Strange Evidence (2017–…): Season 1, Episode 7 - Jungle Werewolf - full transcript

Narrator: WORLDWIDE, 300
MILLION SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS

ARE WATCHING US.

ON OUR STREETS, AT WORK, AND IN OUR HOMES,

THEY CAPTURE THINGS THAT SEEM IMPOSSIBLE.

IT DEFIES THE LAWS OF PHYSICS.

Man: THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE, MAN.

Narrator: EXPERTS CARRY
OUT FORENSIC ANALYSIS

OF THESE UNUSUAL EVENTS.

THERE'S GOT TO BE SOME
EXPLANATION FOR WHAT'S GOING ON.

[ SCREAMS ]

Narrator: COMING UP...



SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS CAPTURE A BEAST

STRAIGHT FROM A NIGHTMARE...

THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING
OUT OF THE ORDINARY.

SOMETHING VERY STRANGE.

Narrator: ...A CATACLYSMIC
ROADSIDE BLAST SPARKS FEARS

OF A NUCLEAR DISASTER...

IS THIS THE END TIMES COMING AT ME?

Narrator: ...SCIENTISTS INVESTIGATE

UNEXPLAINED BALLS OF
FIRE LIGHTING UP THE SKIES.

THEY LOOK DISTINCTLY ODD.

Narrator: AND HAS THIS NANNY CAM
CAPTURED A DEMONIC POSSESSION?

[ SCREAMS ]

THIS KID DOES A FULL-ON "EXORCIST."

Narrator: BIZARRE PHENOMENA...



...MYSTERIES CAUGHT ON SURVEILLANCE...

WHAT'S THE TRUTH BEHIND
THIS STRANGE EVIDENCE?

A DASHBOARD-MOUNTED CAMERA
RECORDS AN APOCALYPTIC EVENT.

THE ENTIRE HORIZON LINE HAS BEEN LIT UP

BY WHATEVER IT IS THAT'S HAPPENING.

THIS IS TRULY TERRIFYING.

SOMETHING CATASTROPHIC
HAS BEEN CAPTURED ON CAMERA.

THE QUESTION IS WHAT.

♪♪

Narrator: ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA...

FEBRUARY 6, 2012, 9:13 A.M...

RUSH-HOUR TRAFFIC IN THE
COUNTRY'S CULTURAL CAPITAL.

A DASH CAM RECORDS A REGULAR COMMUTE.

AS THE DRIVER HITS A
TRAFFIC JAM ON THE HIGHWAY,

THE CAMERA CAPTURES AN
EXTRAORDINARY APPARITION.

[ BOOM ]

SOMETHING BIG AND BAD JUST HAPPENED.

BIG BRIGHT LIGHT, LOTS OF ENERGY.

Narrator: DRIVERS SLAM ON THEIR
BRAKES AND BRACE FOR IMPACT.

[ BRAKES SCREECHING ]

Wallace: IF I WAS SITTING
BEHIND THE WHEEL OF THE CAR,

I WOULD REALLY BE CONCERNED.

IS THIS THE END TIMES COMING AT ME?

WHAT WAS THAT?

[ BOOM ]

NO ONE KNOWS, AND THAT'S THE SCARIEST PART.

Narrator: EXPERTS RACE TO
EXPLAIN THIS TERRIFYING EVENT.

Pappalardo: THE SPECULATION
BEGINS IMMEDIATELY,

AND THERE ARE NO ANSWERS FORTHCOMING.

ALL THAT PEOPLE KNOW IS
THAT WHATEVER HAPPENED

COULDN'T HAVE BEEN GOOD.

Narrator: THIS ISN'T THE
FIRST TIME A BLINDING BLAST

HAS LIT UP RUSSIAN SKIES.

CHELYABINSK, 2013...

ANOTHER MORNING COMMUTE CAUGHT ON CAMERA.

PEOPLE ON THEIR WAY TO SCHOOL,
ON THEIR WAY TO WORK LOOKED UP

AND SAW A BRIGHT STREAK OF
LIGHT RACING ACROSS THE SKY.

Narrator: A 60-FOOT-WIDE METEOR
HITS THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE

AT AT 40,000 MILES AN HOUR.

MOSTLY, OUR ATMOSPHERE
PROTECTS US FROM SPACE ROCKS,

WHICH IS VERY LUCKY FOR US.

BUT EVERY SO OFTEN,

THERE ARE PIECES THAT ARE
BIG ENOUGH TO GET THROUGH.

Narrator: THE CHELYABINSK METEOR
CREATES A FLASH BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN.

[ BOOM ]

ITS SONIC BOOM SHATTERS
WINDOWS ACROSS THE CITY.

♪♪

BUT WHEN EXPERTS ANALYZE THE
ST. PETERSBURG DASH-CAM FOOTAGE,

THEY NOTICE SOMETHING STRANGE.

THERE'S A CLUE THAT RULES
OUT THIS BEING A METEORITE,

AND THAT'S THAT YOU SEE MULTIPLE FLASHES.

SO, IF THIS WERE A METEORITE,
YOU WOULD SEE ONE EXPLOSION,

AND IT'D BE DONE.

BUT WE DIDN'T SEE THAT.

THIS WAS CLEARLY SOMETHING ELSE.

Narrator: PHYSICIST DIANNA
COWERN STUDIES THE FOOTAGE.

SHE DETECTS THE POTENTIAL SIGNS

OF A MORE SINISTER TYPE OF EXPLOSION.

IT'S AMAZING THAT THIS LOW-QUALITY DASH CAM

CAPTURED THE DIFFERENT
COLORS OF THE EXPLOSION.

SO, WE SEE BLUES AND YELLOWS,

AND THAT'S A KEY TO WHAT'S HAPPENING.

Narrator: WITHIN MILLISECONDS,
THE SKY IS BURNING

WITH A BRILLIANT BLUE GLOW.

IT'S THE SIGNATURE OF AN
ENERGY RELEASE SO IMMENSE,

IT SUGGESTS A NUCLEAR DETONATION.

