Midnight Facts for Insomniacs

Prepare for an eerie, unsettling journey through the silent streets of the world’s abandoned ghost towns. From a city frozen in time by the Chernobyl disaster to the slavery-staffed coal mines of Hashima Island; from the jungle experiment known as Fordlandia to a reputedly–haunted western settlement that boomed and busted with the tides of gold fever, Shane and Duncan embark on a thought-provoking reflection on the impermanence of human settlements and the enduring stories they leave behind. ~ In this episode:   Pripyat (Ukraine) Fordlandia (Brazil - Amazon Rainforest) White Oaks (New Mexico) Verosha (Cyprus) Oradouer-sur-Glane (France) Plymouth (Montserrat) Hashima Island, aka "Battleship" Island (Japan) ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript

Comedian Paul Conyers drops by to generate a list of the 5 most iconic moments in television history. From the Beatles on Ed Sullivan to Geraldo's broken nose (and empty vault), from Will Smith's slap to Janet Jackson's breast, which unforgettable small-screen scenes will make the list?  And what's in your top 5? Tell us in the Discord... ~ Access the entire back catalog of After Midnights, plus bonus episodes and video livestreams over at the brand new MFFI Patreon:  PATREON ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website

Where is the line between activism and extremism? In this furry, feathered, fanged episode, MFFI tackles one of the most divisive and controversial organizations of modern times: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.  PETA’s relentless pursuit of a singular goal has sparked global debate, controversy, scandal, and plenty of eye-rolling. From extortion tactics to undercover operations, from legal victories to losses in the court of public opinion, MFFI explores all of the drama, ethical dilemmas, and cultural shifts caused by PETA's aggressive fight for animal welfare. Follow along as Shane and Duncan wrestle with their own conflicted viewpoints and attempt to answer the age-old question: Do the ends actually justify the means?  *WARNING: Episode includes descriptions of animal abuse ~ In this episode:   The World Before PETA Tactics and Controversy The Vegan Society of 1951 Peter Singer and "Animal Liberation"  Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco PETA-Lingo Guiding Principles The Breakthrough: Silver Springs Campaigns and Successes Ag-Gag Laws Controversies Unhappy Meals PETA and Euthanasia Conclusions ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript

In today’s supersized praise-worthy episode, MFFI uncovers the scandalous stories behind the rise of megachurches and explains how a few ambitious, unscrupulous grifters turned piety into profit and faith into a financial formula. From the pulpit to the bank vault, explore the controversial rise of these religious empires and the charismatic leaders who plunder the pockets of their congregations. ~ In this episode:   Just How Mega is a Megachurch?  Gigachurches The Business of Faith Lakewood and Joel Osteen The First Megachurch (1861): Charles Spurgeon and the Metropolitan Tabernacle The First American Megachurch: Foursquare Aimee Semple McPherson The Prosperity Gospel Oral Roberts Vanco Payments Kenneth Copeland, Demon-Face World Changer's Church Creflo Dollar and Project G650 The United States Inquiry in the Tax-Exempt Status of Religious Organizations Deep Dive: Hillsong Church Frank Houston and the Hills Christian Life Center Brian Houston, Ned Flanders of Evil Geoff Bullock, Darlene Zcheck, and the Hillsong Band "The Church I See"  The Rise and Fall of Carl Lentz and Hillsong NY Accusations and Confessions The Fall of Frank and Brian ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript

Duncan takes the reins! It's been a long time coming, but another host swap episode is finally here. This week Duncan officially ran out of excuses and agreed to play the role of "MFFI Dungeon Master" for an episode full of orcs, backstabbing, wet sand, orcs, battle tactics, critical hits, and orcs.  Did we mention orcs? ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website

Here there be dragons! But not the fun kind… How are wizards, ghouls, and dragons connected to the civil war? What does “AYAK” stand for? And what the hell is a Kleagle? Join MFFI for a journey equal parts ridiculous and horrific as Shane and Duncan shed light on one of the darkest chapters of America’s past. From its secretive inception to its infamous reign of terror, explore the history and lingering legacies of the Ku Klux Klan. ~ In this episode:   December 24, 1865, Pulaski Tennessee  Civil War, Slavery, and Reconstruction Racist Pranksters The Prescript of the Klan Grand Cyclopses, Nighthawks, Ghouls, and Kleagles AYAK and AKIA Grand Wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest The Enforcement Acts The Birth of a Nation Ulysses S Grant William Joseph Simmons and the 2nd Coming of the Klan Stone Mountain, Georgia, Thanksgiving 1915 Ku Klux Klan, Multilevel Marketing Company (Pyramid Scheme) Hiram Wesley Evans Stages a Coup DC Stephenson Undermines the Klan The Rise of Klan Mark III Civil Rights Movement The Modern Klan ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript

