Our Numinous Nature
Our Numinous Nature is a traveling podcast in search of profound stories focused on regional flora & fauna, folklore & history with a penchant for the mysterious. We’ll be hearing from folks with a deep connection to the land, from herbalists to hunters, folk artists, paranormal investigators, & living historians. The hope is to reach the soul of these people & places through tales of profundity & awe. Find a comfy log and join us at the sonic campfire.
Our Numinous Nature
SHARK TOOTH SEA WARRIOR + THE GHOSTS OF DEAD HORSE HOLLOW | Fossil Hunter | Paul Murdoch
Paul Murdoch is an amateur paleontologist, fossil hunting guide, ghost hunter, and certified Chesapeake Bay Storyteller operating out of Calvert County, Maryland on the bay's western shore. A highly engaging educator, Paul teaches us about the comet impact that formed the bay [35 million years ago] and why the Calvert Cliffs region is renowned for fossils of the Miocene epoch [8-22 million years ago] . We learn about long extinct, ancient whales, dolphins, sharks, and mollusks while getting some tips on how to read a fossil's story & fossil hunting etiquette. In the first of Paul's stories, he recounts his most significant find, the skull of an undiscovered species of squalodon [a shark toothed whale]. Then we switch gears from fossil hunting to ghost hunting!!! With a deep historical knowledge Paul talks about spending the night at haunted lighthouses and Civil War prisoner camps. For his second tale, he shares a riveting & chilling archeological ghost story about his involvement digging up the bones of Irish railroad workers, bringing to light a malevolent, historical coverup. Wrapping up this excellent episode we hear about: how the dead can speak, banding monarch butterflies, and what to expect on one of Paul's guided hunts.
If you're in the Chesapeake Bay area check out Paul's guided fossil hunting trips: Chesapeake Heritage And Paleontology Tours. Read about & see pictures of his significant finds: Squalodon [shark tooth whale] & Eurhinodelphis [long-snouted dolphin].
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Contact: herbaceoushuman@gmail.com