DURING A THERMONUCLEAR BLAST,

THE ENERGY AND RADIATION
EXCITES NITROGEN MOLECULES,

AND THEY GIVE OFF LIGHT

WHICH WE WOULD SEE AS
THIS KIND OF BLUE GLOW.

Narrator: ANALYSTS FEAR A
POTENTIAL NIGHTMARE SCENARIO.

ROGUE NUCLEAR WEAPONS THAT ARE AVAILABLE

FROM THE RUSSIAN ARSENAL
SOLD TO THE BLACK MARKET.

WHEN YOU SEE A GIGANTIC FLASH,
AND SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS,

A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL IMMEDIATELY
JUMP TO THE CONCLUSION,

"MY GOD, IT COULD BE A GROUND-BASED NUKE

THAT HAS BEEN SET OFF BY A TERRORIST."

♪♪

Narrator: NO TERRORISTS CLAIM
RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BLAST,

BUT THIS IS THE FORMER SOVIET UNION,

AND THE SPECTER OF NUCLEAR CATASTROPHE

CAN'T BE EASILY DISMISSED.

APRIL 26, 1986... CHERNOBYL.

A FLAWED REACTOR AT THE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

SUFFERS A CATASTROPHIC CORE FAILURE.

Pappalardo: WHEN CHERNOBYL BLEW ITS TOP,

IT SPEWED 80 TONS OF RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL,

CONTAMINATING THE COUNTRYSIDE FOR DECADES,

IF NOT HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

IT TURNED AN AREA THE SIZE OF
COLORADO INTO A NO-GO ZONE,

AND SPIKED CANCER RATES FOR YEARS TO COME.

♪♪

Narrator: YET RUSSIA STILL
RELIES ON NUCLEAR POWER.

THERE'S ALWAYS A CHANCE
OF A CHERNOBYL-LIKE ACCIDENT

HAPPENING AGAIN.

AND, AS IT TURNS OUT, THERE
IS A NUCLEAR POWER FACILITY

LOCATED JUST ON THE
OUTSKIRTS OF ST. PETERSBURG.

THIS FACILITY HAS THE SAME KIND OF REACTOR

THAT BLEW UP IN CHERNOBYL.

Narrator: BUT FOR SOME, THE ST.
PETERSBURG DASH-CAM FOOTAGE

IS MISSING KEY ELEMENTS OF A
NUCLEAR POWER PLANT COLLAPSE.

THERE ARE A COUPLE EARLY INDICATORS

THAT THIS IS NOT A NUCLEAR MELTDOWN.

ONE OF THE BIG DANGERS
IS THAT IT IS INVISIBLE.

WE DON'T SEE THESE BRIGHT FLASHES,

LEADING TO THE QUESTION...

"WHAT THE HELL JUST BLEW
UP OVER ST. PETERSBURG?"

Narrator: COMING UP, A MYSTERIOUS
BEAST LURKS IN THE SHADOWS...

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS THING IS.

IT LOOKS DANGEROUS.

LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF MY NIGHTMARES.

[ ROARING ]

Narrator: ...A NANNY CAM CAPTURES

A HAUNTING NIGHT TERROR... [ SCREAMS ]

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
THAT JUST SEEMS OTHERWORLDLY.

[ SCREAMS ]

Narrator: ...AND THE INVESTIGATION
INTO THE ST. PETERSBURG BLAST

UNCOVERS A VITAL CLUE.

THIS BLAST KNOCKED OUT
ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE ROAD.

Narrator: A BLINDING EXPLOSION

ROCKS THE RUSSIAN CITY OF ST. PETERSBURG.

INVESTIGATORS ANALYZE THE DASH-CAM FOOTAGE

FOR SIGNS OF THE CAUSE
OF THE APOCALYPTIC BLAST.

IF YOU REWIND BACK THROUGH THE FOOTAGE,

YOU NOTICE THAT THIS
BLAST... WHATEVER IT WAS...

KNOCKED OUT ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE ROAD.

THE ONLY THING LEFT WERE THE CAR LIGHTS.

Narrator: ELECTRICAL ENGINEER
DAVID WALLACE BELIEVES

THIS BLACKOUT IS A SIGNIFICANT CLUE.

HE PINPOINTS SOMETHING ELSE IN THE FOOTAGE

THAT SUGGESTS THE STRANGE
PROPERTIES OF ELECTRICITY

COULD BE AT WORK.

Wallace: I SEE THIS BRIGHT BALL APPEAR.

YOU NOTICE THAT THE BALL SORT OF SHIMMIES.

IT GETS BRIGHTER, IT GETS DIMMER, IT GROWS.

THIS SORT OF LEADS ME TO TEND TO THINK

THAT IT'S AN ELECTRICAL ARC OCCURRING,

WHICH, THEN, WILL KILL
THE POWER TO THE GRID,

WHICH WILL CAUSE ALL THE LIGHTS
TO GO OUT IN A SURROUNDING AREA.

♪♪

Narrator: WALLACE RUNS
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY'S

HIGH-VOLTAGE LABORATORY.

TO PUT HIS ELECTRICAL
ARC THEORY TO THE TEST,

WALLACE GENERATES AN ARC IN HIS LAB

TO ANALYZE ITS COLOR AND BEHAVIOR.

SO, LET'S SEE IF WE CAN RECREATE
WHAT WE SAW IN THE VIDEO.

WE HAVE OUR JACOB'S LADDER HERE SET UP

THAT WILL GENERATE OUR ARC.

Narrator: A JACOB'S LADDER
IS A V-SHAPED DEVICE

USED TO CREATE A TRAIN OF LARGE SPARKS.

WE'RE READY TO GO.

Narrator: IT'S CONNECTED
TO A POWERFUL GENERATOR,

PRODUCING 30,000 VOLTS.

EVERYBODY READY?

YEAH, YEAH.

FIRE.

♪♪

LET'S BRING THE LIGHTS DOWN.