Back by popular demand, and dumber than ever: The Darwin Awards. One of MFFI's most popular episode topics returns, this time with a modern twist...  ~ In this episode:   Mike Warner: Death By Boofing David Reston: Death By Viper Brian Joplin: Death By Supermanning Muhammad Niaz: Death By Miracle Phillip Contos: Death By Irony Unidentified Angry Wheelchair Man: Death by Road Rage Unidentified Angry Terrorist: Death By Untimely Text ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript

Unlock gripping true stories that defy the confines of steel and stone in this tunneling, plotting, unshackled episode of MFFI.   ~ In this episode:   Alcatraz, aka The Rock Joseph Bowers: The First Attempt John Paul Scott: The First "Success" Theodore Cole and Ralph Roe: The First Unknowns Escape from Alcatraz: The Most Famous Frank Morris John and Clarence Anglin Alan Clayton West The Plan The Escape The Aftermath Jaouquin Archibald Guzman Loera  "El Chapo" The Sinaloa Cartel First Incarceration and Escape: Puente Grande Second Incarceration and Escape: Altiplano Third Incarceraton and No Escape: Florence Superman (ADX Florence) ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript

How powerful is a singularity? Can anything escape from an event horizon? Do black holes “suck”? Dive into the cosmic shadows with Shane and Duncan as they unravel the mind-warping, gravity-bending science behind black holes. ~ In this episode:   Sagittarius A* Primordial Black Holes John Michell Dark stars Gravitationally Completely Collapsed Objects John Wheeler Cygnus X-1 Event Horizon Telescope Messier 87 Supernovae Red Giants, White Dwarves, Blue Supergiants Einstein and General Relativity Gravity Nuclear Forces and Electromagnetism Quantum Mechanics Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle Quantum Entanglement Hawking Radiation/Evaporation Sanduleak −69 202 Event Horizon Singularity Photon Sphere Accretion Discs Time Dilation TOE (Theory of Everything) String Theory Spaghettification ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript            

Follow Shane and Duncan along the twists and turns of the double helix as they unravel the history of genetics and DNA profiling. From Watson and Crick to the Human Genome Project, from Green River to the Golden State Killer, learn how genetic material holds the key to solving seemingly unsolvable crimes and curing formerly incurable diseases.  ~ In this episode:   Deoxyribonucleic Acid: The "Blueprint for Life" The Structure of DNA Nucleotides: Adenine, Cytosine, Thymine, Guanine Sugar Phosphates Friedrick Miescher Photo 51 Rosalind Franklin Watson and Crick The Eagle Pub Nature Magazine DNA Sequencing Frederick Sanger The Human Genome Project DNA Profiling Jeffrey Glassberg Alec Jeffries Murderer Colin Pitchfork: The First Success Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism The Green River Killer: Gary Ridgeway The Golden State Killer: James D'Angelo Junior CODIS: The Combined Data Index System Touch-DNA The Pitfalls of Partial DNA Successes ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript          

What do blood, sweat, tears, and fingerprints have in common? They can all be used to solve crimes. In this episode of Midnight Facts for Insomniacs, Shane and Duncan explore the fascinating world of forensic science, and debunk some of the most ridiculous Hollywood myths. Crime doesn't pay, but it sure makes for a great episode… ~ In this episode:   A short history of forensics Pre-forensics Trial by combat Cruentation Eureka! Archimedes and water displacement The Theory of Discernable Uniqueness Likelihood Ratios Fingerprints Dermal Ridge Skin Turing Patterns Whorls, Loops, and Arches The Henry Classification System Dermatoglyphs Adermatoglyphia Dactyloscopy Johann Christoph Andreas Mayer Jean Evangelista Purkyne Henry Faulds The Loupe The first success: Francisca Rojas Paul Jean Coulier and iodine fuming IAFIS: Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System Blood Spatter Michael C. Hall and Dexter Morgan Herbert MacDonell The [Basement] Laboratory of Forensic Science The International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts Debunking: The 2009 report by the National Academy of Sciences Splatter vs Spatter ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript

Which nautical tragedy represents the largest loss of life in non-combat American Navy history? Are there any undiscovered shipwrecks in American lakes? How much treasure would you get to keep if you could find the most valuable shipwreck that still hasn’t been discovered? Prepare for a journey through maritime history’s darkest waters, as Shane and Duncan delve into four chilling tales of ships lost at sea…   ~ In this episode:   USS Cyclops Flor de la Mar Le Griffon SS Waratah ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript

Christmas bonuses abound! In this case we're unlocking a Patreon-exclusive by releasing a full After Midnight episode from last holiday season: 'Tis the season to debate the greatest holiday songs of all time...or, in Duncan's case, to argue over whether a "great" holiday song even exists...   What's in your top 5? Tell us in the Discord... ~ Access the entire back catalog of After Midnights, plus bonus episodes and video livestreams over at the brand new MFFI Patreon:  PATREON ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website

