From ghost stories to alien encounters to medical mysteries, every culture holds some belief in the paranormal. But why do so many of us believe in things that science can’t explain?
On Beyond the Human, join two anthropologists as we explore the mysteries that unite us – strange experiences, supernatural beliefs, and the stories that stretch the limits of our understanding. Through global perspectives and personal insights, we dive into what these shared beliefs reveal about humanity – and what they might say about the unknown itself.
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Studying the Strange: Introducing the Anomalies Research Project
Friday, October 31, 2025 • Duration 21:33
What if we could study the paranormal the same way we study culture, health, or religion?
In this special mini-episode of Beyond the Human, we introduce Anomalies — our newest research project from the Society for Applied Paranormal Research. This long-term study explores how people experience and interpret the paranormal and supernatural, using surveys and interviews to understand belief, stigma, and the shared human stories that shape encounters with the unknown.
We break down the project’s design — from exploring mental and spiritual health to documenting experiences with UFOs, hauntings, cryptids, and psychic phenomena — and share why we think the academic world needs to take these experiences seriously.
We also discuss the long-term vision for Anomalies: building a cross-cultural database of belief and experience, adding evidence archives, and creating an interactive map of where the unexplained unfolds.
Whether you’re an experiencer, a skeptic, or simply curious about what connects us through mystery, this episode marks the beginning of a new way to study the extraordinary.
🎧 Listen now to learn how to participate — and how your story can help shape the future of paranormal research.
Stay connected with us between episodes—follow Beyond the Human on Instagram and subscribe to Field Notes from the Beyond on Substack.
Campfire ambience: “Campfire at night soundscape (louder fire, quieter animals)” by SilverIllusionist, via Freesound (CC BY 4.0). Music: “Backwoods BBQ” by Chris Haugen, via the YouTube Audio Library.
Ghost Hunting — Culture, Belief, and the Paranormal
Season 1 · Episode 4
Tuesday, October 14, 2025 • Duration 01:36:18
Why do people hunt ghosts, and what does it say about culture, belief, and science?
In this episode of Beyond the Human, we explore the history and culture of ghost hunting, from its roots in 19th-century Spiritualism to today’s high-tech paranormal investigations. We look at how gender, media, and popular culture shape who gets recognized as a ghost hunter — and why investigations led by men are often seen as more “scientific.”
We also dive into the tools and techniques of ghost hunters — EMF meters, EVP recorders, spirit boxes — and how they blur the line between science, pseudoscience, and performance. Along the way, we discuss the difference between investigators and experiencers, the popularity of dark tourism at haunted sites, and how ghost hunting reveals deeper truths about modern belief in the supernatural.
Whether you’re a fan of paranormal TV, a practicing ghost hunter, or just curious about why people chase the dead, this episode offers a critical, anthropological look at one of the most fascinating subcultures in the paranormal world.
Stay connected with us between episodes—follow Beyond the Human on Instagram and subscribe to Field Notes from the Beyond on Substack.
Topics discussed in this episode:
(4:40) - What’s in a Name?
(31:03) - Is Ghost Hunting Actually Scientific?
(50:00) - Capturing Evidence of the Paranormal
(1:06:12) - Types of Ghost Hunters
(1:15:03) - Ghost Hunting and the Senses
(1:23:09) - What Do We Think?
Morgellons Disease – Medical Mystery, Contested Illness, and the Human Cost of Disbelief
Season 1 · Episode 3
Monday, September 1, 2025 • Duration 01:39:15
In this episode of Beyond the Human, we dive into one of the most mysterious and controversial medical conditions of the 21st century: Morgellons Disease. Characterized by skin lesions, thread-like fibers, neurological symptoms, and overwhelming fatigue, Morgellons has left patients and doctors divided—some calling it a legitimate infectious disease, others labeling it delusional parasitosis.
We explore the tangled history of this condition, from 17th-century medical texts to the CDC’s highly contested 2012 study. Through an anthropological lens, we unpack why Morgellons has become a “contested illness,” how medical gaslighting pushes sufferers toward alternative explanations—including nanotechnology, chemtrails, and even extraterrestrials—and what this case tells us about power, credibility, and belief in Western biomedicine.
We also unpack the leading theories behind Morgellons: Lyme disease and spirochete infections, stress and immune dysfunction, trauma, and even fringe explanations involving nanotech, chemtrails, and extraterrestrials. From fibers made of collagen and keratin to symptoms like brain fog, GI issues, and dental deterioration, the lived reality of Morgellons defies easy categorization.
Whether you're a skeptic, a sufferer, or simply curious about the boundary between science and belief, this episode offers a grounded yet empathetic exploration of what it means to live—and die—with a mystery no one can explain.
Stay connected with us between episodes—follow Beyond the Human on Instagram and subscribe to Field Notes from the Beyond on Substack.
Topics discussed in this episode:
(1:47) Our Interest
(8:13) What is Morgellons?