Narrator: THE CURRENT
COURSES THROUGH THE POLES,

JUMPING THE NARROW GAP BETWEEN THEM.

IT BREAKS DOWN, OR
IONIZES, GASSES IN THE AIR

TO CREATE A SUPER-HOT PLASMA.

Wallace: OKAY, NOW THAT
WE'VE GOT THE ARC GOING,

LET'S INTRODUCE THE ELEMENT OF SMOKE TO SEE

IF WE CAN RECREATE THE CLOUD COVERAGE

AND THE GLOW LIKE WE SEE IN THE VIDEO.

WE'RE NOW GETTING A GLOW AROUND THE SMOKE

AS THE ARC GOES UP THROUGH IT.

Narrator: AS THE HEATED IONIZED AIR
RISES, THE ELECTRIC ARC RISES, TOO.

THE TRAIL OF IONIZATION GETS LONGER,

BECOMING MORE AND MORE UNSTABLE,

TRIGGERING A CHANGE OF COLOR
FROM ORANGE TO WHITE TO BLUE...

THE SAME COLORS SEEN IN THE FOOTAGE.

Wallace: WE GOT A NICE GLOW
AROUND IT AS THE ARC WENT UP.

IT WAS REFLECTING OFF THE SMOKE.

Narrator: WALLACE BELIEVES
HIS RESULTS ARE CONCLUSIVE.

WHAT THIS DEMONSTRATION IS SHOWING ME IS,

WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE VIDEO
IS SOME SORT OF ELECTRICAL ARC

BEING REFLECTED OFF OF THE CLOUDS.

[ BOOM ]

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS CONSIDER
WHAT ROADSIDE STRUCTURE

COULD PACK ENOUGH VOLTAGE

TO CREATE AN ARC OF THE
SIZE SEEN IN THE FOOTAGE.

[ BOOM ]

Cowern: IN CITIES, YOU'VE GOT
HIGH-VOLTAGE POWER LINES,

AND YOU'VE GOT LOW VOLTAGE IN YOUR HOUSE.

SO, YOU NEED SOMETHING
THAT CAN CONVERT IN BETWEEN,

AND THAT'S CALLED A TRANSFORMER.

Narrator: ST. PETERSBURG HAS
379 TRANSFORMER SUBSTATIONS

WITH A TOTAL CAPACITY OF 23,000 MEGAWATTS.

THAT'S MORE THAN TWICE THE
POWER CONSUMED BY NEW YORK CITY.

Pappalardo: THAT BLUE-WHITE
GLOW IS SOMETHING YOU SEE

WHEN A TRANSFORMER BLOWS
PUT ON YOUR STREET CORNER.

YOU MAGNIFY THAT BY 100-TIMES OVER,

YOU'VE GOT A BIG ELECTRICAL EXPLOSION.

Wallace: SO IF WE HAVE A
SUBSTATION WHERE WE HAVE

A TRANSFORMER FAILING,

YOU'RE GONNA GET A TREMENDOUS
AMOUNT OF ARCING OCCURRING,

WHICH WILL LIGHT UP THE AREA AROUND IT.

[ BOOM ]

Narrator: IN THE WAKE OF THE EVENT,

RUSSIAN STATE MEDIA CONFIRMS

A SUBSTATION IN SOUTH ST.
PETERSBURG HAS EXPLODED.

[ BOOM ]

THEY BLAME IT ON AN UNSPECIFIED
TECHNICAL MALFUNCTION.

IF YOU THINK SOMEONE HAS
DROPPED A NUCLEAR BOMB ON YOU,

YOU'LL BE PRETTY RELIEVED TO KNOW

IT WAS JUST A POWER STATION THAT BLEW UP,

BUT YOU MIGHT BE REALLY ANGRY
IT SCARED THE HELL OUT OF YOU.

[ BOOM ]

♪♪

Narrator: NOW, A B-MOVIE
MONSTER IN THE FLESH.

THIS IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING
OUT OF THE ORDINARY...

SOMETHING VERY STRANGE.

Narrator: A CREATURE FILMED
LURKING IN THE SHADOWS.

IT'S LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF MY NIGHTMARES.

IT'S WEIRD, IT'S MAYBE DANGEROUS,

AND IT'S IN YOUR BACKYARD.

[ GROWLING ]

♪♪

Narrator: BRAZIL, 2007...

SAO GONCALO DOS CAMPOS,

800 MILES NORTH OF RIO DE JANEIRO,

A SLEEPY RURAL COMMUNITY

STEEPED IN ANCIENT CULTURE AND TRADITION.

[ HOWLING ]

AS NIGHT FALLS, A SECURITY
CAMERA MONITORS A BACKYARD.

ALL SEEMS NORMAL UNTIL A
SHADOWY FIGURE EMERGES.

IT'S DARK, IT LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE HAIRY,

AND ITS MOVEMENTS ARE VERY INHUMAN.

IT'S HARD TO SEE ANY REAL FEATURES,

BUT IT'S DEFINITELY GOT
THIS ELONGATED FACE.

THERE'S A SNOUT, PERHAPS.

YOU CAN ALMOST SEE A
ROW OF SHARP TEETH THERE.

IT LOOKS TO BE EITHER
APE-LIKE OR WOLF-LIKE,

AND IT KIND OF STAYS IN THE
SHADOWS AS IT MOVES AROUND.

Narrator: THE MYSTERIOUS CREATURE
APPEARS FOR A FEW SHORT MOMENTS

BEFORE DISAPPEARING INTO THE NIGHT.

BUT IT'S NOT THE LAST TIME IT'S SEEN.

AN HOUR LATER, LOCAL
RESIDENT ROLILDO APUTOLODO

IS WOKEN BY AN UNEARTHLY HOWL
OUTSIDE HER BEDROOM WINDOW.

♪♪

♪♪

[ GROWLING ]

♪♪

♪♪

FOR THE NEXT FEW NIGHTS,

THE LOCAL RADIO STATION IS INUNDATED

WITH REPORTS OF SIGHTINGS
OF THE STRANGE BEAST.

