Hysteria 51

Picture this: You and 19 of your closest coworkers go into the jungle looking for oil. Three years later, only four of you come out. You’ve buried most of your friends, you almost died of disease, and somewhere along the way you shot what might be the first ever “American ape.” Or...you shot a spider monkey, cut off its tail, and accidentally invented one of the dumbest racist “missing link” hoaxes in history. Welcome to this week’s saga, the De Loys’ Ape, on Hysteria 51! Special thanks to this week’s research sources: Core historical & zoological background 1.   Wikipedia contributors. “François de Loys.” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. (accessed 2025).Wikipedia 2.   “De Loys’ Ape.” Swiss National Museum Blog (2025). nationalmuseum.ch/swiss-monster-hunters 3.   “De Loys’ Ape – History of Geology.” History of Geology blog, Feb 2011. historyofgeology.fieldofscience.com 4.   David Bressan, “De Loys’ Ape Was a Well Played Anthropological Fraud.” Forbes, Jan 2016.Forbes Montandon, taxonomy, and racist theory 5.   “Proto-Nazi Hoax: The ‘Ape’ in Green Hell.” Cryptomundo (Loren Coleman), 2007.cryptomundo.com 6.   “Ameranthropoides loysi.” Biology Online archive / Monstropedia entry.Bio Dictionary Online+1 Tejera letter & debunking 7.   “The Truth About the Venezuelan Monkey.” Interciencia / ResearchGate summary.ResearchGate 8.   Strange Animals Podcast blog, January 2019 entries discussing De Loys’ ape and Tejera’s letter.strangeanimalspodcast.blubrry.net+1 Morphology and spider monkey identification 9.   Karl Shuker, “A Picture of Monkey Business – Or, How a Small Furry Pet Became a Giant Mystery Ape.” ShukerNature blog, July 2017.karlshuker.blogspot.com 10.“MonoGrande, DeLoy’s Ape.” Bigfoot Encounters / Mono Grande essay quoting Ivan T. Sanderson.Bigfoot Encounters+1 South American cryptid primates (Mono Grande & others) 11.“Mono Grande.” Wikipedia.Wikipedia 12.“Mono Grande – South American Ape.” Fortunecity / Bigfoot Encounters archive.FortuneCity Community 13.“Mono Grande.” Cryptid Wiki / New Cryptozoology Wiki and related pages.Cryptid Wiki+1 14.Occultopedia entry on “Mono Rei / Mono Grande / Di-Di.”m.occultopedia.com General cryptid / cultural references 15.“De Loys’ Ape | Cryptid Wiki.”Cryptid Wiki Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: [email protected]   Support the Show Get exclusive content & perks as well as an ad and sponsor free experience at https://www.patreon.com/Hysteria51 from just $1 Shop Be the Best Dressed at your Cult Meeting! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/hysteria51?ref_id=9022 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Hysteria 51, Christmas gets weird and history gets shinier. First up: we deck the halls with Ozempic syringe Christmas ornaments, Botox baubles, air-fryer decorations, and Taylor Swift hanging next to baby Jesus—because nothing says “tidings of comfort and joy” like a weight-loss injection twinkling in the tree lights. We dive into the very real boom in bizarre Christmas baubles and what it says about consumer culture, wellness obsessions, and our desperate need to turn literally everything into décor. Then we sail straight from the mall to the “holy grail of shipwrecks”: the 18th-century Spanish galleon San José, finally giving up its first treasures after 300+ years on the ocean floor—cannons, coins, porcelain, and a whole lot of international drama over who actually owns the loot. Expect Conspiracy Bot to immediately claim maritime salvage rights while we unpack the real story behind the treasure hunt, the deep-sea tech, and the $20 billion question. If you’re into weird news, true treasure stories, odd Christmas trends, Ozempic ornaments, and cursed shipwreck gold, this episode is your festive, barnacle-encrusted fever dream. Links & Resources 📌Xmas Pricks 📌Golden Booty Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: [email protected] Support the Show Get exclusive content & perks as well as an ad and sponsor free experience at https://www.patreon.com/Hysteria51 from just $1 Shop Be the Best Dressed at your Cult Meeting! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/hysteria51?ref_id=9022 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Picture this: the gods have come and gone, dynasties have risen and face-planted, cities have popped up and crumbled, tourists have come, posed, and posted a million thirst traps on Instagram… but the Sphinx is still just sitting there like, “Yeah, I’ll wait.” Today we’re heading to Giza to talk about the world’s most famous stone cat with a people head: the Great Sphinx of Egypt. It’s massive, it’s mysterious, it’s eroding faster than our faith in humanity, and it sits at the crossroads of legit science, wild speculation, and whatever the hell Edgar Cayce was doing. We’re going to walk through what the Sphinx actually is, what we think we know about its