#010: Mothman - Part II

In this part of the Mothman series, we’re hitting pause before falling headfirst into the rabbit hole. Today, we’ll look at why some folks shrug Mothman off as nothing more than a big bird or a big myth — and why others are absolutely convinced he’s something far stranger and maybe even supernatural. It’s skepticism vs. belief, and Mothman is right in the middle.But don’t worry, this isn’t the end of the story. Next time, I’ll share my own theory about what Mothman could really be, dig into why this winged weirdo grabbed the world’s attention, and explore modern sightings, pop culture cameos, and even the way Mothman has been turned into toys and festival mascots.Stick around — things are only getting stranger from here!  Find Paranormal Optimist on all your favorite platforms: linktr.ee/Paranormal_Optimist_Podcast  Music credit: www.purple-planet.com Sources Cited in Today’s Episode:Cornell. (n.d.). Sandhill Crane identification, all about birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Sandhill_Crane/idDatabase : 1966 – 1967, Appalachian Oddity. Appalachian Oddity. (n.d.). https://www.appalachianoddity.org/database-1966-1967/Enlighten : Who is the Mothman of Point Pleasant. The College of Psychic Studies. (n.d.). https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/enlighten/who-is-the-mothman-of-point-pleasant/Feres, M., & Feres, M. F. N. (2023, March 27). Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Journal of applied oral science : revista FOB. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10065758/H., S. (n.d.). Mothman Myth & How Folklore Overshadowed Real tragedy. Mythfolks. https://www.mythfolks.com/mothman-legend New York University. (2020, June 5). NYU shanghai prof finds distance threshold for reliable eyewitness identification. NYU Shanghai. https://shanghai.nyu.edu/news/nyu-shanghai-prof-finds-distance-threshold-reliable-eyewitness-identification#:~:text=Could%20you%20remember%20enough%20about,’%E2%80%9DRaypole, C. (2022, May 2). Mass hysteria: Definition, examples, causes, and more. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/mass-hysteriaSchwarz, J. (n.d.). Witnesses’ eyes deceive them when distance is too great. UW News. https://www.washington.edu/news/2005/02/17/witnesses-eyes-deceive-them-when-distance-is-too-great/#:~:text=At%20200%20feet%20you%20would,that%20made%20a%20face%20unrecognizable.Sussex Publishers. (n.d.). Pareidolia. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/pareidolia#:~:text=Pareidolia%20is%20a%20phenomenon%20wherein,friend%20or%20an%20unfamiliar%20foe.The true story behind the mothman of west virginia. US Ghost Adventures. (2022, October 21). https://usghostadventures.com/haunted-stories/31-days-of-halloween/the-true-story-behind-the-mothman-of-west-virginia/#:~:text=Just%20three%20days%20after%20their,Mothman%20started%20to%20take%20shape.