroxyl radicals are produced by nature and are thought to act as agents that scrub away toxic air pollution in Earth's atmosphere.

36. A new species of giant rat was discovered in a remote rainforest in Papua New Guinea. At 32.2 inches from nose to tail and 3.3 pounds, it's thought to be one of the largest rats ever found.

37. Differences in body odors produced by people who are more prone to insect bites show they have lower levels of fruity-smelling compounds in their sweat than those who are resistant to mosquitoes.

38. A chemical component in broccoli can protect the lining of arteries from blockage that leads to angina, heart attack and stroke.

39. The length, curl and texture of a dog's fur are controlled by three genes.

40. The speed of U.S Internet broadband lags far behind other nations, including Japan, Finland, South Korea, France and Canada.

41. Polar bear skulls have shrunk 2 percent to 9 percent since the early 20th century. It's the result, scientists theorize, of stress from pollution and melting habitat.

42. A mysterious disease that killed off more than a third of American honeybees in 2007-08 may have been caused in part by a virus.

43. A group of deep sea worms dubbed "green bombers" are capable of casting off appendages that glow a brilliant green once detached from their bodies. The tactic is believed to be used by the worms to confuse attackers.

44. A flesh-eating pitcher plant that grows more than 4 feet long can swallow rats that are lured into its slipperlike mouth to drown or die of exhaustion before being slowly dissolved by digestive enzymes.

45. An orchid on the Chinese island of Hainan gets hornets to spread its pollen by producing an aroma identical to that of bees under attack. The hornets feed on bee larvae, so when they get a whiff of the alarm pheromone, they head to the orchids figuring bees are inside.

46. More than 350 new animal species were discovered in the eastern Himalayas, including the world's smallest deer and a flying frog.

47. The spleen is a reservoir for huge numbers of immune cells called monocytes. In the event of a serious health crisis, such as a heart attack, wound or infection, the spleen will disgorge them into the bloodstream to help defend the body.

48. The Amazon River is about 11 million years old and took its present shape about 2.4 million years ago.

49. A close relationship with a caregiver can give Alzheimer's patients an edge in retaining brain function over time.

50. Watermelon is more efficient at rehydrating bodies than drinking water. It contains 92 percent water and essential rehydration salts.

For links to each listing, go to original story.
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Sources: Sydney Morning Herald; BehavioralHealthCentral.com; Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery and Psychiatry; New Scientist; Neurology; BBC News; Women's College Research Institute; Current Biology; Saint Joseph Health Scene; Live Science; University of California, Berkeley; stltoday.com; Journal of General Internal Medicine; Live Science, American Naturalist; Nature Photonics; London Times; Organisational Behaviour and Human Decision Processes; Science News; Current Biology; NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Acta Biomaterialia; San Francisco State University; Trends in Ecology and Evolution; Behaviour; Eurekalert; Tohoku Institute of Technology and Kyoto University; Evolution and Human Behavior; Journal of Experimental Biology; Geophysical Research - Space Physics; U.S. Geological Survey; Evolutionary Biology; National Geographic News; Oxford University Museum of Natural History; Rothamsted Research; Imperial College London; National Human Genome Research Institute; Communications Workers of America; Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences; Science; Redfern Natural History Productions; Current Biology; World Wildlife Fund; Geology; Journals of Gerontology; University of Aberdeen Medical School

Reporter Jeff Houck

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'Demon Cat' Carcass Found In Arizona

Demon Cat Possible Goat Sucker Contender
by Jason Clarke


themorningstarr-Hunters in San Carlos, Arizona have found the carcass of an unidentified beast with elongated fangs and possible wings.

The carcass resembles that of a domestic cat, but with several noticeable differences. The animal is described as “sabertoothed” because it’s incisor teeth are elongated into fangs, the front limbs of the creature are also longer than an ordinary cat’s legs and appear to have an extra joint giving the appearance of large feet. Even more bizarrely the carcass reveals evidence of possible wings protruding from the animal’s back.

The carcass was found by two hunters in a remote area near San Carlos, they passed the remains on to Jess Underberg from Globe, AZ. who is hoping to try and identify the strange looking beast.

The long fangs and elongated front limbs are characteristic of descriptions given of the infamous “goat sucker” or chupacabras. However most chupacabras sightings are dismissed as coyotes with mange, not felines with wings.

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Note: My mother related a story to me years ago, of a strange creature found somewhere in the swamps of Arkansas, sometime possibly in the early part of the 1920s.