♪♪

[ GROWLING ]

MANY BELIEVE THE SLAUGHTERED LIVESTOCK

COUPLED WITH THE SURVEILLANCE SIGHTING

IS EVIDENCE OF A LEGENDARY BEAST

IS TERRORIZING THE TOWN.

♪♪

Blackburn: BRAZIL HAS A LONG
HISTORY OF WEREWOLF SIGHTINGS.

PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED BEING
ATTACKED BY THESE CREATURES.

PERHAPS THIS FILM HAS CAPTURED
ONE OF THOSE CREATURES.

Narrator: COMING UP, MYSTERIOUS
BALLS OF FLOATING FIRE...

WHAT IS CAUSING IT? WHAT IS CREATING IT?

Narrator: ...AND INVESTIGATORS
CONSIDER WHO OR WHAT IS BEHIND

BRAZIL'S WEREWOLF SIGHTINGS.

Blackburn: IT COULD BE
SOMEBODY MENTALLY DERANGED.

IT COULD BE LITERALLY SOMEBODY
WHO BELIEVES THEY'RE A WEREWOLF.

Narrator: A BACKYARD SURVEILLANCE
CAMERA CAPTURES A MYSTERIOUS CREATURE

THAT SOME FEAR IS EVIDENCE THE
MYTHOLOGICAL WEREWOLF IS REAL.

ZOOLOGIST DARREN NAISH ANALYZES
THE FOOTAGE, LOOKING FOR CLUES.

IN THE FOOTAGE, WE DO SEE SOME
PARTICULAR PARTS OF ANATOMY

WHERE WE CAN GET MEASUREMENTS
AND WORK OUT THE PROPORTIONS.

Narrator: FREEZING THE FOOTAGE,

MEASUREMENTS REVEAL
THAT THE FIGURE'S UPPER ARM

IS AN ALMOST IDENTICAL
LENGTH TO ITS LOWER ARM.

THIS RATIO OF 1-TO-1

IS CHARACTERISTIC OF A
WELL-KNOWN LOCAL SPECIES.

Naish: THIS DOES HAVE THE
CHARACTERISTIC PROPORTIONS

OF OUR SPECIES... OF HOMO SAPIENS.

THIS FOOTAGE BASICALLY
HAS ALL THE HALLMARKS

OF AN ELABORATE PRANK.

♪♪

Narrator: BUT IF THIS IS A HUMAN, A
PRANK ISN'T THE ONLY EXPLANATION.

BIOLOGIST KELLY PRICE RESEARCHES
UNUSUAL MEDICAL CONDITIONS.

SHE BELIEVES THERE ARE SOME RARE DISORDERS

THAT COULD EXPLAIN A
WEREWOLF-LIKE APPEARANCE.

THERE IS A GENETIC CONDITION
KNOWN AS HYPERTRICHOSIS

THAT RUNS IN FAMILIES,

WHERE MEMBERS OF THE FAMILY

WHO HAVE IT HAVE HAIR
ALL OVER THEIR BODIES,

INCLUDING THEIR FACES
...EVEN ON THEIR EYELIDS.

AND IT'S OFTEN KNOWN AS
THE WEREWOLF SYNDROME.

Narrator: FEWER THAN 100
CASES HAVE BEEN RECORDED.

NOBODY KNOWS HOW MANY
PEOPLE WITH THE CONDITION

ARE ALIVE TODAY.

AND SOME DOCTORS SUGGEST THAT
THE SUPER-RARE WEREWOLF SYNDROME

ISN'T THE ONLY MEDICAL CONDITION

THAT COULD BE AFFLICTING THE CREATURE

IN THIS SURVEILLANCE TAPE.

Naish: THERE HAVE BEEN OCCASIONAL CASES

OF A PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION
KNOWN AS LYCANTHROPY.

AND THIS IS WHERE PEOPLE BECOME DELUDED

AND ACTUALLY BELIEVE THEY
ARE WILD ANIMALS OF SOME KIND.

TYPICALLY THEY THINK THAT
THEY'VE TRANSFORMED INTO A WOLF.

IT COULD BE SOMEBODY MENTALLY DERANGED.

IT COULD BE LITERALLY SOMEBODY
WHO BELIEVES THEY'RE A WEREWOLF.

♪♪

Narrator: BUT FURTHER ANATOMICAL ANALYSIS

SUGGESTS THIS MAY NOT BE A HUMAN FIGURE.

THE THING ABOUT IT IS, IF IT'S A PERSON,

THEN THEY HAVE TO BE ON ALL FOURS,

AND SO THEIR LEGS
SHOULD BE BENT IN THE BACK.

BUT IT REALLY DOES LOOK LIKE...
WHATEVER THIS CREATURE IT IS...

IT HAS TWO STRAIGHT LEGS.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: INVESTIGATORS
CONSIDER WHAT NATIVE ANIMALS

MATCH THE ANATOMICAL ANALYSIS.

THE YARD IN THIS FOOTAGE BACKS
ONTO A NATURAL AREA IN BRAZIL.

SO WE HAVE TO THINK, "WHAT
NATIVE ANIMALS IN BRAZIL

MIGHT BE COMING INTO THIS BACKYARD?"

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIST OF
ALL THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN BRAZIL,

NOTHING MATCHES THIS CHARACTER.

Narrator: BUT SCIENTISTS HAVEN'T CATALOGUED

EVERY SPECIES ON THE PLANET.

THERE ARE GAPS IN THE RECORD.

Price: A LARGE PART OF BRAZIL
IS SWATHED IN RAINFOREST,

AND WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY
SPECIES THAT LIVE IN THAT FOREST

THAT WE HAVEN'T QUITE DISCOVERED YET.

SO, ONE COULD THINK, "MAYBE
THIS IS ONE OF THOSE ANIMALS."

