Hysteria 51

ForthHand Media

Hysteria 51 is your offbeat weekly podcast destination for all things weird and wonderful! We navigate the cosmic highways of UFOs, the alien-infested landscapes, and the enigmatic frontiers of the paranormal. With your hosts, Brent Hand and David Flora, alongside our cantankerous tin man, Conspiracy Bot (with a not-so-subtle desire to rule the world, doubling as our chief inquisitor into the unknown), we delve into unique mysteries, the inexplicable, and the downright unusual. Each week, we explore a fresh topic, making one thing crystal clear... the truth is out there, but you won’t find it here.

  1. Satanic Panis: H51 Retro Rewind | 473

    2D AGO

    Satanic Panis: H51 Retro Rewind | 473

    Brent & David are traveling this week so we are digging back into the H51 coffers for a retro episode. It's Satanic Panic time this week on Hysteria 61! Original Description: Remember that year or two in the 80’s when you weren’t allowed to do anything? Yeah – this week’s topic was pretty much the problem. The “Satanic Panic” was this all too real period mostly during the 80’s that America’s housewives knew their kid’s souls were being stolen by “beelzebub”, Ozzy, and anyone else they were listening to on that “devil machine”. The problem with this joke is real people suffered. Real lives were lost and the “devil” had nothing to do with any of it. We break out our black t-shirts, dye our hair, and get to the HYSTERIA (too obvious?) behind it all this week. Plus, C-Bot makes it as a comedian (he thinks), Brent goes chaotic neutral (an upgrade?), and the boys welcome a “pentagram” of guests (it really was an accident). All of that an more on the podcast that’s never been the victim of Satanic Ritual Abuse, but if they were they’re sure it would be at the hands…check that…pincers…of Conspiracy Bot – Hysteria 51. Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: weird@hysteria51.com 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.

    1h 40m
  2. One Small Step for Luxury, One Giant Whiff for Neuroscience: Lunar Hotels and the Science of Sniffing Farts | 472

    4D AGO

    One Small Step for Luxury, One Giant Whiff for Neuroscience: Lunar Hotels and the Science of Sniffing Farts | 472

    Pack your bags (and maybe a clothespin for your nose) because this week on Hysteria 51 we’re going interplanetary and intestinal. First up: luxury travel has officially left Earth. A startup is taking reservations—yes, real money—to be among the first guests at a proposed hotel on the Moon. We’re talking deposits that can range from “casual quarter-mil” to a full $1,000,000 just to hold your spot, with the total trip potentially climbing far beyond that once you factor in the whole “rocket commute” situation. It’s space tourism with a side of “do they validate parking in low gravity?” Then we come crashing back down to Earth with science that sounds like it was invented in a middle-school cafeteria: the idea that “sniffing farts” could help protect your brain. Under the jokes is a real research thread around hydrogen sulfide (the “rotten egg” gas associated with flatulence) and how it may help protect brain cells in Alzheimer’s-related mouse studies—less “weaponized crop dusting,” more “biochemistry doing something weird and promising.” So if you like your weird news with equal parts sci-fi dreams and “please don’t say that out loud,” this episode is your perfect storm: moon hotel reservations, space-tourism absurdity, and the unexpectedly serious science of stink. Links & Resources 📌Moon Vacancy 📌Stinky Mental Progress Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: weird@hysteria51.com 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.

    26 min
  3. Mammal Math & Stadium Slapstick | 470

    JAN 14

    Mammal Math & Stadium Slapstick | 470

    This week on Hysteria 51, we’re tackling two stories that prove nature and sports both have a wildly unhinged sense of humor. First up: science says blocking reproduction may be linked to longer lifespans in mammals—with a large analysis across 117 species suggesting animals that were sterilized or given contraception lived about 10% longer on average. It’s the ultimate “live long and prosper” headline… with a twist that’ll make every mammal in the room cross its legs and reconsider its life choices. Then we pivot to baseball’s most statistically improbable “sorry about your face” moment: the legendary tale of Phillies great Richie Ashburn, who once hit a foul ball that struck a fan—and then struck the same fan again during the same at-bat as she was being carried away. It’s slapstick destiny, but with stadium seating. So if you like your weird news podcast with longevity science, evolutionary trade-offs, and a side of baseball history so absurd it sounds invented, hit play and let’s get strange. Links & Resources 📌Unsullied Longevity 📌Just a Bit Outside... Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: weird@hysteria51.com 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.

