Journey to the Fringe

Journey to the Fringe
  • 3.0 (2)
  • Society & Culture
  • Weekly

Thanks for checking out our podcast! We look at fringe topics often neglected, or ill discussed, in a light hearted and open manner. These topics run the gambit from the mundane water pollution, recycling, and tax evasion to the fantastical moth persons, time travellers, and paranormal. For us there’s no cryptid too creepy, topic too trivial, or djinn to dreary. Also we like to do exposes on assholes of the UFO community. To keep things fresh (and also because we aren’t really sure how to start podcasts) we start every week off with a Fringey Mini recent news article and discussion (It’s the podcast equivalent of not knowing what to do with your hands). And as we say in our intro from the unexplained to the mundane, join us on our journey to the fringe.

  1. 16h ago

    Fringey Mini: Zebra Muscle Adjacent

    Ontario has a new invasive species problem. In this Fringy Mini, we dive into the arrival of the red swamp crayfish, a lobster-like freshwater invader that could wreak havoc on local ecosystems. Along the way, we somehow end up debating Latin animal names, zebra mussels, and whether "freshwater lobster" is a helpful description. Ontario officials have confirmed the presence of the invasive red swamp crayfish, a hardy and highly adaptable freshwater species capable of outcompeting native wildlife and dramatically altering local ecosystems. In this Fringy Mini, we break down reports of established breeding populations in Ontario and explore why conservationists are concerned about their rapid spread. Of course, staying on topic proves difficult. The conversation quickly veers into the strange world of scientific naming conventions, the hosts' ongoing confusion with zebra mussels, freshwater "lobsters," aggressive aquatic invaders, and an unexpected appreciation for the name Bos taurus. Join us for a lighthearted look at a very real ecological issue as we discuss invasive species, environmental impacts, and why seemingly harmless creatures can become a major problem when they end up in the wrong waters. Topics discussed: invasive species, red swamp crayfish, freshwater ecosystems, Ontario wildlife, environmental conservation, zebra mussels, aquatic ecology, scientific classification, and general nonsense. Here is the link (adjacent) in all its glory; News article: https://www.yahoo.com/news/science/articles/lobster-crayfish-confirmed-ontario-officials-192600613.html Have an idea for an episode or a question? You can now leave us a voicemail! Click here!

    Fringey Mini: Zebra Muscle Adjacent

  2. 5d ago

    It's a creature feature!!

    We’re wrapping up the creepiest month of the year by swapping a batch of terrifying, bizarre, and downright uncanny encounters. Taylor kicks things off by tracking down some of the most aggressive (and party-crashing) Goatmen across the continent, while Chelsie brings some truly unsettling humanoid sightings that blur the line between cryptid, zombie, and something else entirely. If that’s not enough to keep you out of the woods, we’re also digging into coyotes with smiles that are a little too human, grinning wolf-creatures stalking the hills of Georgia, and a dilapidated barn in British Columbia hiding something we’ve lovingly dubbed the Giant Canadian Spider Bat. (You'll have to hear the descriptions before you judge our horrible AI attempts to draw it). Lock your doors, ignore that howling by the lake, and remember: Chelsie's imagination is always the scariest place to be. Happy Halloween! Drop us a 5-star review if you survive the episode, and send your own weird encounters to journeytothefringe@gmail.com or right here in the comments Have an idea for an episode or a question? You can now leave us a voicemail! Click here!

    It's a creature feature!!