Blackburn: IF WE'RE TALKING
ABOUT AN UNKNOWN SPECIES,

WHAT BETTER PLACE TO HIDE
THAN A BRAZILIAN RAINFOREST?

Narrator: MANY LOCALS FEAR
THIS NIGHTMARISH BEAST

STILL REMAINS ON THE LOOSE.

Price: I DON'T THINK WE'RE
GONNA GET TO THE BOTTOM

OF WHATEVER THIS CREATURE IS
BASED ON THIS FOOTAGE ALONE,

BUT WHAT WE CAN TELL IS

WHATEVER IT IS, IT'S VERY CREEPY.

UNTIL WE CATCH WHATEVER IT IS,
I SUPPOSE WE'LL HAVE TO ASSUME

THAT THERE IS A WEREWOLF
ROAMING THE FORESTS OF BRAZIL.

[ HOWLING ]

♪♪

Narrator: NOW, UNEXPLAINED
FIREBALLS LIGHT UP A MYSTICAL RIVER.

IT'S REALLY QUITE BIZARRE,
AND IT DOES MAKE YOU WONDER,

"WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON?"

Narrator: LOCALS BELIEVE THEY'RE
EVIDENCE OF A FIRE-BREATHING MONSTER.

Boonya: I DO RESPECT THE NAGA.

I BELIEVE IN THE NAGA.

♪♪

♪♪

Narrator: PHON PHISAI, THAILAND...

AN ANCIENT TOWN BUILT UPON THE BANKS

OF THE MIGHTY MEKONG RIVER.

FLOWING 2,700 MILES
FROM THE TIBETAN PLATEAU

TO THE SOUTH CHINA SEA,

IT'S A RIVER RICH IN MYTH AND LEGEND.

AS DUSK APPROACHES,
LOCALS FLOCK TO THE MEKONG,

HOPING TO WITNESS AN
EXTRAORDINARY PHENOMENON.

THE LIGHT FADES, AND CAMERAS ARE TRAINED

ON THE SKY.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

HUNDREDS OF BALLS OF
LIGHT RISE FROM THE RIVER.

SOME SEEM TO HOVER.

OTHERS STREAK GREAT DISTANCES.

♪♪

♪♪

WHEN PYROTECHNICS EXPERT MIKE SAMSON

EXAMINES THE FOOTAGE,

HE CONFIRMS THIS IS NO
REGULAR FIREWORK DISPLAY.

IT'S NOT A FIREWORK THAT YOU
SEE ON YOUR FOURTH OF JULY

GARDEN DISPLAY LIKE THIS... A ROCKET.

NOW, THIS SENDS UP
HUGE SPARKS INTO THE SKY,

AND THEN EXPLODES AT THE END.

[ BOOMS ]

AND, OF COURSE, YOU
DON'T SEE THAT IN THE VIDEO.

Narrator: LOCALS' ASSESSMENTS AGREE,
AND SOME ARE CONVINCED THEY KNOW

WHAT'S BEHIND THE MYSTERIOUS LIGHT SHOW.

THEY BELIEVE A MYSTERIOUS CREATURE

LURKS IN THE SWIRLING DEPTHS OF THE MEKONG.

A FEROCIOUS, FIRE-BREATHING
BEAST... THE NAGA.

♪♪

COMING UP, NOCTURNAL NURSERY TERROR...

[ SCREAMS ]

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
THAT JUST SEEMS OTHERWORLDLY.

[ SCREAMS ]

Narrator: ...AND EXPLOSIVE NEW EVIDENCE

IN THE MEKONG FIREBALL MYSTERY.

Bell: THE FACT WE HAVE
THESE PHOSPHINE GAS SEEPS...

MAYBE THAT COULD BE BEHIND THESE FIREBALLS.

Narrator: SCIENTISTS INVESTIGATING
FIREBALLS PROPELLED ABOVE

A THAI RIVER CONSULT LOCAL FOLKLORE.

♪♪

♪♪

FOR THAI BUDDHISTS,
THE NAGA IS A DIVINE BEING,

AND THE FIREBALLS IT CREATES
BEAR A SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE.

♪♪

IF A COLOSSAL, FIRE-BREATHING MONSTER

IS LIVING IN THE RIVER'S DEPTHS,

IT WOULDN'T BE THE FIRST
GARGANTUAN BEAST FOUND THERE.

THE MEKONG IS A RIVER OF GIANTS...

FROM SOFT-SHELL TURTLES
WEIGHING MORE THAN 100 POUNDS

TO MEGA-CATFISH GROWING
MORE THAN 9 FEET LONG.

EVIDENCE POTENTIALLY SUPPORTING
THE EXISTENCE OF THE NAGA

EMERGES IN THE FORM OF
A SURPRISING PHOTOGRAPH.

LOCAL PEOPLE CLAIM IT SHOWS
A MEKONG RIVER MONSTER

CAPTURED BY U.S. MARINES
DURING THE VIETNAM WAR.

♪♪

♪♪

BUT WHEN INVESTIGATORS DIG DEEPER

INTO THE PICTURE'S ORIGINS,

THEY DISCOVER IT WAS
TAKEN THOUSANDS OF MILES

FROM THE MEKONG IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA.

BIOLOGIST DR. JESSADA DENDUANGBORIPANT

HAS STUDIED THE IMAGE

AND CAN IDENTIFY THE SO-CALLED NAGA.

♪♪

OARFISH ARE EXTRAORDINARY GIANTS.

ORIGINALLY BELIEVED TO BE SEA SERPENTS,

THEY CAN GROW UP TO 56 FEET LONG,

BUT THEY SIMPLY DON'T HAVE
THE ANATOMY TO BREATHE FIRE.

[ BIRDS CHIRPING ]

SOME SCIENTISTS SUSPECT THE
MURKY WATERS OF THE RIVER ITSELF

COULD HOLD VITAL CLUES.

THERE WILL BE QUITE A LOT OF ORGANIC MATTER

THAT WILL BE DECAYING DOWN IN THE DEPTHS.

