SPOOKY GEOLOGY

Misbehaving lakes: Three water bodies that exhale death gas

In August 1986, approximately 1800 people living in a 15-mile radius of Lake Nyos in Cameroon didn’t live to see the morning, dying by suffocation from toxic gas exhaled from the bottom of the lake. They were warned but didn’t recognize the signs.

Briefs, GeoHazards

Putrid pit of dinosaur corpses

A recent find of a fossilized death assemblage tells a graphic story of mass death. Remains of 46 allosaurs and some 25 other dinosaurs were found clustered together in what was probably a smelling rotting pile before being buried by sediment and fossilized.

Alternative Geology, Anomalies & Strange Objects, Features

The hammer entombed in rock

The London Hammer is an artifact beloved by Creationists because it appears to be a recent object embedded in old rock. While anomalous, it has a normal explanation.

Features, Paranormal Places

Haunted rocks: The Stone Tape theory

The “stone tape theory” is frequently used as a sciencey-sounding explanation to explain residual hauntings – appearances of images, sounds, and apparitions that do not interact directly with people. The premise is that the rock or building materials somehow record the event and play it back like a film. But they never asked a geologist about it.

Briefs, GeoHazards

Giant dust devils with crystal blades

A researcher observes gypsum mineral blades flying around in a hot tornadic wind in the Atacama desert in Chile.

Alternative Geology, Earth Mysteries, Features

Psychometry in geology

Psychometry – the ability to measure the “soul” – was used in the mid-19th century to “read” the history of rocks. One geologists believed it could revolutionize the field as certain sensitive people could receive psychic impressions from objects.

Features, GeoHazards, Paranormal Places

Darvaza: Gate to Hell

The Darvaza crater in Turkmenistan is a pit formed after a mistake by exploratory drillers. Fueled by natural gas, it’s been impossible to extinguish and has been called a “gate to hell”. More appropriately, it’s been a gateway to tourist dollars.

Earth Mysteries, Features

Dowsing: Witching for water

Dowsing (water divining or water witching) doesn’t work any better than chance or through use of surface clues. So why does it still spark heated arguments and create once-skeptical converts even today? Does it still have a place in modern well drilling?

Anomalies & Strange Objects, Earth Mysteries, Features

Fairy Stones (natural crosses)

A common twinning habit of the mineral staurolite results in cross-like crystal formations and guarantees it will be perceived as magical. It’s common in Fairy Stone State Park in Virginia.

Earth Mysteries, Features

Leylines: From the old straight track to Ghostbusters

Interest in leylines or leys as paranormal energy pathways has surged in recent times as ghost hunters use the idea of spooky straight tracks to explain hauntings.

Features, GeoHazards

Amazing fossils: Death scenes – geologically preserved

Earth processes can preserve exquisite detail and even a dramatic story of animals’ life and death. Several examples of incredible preserved or fossilized remains have been found.

Features, GeoHazards

Cracked, baby, cracked: The earth is splitting up with us humans

Ground cracks and long fissures in dry areas can indicate an over-extraction of groundwater. Some view these features as a sign of End Times. At least, its the end of times of easy to access clean water.

News, Paranormal Places

Coastal erosion reveals human remains on spooky Deadman’s island

The Isle of Sheppey, Deadman’s Island, was where the dead from prison boats were buried in the 19th century. The island is eroding and exposing the bones of those left there, adding to the haunted lore.

Features, GeoHazards, Paranormal Places

A Trip to Hell: Mysterious tunnel system and underground river at Baiae, Italy

The ancient village of Baiae in Italy has secrets. A recent discovery suggests that an underground tunnel system may have served as a Oracle of the Dead and simulated a trip to Hell (Hades), including crossing an underground “river”.

Features, General

Introduction to Spooky Geology

What is spooky geology about and what content falls into this category? Here is the introduction to this site.

Briefs, General

Dr. Tom Holtz’ talk on paranormal concepts in geology

Dr. Thomas Holtz of the Univ. of Maryland presents at Balticon 50 on May 30, 2016 his talk about paranormal concepts on the nature of our planet.

Earthquake Lights

Mystery booms and skyquakes

Sinkholes – Are you at risk?

Content