Unexplained

1. Unexplained Mysteries Question Reality

It is this idea, explored through stories of the mysterious and the unexplained, that I find most invigorating.

Challenging Perceptions. Stories of the unexplained are alluring because they question the limits of our knowledge, consciousness, and reality. They play out in the spaces between what we think of as real and what is not, serving as vital expressions of what intrigues and scares us.

The Need for Meaning. Unexplained mysteries differ from classic stories because they leave us without closure, without the "why." This element is seductive because, as a species, we have a biological compulsion to find meaning, a desire for a firm answer and an aversion toward ambiguity.

Embracing the Unknown. It is important not to retreat from the dark of the unknown but instead embrace it while we still have the light to which we can return. Exploring the unexplained mystery allows us to test our fundamental beliefs and continue to evade our human need to understand and rationalize.

2. Death and the Afterlife: A Universal Fascination

All stories, says Ernest Hemingway, will ultimately ‘end in death’.

The Ultimate Fear. Our ability to comprehend our own death – and the fear of such an idea – is the very thing that makes us the conscious, self-aware creatures that we consider ourselves to be. The idea of death as a final end for us, and the ones we love, remains the greatest of fears.

Cultural Narratives. Stories of the afterlife follow a similar theme, promoting a version of continued life consistent with our ‘living’ sense of self-image. Life becomes a test of moral courage, and where we end up subsequently being dependent on our actions with options invariably divided between some form of Heaven or Hell.

Reincarnation and Memory. Some believe that the process of reincarnation could allow for the remembrance of previous lives, since all previous lives are considered different experiences of the same soul. Some believe this phenomenon can be unearthed through past-life regression – the technique of using hypnosis to recover these ‘memories.’

3. The Allure and Danger of the Unknown Box

As he astutely realised, the real magic had nothing to do with what was actually in the box, but rather in the wondering of what might be.

The Power of Mystery. The best mysteries are the boxes with lids that remain closed the longest, or, like a Chinese box, the ones that open to reveal another mystery inside. The real magic has nothing to do with what is actually in the box, but rather in the wondering of what might be.

Quantum Possibilities. Some interpretations of quantum-mechanical theories suggest that sub-atomic particles, and by extension all matter, effectively exist as a set of infinite possibilities, becoming fixed only once ‘observed’ or measured. This calls into question the very nature of consciousness.

The Nocebo Effect. The power of the psyche alone can cause negative effects on the body if it can be sufficiently convinced that it is coming under harm. This raises the question: if the body is capable of inflicting physical harm on itself due to an illusory danger, what might the limits of self-affliction be?

4. Reincarnation: Resurrected Dreams

Although we may not inherit literal memories of the deceased, some fascinating new discoveries are challenging our understanding of the way in which our lived experiences might biologically resurface long after we have gone.

The Case of Carl Edon. The story of Carl Edon, who claimed to remember a past life as a German pilot during World War II, is a compelling example of apparent reincarnation. His detailed recollections of uniforms, aircraft, and events were later verified through historical research.

Epigenetics and Inheritance. Recent discoveries in epigenetics have led to something of a Lamarckist comeback. Studies suggest that organisms might pass characteristics to their offspring through external influences experienced during their lifetime, potentially including instinctive senses of lived experiences.

Cosmic Significance. Whether we believe in reincarnation or not, we are all cosmically significant. As the collection of matter that we call our ‘selves’, or as a piece of stardust, for as long as the universe exists we will always be here making up a part of it, changing from one thing to another in a constant, balanced cycle.

5. UFOs: Out of the Trees and Into the Dark

We have found a strange footprint on the shores of the unknown.

The Rendlesham Forest Incident. The Rendlesham Forest incident in December 1980 remains one of the most well-known UFO sightings in the United Kingdom. Military personnel reported seeing strange lights and a triangular-shaped object in the forest, leading to investigations and conflicting accounts.

The Fermi Paradox. Despite the statistical likelihood that other sentient species exist in our universe, we have not seen any evidence of them. This raises questions about the potential for life beyond Earth and the reasons for our lack of contact.

The Allure of the Unknown. Stories of the strange, supernatural, and paranormal are alluring because they question the limits of our knowledge, consciousness, and reality. These stories play out in the places between what we think of as real and what is not.

6. The Haunting Power of Place

Our flesh doesn’t sweat and pimple here for the domestic mysteries, the attic horror of What Might Have Happened so much as for our knowledge of what likely did happen.

The Hotel as a Microcosm. The hotel emerges as the creepiest of dwellings, both in fact and fiction, due to the daily comings and goings of hundreds of guests. The many events and bodies criss-crossing through time create a chaotic, psychical intersection held together in one singular place.

The Dibbuk Box. The story of the Dibbuk Box is a testament to the power of belief and suggestion. Whether the box holds a demonic entity or not, the shared imaginative space created by the story has real-world consequences for those who come into contact with it.

The Nocebo Effect. The nocebo effect demonstrates how the power of the psyche alone can cause negative effects on the body if it can be sufficiently convinced that it is coming under harm. This raises questions about the limits of self-affliction.

7. The Loss of Free Will: Who's in Control?

Such things take place in an instant, in an eyeblink. This can only be because they have been rehearsed by us already, over and over, in silence and darkness; in such silence, such darkness, that we are ignorant of them ourselves.

The Illusion of Control. If we aren’t in control of our minds, then who, or what, is? The choices we make are governed by nothing but our own free will. To question free will is to question not only moral responsibility but also the very notion of the self.

The Milgram Experiment. The Milgram experiment demonstrated how easily people can be coerced into performing actions that conflict with their conscience. This raises questions about the extent to which we are truly in control of our behavior.

The Power of Belief. If enough people are willing to believe in a world that allows for ancient demonic entities, and, having fostered that belief, speculate too that such a box exists that houses one of those entities, regardless of what you believe, you may want to think twice about opening it.

8. The Internet: A Portal to New Worlds and New Terrors

Inorganic demons are parasitic by nature . . . [generating] their effects out of the human host, whether as an individual, an ethnicity, a society or an entire civilisation.

The Cybernetic Culture Research Unit (CCRU). The CCRU saw the capitalist model specifically as inseparable from self-propelling technology, arguing that the two should be accelerated since they were already unstoppable. They believed that the Internet was a slave to capitalism and all its worst, most destructive features were a direct result of this.

The Slender Man Mythos. The Slender Man mythos is a prime example of digital folklore, a story that has been realized almost entirely through the utility of the Internet. It embodies the fears and anxieties of a generation growing up in an increasingly digital world.

The Gutenberg Parenthesis. The Gutenberg Parenthesis theory suggests that the digital age is returning us to a more medieval and unstable past, where information is fluid, mutable, and lacks a fixed origin. This has profound implications for our understanding of truth and authority.

Last updated: April 13, 2025