November 20, 2025 • 11 mins
“Today on Truth Be Told Paranormal, Tony Sweet dives deep into the myths America grew up with—stories we laughed at, dismissed, or chalked up to superstition. But what happens when those myths turn out to contain real evidence? From the biological roots of Salem’s ‘witches’ to the CIA’s shocking mind-control experiments, government surveillance, weather warfare, and the science behind Bigfoot sightings—we uncover the surprising truths hiding inside these legendary American tales. Join us as we explore why myths start, why they survive, and what they reveal about our culture, our fears, and the secrets that shape our history. Presented by Club Paranormal.”
#TruthBeToldParanormal #ClubParanormal #ParanormalPodcast #AmericanMyths #HiddenTruths #ConspiracyFact #MKUltra #Bigfoot #SalemWitchTrials #WeatherWarfare #GovernmentSecrets #StrangeHistory #UnexplainedAmerica #FolkloreAndFact #TonySweet
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-paranormal--3589860/support.
#TruthBeToldParanormal #ClubParanormal #ParanormalPodcast #AmericanMyths #HiddenTruths #ConspiracyFact #MKUltra #Bigfoot #SalemWitchTrials #WeatherWarfare #GovernmentSecrets #StrangeHistory #UnexplainedAmerica #FolkloreAndFact #TonySweet
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/truth-be-told-paranormal--3589860/support.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Welcome back to Truth Be Told Paranormal, where we search
for truth and share what we find.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I'm your host Tony Sweet.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Today we're diving into an article called thirteen American myths
that turned out to have some truth. These are stories
we grew up hearing, rumors, legends, conspiracies that we usually
brushed off as nonsense, but with time, declassified documents, and
(01:00):
scientific research, some of them turned out to be grounded
in real events. We're going to unpack five of the
most surprising myths, going deeper into the history, psychology, and
evidence behind each one. Myths survive because they speak to
(01:41):
something inside us, fear, curiosity insecurity, shared trauma, or a
need to understand the unknown. Every culture has myths, but
America in particular, love stories of mystery and distrust of authority.
Those stories aren't just rumors. They're warnings or coded truths
(02:07):
hidden behind folklore. When the truth eventually comes out, it
can shake our belief systems. Some of today's myths reveal
how easily people can be misled, and how governments or
institutions have sometimes encouraged that misunderstanding. Let's start with one
of the biggest, furiest myths of all. The Bigfoot legend
(02:39):
stretches across nearly every region of the US. Large footprints,
a musky smell, glowing eyes, massive size, and an uncanny
ability to disappear into the woods. But here's where the
myth gains real credibility. One sightings follow a clear pattern.
(03:00):
Researchers analyzing thousands of eyewitness reports discovered that most bigfoot
sightings overlap precisely with high density black bear populations.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
This doesn't debunk Bigfoot entirely, but it.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Suggests many sightings are misidentifications, especially when a bear stands upright.
Two DNA evidence isn't as mysterious as once believed. Several
hair samples, once celebrated as belonging to an unknown primate,
were later tested using more advanced technologies and matched to bears, bison, wolves,
(03:41):
and even humans.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Three.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Indigenous stories long predate modern sightings across Native American folklore,
tall forest being sasquatch, scuokum when to go appear repeatedly.
These legends often connect the creature with protector of the
forest rolls, hinting that the myth may have roots in
(04:05):
real interactions with large wildlife or even an extinct species.
Four geography makes mystery possible. Remember the Pacific Northwest alone
holds millions of acres of unexplored wilderness. Scientists admit new species,
especially mammals, are still discovered annually, so as Bigfoot reel.
(04:26):
Maybe not as we imagine, but the conditions that created
the myth are very real. Misidentifications, deep woods, survival instincts,
and cultural storytelling. This one is the perfect example of
(04:49):
a myth that people once dismissed as wild conspiracy until
the truth came out.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Mk Ultra the real story.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
From the early nineteen fifties to the nineteen seventies, the
CIA ran a top secret program called mk Ultra designed
to study mind control, interrogation techniques, hypnosis, sensory manipulation, and
chemical influence. The shocking part, many experiments were conducted on
(05:19):
unwitting Americans. Subjects were given LSD, barbiturates, or exposed to
psychological stress without informed consent.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Why did it happen? The Cold War?
Speaker 1 (05:32):
They believed the Soviets and Chinese had developed mind control
techniques and wanted to stay ahead. Subprojects included giving LSD
to soldiers without warning, attempts at erasing memories, experiments in hospitals, prisons,
and brothels, sensory deprivation tank tests, extreme sleep deprivation. Mk
(05:55):
ULTRA wasn't a single project. It was one hundred and
forty nine plus sub projects spread across universities and institutions.