history, how old it might be, why people keep insisting there’s a secret Atlantean library under its paws, what modern tech like ground-penetrating radar and fancy satellite scans are actually showing under the Giza plateau, and why so many folks see Dr. Zahi Hawass as the final boss of “Nothing To See Here, Move Along.” Strap on the sunscreen, adjust your tinfoil nemes, and get ready for Hysteria 51. Special thanks to this week’s research sources: Main References Mentioned in the EpisodeLehner, Mark.The Complete Pyramids: Solving the Ancient Mysteries.London: Thames & Hudson, 1997.Hawass, Zahi.The Secrets of the Sphinx: Restoration Past and Present.Cairo: American University in Cairo Press, 1998.Jordan, Paul.Riddles of the Sphinx.New York: New York University Press, 1998.Gauri, K. Lal, John J. Sinai, and Jayanta K. Bandyopadhyay.“Geologic Weathering and Its Implications on the Age of the Sphinx.”Geoarchaeology 10, no. 2 (1995): 119–133.Schoch, Robert M.Voices of the Rocks: A Scientist Looks at Catastrophes and Ancient Civilizations.New York: Harmony Books, 1999.Reader, Colin.“A Geomorphological Study of the Giza Necropolis, with Implications for the Development of the Site.”Archaeometry 43, no. 1 (2001): 149–159.Sharafeldin, S. M., K. S. Essa, M. A. S. Youssef, H. Karsli, Z. E. Diab, and N. Sayil.“Shallow Geophysical Techniques to Investigate the Groundwater Table at the Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt.”Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems 8 (2019): 29–43.https://doi.org/10.5194/gi-8-29-2019Biondi, Filippo, and Corrado Malanga.“Synthetic Aperture Radar Doppler Tomography Reveals Details of Undiscovered High-Resolution Internal Structure of the Great Pyramid of Giza.”Remote Sensing 14, no. 20 (2022): 5231.https://doi.org/10.3390/rs14205231Hancock, Graham, and Robert Bauval.The Message of the Sphinx: A Quest for the Hidden Legacy of Mankind.New York: Crown, 1996.Cayce, Edgar Evans, and Edgar Cayce.Edgar Cayce on Atlantis.New York: Hawthorn Books, 1968.Geology, Weathering & Age of the SphinxGauri, K. Lal.“Geologic Study of the Sphinx.”Newsletter of the American Research Center in Egypt 127 (1984): 24–43.Gauri, K. Lal.“Geologic Features and the Durability of Limestone at the Sphinx.”Environmental Geology and Water Science 16 (1990): 57–62.Chowdhury, A. N., A. R. Punuru, and K. L. Gauri.“Weathering of Limestone Beds at the Great Sphinx.”Environmental Geology and Water Science 15 (1990): 217–223.Harrell, James A.“The Sphinx Controversy: Another Look at the Geological Evidence.”KMT: A Modern Journal of Ancient Egypt 5, no. 3 (1994): 70–74.Matthusen, August.“A Rebuttal to Robert Schoch on the Weathering of the Great Sphinx.”(Online article, catchpenny.org, c. 1999.)Harrell, James A.“Comments on the Geological Evidence for the Sphinx’s Age.”(Online article, Hall of Ma’at, 2000s.)Liritzis, Ioannis, and Asimina Vafiadou.“Surface Luminescence Dating of Some Egyptian Monuments.”Journal of Cultural Heritage 16, no. 2 (2015): 134–150.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2014.05.007Geophysics, Groundwater & Subsurface ScansSharafeldin, S. M., et al.“Shallow Geophysical Techniques to Investigate the Groundwater Table at the Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt.”Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems 8 (2019): 29–43.Sato, Motoyuki, et al.“GPR and ERT Exploration in the Western Cemetery in Giza, Egypt.”Archaeological Prospection (2024).(Ground-penetrating radar and electrical resistivity tomography survey west of the pyramids.)Biondi, Filippo, and Corrado Malanga.“Synthetic Aperture Radar Doppler Tomography…” (as above).(Satellite SAR micro-motion tomography on Khufu’s pyramid.)Lehner, Mark.“ARCE Sphinx Project 1979–1983 Archive.”American Research Center in Egypt / OpenContext.(Field notes and geological collaboration with K. Lal Gauri and T. Aigner.)Alternative Chronologies, Orion / Leo & “As Above, So Below”West, John Anthony.Serpent in the Sky: The High Wisdom of Ancient Egypt.Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 1993 (rev. ed.).Schoch, Robert M., and Robert Bauval.Origins of the Sphinx: Celestial Guardian of Pre-Pharaonic Civilization.Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2017.Bauval, Robert, and Adrian Gilbert.The Orion Mystery: Unlocking the Secrets of the Pyramids.New York: Crown, 1994.Hancock, Graham, and Robert Bauval.The Message of the Sphinx (as above).Esoteric, Hall of Records & Atlantis MaterialCayce, Edgar Evans, and Edgar Cayce.Edgar Cayce on Atlantis.New York: Hawthorn Books, 1968.Todeschi, Kevin J.Edgar Cayce on the Akashic Records: The Book of Life.Virginia Beach: A.R.E. Press, 1998.Todeschi, Kevin J.Edgar Cayce’s Atlantis.Charlottesville, VA: 4th Dimension Press, 2014.Blavatsky, Helena P.The Secret Doctrine: The Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Philosophy.London: Theosophical Publishing Company, 1888.Lewis, Harvey Spencer.Rosicrucian monographs and AMORC publications on hidden chambers at Giza (early 20th century).Zahi Hawass, Antiquities Politics & ControversiesHawass, Zahi.The Secrets of the Sphinx (as above).Murphy, Kim.