Episode list

STUXNET. The virus that prevented; then started the next world war. Cyberwar is being waged right now in your name. No matter what country you call home, your government is engaged in highly dangerous combat on the Internet. Infrastructure around the world is under siege and everyone is at risk. Even you. In 2010, the Stuxnet virus was discovered in Natanz, Iran and thousands of control systems that operate factories, power plants and nuclear reactors around the world. It was 20 times more sophisticated than any malware ever recorded. It could halt oil pipelines, destroy water treatment plants and bring down entire power grids. Stuxnet is back, stronger than ever. And we should all be concerned. Cyber-security experts knew Stuxnet wasn't ordinary malware thrown together by some basement hacker. This was something different. Let's find out why.

NOSTRADAMUS. 2022 Predictions: Earthquakes, Asteroids and Zombies? If you believe the predictions of Nostradamus and you enjoyed 2020, you're gonna love 2021. While many astrologers, seers and mystics are predicting a hopeful future. If you believe Nostradamus, you better start kissing your mommies and saying your goodbyes. He predicted that 2020 would be a "great trouble for humanity". Well, that was true. And he says a greater trouble is coming in the form of a global famine. According to Nostradamus, the famine will be the worst the world has ever faced and will ultimately end in a disruption of social hierarchies and state power. Nostradamus predicted solar storms will take place. He said: "We shall see the water rising and the earth falling under it". Then he predicts a comet or asteroid will hit the earth or come very close to striking the planet which will cause earthquakes and other natural disasters: "In the sky, one sees fire and a long trail of sparks." FYI, we did have a few close calls with asteroids this past year. And NASA's automated asteroid watching system called Sentry is currently tracking asteroid 2009 JF1. JF1 is around 130 meters in diameter. About the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. This could hit Earth in 2022. Nostradamus predicted a great calamity would shake through the New World in the "Lands of the West" causing it to fall into the ocean. This is thought to be California. He suggested that this great calamity will happen when "Mercury in Sagittarius, Saturn fading". The date when Mars and Saturn will be in those exact positions in the sky is Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2021. And the last prediction is a doozie. Two words: Zombie Apocalypse.

Any challenge of established scientific dogma is labeled pseudoscience. Isn't that a bit arrogant? Isn't pseudoscience only pseudoscience until it's actual... science? But people are afraid to go up against the establishment. Kepler and Copernicus were ridiculed by their peers. Louis Pasteur's research was rejected by the medical establishment. Gregor Mendel. Nikola Tesla. Initially, they were rejected. Imagine the hate they'd get if Twitter existed? In 1903 when the Wright Brothers and others were building airplanes, the New York Times said manned flight would not be possible for 1 to 10 million years. In 1985, the New York Times said no matter how inexpensive or powerful a laptop computer would become, nobody would want one. When Apple announced the iPhone, the Times said they'd probably never build it and even if they did, nobody would buy it. Speaking of Twitter, here's what the Times said when it launched: "Using Twitter for literate communication is about as likely as firing up a CB radio and hearing some guy recite 'The Iliad.' ... Whether the service can be made into a sustainable business, quite unknown. I'm skeptical." If you suggest any idea that goes against the mainstream, you're viciously attacked. Not just by Facebook and Twitter, but by the New York Freakin Times. Aren't new ideas worth exploring? Did Steve Jobs care what people thought about him? Does Elon Musk care? No. They just went out and changed the world. George Bernard Shaw said: "All great truths begin as blasphemies." This message is to those blasphemers. To the misfits and dreamers and visionaries. My message is to you: they are going to attack you. They are going to hate you. Ignore them. Keep dreaming. Keep building. Keep blaspheming. Because I can tell you with 100% certainty the world needs you - much more - than it needs the New York Times.