IT WOULDN'T BE AT ALL SURPRISING

IF BUBBLES OF METHANE GAS CAME UP.

Narrator: METHANE, OR NATURAL GAS,
HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE EXPLOSIVE.

IF THAT GOT IGNITED CLOSE
TO THE SURFACE OF A RIVER,

MAYBE WE WOULD SEE
SOME LIGHTS ON THE SURFACE.

Narrator: CHEMIST ANDREA SELLA KNOWS

THAT METHANE CAN BE IGNITED NATURALLY,

AND THAT IT CAN FORM FLOATING FIRE.

HE BUILDS A RIG TO DEMONSTRATE HOW.

LET ME JUST SHOW YOU.

WE'VE RIGGED THIS UP IN
WHICH WE HAVE THE RIVER,

WE'VE GOT A SOURCE OF NATURAL GAS.

Narrator: WHAT'S MISSING IS A SPARK.

SELLA BELIEVES IN NATURE, THAT
SPARK WOULD COME FROM LIGHTNING.

NOW, WE'RE GOING TO CREATE
A LIGHTNING STRIKE HERE

IN THE BEAKER.

THIS IS WHERE I GET NERVOUS.

WE'LL PRIME OUR SYSTEM.

LET'S JUST SEE IF WE CAN IGNITE.

WOW.

AND YOU CAN SEE THAT EVERY SO OFTEN,

WHAT WE GET IS A LITTLE FLARE,
AND THAT'S THE GAS IGNITING.

IT'S GOING TO RISE AS IT
BURNS, AND IN DOING SO,

IT'LL CREATE A RATHER GHOSTLY EFFECT.

Narrator: THE FIREBALL THE
GAS FORMS IS SHORT-LIVED,

BUT ITS SHAPE AND COLOR MATCHES THE ORBS

IN THE SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE.

YET WHEN SELLA RE-EXAMINES
THE MEKONG VIDEO,

HE FINDS NO EVIDENCE OF AN
ELECTRICAL STORM THAT NIGHT.

OF COURSE, YOU'RE NOT ALWAYS GONNA HAVE

A CONVENIENT LIGHTNING BOLT,

WHICH WILL SET FIRE TO
YOUR GAS ON A DARK NIGHT.

Narrator: SELLA CONSIDERS AN
ALTERNATIVE IGNITION SOURCE.

THERE ARE PLENTY OF REPORTS OF THESE THINGS

IGNITING SPONTANEOUSLY.

AND WHAT COULD THAT BE?

Narrator: A LIKELY SUSPECT EMERGES.

Bell: THE STUDY FOUND THAT THERE
WERE RELATIVELY HIGH CONCENTRATIONS

OF SOMETHING CALLED PHOSPHINE GAS.

THE FACT WE HAVE THESE
PHOSPHINE GAS SEEPS...

MAYBE THAT COULD BE BEHIND THESE FIREBALLS.

Narrator: PHOSPHINE IS A
RARE AND HIGHLY TOXIC GAS

PRODUCED WHEN ORGANIC
MATTER DECAYS ON A RIVERBED.

Sella: THE THING ABOUT PHOSPHINE

IS THAT IT IGNITES SPONTANEOUSLY
ON CONTACT WITH AIR.

Narrator: SELLA BELIEVES IT'S ONLY
WHEN METHANE AND PHOSPHINE

ARE FOUND TOGETHER THAT
THEY CAN TRIGGER A FIREBALL.

IT'S PERHAPS A MIXTURE
OF METHANE AND PHOSPHINE,

WHICH BREAK THE SURFACE.

AND AT THE VERY MOMENT WHEN
IT COMES INTO CONTACT WITH AIR,

IT'S THE PHOSPHINE THAT PROVIDES
THE IGNITION AND THE METHANE

THAT THEN PROVIDES THE FUEL
FOR THE FLAME TO CONTINUE.

♪♪

Narrator: EXAMINING THE FOOTAGE ONCE
MORE, PYROTECHNICS EXPERT MIKE SANSOM

CASTS DOUBT ON THE EXPLOSIVE GAS THEORY.

I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S A
NATURAL OCCURRENCE AT ALL.

Narrator: MIKE BELIEVES HE
CAN IDENTIFY A SPECIAL TYPE

OF PYROTECHNIC DEVICE

CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
FAST-MOVING GLOWING BALL

JUST LIKE THE ORBS IN THE
SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE.

I THINK IT'S ONE OF THESE... A MORTAR.

IN HERE, I'VE OPENED UP THE
MORTAR, AND YOU SEE THE STAR.

THIS IS IT.

IT'S A COMPOSITION THAT BURNS
REALLY HOT AND REALLY BRIGHTLY.

AND THIS LAUNCHES INTO THE
SKY, AND THEN JUST GOES OUT,

AND THAT'S WHAT I THINK IT IS.

AND I CAN PROVE IT.

SO, I'VE GOT MY FIRING SYSTEM,

I'VE GOT MY MORTAR SET UP IN THE FIELD,

I'M GONNA SET THEM OFF WITH THIS,

AND I THINK IT'S GONNA LOOK EXACTLY

THE SAME AS IN THE VIDEO.

♪♪

THESE FIREWORKS IN THE
VIDEO, THEY DO MAKE A NOISE

WHEN THEY'RE LAUNCHED,
BUT THEY'RE SO FAR AWAY...

THEY'RE THE OPPOSITE
SIDE OF THE MEKONG RIVER...

AND BY THE TIME THAT NOISE
HAS REACHED THE AUDIENCE,

THERE'S LOTS OF OOHS AND
AHHS, AND THAT MUFFLES IT OUT.

SO, IT COULD BE THAT THIS
WAS A NATURAL PHENOMENON...

MAYBE QUITE RARE...

BUT BECAUSE OF THIS FESTIVAL,
IT'S NOW BECOME A RITUAL,

AND THE LIGHTS IN THE SKY

HAVE BEEN ACCENTUATED MY MANMADE MEANS.

