An astronomer who's spent his career searching for alien life explains why he's confident extraterrestrials exist throughout the universe—yet remains skeptical that any UFO sighting has ever been proof of their visit to Earth.

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IN THIS EPISODE: If you ever attended grade school in the United States, you no doubt are more than familiar with the Mayflower and why the ship is so famous. But what you were not told in that classroom is about the mystery that took place on that voyage… on that very ship... that went unsolved for over three hundred years. (The Mayflower Mystery) *** June O’Brien has a problem. She loved toast… and her toast did a really good job of toasting bread. So what was the problem? Well… it appears her toaster was possessed by the devil. (June O’Brien’s Satanic Toaster) *** It was June 1969, and less than a week from his seventh birthday; Dennis went camping with his dad, brother and grandpa for Father’s Day weekend. The next day they bumped into some other Father’s Day campers with kids and they all became quick friends. But while the kids were playing in the tall grass, Dennis disappeared… and was never seen again. (What Happened To Dennis Martin?) *** But first – how can you believe in extraterrestrials, but not be convinced of alien spacecraft? That’s the argument being made by one well-known astronomer. We begin there. (Astronomer Believes In Aliens But Not UFOs)
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00 .000 = Show Open
00:02:10 .878 = Astronomer Believes In Aliens But Not UFOs
00:09:25 .918 = The Mayflower Mystery
00:19:29 .575 = ***What Happened To Dennis Martin?
00:42:00 .293 = ***June O’Brien’s Satanic Toaster
00:45:35 .886 = Show Close
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
SOURCES and RESOURCES – and/or --- PRINT VERSION to READ or SHARE:VIDEO of 1988 “Today Show” episode with June O’Brien’s possessed toaster: https://youtu.be/lmxEFs12xn4
“The Mayflower Mystery” from Strange Company: https://tinyurl.com/y2ahxr39
“June O’Brien’s Satanic Toaster” by Rob Schwarz: https://tinyurl.com/yygok5u4
“What Happened to Dennis Martin” by Michael Mayes for Texas Cryptid Hunter: https://tinyurl.com/y64gqkcg
“Astronomer Believes In Aliens But Not UFOs” by Chris Ipey for The Conversation: https://tinyurl.com/y5q4ovwu=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46 = = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: December 2021
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/AstronomerStrangeLogic
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
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