Episode Details

Halloween season is almost here, and Monthly Spooky is kicking off the countdown with haunted houses, Bigfoot, UFOs, cryptids, unexplained mysteries—and bat people living on the Moon.

In the August 2026 edition of Monthly Spooky, Henrique Couto and Michelle are getting ready for Halloween with another strange trip through paranormal news, ghost stories, cryptid sightings, UFO and UAP reports, weird history, unexplained phenomena and creepy mysteries before diving into one of the most wonderfully bizarre media sensations of the nineteenth century: The Great Moon Hoax of 1835.

Beginning in August 1835, newspaper readers were treated to astonishing reports supposedly describing life discovered on the Moon—including extraordinary landscapes, animals, beavers and winged bat people. Henrique and Michelle dig into how the Great Moon Hoax spread, why people believed it, and how an outrageous piece of fiction became an early example of a sensational story going viral. But first, there is plenty of fresh spooky news to get everyone into the Halloween spirit.Inside this episode:

• A new haunted renovation series sends designers into a reportedly haunted Ohio mansion, where they have to live and work inside the property while confronting its supernatural reputation.
• The possible “Croc Ness Monster” causes a stir after what appears to be a crocodile is photographed near an Italian lake.
• Officials in Brussels receive and examine unusual UFO and UAP reports, including material submitted by amateur astronomers.
• A reported Bigfoot sighting in Connecticut gets the attention of cryptid investigators.
• Scientists find a mysterious molecular signature associated with both Pluto and Titan.
• A mysterious large cat sparks discussion near Dundee, Scotland.
• An extremely strange planetary system raises questions about a possible enormous exomoon.
• Seattle embraces Hot Jimothy Summer as an exceptionally round raccoon becomes an internet celebrity.
• Sailor Matt Rutherford attempts the dangerous feat of navigating the Arctic Ocean alone.
• Henrique shares a spoiler-free look at the dinosaur horror adventure The End of Oak Street.
• And Michelle brings a perfectly timed Halloween haunted-house mystery involving two college students, a strange room and an archive extension that the library later claims it knows nothing about.

Then it is off to the Moon for the main event: The Great Moon Hoax of 1835, complete with lunar wildlife, bizarre civilization and the unforgettable image of humanoid bat creatures soaring across the lunar landscape.Whether you're already building your Halloween podcast playlist, looking for scary stories for spooky season, or just love ghosts, paranormal mysteries, Bigfoot, UFOs, cryptids, folklore, weird history and unexplained encounters, this month's Monthly Spooky is your early ticket into Halloween.Follow Monthly Spooky on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio or your favorite podcast app so you don't miss the next round of spooky news, strange history, paranormal stories and creepy discoveries as the countdown to Halloween continues.

🎂 Celebrate Henrique's 40th Birthday!
Henrique's 40th birthday is coming up, and as mentioned in the episode, listeners who would like to help him celebrate—or spoil him a little—can check out his Amazon birthday wishlist here. The upcoming milestone is part of the conversation at the beginning of this month's show. Henrique's Amazon Birthday Wishlist:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/LRQQR0M18M4T

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