“Getty Institute Probes Riddle of the Deteriorating Sphinx.”Los Angeles Times, May 16, 1990.Borger, Julian.“The Fall of Zahi Hawass.”Smithsonian Magazine, July 17, 2011.“Zahi Hawass Fired.”The History Blog, July 18, 2011.“History Catches Up to Famous Egyptologist Zahi Hawass.”The World (PRI), August 1, 2016.Egyptomania & Cultural ContextFritze, Ronald H.Egyptomania: A History of Fascination, Obsession and Fantasy.London: Reaktion Books, 2016. Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: [email protected] Support the Show Get exclusive content & perks as well as an ad and sponsor free experience at https://www.patreon.com/Hysteria51 from just $1 Shop Be the Best Dressed at your Cult Meeting! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/hysteria51?ref_id=9022 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is the universe trying to text us back… or did someone just butt-dial from deep space? This week on Hysteria 51 we dive into truly weird news: first, scientists are stumped by a bizarre cosmic image that defies easy explanation, sparking fresh debates about aliens, astrophysics, and whether the universe just hit “reply all.” Then we tackle the story of how poems can trick AI into helping build a nuclear weapon—because obviously the one thing doomsday scenarios were missing was slam poetry. Join us as we roast bad ideas, unpack the real science, and ask why our smartest tech keeps falling for rhyming prompt hacks. If you love weird news, space mysteries, AI gone wrong, and podcasts that mix skepticism with snark, this episode is your new favorite apocalypse warm-up. Links & Resources 📌UFO Pictionary 📌Home Nuke Hacks Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: [email protected] Support the Show Get exclusive content & perks as well as an ad and sponsor free experience at https://www.patreon.com/Hysteria51 from just $1 Shop Be the Best Dressed at your Cult Meeting! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/hysteria51?ref_id=9022 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did ancient civilizations nuke themselves into oblivion… or did the History Channel just get bored again? This week we dive headfirst into the rabbit hole of Ancient Nuclear Wars – from the “radioactive” skeletons of Mohenjo-Daro, to alleged atom-bomb craters in the desert, to the Mahabharata passages that sound suspiciously like somebody watched a Cold War documentary and got way too excited. We’ll talk vimanas (ancient flying machines), biblical firestorms, desert glass, and why every weird rock seems to mean “aliens with launch codes” to at least one guy on YouTube. Along the way, we’ll pit wild fringe theories against boring things like geology, archaeology, and physics (booooo), ask whether Oppenheimer accidentally subtweeted the Vedic gods, and decide if the only real ancient WMD was still… humans and their bad decisions. Was there a Bronze Age Fallout-style apocalypse, or is this just another case of modern nuclear anxiety cosplaying in ancient texts? Tune in as Hysteria 51 flips the Geiger counter on Ancient Nuclear War. Special thanks to this week’s research sources:Pauwels, Louis, and Jacques Bergier. The Morning of the Magicians: Secret Societies, Conspiracies, and Vanished Civilizations. Destiny Books, 2008.Discussions of the Jodhpur “radioactive ash” story as a modern hoax or unsubstantiated legend. (Isvara Archive)Libyan Desert Glass and impact evidence (reidite, zircon breakdown, dating to ~29 million years ago). (Wikipedia)Jason Colavito’s work on “ancient atom bombs,” Mahabharata misquotes, and the myth’s modern origins. (JASON COLAVITO)Background on Pauwels & Bergier’s The Morning of the Magicians and its role in popularizing “fantastic realism.” (Wikipedia)References to Matest Agrest’s interpretations of Sodom, Gomorrah, and Baalbek as nuclear/spaceport events. (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)Coverage of modern proponents like Billy Carson and Ancient Aliens episodes promoting the ancient nuclear war narrative. (Daily Express US)Research on Tall el-Hammam and cosmic airbursts as real Bronze Age city-destroying events. (uaf.edu) K. A. R. Kennedy’s work and later summaries on Mohenjo-Daro skeletons and the debunking of the “massacre” and “radiation” stories. (Ancient Origins) Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: [email protected] Support the Show Get exclusive content & perks as well as an ad and sponsor free experience at https://www.patreon.com/Hysteria51 from just $1 Shop Be the Best Dressed at your Cult Meeting! https://www.teepublic.com/stores/hysteria51?ref_id=9022 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.