Season 1, Episode 8: Symphonic Spirits/Hovering Humanoid

Symphonic Spirits:
The team (Bill, Chi-Lan, and Larry) travels to Victor, NY to the Valentown Museum. A video sent to the team shows what appears to be a full-bodied apparition walking through the museum while a researcher stands by, not noticing the figure caught on camera.

(Figure is seen just right of the woman in picture)



The team first tries to recreate the video using Larry as the figure and keeping him out of focus but he was still too defined; you could tell there was definitely a person there and not a figure like in the video.  Next, using plexiglass, the team creates a reflection which turns out to be pretty good but still not quite like the video.  Larry just doesn't look creepy enough!  Lastly, they try a projection of Larry walking but again, the image is seen clearly and does not look like the video. 

I wonder why the team did not try to manipulate their trials using simple video editing that anyone could have done to create a hoax?  The images were too clear but with some editing, they may have been able to recreate the images more.  And with the reflection test, it seems like there is enough surfaces to reflect the image without using the plexiglass; maybe that could have explained a natural cause for the image?  Another blog also mentions that they used an IR light which creates too much light to effectively recreate the video. 

While reviewing their tests, the team suddenly hears piano keys being struck in the background.  Everyone pauses to find out where it is coming from.  When they reach the piano, there is no explanation for the sound.  They then hear what sounds like a stringed instrument and find an old guitar...with no strings.  This prompts the team to conduct a full investigation. 

Larry watches on the camera while Bill investigates the second floor and Chi-Lan takes the basement.  Bill attempts to stir up the energy in the building using a crank machine that sparks lightening due to reports of increased activity during lightening storms (this also creates a very cheesey and, in my opinion, unnecessary entertainmemt factor to the show).  Larry hears something moving which is not caught by the camera and feels as if he is not alone.  Chi-Lan also hears a groan, which was caught by the camera and later presented to the group (I was not able to get this EVP as it is property of the show, boo.).

The end result is that the video remains unexplained and the team finds that the place may in fact be haunted. 

Interesting side note: after reading other reviews on this case, some of which claimed that the museum has told patrons that the video was found to be hoaxed, I decided to call the museum myself.  I reached Kathryn White, president of the Victor Historical Society and who is responsible for the building.  She responded with "no comment" regarding whether the building is actually haunted and has not heard that the video was in fact hoaxed (I have a feeling those reports are coming from personal opinions of tour guides and/or visitors).  If you want a good discussion on the here-after, call her up, she has a lot to say! 

The sad part of our conversation was her disappointment with how the investigation took place and lack of support for the building itself.  A third party was used to host ghost hunts in the building and that group was the one to contact the producers; the Society was not involved in the process and did not even know what was happening until very close to taping.  In Kathryn's opinion, respect for the historical building was not shown by the film crew and third party and the show seeemed to not truley care about the building and how fragile it actually is.  The building will not survive much longer without financial help through donations and she wishes someone from the show would have been a support.  The building holds many important artifacts not only from history of the local area but of the country, which she feels is the more important issue than whether or not it is haunted.

Unfortunately, show business is business and the viewers (myself included) got what they wanted.  It was really interesting hearing her perspective and her passion behind this museum.  I wish I lived close enough to visit!  For more information about the museum and Historical Society and/or to donate, visit: http://www.valentown.org/valentown_home

Hovering Humanoid:
The other team (Ben, Jael, and Austin) travel to McKinney, Texas to find the mystery behind a humanoid figure captured on video in Monterey, Mexico.  The woman who took the video agreed to be interviewed in the US and she shared her belief that it could be some kind of UFO or Bruha (witch).

(This shows the figure hovering just right of mid-photo)

The uniqueness of this flying mystery is the consistent, straight path (despite strong wind currents) and lack of sound.  The teams first thought was that it could be someone flying a jet-pack, which turns out is possible in the area where the film was shot (there are only a few people in the world flying jet-packs).  Maybe a little over-excited, the team watches a trained flyer fly over a field to see if it looks like the object on film and Austin measures the sound frequency.  While it did look like a possibility, the jet-packs can only stay in flight for 30 seconds, much quicker than the video.  You can also hear the craft which doesn't match the eye-witness accounts.  

The team then tests the theory that it was someone on a zip-line traveling across the mountains, another strong possibility in the area where the video was taken.  Being the trusty stuntman, "Crash Test Dummy Austin" hops on a line and zips at the same speed and tries to match the shape.  The speed and consistency match but it is clearly someone on a zip line as you can see the line in the sun and doesn't match the strange shape in the video.  

Another theory is that it was simply trash floating in the wind.  Since the speed and height was so consistent, the team first tries to recreate the object using a bag filled with balloons and tied to a tether.   While the speed and height could remain consistent with this method, the bag still waved in the wind, very much unlike the video.  Ben comments that it would have to be perfect conditions for this theory to be possible.
The final attempt used the same bag of balloons but this time tied to a remote control plane.  This kept the bag very still with the same effect of floating straight, silent from a distance, and at a consistent speed.  In fact, this test looked remarkably similar to the video.  The team concluded that this must have been a hoax for the UFO enthusiasts standing by to witness.  