[ CROWD OOHS AND AHHS ]

FOR THE CROWDS GATHERING
ON THE BANKS OF THE MEKONG,

THERE REMAINS ONLY ONE
EXPLANATION FOR THE FIREBALLS...

THE FIRE-BREATH OF THE
FABLED NAGA RIVER MONSTER.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

COMING UP, EVERY PARENT'S WORSE NIGHTMARE.

THERE COULD BE SOME KIND
OF A POSSESSION GOING ON.

[ SCREAMS ]

♪♪

Narrator: A CHILD DISPLAYS
SUPERHUMAN POWERS.

[ SCREAMS ]

IT'S LIKE THAT KID IS BEING HELD
UP BY SOME INVISIBLE FORCE.

IT DOESN'T SEEM NORMAL.

IT DOESN'T SEEM PHYSICALLY
POSSIBLE, ALMOST.

Narrator: SOME FEAR IT'S THE DEVIL'S WORK.

THERE COULD BE SOME KIND
OF A POSSESSION GOING ON.

[ SCREAMS ]

Narrator: AUSTIN, TEXAS... MARCH 2016...

NIGHTTIME ON A QUIET, SUBURBAN STREET.

CAMERAS GUARD PROPERTY, MONITOR PETS,

AND NANNY CAMS WATCH THE CHILDREN.

AFTER MIDNIGHT, BABY
CONNOR CRIES FOR ATTENTION.

[ CRYING ]

YOU CAN SEE THE BABY'S IN DISTRESS.

AND THEN, IN THE STRANGEST MOTION

I'VE EVER SEEN, THE BABY CLIMBS
UP ONTO THE RAIL OF THE CRIB,

AND THEN SUDDENLY STANDS UP.

[ SCREAMS ]

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THIS
THAT JUST SEEMS OTHERWORLDLY.

[ SCREAMS ]

IT'S HIS GLOWING EYES.

IT WOULD SEEM AS THOUGH
HE'S DEFINITELY POSSESSED.

THIS KID DOES A FULL-ON "EXORCIST."

[ SCREAMS ]

Narrator: THE BABY BALANCES ON THE
CRIB RAIL FOR MORE THAN 20 SECONDS.

Wise: HIS BALANCE IS PERFECT
ON THIS NARROW THING...

NOT EVEN SWAYING. HE'S JUST SORT OF, LIKE,

RIGID LIKE A GYMNAST.

Narrator: THE TODDLER FALLS
BACK INTO THE COT, UNHARMED.

HIS PARENTS UPLOAD THE FOOTAGE,
AND THE INTERNET GOES WILD.

[ CRYING ]

MANY QUESTION THE TAPE'S AUTHENTICITY.

Pearson: THESE DAYS, THE FIRST ASSUMPTION

IS THAT SOMEBODY'S MESSED WITH THE VIDEO,

AND SOMEBODY'S TAMPERED WITH IT.

IT'S GOT THE DEMONIC KID, THE
SUPERNATURAL BALANCING ACT,

THE CREEPY SHADOWS,

AND THAT DUBIOUS SECURITY-CAM FOOTAGE.

THE QUESTION IS... IS IT REAL?

Narrator: CONOR MCCOURT IS
A VIDEO FORENSICS SPECIALIST

WITH OVER 20 YEARS EXPERIENCE.

HE ANALYZES THE FOOTAGE FRAME BY FRAME,

SEARCHING FOR SIGNS OF TAMPERING.

WHEN I EXAMINED THE SEQUENCE OF THE BABY...

THE SLATS ARE OBSCURING
THE BODY OF THE CHILD.

AND TO DO SOME KIND OF POST-PRODUCTION FAX

TO MAKE THAT LOOK REAL
IS VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.

HE FALLS BACKWARDS,
AND HE HITS THE MATTRESS.

DURING THAT FALL, I EXAMINED
THOSE IMAGES AS HE WENT DOWN,

AND AS HE HITS THE MATTRESS,

YOU SEE KIND OF A
COMPRESSION OF THE MATTRESS.

WATCH IN THIS AREA HERE.

SEE, THERE'S A SLIGHT BOUNCE THERE.

I DON'T THINK IT'S A FAKE.

Narrator: MCCOURT'S INITIAL
ANALYSIS CAN'T EXPLAIN

WHY THE BABY'S EYES APPEAR SO TERRIFYING.

ONE REALLY IMPORTANT PART
OF THIS VIDEO THAT NEEDS TO BE

HIGHLIGHTED IS THAT
THIS KID'S EYES ARE CRAZY.

IT TRULY LOOKS LIKE DEMONICALLY
POSSESSED EYES GLARING OUT.

Narrator: MCCOURT BELIEVES
THE NANNY CAM HOLDS THE KEY

TO THE CHILD'S DEVIL-LIKE EYES.

McCourt: IT'S NOT A GHOST.

IT'S NOT A DEVIL.

IT'S NOT ANY OF THOSE THINGS.

Narrator: NANNY CAMS WORK BY
ILLUMINATING THE ROOM WITH INFRARED LIGHT.

THE CAMERA CAPTURES ANY INFRARED LIGHT

REFLECTING BACK FROM AN OBJECT.

ONE PART OF OUR BODIES
IS ESPECIALLY REFLECTIVE.

WHEN THE EYE IS DILATED,
THERE'S A REFLECTIVE AREA

IN THE BACK OF THE EYE WHICH
CAUSES THE EYES TO GLOW.

IT'S KIND OF LIKE REDEYE WHEN
YOU SEE IT IN A STILL CAMERA.

Narrator: EXPERTS STILL NEED
TO EXPLAIN BABY CONNOR'S

SUPERHUMAN BALANCING.

THIS LITTLE CHILD IS DOING SOMETHING

THAT SOME ADULTS WOULD
HAVE A HARD TIME DOING.

Wise: THE WAY THAT THIS KID CLIMBS UP

DOESN'T SEEM PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE.