LEVITATION. The ruins of several ancient civilizations - like the pyramids of Giza, Stonehenge in the UK, and many others - are monuments constructed of massive stones. How the great pyramids of Egypt were built has been the subject of debate for a long time. The fact is, no one really knows for certain exactly how some of these megaliths were constructed. Some researchers think ancient cultures may have mastered levitation through sound which allowed them to easily manipulate massive objects. Unfortunately, anyone suggesting the use of this kind of technology is attacked and labeled a "pseudoscientist". Abul Hasan Ali Al-Masudi is known as the Herodotus of the Arabs. Like everyone, he was awestruck by the pyramids. He wrote a very intriguing passage about how the giant stone blocks were transported -- through levitation. The Great Pyramid of Giza does possess some extraordinary acoustic properties, and can dramatically amplify sounds at certain frequencies. The Egyptians clearly knew a lot about sound science. Let's explore the Coral Castle in Florida, built by Edward Leedskalnin, who cut, transported and sculpted over 1,000 tons of rock into a sprawling complex - alone, without heavy machinery. We'll visit The Temple of Jupiter at Baalbek in Lebanon which boasts the largest stones ever carved by human hands. Nan Madol is an archaeological site in Micronesia. It's been called the Machu Picchu of the Pacific. The engineering of Nan Madol is so complex, no one can figure out how it was built. Let's hear the story told by Dr. Jarl about Tibetan monks who lifted stones by chanting and playing instruments - which Jarl put on film. There is science behind all these stories, yet "mainstream" academia dismisses each and every one as pseudoscience. Why is it wrong to want to explore ancient knowledge that contradicts modern beliefs? Isn't this the exact purpose of science? I think so. Let's find out why.

MOUNT RUSHMORE. It's one of the most recognizable, and most visited landmarks in America. But Mount Rushmore has a secret. The sculpture, which famously depicts four former US Presidents as 60 foot granite faces, was constructed between 1927 and 1941 under the direction of architect Gutzon Borglum. Everybody knows that. But few people know about the secret project Borglum was working on as part of the monument. Over the next 16 years, Borglum wrestled with the federal government about funding and control of Mount Rushmore - which he never technically completed. Borglum wanted to carve the presidents down to their waists and chisel a description of the memorial next to them. But when it became clear there wasn't enough space for an inscription, he came up with a new idea. He envisioned a grand hall measuring 80-feet tall x 100-feet long, accessible via an 800-foot granite staircase, that would include busts of famous Americans, as well as bronze and glass cabinets containing historical documents like the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence. A massive bronze eagle with a 38-foot wingspan would be mounted above the entrance, with the inscription reading The Hall of Records above the door. Borglum believed that future generations might find Mount Rushmore as much a mystery as Stonehenge or the Pyramids of Egypt. So he wanted to come up with a way to preserve its history and make sure the story behind the carving would never be forgotten. The vault was to be built just behind Abraham Lincoln's hairline and would contain all the information anyone would ever need about the mountain. Eventually funding had run out and the project was declared finished on October 31, 1941 Finally, in 1998, officials agreed to a scaled-back version of the idea. Today, sculpted into a series of porcelain enamel panels, is the story and history of Mount Rushmore; along with an explanation of why Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln were chosen. There are also panels sculpted with the text of the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of Independence, and the Gettysburg Address. Park officials even included a biography of Borglum. They're all kept inside a titanium vault behind a giant, 1,200-pound granite slab. Now, even high-ranking officials are banned from seeing this hidden, and largely unknown, chamber. But its true intent was to serve as a historical record for future civilizations, so we can imagine that Borglum would be pleased to know his project was finally completed - and may one day do exactly as he intended. Let's find out why.

THE MAX HEADROOM INCIDENT. November 22nd, 1987 was a pretty normal evening for television viewers in Chicago. That night, like every night, Dan Roan was covering sports on WGN-TV, Channel 9. Then suddenly, the signal was disrupted and screens across the city cut to black. Engineers at WGN-TV thought their transmitters were failing. They weren't. A few seconds later, something crazy happened. WGN's broadcast signal had been hijacked in what is now known as "The Max Headroom Incident". WGN-TV was able to act quickly and get their signal back. But, Two hours later, it would happen again to another TV station and there was nothing they could do to stop it. What happens next remains one of the most bizarre unsolved crimes in television history. Let's find out why.