  3. Oct 28

    Fringy Mini: Braaaaaaaaaa AI iiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnssssssssssss

    This week on Journey to the Fringe, We're lookig, ever so breifly (and spookily) at a terrifying piece of real-world tech news just in time for Halloween: biological data centers. Traditional silicon chips are out, and human neurons are in. We dive into the National University of Singapore's newest facility, where computers are powered by hundreds of thousands of living, lab-grown brain cells fed on a life-support cocktail of sugar and micronutrients. While the tech world praises the low energy consumption, we are asking the important questions. Are we inching closer to a Soylent Green reality? Will these "zombie data centers" end up haunted by the human cells powering them? Tune in as we break down the eerie reality of biological computing, flesh-and-blood servers, and the paranormal implications of the ultimate ghost in the machine. https://www.pressreader.com/singapore/the-straits-times/20260816/281608132264471 Have an idea for an episode or a question? You can now leave us a voicemail! Click here!

    Fringy Mini: Braaaaaaaaaa AI iiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnnssssssssssss

  4. Oct 23

    Halloween Origins

    A deep‑dive mini into the real origins of Halloween, tracing the holiday back to the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, a liminal, ghost‑friendly, bonfire‑heavy celebration marking the shift into winter. Taylor and Chelsea explore fairies, divination rituals, mumming, guising, and how these traditions evolved into modern Halloween customs like costumes and trick‑or‑treating. In this episode, Taylor and Chelsie take a surprisingly rich detour into the roots of Halloween far beyond candy aisles and plastic skeletons. Drawing from the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, they unpack how the end of the harvest season and the “darker half of the year” shaped beliefs about thinning veils, visiting spirits, and protective rituals. The conversation moves through centuries of tradition: communal bonfires meant to mimic the sun, offerings left for fairies, divination rituals involving hazelnuts and egg whites, and the early forms of mumming and guising that eventually became trick‑or‑treating. Chelsea reacts to the wilder historical costumes, including the Welsh horse‑skull “white mare”, while Taylor traces how these practices survived through oral tradition, Christian reinterpretation, and immigration to North America. It’s a folklore‑rich, surprisingly cozy exploration of how a festival for the dead became one of the most beloved holidays of the living. Have an idea for an episode or a question? You can now leave us a voicemail! Click here!

    Halloween Origins

  5. Oct 21

    Fringey Mini: From 23andMe to Sasquatch TV: A Very Weird Double Feature

    A whistleblower claims the CIA secretly accessed consumer DNA databases like 23andMe and Ancestry to hunt for alleged alien–human hybrids linked to the so‑called Nordic extraterrestrials — tall, blond beings supposedly hiding in small Colorado towns. Meanwhile, a Canadian filmmaker has officially set a Guinness World Record for producing the most live‑action Bigfoot movies, highlighting the global spread of Sasquatch lore. We break down both stories, from government secrecy to cryptid cinema’s booming cultural footprint. In this episode, we dive into two wildly different but strangely complementary corners of the fringe world. First, we unpack the viral claims that the CIA has been quietly accessing consumer DNA databases, including 23andMe and Ancestry, through alleged “backdoor” channels to identify people with supposed extraterrestrial ancestry. Philosopher Jason Reza Jorjani says retired Army remote viewer Lyn Buchanan told him the agency was screening for a mysterious genetic variance tied to the “Nordics,” a long‑standing UFO‑lore species described as tall, blond, blue‑eyed beings living incognito in small American towns. Despite the sensational nature of the allegations, no public evidence supports the idea that the CIA ever searched for alien‑human hybrids, and experts emphasize the scientific implausibility of such DNA markers. Still, the story taps into ongoing public fascination with UAPs, remote viewing history, and privacy concerns around genetic testing. Then we shift to Canada, where filmmaker Elliott Scott has officially entered the Guinness Book of World Records for producing the most live‑action Bigfoot films. Announced at Winnipeg’s Horror Con, the record highlights both Scott’s prolific output and the global diversity of Bigfoot traditions — from Pacific Northwest Sasquatch to Japanese variants he plans to explore in his next film. The achievement underscores how cryptid cinema continues to thrive, fueled by cultural storytelling, regional folklore, and a dedicated fan base. Together, these stories reveal how myths, conspiracies, and creative passion keep the fringe world very much alive. https://www.vice.com/en/article/a-whistleblower-claims-the-cia-is-searching-dna-sites-for-alien-human-hybrids/ https://globalnews.ca/news/12056886/canadian-filmmaker-sets-record-for-most-bigfoot-live-action-movies/ Have an idea for an episode or a question? You can now leave us a voicemail! Click here!