    31 min
  4. Beam Me Up, But Bring Towels: The Lead Masks of Vintém Hill | 469

    JAN 9

    Beam Me Up, But Bring Towels: The Lead Masks of Vintém Hill | 469

    Two Brazilian electronics techs take a totally normal work trip… and wind up on a hillside in suits, raincoats, and homemade lead eye masks, clutching a note that reads like the world’s creepiest calendar invite: “16:30 be at the location. 18:30 ingest capsules. Protect metals. Await signal. Mask.” And then—nothing. No clear cause of death. No satisfying answers. Just one of the strangest unsolved cases in modern history, gift-wrapped for conspiracy lovers everywhere. This week on Hysteria 51, we are joined by actor, comedian, and podcaster Steve Berg. He helps us dig into the “most likely” explanations first: a planned experiment, a DIY occult/science mashup, a bad batch of mystery capsules, and the investigative chaos that left toxicology (and common sense) rotting on the vine. Then we crank the dial to full common sense—UFO encounter theories, blinding beams of light, electromagnetic weirdness, and why “protect metals” sounds less like evidence and more like a command from Space OSHA. It’s time to grab your raincoat, tape some metal to your face, and for the love of all that’s holy… do not ingest capsules from a guy who says he “knows a shortcut to the mothership.” Check out of Special Guest Steve Berg: Steve Berg is an actor and comedian who just finished work on Tim Kasher’s film Who’s Watching. He can also be seen in Olivia Wilde’s new film Don’t Worry Darling, and is currently working on the feature film Snack Shack. He’s also been obsessed with UFOs, the paranormal, the occult and all things weird his entire life, and on his podcast Hi, Strangeness, he passionately discusses all these topics in a light-hearted way. He can also be seen in New Line’s comedy feature Tag starring Jon Hamm and Rashida Jones. His credits also include recurring roles on NBC's The Good Place, ABC's The Goldbergs, Comedy Central's Idiotsitter, and BET's The Comedy Get Down. He has appeared in two features for director Joe Swanberg -- the Netflix Original Win It All and the indie Digging For Fire which premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Other credits include Mike White's directorial debut Year of the Dog, Jared Hess’ Gentlemen Broncos, and Joss Whedon's digital series Dr. Horrible's Sing Along-Along Blog. Berg has been a drunk narrator multiple times on Comedy Central's Drunk History and was a series regular in the Fox Television pilot WTF America produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. He is originally from Omaha, Nebraska. https://www.instagram.com/bergmaster5000/ linktr.ee/steveberg https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/christina-marie-rappel-consent-a-thoughtful/id1690998245?i=1000744278988 Special thanks to this week’s research sources: CORE / BACKBONE https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mist%C3%A9rio_das_m%C3%A1scaras_de_chumbo https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_masks_case https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/70161/bizarre-lead-mask-deaths-1966 BRAZILIAN TV / CASE MATERIAL https://redeglobo.globo.com/Linhadireta/0%2C26665%2CVYJ0-5259-215835%2C00.html https://redeglobo.globo.com/Linhadireta/0%2C26665%2CVYJ0-5259-215832%2C00.html https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjqCQEjgzk4 LOCAL JOURNALISM / LORE https://infograficos.oglobo.globo.com/rio/bairros/cinco-lendas-urbanas-de-niteroi.html https://odia.ig.com.br/colunas/coisas-do-rio/2021/02/6090106-mascaras-de-chumbo-caso-envolve-ovnis-e-mortes-estranhas.html SKEPTICAL ANALYSIS https://skeptoid.com/episodes/398 UFO / FRINGE CLAIMS WE REFERENCED https://noufors.com/Documents/Books%2C%20Manuals%20and%20Published%20Papers/Specialty%20UFO%20Publications/Flying%20Saucer%20Review/FSR%2C1967%2CMar-Apr%2CV%2013%2CN%202.pdf https://vigilia.com.br/o-caso-das-mascaras-de-chumbo-2/ https://aventurasnahistoria.com.br/noticias/reportagem/o-caso-das-mascaras-de-chumbo.phtml https://www.ranker.com/list/case-of-the-lead-mask-deaths/patrick-thornton Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: weird@hysteria51.com 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.

    1h 54m
  5. Mid-Air Mayhem & Psychic Irony | 468

    JAN 7

    Mid-Air Mayhem & Psychic Irony | 468

    This week on Hysteria 51, we’re boarding a flight straight into chaos—because one United Airlines flight reportedly had to divert after a passenger disrupted the crew, turning “in-flight service” into “in-flight survival mode.” If you’ve ever wondered how quickly a routine trip can become an unexpected emergency landing plot twist, buckle up and keep your hands, feet, and sense of reality inside the cabin at all times, even if you swear this is "A Simulation!" Then we hop over to Thailand for a story that’s basically a modern fable: a fortune teller, a stolen phone, and the kind of irony that makes you stare directly into the camera like you’re on The Office. When your job is seeing the future… but you don’t see that coming? That’s premium weird news. It’s bizarre headlines, travel nightmares, and criminally funny timing—the perfect episode for fans of strange-but-true stories, oddball crime, and “how is this real life?” energy. Links & Resources 📌Flight Sim 📌Fortune Favors the Bold Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: weird@hysteria51.com 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.

    31 min
  6. Florida Teleportation Crimes & Victorian Shoe Tide | 467

    12/31/2025

    Florida Teleportation Crimes & Victorian Shoe Tide | 467

    This week on Hysteria 51, we’re taking a scenic drive straight through the Bermuda Triangle of bad decisions—starting in Volusia County, Florida, where a man involved in a crash in a stolen BMW convertible allegedly told deputies he didn’t steal anything… because he “teleported” into the car. Yes, teleported. The keys were reportedly left in the vehicle at a park, the BMW vanished, and minutes later it was wrecked—leaving law enforcement to do the world’s most exhausted sigh and add “quantum parking” to the incident report. Then we hop across the pond to a seaside mystery that sounds like a Dickens subplot written by a prankster: reports say hundreds of Victorian-era shoes have been washing up on Ogmore beach in south Wales, sparking theories that range from shipwreck history to “the ocean is returning someone’s entire wardrobe, one boot at a time.” So if you like your weird news with a side of Florida teleportation claims, stolen car chaos, and creepy beach finds that look like a Victorian ghost got undressed in a tide pool—hit play. Links & Resources 📌Teleportation Woes 📌Shoe Tide Email us your favorite WEIRD news stories: weird@hysteria51.com 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.

    25 min
4.4
out of 5
1,110 Ratings

About

Hysteria 51 is your offbeat weekly podcast destination for all things weird and wonderful! We navigate the cosmic highways of UFOs, the alien-infested landscapes, and the enigmatic frontiers of the paranormal. With your hosts, Brent Hand and David Flora, alongside our cantankerous tin man, Conspiracy Bot (with a not-so-subtle desire to rule the world, doubling as our chief inquisitor into the unknown), we delve into unique mysteries, the inexplicable, and the downright unusual. Each week, we explore a fresh topic, making one thing crystal clear... the truth is out there, but you won’t find it here.

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