THE DOG SUICIDE BRIDGE. In Dumbarton, Scotland, there's a 19th-century gothic bridge that crosses a 50-foot ravine. It's officially called Overtoun Bridge. But it's unofficial name is the "dog suicide bridge." Built in 1895, the ornate bridge leads up to Overtoun House, a 19th century manor built by wealthy industrialist James White on the outskirts of the village of Milton in the Scottish Lowlands. It spans Overtoun Burn, a deep gorge with a small river. Hundreds of dogs have attempted to commit suicide by jumping off this bridge. Stories about Overtoun Bridge are all over the internet and have been featured on the TV series The Unexplained Files. There's even an entire book dedicated to the phenomenon. But despite all this attention, the mystery is still unsolved. Let's find out why.

THE KARDASHEV SCALE. We have no idea what an alien civilization would look like. Humans are evolved primates. What if an alien species is reptilian? Or more like an insect? Or a hybrid of these? Or maybe something completely unique that we couldn't even imagine. There is only one set of universal laws that every species must follow. Physics. Specifically energy. One way to measure a civilization is by its energy consumption. This is done with the Kardashev Scale. By using the Kardashev Scale, we can address some big questions about alien civilizations. Like: Fermi's Paradox. It's estimated that there are 40 billion Earth-like planets in the Milky Way that could support life. Certainly a few of these should have given rise to intelligent life. And if so, where is everyone? A recent study done by researchers at JPL and CalTech states that when a civilization finally reaches a certain point on the Kardashev Scale, it destroys itself. Which is why we haven't discovered any evidence. They're gone. And the Kardashev Scale addresses the most worrisome theory of all. If there are advanced civilizations in our universe, it's probably best if we don't make contact with them. Let's find out why.

Was Polybius real? In 1981, an arcade in Portland was the scene of countless gamers coming down with migraines, having heart attacks, seizures and strokes. Local teens were suffering from amnesia and having hallucinations. All due to a mysterious game that seemed to arrive out of thin air. The game was called Polybius. And even though playing the game was dangerous, it was highly addictive and caused some teens to become hyper-aggressive. Fights started breaking out at the arcade. One player was stabbed to death. All traced back to people who played Polybius. Why would the government allow the public to play such a dangerous game? Because the government created it. Let's find out why.

Heard of Janet Airlines? No? Good. That's exactly what the US government wants. One of the government's biggest secrets is hiding in plain sight. In Las Vegas. Janet is the top-secret government airline that doesn't exist. Next time you're in Vegas, visit one of the big casinos next to McCarran Airport. I'm talking about Luxor, Excalibur, Mandalay Bay. When you get there, look East at the airport. All day long, but especially early in the morning and late in the evening; you'll see mysterious planes taking off and landing. You can't miss them. They're big. They're Boeing 737s. They have no markings. No logos. They're plain white with a single red stripe. This is Janet Airlines. Janet is a top-secret, air-force owned commuter airline. For civilians. But the destination Janet goes to the most - I'm talking a few times a day - is... Area 51. Let's find out why.

New York City has skyscrapers of all shapes and sizes. But why does this 500 foot tall, 29-story building have no windows, no lights and no markings at all? Because it's a top-secret NSA spy station built to withstand nuclear war. Officially, this is an AT&T telecommunications building. But thanks to leaked documents, we now know that 33 Thomas Street is actually a top secret NSA mass surveillance hub. It's code name is: TitanPointe. And right now, as we speak, TitanPointe is listening. The gray, granite tower is located at 33 Thomas Street in Lower Manhattan. Locals know the building as the "Long Lines Building" and it's been a source of mystery for years. What jumps out is that the building has no windows and no exterior lighting. During the day, it fades into the background of the New York City skyline. And at night, it becomes an invisible shadow. Thanks to NSA documents leaked by Edward Snowden, we now know that creating an invisible building wasn't an accident. It was absolutely by design. 33 Thomas Street operates under NSA code-name TITANPOINTE. And Titanpointe is a core location used for a controversial, and possibly illegal, NSA-sponsored mass surveillance program. According to leaked documents, this program has targeted the communications of the UN, the World Bank, the IMF. It's been used to spy on at least 38 countries, including US allies like France, Germany and Japan. It's common knowledge that AT&T is very cooperative with the NSA. Using an AT&T cell phone? Eh, you might want to rethink that. Let's find out why.

