EPISODE · Apr 30, 2026 · 33 MIN
The Great Lunar Hoax of 1835: Bat People on The Moon!
from Oddity Shop · host Kara Perakovic and Zach Palmer
Welcome To The Oddity Shop, Where The Bizarre is Always on Sale. This week, your Curator Kara is Taking Us to The Moon!A New York newspaper once got thousands of people to believe there were bat-like humanoids living on the moon, and the wild part is how reasonable it sounded at the time. We walk through the Great Moon Hoax of 1835, the infamous run of articles published by the New York Sun that claimed Sir John Herschel had a next-level telescope capable of spotting lunar forests, temples, strange animals, and “Vespatrilo Homo” flying around like it was normal field research. The story didn’t spread because people were dumb. It spread because it was written like science, released in a bingeable series, and backed by names that sounded impossible to question. From there, we connect the dots to today’s world of viral posts, “trust me bro” sources, and even AI-generated answers that sound authoritative while being totally wrong. Listen now, then subscribe, share with a fellow oddball, and leave a review.Check out our website for all episode references Get All Your Spiritual Supplies From Mystic Moons On Etsy, or Check out their FacebookSupport the showThe Shop's phone lines are open! Give us a call and leave a voicemail (Or two!) with your creepy personal tale/oddity, and it could be featured on a future episode!616.320.4935JOIN US ON PATREON: Click Here!Join the Oddity Shop on Patreon for Day Early Access to Episodes and tons of bonus content!!!Visit our Website to learn more!Email Us at: oddityshoppodcast.comwww.OddityShopPodcast.comDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate programs are designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to the partner site.
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Welcome To The Oddity Shop, Where The Bizarre is Always on Sale. This week, your Curator Kara is Taking Us to The Moon! A New York newspaper once got thousands of people to believe there were bat-like humanoids living on the moon, and the wild part is how reasonable it sounded at the time. We walk through the Great Moon Hoax of 1835, the infamous run of articles published by the New York Sun that claimed Sir John Herschel had a next-level telescope capable of spotting lunar forests, tem...
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The Great Lunar Hoax of 1835: Bat People on The Moon!
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