Join Shane and Duncan as they attempt to navigate the sensitive topic of Native American mythology, exploring the elusive world of talking coyotes, giant turtles, divine peace pipes, and the cosmic dance between gods and mortals.  ~ In this episode:   Debunking "Spirit Animals" The "Noble Savage" Keep America Beautiful and the Most Famous Tear on TV Iron Eyes Cody (Espera de Corti) Native American Philosophies on Nature Indigenous History in the Americas Creation Myth - The Great Turtle (aka Turtle Island) The Chitimacha and the The Great Spirit Coyote and the Permanence of Death ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript

Christmas comes early this year with the bonus re-release of one of our favorite episodes exploring the strange, pagan, occasionally twisted origins of the Christmas holiday. How is Santa Claus connected to cannibalism? Which Christmastide holiday commemorates the slaughter of children? How should you decode the cryptic numerology message 20+C+M+B+22? And what's with all of those airborne reindeer?  Welcome to Ghosts of Christmases Past, in which Shane and Duncan explore how tree-worship and animal sacrifice evolved into the bizarre, festive, highly commercialized holiday we know today. So whether you're feeling the Christmas spirit or just feeling jaded and grinchy, grab a cup of heavily-spiked eggnog, get cozy by the yule-log, and join the boys as they unpack the fascinating pagan history of Christmas. ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Join the MFFI community and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ In this episode:   Christmastide Christmas Eve The Feast of Saint Stephen, Protomartyr Childermas, The Feast of the Holy Innocents Herod the Great The Feast of the Circumcision of Christ, Octave of the Nativity, Solemnity of Mary The Feast of the Holy Family 12th Night, Epiphany Eve Chalking the Door Saturnalia The Holiday of Yule Yule Boar, Yule Goat, Yule Log Anglican Revelers vs. Puritan Grinches The Story of the Nativity December 25th Becomes the Arbitrary DOB Christenmas, Christ Mass, and Xmas Christmas Trees Saint Nicholas of Myra, aka Saint Nick, aka Nicholas the Wonderworker Sinterklaas  Christmases Around the World Reindeer Thomas Nast Haddon Sundblom and Coca-Cola   ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript    

Join Shane and Duncan for an explosive tale of political intrigue, religious fervor, and a daring conspiracy that could have reshaped an entire nation.  ~ In this episode:   King Henry VIII and the Anglican Church Catholics vs Protestants "Bloody" Mary I of England Queen Elizabeth I King James VI and I Robert Catesby Thomas Wintour John Wright Guy Fawkes The Secret Police Priest Holes Elizabeth Stuart and the Extended Plot Parliament Delayed The Accidental Conspirator: Thomas Bates Robert Keyes Keeping it in the Family: John Grant, Christopher "Kit" Wright, and Robert Wintour Francis Tresham...Double Cross? The Baron Monteagle Letter Search and Seizure The Plot is Foiled The Final Stand at Holbeche House Executions Bonfire Night ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript

Last episode was just a warm-up. Swindle month continues, this time with actual influencers! These are the worst of the worst… ~ In this episode:   Yovana Mendoza (Rawvana) Belle Gibson The Liver King (Brian Johnson) ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript  

The internet is a dangerous place. Hold onto your wallet as MFFI takes you on a scamtastic tour of two of the most notorious online swindles of the last decade.  ~ In this episode:   Fyre Fest The 2017 GoFundMe Con ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript

Spooky season continues! A car that killed a star. A haunted doll. A vindictive painting. Are any of these items genuinely cursed? Not a chance.  But hey, it’s it’s going to be a wild ride. Join Shane and Duncan for a silly, skeptical romp through the darkest corners of the untamed internet. ~ In this episode:   James Dean’s Little Bastard Robert the Doll “The Hands Resist Him” ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript  

Spooky season has arrived! Join Shane and Duncan for a trio of mind-bending mysteries: first, venture into the frozen enigma of Dyatlov Pass, then wander the eerie halls of the Cecil Hotel, and finally unravel the perplexing tale of the Somerton Man. ~ Support the show by becoming a Midnight Minion, Menace, or Maniac, and unlock exclusive bonus content over at PATREON ~ Chat with fellow insomniacs and vote on episode topics via DISCORD ~ Join the Midnight Masses! Become an Insomniac by dropping a review, adding us on social media, and contacting us with episode ideas.  And we now have Midnight Merch! Show your Insomniac pride and pick up a tee shirt or coffee mug to spread the word!  Midnight Merch  ~ Leave an Audio Message! ~  Instagram ~ Podcast Website ~ Episode Transcript