Episode 023 - The Interrupted Journey: Betty and Barney Hill and the Birth of Alien Abduction Lore

In 1961, Betty and Barney Hill were driving through rural New Hampshire when a strange light in the sky changed their lives forever. What followed was a story of missing time, disturbing dreams, and hypnosis-fueled recollections that would go on to define the alien abduction genre.In this episode of Hauntings and Happenings, host Kasey unpacks the Hills’ infamous encounter—exploring not just what happened, but why it still matters. Was it trauma? A dream? A symptom of Cold War anxiety and racial alienation? Or was it a genuine contact with the unknown?Drawing from psychological theories, sleep science, Cold War history, and firsthand records, this deep dive looks at the abduction that started it all.Because if something took you in the night…Would you even remember?Works Cited- https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DFdV2M_QuCnPhLpvNVFcpzEMbvudnTzW6BH_I44tg8M/edit?usp=sharing