Season 1, Episode 6: The Caretaker/Cutter

The Caretaker:
The first team (Ben, Jael, and Austin) head to Indiana after being sent a video of a "graveyard ghost."  The story is of a caretaker who was buried on site and supposedly haunts the cemetery.  The video, at first glance, looks like an apparition carrying a lantern passing the camera as the videographer is walking.  The team first tries an experiment using an ATV to test the theory that the "lantern" was actually just the light from an ATV passing quickly.  The video the team captures clearly shows a vehicle and the people in the video would have most definitely reacted.  The next experiment tests the theory that it was a naturally occurring wind storm.  The team devises a clever dust storm but again, it is clearly just that and the people would have reacted to such an occurrence.  The team then creates a misting system to test for a hoax.  The mist could create an apparition-like appearance and a moving light source could account for the light seen on the video.  Once again, the team cannot recreate the video.  A quick Internet search on this episode turns up the same conclusion that the video is actually of a spider web and the mysterious light is just the camera's light shining on a spider.

Oops, looks like the viewers have it right here!  Leaves me scratching my head wondering how no one else from the production team didn't come to this conclusion.  This unfortunately leaves some viewers upset with the show. Luckily it seems most viewers have moved on and we still beg for more, mainly because of the night investigation after the experiments. 

While Austin keeps an eye on the video monitors set up around the graveyard, Ben and Jael walk the site in hopes of catching any strange phenomenon...and they do.  I have heard Ben talk about this investigation and how it was one of the strangest experiences since being on the show.  He could clearly hear footsteps around them as if someone was walking in pace with them.  He and Jael even witnessed depressions being made in the grass as if someone was standing near them.  Unfortunately they could not capture this on camera and had to assume it was insects in the grass.  The footsteps they heard literally led the team to the caretaker's grave site where they then conducted an EVP session.  The evidence they caught from this session was impressive.  You can hear Austin cough and you hear a voice clearly saying "cough" followed by a sigh.  I don't know why an entity would actually say "cough" but it is interesting that you can hear it after an actual cough.  Here is the audio clip so you can listen for yourself! CLICK HERE TO LISTEN (Courtesy of Ben Hansen)

Ben sent me another EVP that was caught that night but didn't make the show.  He believes the soft voice after Jael speaks says "Twilight" or "I might."  What do you think?  CLICK HERE TO LISTEN (Courtesy of Ben Hansen)

As Jael says, this is a "perfect setting for a ghost story."  While the video is far from paranormal evidence, the investigation leaves you scratching your head. 

Cutter (Colorado Cattle Mutilations):

I have to admit, I was incredibly excited to watch this episode when it first aired after living in the San Luis Valley (Alamosa) for three years and knowing the history behind this story well.  San Luis Valley is well known for its UFO sightings and strange occurrences, including the cattle mutilations, and has been documented on websites and newscasts for years.  Many reports of the mutilations include strange lights in the sky before finding the dead cattle, which was reported in this case as well.  This particular investigation is in regards to a specific news story and a picture sent to the show (below). 

As you can see from the photo, the calf was torn apart cleanly and left with no internal organs.  The front half seems to have been cleaned away while the bottom left untouched.  Strange.  There is no blood, no traces of the cow's skin or innards, and no footprints left to assume it had been picked apart by scavengers.  The calf was seen the day before and in the morning, the rancher found it like this.  Strange.

The team (Bill, Larry, and Chi-Lan) first survey the land to find any evidence of the cow to be tested (Bill did find a bone but nothing unusual came from the testing done by UCLA scientists) as well as any EMF and radiation detection in the area (small spikes were found where the calf was discovered but was never talked about as part of the evidence).  They then brought in a veterinarian to conduct some testing (on a calf who died of natural causes) based on theories surrounding the case. 

The first experiment used a cauterizing tool to see if the hide could be cut as clean as in this case. Since there is no sign of blood, the cauterizing is plausible; however, this technique takes a long time to complete and it doesn't seem possible for someone to do this without being caught at some point.  The vet also tries careful cutting using a scalpel but the process is just too messy.  The last attempt is with a laser but this proves not possible as well (I think we all saw that coming).  The team decides to leave their test carcass out overnight with a camera pointed to observe predators.  They do find birds are happy with the present left behind and could account for the scavenging of the internal organs, etc.  I am personally not satisfied with this conclusion as you would most certainly find evidence of it being picked at by birds!  Not to mention the crap (literally) left behind. 

The final test to this investigation is a bloating test.  One theory is that this is a natural phenomenon due to bloating from gases in the body.  Once an animal dies, it starts to bloat and can tear the skin, allowing predators to get to the animal.  They test this using a piece of cow hide over a balloon.  When they inflate the balloon, the skin tears, mimicking the look from the picture.  The team decides this must be what has happened and case closed.  I'm sorry but I don't buy this and I know I am not the only one.  The skin was missing from the top of the calf, not the stomach where the gases are stored...how do you explain that?  How are there NO signs of scavengers' teeth (or beak marks) left on the bones or surrounding skin that is left?  Did the scavengers suck out the insides, leaving the rib cage intact??  And this is just one case out of many in the area and some of the other cases seem even stranger.  One calf was found dead and mutilated within minutes of being seen alive.  My conclusion: this case is not closed but left a mystery. 

I asked Bill about this case and if he was satisfied with the results.  He said he was completely satisfied as it seemed to answer the question about that particular animal.  Both him and Ben mentioned that those cases are mysterious and recognized that the particular case was one out of many.  I don't want to seem as if I am attacking the team in any way, they have my full respect. But I am disappointed; I'd like more scientific investigations about this case as a whole, not just regarding one lone photograph.  But I guess I need to be satisfied with the show's premise.  

If you are interested in another viewpoint from someone actually involved in this investigation, I found a blog entry during a Google search: http://www.ufonut.com/wordpress/?p=1472.