How did the truth come out? In the nineteen seventies,
after Watergate, the Church Committee Congress investigation into intelligence abuses
exposed the program. Even then, most mk ULTRA documents were
(06:19):
destroyed by the CIA, leaving us with only fragments. So yes,
mind control experiments really happened.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
The myth turned out to.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Be far darker than anyone imagined. For decades, Americans suspected
the government was collecting private information, but it was always
dismissed as paranoia.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Then came Edward Snowden.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
In twenty thirteen, The truth revealed the NSA had been
secretly collecting data on millions of Americans phone call logs, emails,
text messages, internet activity, cloud storage, location data, all under
massive surveillance programs like PRISM and x Keyscore. What shocked
(07:14):
people wasn't just the spying, but how far reaching and
routine it was.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Why does this matter to myth?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Because for years people who raised concerns were labeled conspiracy theorists,
yet they were right. This myth teaches us something important.
Just because a story sounds extreme doesn't mean it's untrue.
(07:46):
The Salem witch trials were never about actual magic, spellcasting,
or covens, but something real was happening beneath the myth.
Theory one ergot poisoning fun I guess that grows on
rye grain. Ergot contains chemicals similar to LSD. If consumed,
(08:06):
it can cause hallucinations, muscle spasms, paranoia, convulsions, tingling sensations.
Researchers suggest a contaminated crop may have triggered the bizarre
symptoms described.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
By the accusers and victims.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Researchers suggest a contaminated crop may have triggered the bizarre
symptoms described by the accusers and victims. Theory two psychological contagion,
Mass panic and shared delusions can spread through tight knit,
repressed communities.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Stress, fear, and.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Religious pressure triggered to psychological wildfire.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Theory three.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Social agendas, property disputes, personal feuds, misogyny, and religious extremism
created conditions where accusations became weapons.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
So yes, there were witches.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
In Salem, not magical ones, but biological, psychological, and social
forces were only beginning to understand. This one sounds like
(09:26):
a comic book plot, but it really happened. During the
Vietnam War, the US military launched Operation Popeye, the cloud
seeding mission, designed to increase rainfall and create mud in
enemy supply roots. Cloud seating uses silver iodide, dry ice
(09:47):
chemical aerosols to force clouds to produce rain. The objective
flood the ho Chi mintrail, slow troop.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Transport, and wash out infrastructure. Did it work partially?
Speaker 1 (10:00):
It increased rainfall and targeted areas by five to thirty percent.
How did the true surface The operation was revealed during
Pentagon investigations and officially acknowledged in nineteen seventy four. Whether
manipulation as a weapon wants a myth now a historical fact.
(10:26):
These myths tell us something deeper. Institutions often hide the truth.
People dismiss the unbelievable until proof emerges.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Folklore is a form of cultural memory.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
The paranormal, the conspiratorial, and the historical often overlap. The
line between myth and reality is thinner than we think.
If you enjoyed this myth busting episode, let me know
I'll cover more of the thirteen myths in a future show.
Message me on Instagram, at Asta, Club Paranormal, or email
(11:04):
Infoadclub Paranormal dot com
Welcome back to Truth Be Told Paranormal, where we search
for truth and share what we find.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
I'm your host Tony Sweet.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Today we're diving into an article called thirteen American myths
that turned out to have some truth. These are stories
we grew up hearing, rumors, legends, conspiracies that we usually
brushed off as nonsense, but with time, declassified documents, and
(01:00):
scientific research, some of them turned out to be grounded
in real events. We're going to unpack five of the
most surprising myths, going deeper into the history, psychology, and
evidence behind each one. Myths survive because they speak to
(01:41):
something inside us, fear, curiosity insecurity, shared trauma, or a
need to understand the unknown. Every culture has myths, but
America in particular, love stories of mystery and distrust of authority.
Those stories aren't just rumors. They're warnings or coded truths
(02:07):
hidden behind folklore. When the truth eventually comes out, it
can shake our belief systems. Some of today's myths reveal
how easily people can be misled, and how governments or
institutions have sometimes encouraged that misunderstanding. Let's start with one
of the biggest, furiest myths of all. The Bigfoot legend
(02:39):
stretches across nearly every region of the US. Large footprints,
a musky smell, glowing eyes, massive size, and an uncanny
ability to disappear into the woods. But here's where the
myth gains real credibility. One sightings follow a clear pattern.
(03:00):
Researchers analyzing thousands of eyewitness reports discovered that most bigfoot
sightings overlap precisely with high density black bear populations.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
This doesn't debunk Bigfoot entirely, but it.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Suggests many sightings are misidentifications, especially when a bear stands upright.
Two DNA evidence isn't as mysterious as once believed. Several
hair samples, once celebrated as belonging to an unknown primate,
were later tested using more advanced technologies and matched to bears, bison, wolves,
(03:41):
and even humans.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Three.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Indigenous stories long predate modern sightings across Native American folklore,
tall forest being sasquatch, scuokum when to go appear repeatedly.