(23:19) History and Origins
The Sallie House Haunting - History, Hype, and Firsthand Encounters
Season 1 · Episode 2
Friday, August 1, 2025 • Duration 01:42:22
In this episode of Beyond the Human, we explore one of America's most infamous haunted houses: the Sallie House in Atchison, Kansas. From its 19th-century origins to modern-day ghost hunts and paranormal media fame, this house has become a hotspot for supernatural speculation.
We dive into the Pickman family’s chilling encounters that started it all and examine the strange reports that followed: shadow figures, moving objects, unexplained scratches, and disembodied voices. Drawing on over 250 hours of personal investigation experience at the house, we separate fact from fiction, challenge the popular demonic narrative, and offer a grounded, research-based perspective on what might really be going on inside 508 N 2nd Street.
Along the way, we reflect on why places like the Sallie House captivate public imagination, what kinds of people come to investigate, and whether belief in the paranormal really changes after firsthand experience.
Whether you're a skeptic, believer, or somewhere in between, this episode unpacks the mystery behind one of the most talked-about haunted houses in America.
Stay connected with us between episodes—follow Beyond the Human on Instagram and subscribe to Field Notes from the Beyond on Substack.
Topics discussed in this episode:
(2:33) Introducing the Sallie House and Atchison, KS
(10:33) Uncovering the History of the Sallie House
(15:11) The Pickmans’ Story
(34:26) Us as Investigators
(45:47) Our Connection to the Sallie House
Resources for additional research:
Anthropology of the Paranormal - What Can Culture Teach Us About the Unknown?
Season 1 · Episode 1
Tuesday, July 1, 2025 • Duration 53:08
Anthropology of the Paranormal - What Can Culture Teach Us About the Unknown?
In this premier episode of Beyond the Human, anthropologists Chris and Ryan introduce a bold new approach to the paranormal - one grounded in academic inquiry, lived experience, and cultural context. Why do so many people across time and place report strange encounters? What happens when scholars take these stories seriously?
We unpack what anthropology is and how the anthropological perspective offers a unique lens for exploring supernatural and anomalous beliefs and experiences from ghost sightings and UFO encounters to spirit possession and contested illness. This episode lays the foundation for thinking critically and compassionately about the “paranormal” through cultural relativism and cross-cultural comparison while emphasizing the importance of participation to gain a thorough understanding and be able to empathize with others who have
experienced the unknown or unknowable.
Through an anthropological lens, we explore how the paranormal is defined, experienced, and made meaningful across different societies. Rather than dismissing these experiences as irrational or unscientific, we examine them as important expressions of belief, identity, and the limits of conventional knowledge. We don’t try to “prove” or “debunk” the paranormal - we ask what these stories reveal about what it means to be human.
Whether you’re a skeptic, a believer, or just curious, this episode invites you to rethink the boundaries of reality - and academia.
Stay connected with us between episodes—follow Beyond the Human on Instagram and subscribe to Field Notes from the Beyond on Substack.
Beyond the Human: Anthropology of the Unknown
Friday, June 20, 2025 • Duration 01:33
Discover Beyond the Human: Anthropology of the Unknown — a podcast exploring paranormal beliefs, supernatural experiences, and unexplained phenomena through an anthropological lens.
In this trailer episode, hosts and anthropologists Chris Daley and Ryan Goeckner introduce the show’s mission: to investigate the cultural meaning behind UFO sightings, ghost stories, psychic visions, cryptids like Mothman, and even spontaneous human combustion. Featuring expert interviews, real-life encounters, and deep dives into global folklore and modern conspiracy theories, this podcast goes beyond the strange to ask what these mysteries reveal about us as humans.
If you're curious about the intersection of belief, culture, and the unknown, start your journey here.
Stay connected with us between episodes—follow Beyond the Human on Instagram and subscribe to Field Notes from the Beyond on Substack.
Campfire ambience: “Campfire at night soundscape (louder fire, quieter animals)” by SilverIllusionist, via Freesound (CC BY 4.0). Music: “Backwoods BBQ” by Chris Haugen, via the YouTube Audio Library.
What is 3I/ATLAS, Bigfoot in Pennsylvania, and Newly Released Amelia Earhart Files
Saturday, November 29, 2025 • Duration 26:55
Today on Headlines from the Beyond:
A new interstellar visitor, 3I/ATLAS, is raising questions in the astronomy community with unusual features that set it apart from known comets. We break down what scientists know so far and why some are watching it closely.
In Pennsylvania, a driver reports a daytime Bigfoot sighting along I-80, adding a new entry to the state’s history of cryptid encounters.
And nearly 5,000 newly released National Archives documents shed fresh light on early searches for Amelia Earhart after her disappearance.
Three stories, one briefing on the strange, the storied, and the extraordinary.
Stay connected with us between episodes—follow Beyond the Human on Instagram and subscribe to Field Notes from the Beyond on Substack.
Watch the whole Avi Loeb television interview here.
Typewriter sound effect: “Typewriter snippet 01 mono [loop]” by cabled_mess, via Freesound (CC0).
The Moment We Die: Exploring the Boundary of Biological and Social Death
Season 1 · Episode 5
Wednesday, November 26, 2025 • Duration 01:09:16
What does it really mean to die—and what comes after?