GHOST PHONE vs SPIRIT RADIO. Edison versus Tesla. One of history's greatest rivalries. They would never admit it but as different as these men were, they also had many similarities. For instance, they also both dabbled in paranormal technology. Nikola Tesla was convinced he could invent a device to communicate with the spirit world. And Thomas Edison was convinced he could get there first. Let's find out why.

It's according to a German historian, the year is actually 1724. He says our calendar is a lie and a big chunk of the Middle Ages never happened. Which says that back in 1000 AD, there was a conspiracy between the church and the Holy Roman emperor to change the calendar. The years 614 through 911 were completely made up. Those 300 years just didn't happen. So all that history you learned about Charlemagne and the middle ages. Completely fabricated. In fact, the theory says that Charlemagne was specifically designed as propaganda to support the calendar change. To give the emperor and the pope more power. Sounds crazy? Well, there may proof. Let's find out why.

THE LATITUDE. How do you join a cult without knowing it? Here's how it happened to thousands of people in San Francisco just a few years ago. You're with a trusted friend; maybe on a hike, or sitting in a bar or just hanging out. Out of nowhere, your friend asks you: "Can you keep a secret?" Of course you reply that you can. Your friend hands you a small black sleeve, about the size of a credit card. On one side of the sleeve is a geometric pattern. On the other side, the words "Absolute Discretion". Inside is a security card. Printed with a website and a code. Later that night, you go to the site and enter the code. The website responds with: "Congratulations. You've been invited to the Latitude." What happens next, changes you forever. Let's find out why.

Welcome to The Why Files where we talk about scientific mysteries, UFOs, the paranormal, ghost stories, conspiracies and all kinds of unexplained phenomena. This is NOT a conspiracy channel. We try to back up everything with facts; and debunk mysteries and myths when we can. But sometimes there are mysteries we can't solve. Those are the good ones. So if you're in to weird and smart stuff, you're in the right place.

Did you know there's an 18 mile long string of wire circling the island of Manhattan? Every morning the wire is checked for breaks and snags and every day it's repaired and it costs about a hundred and fifty thousand dollars a year to maintain. The wire has been there for years, yet most New Yorkers, myself included, didn't even know it was there. Let's find out why.

HOW LONG DO ANIMALS (and people) SURVIVE WITHOUT THEIR HEADS? Does a human head remain conscious after being separated from its body? It sure does. But just how long do you actually survive? Not that long. But, if we look at other animals, some of them can survive for longer than you think. Let's find out why.

When will we upload our consciousness to the cloud? As long as people have been alive, they've wanted to stay alive. For centuries, explorers have searched for the fountain of youth. And today, scientists are hard at work researching technology that can extend the human lifespan, stop or reverse aging; and even preserve a terminally ill person indefinitely, until a cure for their disease is discovered. But what if -- instead of preserving our bodies -- we could preserve our *consciousness*; by uploading it to a powerful computer. This is called *mind uploading*. And one startup has developed a procedure to do exactly this. It's scientifically sound, there's a waiting list to participate, and the procedure -- is one hundred percent fatal. Let's find out why.

Do some horror movies use sounds of a specific frequency to amp up the scare factor? Yes. Can infra-sound and ultrasound damage the human body? Yes. Has sound been used as a real-world weapon? Yes. Is sound being deployed by America's enemies to cause serious physical harm? Yes. Let's find out why.

FOR SEVEN YEARS, SOVIET AGENTS SPIED ON THE AMERICAN EMBASSY UNDETECTED. In 1945, Soviet children presented the ambassador with a gift to commemorate the friendship of the US and the Soviet Union. A hand-carved wooden replica of the Great Seal of the United States. The ambassador was so pleased with the carving that he hung it in his office at the official ambassador residence in Moscow: the Spaso house. But the wooden carving was more than just a decoration. Now hanging on the wall, just behind the ambassador's desk was a state of the art, high-frequency listening device that was completely undetectable. The intelligence community called the device "The Thing". And The Thing was on the office wall of five different ambassadors over 7 years. This was an electronic listening device that -- didn't require electricity. Let's find out why.