She said the animal had the body of a dog and the head and claws of a cat. It climbed trees and made a raspy sound, like a cross between a dog bark and a cat cry.

Supposedly, hunters tracked the animal down and killed it. What it was, my mother never found out.
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UFOs & Cryptids End 2009 - Predictions Begin 2010

From Phantoms & Monsters humanoid-crytid encounters, and 'Interactions of Universal Species', LITS's my own 2008 encounter with a tall, hairy man-like creature, to Crytomundo's 'Maine Tree Creature', crytozoology takes center stage during the 1st week of the New Year. Was it a man-like ape, or just a porcupine caught napping in a tree?

Cryptid talk is followed by December, 2009 UFO reports from Texas, while the UFO Disclosure clock is stuck at 10PM. The first decade of the new millenia saw no disclosure for the U.S..

How will things turn out for 2010? The Amazing Kreskin makes predictions for 2010. Look out kids, you may have to beat those silver spoons into plowshares and pay your own way.

If you want to know more about The Amazing Keskins predictions, find a crystal ball or wait for the next installment. Oh yeah.

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My Own Encounter With A Texas Bigfoot

The blog author's own account of an encounter with a creature of legend, folklore and possible reality.

The evening of June 26, 2008- I was living at my father-in-law's farm in a very woodsy area of Southwestern Eastland County, Texas.

The house was near a main highway but less than 100 feet to the SW of the house, was an area of dense woods and an old, overgrown dune-buggy trail.

There were just the usual wildlife, such as deer, rabbits, armadillos, foxes, squirrels, cats, feral hogs, birds of all kinds, etc. Or so I thought.

It was late in the evening and I had taken my little dogs out to do their business. There was a strange faint odor in the air, much like a dead skunk, along with rotted meat.

Just after I noticed this smell, there was a distant wailing scream that caught my attention and some noise in the oak brush, just a short ways from the house.

This was not a scream I had heard before. I am familiar with all types of wildlife sounds, including domestic livestock. This scream and the two after, were sounds I had never heard before and it gave me a shiver up my spine.

I rushed my dogs into the house and came back outside with a flashlight. The yard guard light afforded little light past a 15 foot area, so I shown the light around in the yard and saw nothing.

Then suddenly I heard a banging sound, like a large tree limb hitting a stump with a resounding 'thud'. This was followed by 2 more whacks of the tree limb, then silence.

Stupid me, I picked up an old oak branch that had fallen from a large post oak in the yard and gave the oak tree a good solid 'whack'. I got a response from the woods but it was closer now and I could hear what appeared to be 'grunting', coming from the brush.

I remember thinking that here I was, standing in the yard at night, armed with only a flashlight and possibly a boar hog about to bear down on me from the treeline. Just great.

I could hear branches breaking, twigs snapping and dead oak leaves being crushed and the sound was not receding, it was coming closer!

I noticed that no other animals were stirring, no sounds of crickets, no red birds afflicted with insomnia (as usual), and no yipping foxes or the yapping howls of coyotes. Not even the distant neighbor's dairy cows, bawling for their calves.

Sudden silence.

I took about 20 paces forward, closer to the gate at the entrance to the woods and the dune-buggy trail. I shown the light up and into the dark brush.

Movement!

A tall, dark shadow seemed to hunch over, as if to avoid the flashlight beam but the beam held true and in that beam of light, I saw what appeared to be a gorilla on 2 legs but the legs were longer, like a man's legs. The arms were long and down at it's sides, reaching almost to the creature's knees.

The creature was at least 7 feet tall, judging by the nearby trees and distance from the gate post. Broad, hair-covered shoulders lead to an almost non-existent neck, attached to a cone shaped head... but it was the face and the amber colored eyes staring back at me, that startled me most. It looked intelligent, calculating, like it was deciding whether to charge at me, or turn and run into the woods.

I gave it an out. I lowered the flashlight and after a brief flurry of receding noises, I raised the light and the creature was gone.

The next morning I set about looking for tracks. All I found were a few large depressions in the slightly damp blow sand near the dune-buggy trail.

The leaf litter was so thick, that the impressions were barely perceptible but I commited the image of that face to my memory and am able to see it still.

I have created a depiction of what I saw, using an actual photo of the exact spot where I saw what I can only describe as Bigfoot.

I reported the encounter to Texas Bigfoot researchers, who evidently dismissed my sighting without even an email to confirm it's authenticity.

No matter, we sold the farm and someone new resides there now. Maybe someday the new owners will have their own strange encounter to relate. That would be interesting.

-SW


Click image to enlarge.