[ SCREAMS ]

Narrator: EXPERTS ARE BAFFLED
BY NANNY-CAM FOOTAGE

OF 2-YEAR-OLD CONNOR'S
ASTONISHING FEAT OF STRENGTH.

[ SCREAMS ]

PEDIATRICIAN RANDAL
PEARSON EXAMINES THE AREA

OUTSIDE THE CRIB.

HE SPOTS A VITAL CLUE.

Pearson: THE BLANKET ON THE
FLOOR THAT YOU SEE IN THE FOOTAGE

MAY BE A SIGN THAT HE'S
FRUSTRATED AND ANXIOUS AND ANGRY

AND HAS TOSSED THAT OVER.

[ SCREAMS ]

HE'S UPSET.

THAT CAN TRIGGER AN ADRENALINE RESPONSE.

IT MAKES YOUR HEART RATE GO UP
AND YOUR BREATHING RATE GO UP,

WHICH THEREBY GIVES YOUR
MUSCLES MORE ACCESS TO OXYGEN.

Narrator: PEARSON BELIEVES
BABY CONNOR COULD BE

EXPERIENCING THE PHYSIOLOGICAL REACTION

CALLED "HYSTERICAL STRENGTH".

HYSTERICAL STRENGTH IS
BASICALLY WHEN YOU ARE

UNDER INTENSE PSYCHOLOGIC PRESSURE...

LIKE IF AN ANIMAL IS CHASING YOU,

YOUR CHILD IS TRAPPED UNDER A CAR.

THERE HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED CASES

WHERE PEOPLE HAVE RESERVES OF MUSCLE POWER

THAT ARE OTHERWISE NOT AVAILABLE TO YOU.

Narrator: FOOTAGE EMERGES THAT
APPEARS TO SHOW ANOTHER CHILD

WITH HYSTERICAL STRENGTH.

THE TODDLER SEES HIS SIBLING

HAVE A CABINET FALL ON TOP OF HIM,

AND HAS TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO HELP HIS SIBLING OUT

FROM UNDER THE CABINET.

Narrator: SOMEHOW, THE TODDLER
IS ABLE TO PUSH THE HEAVY CABINET

OFF HIS BROTHER.

IT'S LIKE WE'RE LOOKING AT BABY SUPERMAN.

[ SCREAMS ]

Narrator: CONNOR'S NANNY-CAM FOOTAGE SHOWS

THERE MUST ALSO BE SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON.

HE SEEMS TO HAVE AN UNNATURAL
SENSE OF BALANCE FOR HIS AGE.

THIS IS A SMALL CHILD, AND
CHILDREN OF THIS AGE GENERAL

HAVE LARGER HEADS AND SMALLER FEET.

THEREFORE, THEY HAVE A
HIGHER CENTER OF GRAVITY,

WHICH MAKES THEM MORE
LIKELY TO FALL OR TO BE UNSTABLE.

Narrator: NEUROSCIENTIST MONIKA HAGA

FROM THE NORWEIGIAN UNIVERSITY
OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

STUDIES CHILD DEVELOPMENT.

SHE ANALYZES THE COMPLEXITY
OF BABY CONNOR'S ACHIEVEMENT.

Haga: TO KEEP YOUR BALANCE
AND KEEP YOUR POSTURAL CONTROL

WHEN YOU'RE SO SMALL,
IT'S QUITE CHALLENGING,

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE
BALANCING ON THIS NARROW EDGE.

SO, WHEN I'M STANDING ON THE BEAM,

IT IS ONLY THIS AREA WHERE
MY FOOT IS TOUCHING THE BEAM,

SO IT'S REALLY SMALL AREA.

IT'S SO DIFFICULT EVEN JUST TO STAND HERE.

WE SHOULD ALSO REMEMBER
THAT HE IS DOING THIS

QUITE HIGH UP IN THE AIR,

AND HE IS ALSO STANDING IN A DARK ROOM,

SO HE HAS NO POINT OF REFERENCES.

YOU NEED A LOT OF MOTOR
COORDINATION AND CONTROL

TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS.

HAGA CONSIDERS IF BABY
CONNOR'S EARLY EXPERIENCES

COULD HELP EXPLAIN HIS
INCREDIBLE SENSE OF BALANCE.

DEVELOPMENTAL THERAPISTS
IN ICELAND USE SPECIAL

EXERCISES TO IMPROVE A BABY'S BALANCE.

THE PROGRAM'S RESULTS ARE ASTONISHING.

SOME OF THEM ARE ABOUT FOUR MONTHS.

WHAT WE OBSERVED WAS THIS INSTRUCTOR

WAS ABLE TO MAKE THEM STAND.

THIS SHOULDN'T BE POSSIBLE.

Narrator: EXPERTS ADVISE
AGAINST TRYING THIS

OUTSIDE OF THE SUPERVISED PROGRAM,

AND BELIEVE IT WORKS
BECAUSE BABIES ARE FORMING

NEW NEURAL CONNECTIONS IN THE BRAIN.

♪♪

Haga: IT SHOWS THAT CHILDREN... INFANTS...

ARE ABLE TO DO THINGS
THAT WE MAY NOT EXPECT.

Narrator: EXPERTS DON'T YET KNOW
EXACTLY HOW OR WHY SOME CHILDREN

DEMONSTRATE THESE REMARKABLE
ABILITIES AT AN EARLY AGE.

UNTIL MORE EVIDENCE IS CAPTURED,

THIS SUPERHUMAN FEAT REMAINS UNEXPLAINED.

Wise: MAYBE THIS KID IS A SPECIAL KID.

OUT OF ALL THE MANY MILLIONS
OF HOURS OF NANNY-CAM FOOTAGE,

THIS KID, YOU KNOW, I THINK STANDS OUT.

[ SCREAMS ]

Blackburn: IF THIS KID IS
DOING THAT AT HIS AGE,

IMAGINE WHAT HE COULD
DO IN 20, 30 YEARS FROM NOW.