These legends often connect the creature with protector of the
forest rolls, hinting that the myth may have roots in
(04:05):
real interactions with large wildlife or even an extinct species.
Four geography makes mystery possible. Remember the Pacific Northwest alone
holds millions of acres of unexplored wilderness. Scientists admit new species,
especially mammals, are still discovered annually, so as Bigfoot reel.
(04:26):
Maybe not as we imagine, but the conditions that created
the myth are very real. Misidentifications, deep woods, survival instincts,
and cultural storytelling. This one is the perfect example of
(04:49):
a myth that people once dismissed as wild conspiracy until
the truth came out.
Speaker 2 (04:56):
Mk Ultra the real story.
Speaker 1 (04:59):
From the early nineteen fifties to the nineteen seventies, the
CIA ran a top secret program called mk Ultra designed
to study mind control, interrogation techniques, hypnosis, sensory manipulation, and
chemical influence. The shocking part, many experiments were conducted on
(05:19):
unwitting Americans. Subjects were given LSD, barbiturates, or exposed to
psychological stress without informed consent.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
Why did it happen? The Cold War?
Speaker 1 (05:32):
They believed the Soviets and Chinese had developed mind control
techniques and wanted to stay ahead. Subprojects included giving LSD
to soldiers without warning, attempts at erasing memories, experiments in hospitals, prisons,
and brothels, sensory deprivation tank tests, extreme sleep deprivation. Mk
(05:55):
ULTRA wasn't a single project. It was one hundred and
forty nine plus sub projects spread across universities and institutions.
How did the truth come out? In the nineteen seventies,
after Watergate, the Church Committee Congress investigation into intelligence abuses
exposed the program. Even then, most mk ULTRA documents were
(06:19):
destroyed by the CIA, leaving us with only fragments. So yes,
mind control experiments really happened.
Speaker 2 (06:29):
The myth turned out to.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Be far darker than anyone imagined. For decades, Americans suspected
the government was collecting private information, but it was always
dismissed as paranoia.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Then came Edward Snowden.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
In twenty thirteen, The truth revealed the NSA had been
secretly collecting data on millions of Americans phone call logs, emails,
text messages, internet activity, cloud storage, location data, all under
massive surveillance programs like PRISM and x Keyscore. What shocked
(07:14):
people wasn't just the spying, but how far reaching and
routine it was.
Speaker 2 (07:19):
Why does this matter to myth?
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Because for years people who raised concerns were labeled conspiracy theorists,
yet they were right. This myth teaches us something important.
Just because a story sounds extreme doesn't mean it's untrue.
(07:46):
The Salem witch trials were never about actual magic, spellcasting,
or covens, but something real was happening beneath the myth.
Theory one ergot poisoning fun I guess that grows on
rye grain. Ergot contains chemicals similar to LSD. If consumed,
(08:06):
it can cause hallucinations, muscle spasms, paranoia, convulsions, tingling sensations.
Researchers suggest a contaminated crop may have triggered the bizarre
symptoms described.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
By the accusers and victims.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Researchers suggest a contaminated crop may have triggered the bizarre
symptoms described by the accusers and victims. Theory two psychological contagion,
Mass panic and shared delusions can spread through tight knit,
repressed communities.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Stress, fear, and.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Religious pressure triggered to psychological wildfire.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
Theory three.
Speaker 1 (08:50):
Social agendas, property disputes, personal feuds, misogyny, and religious extremism
created conditions where accusations became weapons.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
So yes, there were witches.
Speaker 1 (09:03):
In Salem, not magical ones, but biological, psychological, and social
forces were only beginning to understand. This one sounds like
(09:26):
a comic book plot, but it really happened. During the
Vietnam War, the US military launched Operation Popeye, the cloud
seeding mission, designed to increase rainfall and create mud in
enemy supply roots. Cloud seating uses silver iodide, dry ice
(09:47):
chemical aerosols to force clouds to produce rain. The objective
flood the ho Chi mintrail, slow troop.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Transport, and wash out infrastructure. Did it work partially?
Speaker 1 (10:00):
It increased rainfall and targeted areas by five to thirty percent.
How did the true surface The operation was revealed during
Pentagon investigations and officially acknowledged in nineteen seventy four. Whether
manipulation as a weapon wants a myth now a historical fact.
(10:26):
These myths tell us something deeper. Institutions often hide the truth.
People dismiss the unbelievable until proof emerges.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Folklore is a form of cultural memory.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
The paranormal, the conspiratorial, and the historical often overlap. The
line between myth and reality is thinner than we think.
If you enjoyed this myth busting episode, let me know
I'll cover more of the thirteen myths in a future show.
Message me on Instagram, at Asta, Club Paranormal, or email
(11:04):
Infoadclub Paranormal dot com
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