    Fringey Mini: From 23andMe to Sasquatch TV: A Very Weird Double Feature

  6. Oct 16

    Ghoul Trotters

    Buckle up, Fringe travelers — Chelsie’s flying you (telepathically, which may somehow have an even higher carbon‑footprint) through some of the world’s most haunted places, from Chile’s perfectly preserved ghost towns to Peru’s subterranean torture chambers, London’s royal specters, and a Czech castle allegedly built over a literal gateway to hell. We wander Africa’s spiritually charged Ouidah, where Vodun and ancestral memory blur the line between haunting and living tradition, dip into India’s legally‑forbidden-after-dark cursed fort, and meet headless monks in a Philippine hotel. Australia’s Black Mountain breathes, Antarctica’s Shackleton’s Hut remembers, and Canada’s Banff Springs keeps its ghosts close behind sealed doors. It’s a global sampler of hauntings, folklore, trauma, and lingering energy — a cozy Halloween passport stamp collection for anyone who loves a good ghost story and a thinner veil. Have an idea for an episode or a question? You can now leave us a voicemail! Click here!

    Ghoul Trotters

  7. Oct 14

    Fringey Mini: House of a Thousand Toothpicks

    In this Fringey Mini, we're diging into a new spin on rich people's EMOceans in an NPR piece about North Carolina’s stilt houses literally giving up and dropping into the Atlantic. Thanks to FEMA’s backwards insurance rules, homeowners are financially rewarded for letting their doomed beach houses collapse instead of removing them safely — leaving behind mountains of debris, polluted beaches, and a whole lot of rich‑people denial. It’s climate change, bad policy, and wooden toothpick stilts all coming together in an absolutley mind numbing disaster. https://www.npr.org/2026/09/17/nx-s1-5844642/fema-homes-collapse-ocean-climate-north-carolina-maine Have an idea for an episode or a question? You can now leave us a voicemail! Click here!

    Fringey Mini: House of a Thousand Toothpicks

  8. Oct 9

    Arachnids of Unusual Size

    This Halloween, Journey to the Fringe creeps into the shadows to uncover the world’s largest spiders, and the chilling legends that make them more than just creatures of nature. The veil between science and nightmare is thin this Halloween. In this episode of Journey to the Fringe, we descend into the lairs of the world’s biggest spiders, the Goliath birdeater and the giant huntsman, and trace their web of myths across continents. From the jungles of South America to the catacombs beneath Paris, we explore the “Spider Monster” mystery of 1894 and the unsettling truth behind the legends that still crawl through our collective imagination. Expect goosebumps, folklore, and a few eight‑legged surprises as we spin a web of fear and fascination that only Journey to the Fringe can weave. Have an idea for an episode or a question? You can now leave us a voicemail! Click here!

    Arachnids of Unusual Size
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Ratings & Reviews

3
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Thanks for checking out our podcast! We look at fringe topics often neglected, or ill discussed, in a light hearted and open manner. These topics run the gambit from the mundane water pollution, recycling, and tax evasion to the fantastical moth persons, time travellers, and paranormal. For us there’s no cryptid too creepy, topic too trivial, or djinn to dreary. Also we like to do exposes on assholes of the UFO community. To keep things fresh (and also because we aren’t really sure how to start podcasts) we start every week off with a Fringey Mini recent news article and discussion (It’s the podcast equivalent of not knowing what to do with your hands). And as we say in our intro from the unexplained to the mundane, join us on our journey to the fringe.

Information

  • Creator
    Journey to the Fringe
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    470
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Journey to the Fringe 2021
  • Show Website
    Journey to the Fringe