For thousands of years, the most desperate minds in history — scientists, sorcerers, and everyone in between — have refused to accept that death is the end. | #WDRadio April 12, 2026
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HOUR ONE: I’m pretty sure that unless you were born of a virgin, died, and then rose from the grave three days later, no one has had any real success at bringing people back from the underworld. But that’s exactly what people who practice necromancy try to do – wake the dead. They can’t be successful at it though, can they? (Raising The Dead) *** The people of Japan have a myth of a terrible snake-like creature with death-dealing powers called a Tsuchinoko. But unlike many legends, there have been modern sightings of this bizarre cryptid. Is it real? If so, what could it be? (Is The Legendary Tsuchinoko Real?) *** At the age of only 14, George Stinney Jr. was the youngest person in history to be put to death in the electric chair. Then, seventy years later he was proven innocent. (The Execution of an Innocent) ***They were cigar-shaped, glowed red and could turn on a dime. Which ruled out even the most sophisticated rockets of the time. What is it that World War II fighter pilots were seeing in the skies flying with them? (The UFOs of World War 2)
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HOUR TWO: All families have their ups and downs. However, when you find a clan where an infanticide trial is arguably the least worst thing to happen to them, it’s safe to say you’ve found one very special household… the Mabbitt family.
(The Confusing Disappearance of Luella Mabbitt) *** A woman moves into a home where the past three residents went insane. What could possibly go wrong? (The House With The Unfortunate Past) *** Bartholomew Roberts, better known as the in famous pirate Black Bart, operated in the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean from 1719 to 1722. He was easily the most successful pirate of the Golden Age of Piracy, having been known to have captured over 400 ships in his day. But could it be true that he was actually forced to become a pirate against his will? (Was Black Bart Forced To Become a Pirate?) *** If you could choose a superpower, what would it be? Invisibility? Flight? Super strength or speed? What about X-ray vision like Superman? Would you believe there was a man in the 20th century who did have x-ray vision, without technology to do it? He had a few other superpowers as well! (The Man With The X-Ray Eyes)
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SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME: It was the slaying that shocked Australia. Sometime on the night of December 26th, 1898, Michael Murphy and his two younger sisters were slaughtered as they traveled back from Gatton in southeastern Australia. Their murders prompted a massive investigation—yet the crime remains unsolved to this day. (Australia’s Unsolved Gatton Murders) *** A snowy November day, a bus full of students, and an icy lake. It was about to become the day of the worst school-related accident in Washington state history. (School Bus Plunges To An Icy Death)
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SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM TONIGHT’S SHOW:
VIDEO of Kuba Bux from 1938: https://weirddarkness.com/archives/6546
BOOK: Military Encounters with UFOs in World War II by Keith Chester: https://amzn.to/2MdWUHl
“Australia’s Unsolved Gatton Murders” by Orrin Grey for The Line Up: https://tinyurl.com/yapybysk
“The Confusing Disappearance of Luella Mabbitt” from Strange Company: https://tinyurl.com/y88xoa95
“The Man With The X-Ray Eyes” by Marc Hartzman for Weird Historian: https://tinyurl.com/y9ok2wnz
“The House With The Unfortunate Past” by Dar77 from Your Ghost Stories: https://tinyurl.com/y85t95qe
“Was Black Bart Forced To Become a Pirate?” by Ellen Lloyd for Ancient Pages: https://tinyurl.com/yc7doxlj
“Is The Legendary Tsuchinoko Real?” by Ellen Lloyd for Ancient Pages: https://tinyurl.com/y7aoznc2
“The Execution of an Innocent” from Bugged Space: https://tinyurl.com/yagynb2y
“Zombie Science” by Kimberly Hickok for Live Science: https://tinyurl.com/ybud3hly
“Raising The Dead” by Jen Jeffers for Ranker: (link no longer available)
“The UFOs of World War 2” by Adam Janos for History: https://tinyurl.com/yamx3hnl
“School Bus Plunges To An Icy Death” by Daryl McClary for History Link: https://tinyurl.com/ybtxdrrl
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(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for material I use whenever possible. If I have overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it immediately. Some links may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)
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"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
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