In this episode of Beyond the Human, we dive deep into the anthropology, science, and spirituality of death and the afterlife. From ancient beliefs about the soul’s journey to modern debates about brain death and consciousness, we explore how cultures around the world define what it means to “die,” and how those beliefs shape the way we live.
We trace the shifting medical and philosophical definitions of death—from the “heart and lung” standard to the modern concept of total brain death—and ask: is there truly a single “moment” when life ends, or is dying a process? Through cross-cultural comparisons, we touch on rituals, mourning practices, and afterlife beliefs that reflect a universal human desire to make meaning out of mortality.
From near-death experiences and life reviews to ghost sickness and ancestor veneration, Beyond the Human examines what happens when biological death meets social death—and how the living continue to interact with the dead.
Whether you’re drawn to science, spirituality, or the mysteries in between, this episode explores how humanity’s oldest question—what happens after we die—continues to shape culture, belief, and identity.
Stay connected with us between episodes—follow Beyond the Human on Instagram and subscribe to Field Notes from the Beyond on Substack.
Topics discussed in this episode:
(2:59) - What is Biological Death?
(19:44) - The Process of Death
(30:48) - So What Happens After Death?
(39:32) - Mourning and Grief
(51:45) - The Afterlife Across Cultures
Santa Muerte, Miracles, and the Paranormal: Interview with Dr. Andrew Chesnut
Friday, April 10, 2026 • Duration 52:07
What happens when lived religious experience challenges how we define the paranormal?
In this episode of Beyond the Human, we’re joined by Andrew Chesnut, one of the leading scholars on Santa Muerte, for an in-depth conversation on devotion, healing, and the realities behind one of the fastest-growing religious movements in the world.
Building on our previous episode, we go beyond history and symbolism to explore lived experiences of devotion to Santa Muertethrough the voices, practices, and reported miracles of her devotees.
Drawing on his book Devoted to Death, Dr. Chesnut discusses how Santa Muerte devotion has evolved since he began his research in 2009, including its rapid growth in the United States, its spread beyond Hispanic communities, and its place within broader political and cultural conversations around immigration and identity.
We also explore Santa Muerte's role in healing—examining how practitioners understand supernatural illness, protection, and healing in ways that often fall outside Western scientific frameworks.
In one of the most compelling parts of the conversation, Dr. Chesnut reflects on the reports of miracles among Santa Muertistas, from physical healing to protection in life-threatening situations, and why it’s essential for scholars to take these experiences seriously, even when they challenge conventional explanations
From anthropology and religious studies to the broader question of how we define the paranormal, this episode pushes the boundaries between belief, experience, and reality.
Topics discussed in this episode:
(0:35) - Welcoming Dr. Chesnut and the State of Santa Muerte Devotion
(18:00) - Santa Muerte as Healer
(24:39) - Gender and Santa Muerte
(35:32) - Santa Muerte and the Paranormal
Nick Pope Dies, JD Vance on UFOs, and Pilot Spots ‘Flying Disc’ Over Philadelphia
Thursday, April 9, 2026 • Duration 13:07
This week on Headlines from the Beyond, we’re covering three major stories shaping paranormal conversation right now.
The UFO community is mourning the loss of Nick Pope, one of the most recognizable figures in modern UFO research. Known for his work on the UK Ministry of Defence’s “UFO desk” and later as a prominent media voice on shows like Ancient Aliens, Pope’s legacy spans decades of investigation, public engagement, and advocacy for serious study of unexplained aerial phenomena. Following his passing after a battle with cancer, we look back at his impact on UFO discourse—and why he was often called the “real-life Fox Mulder.”
Next, Vice President JD Vance weighs in on extraterrestrials, offering a perspective that reframes UFO encounters not as alien—but potentially demonic. His comments add fuel to a growing divide between scientific and religious interpretations of the phenomenon. We break down his statements, responses from researchers like Avi Loeb, and what this debate reveals about how people interpret the unknown.
Finally, a commercial airline pilot reports a possible UFO sighting while landing at Philadelphia International Airport. Describing a “flying disc” overhead, the report raises familiar questions: what was seen, how fast was it moving, and why couldn’t air traffic control confirm it? We examine what we know—and what remains unexplained.
From the legacy of one of UFO research’s most influential figures to new political theories and fresh eyewitness accounts, we’re tracking the stories shaping the conversation around extraterrestrials and the unexplained.
Three stories, one briefing on the strange, the storied, and the extraordinary.
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(32:09) CDC Explanation
(43:16) Alternative Explanations1:19:00 - Treatment and Community
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Campfire ambience: “Campfire at night soundscape (louder fire, quieter animals)” by SilverIllusionist, via Freesound (CC BY 4.0). Music: “Backwoods BBQ” by Chris Haugen, via the YouTube Audio Library.
Campfire ambience: “Campfire at night soundscape (louder fire, quieter animals)” by SilverIllusionist, via Freesound (CC BY 4.0). Music: “Backwoods BBQ” by Chris Haugen, via the YouTube Audio Library.
