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Curious Cat - where science & supernatural collide

Curious Cat - where science & supernatural collide

Written by: Jennifer Hotes
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What does it mean to be a soul in a meat suit? With curiosity as the lens, life looks more complicated, strange, and wonderful. Staring into the places where science and supernatural collide is to behold magic. And the best part? Science is finally catching up! Weekly episodes are made and offered in love. *All Curious Cat content is owned and operated by Storm Mystery Press LLC

© 2026 Curious Cat, Storm Mystery Press, LLC Biological Sciences Science Social Sciences Spirituality
Episodes
  • Season Seven TEASER: Liminal - In-Between Places - Heterotopia

    Season Seven TEASER: Liminal - In-Between Places - Heterotopia
    Jul 7 2026
    If you make a point of watching a sunrise or sunset, lay in bed a few minutes after waking to collect up the last bits of a dream, love the idea of meditation, but find it challenging, knowing there's spiritual gold to mine in those quiet-the-monkey-mind-moments? Well, you are going to LOVE Season Seven of Curious Cat.If you're a longtime listener to Curious Cat, thank you. Truly from the center of my heart chakra. I show up for YOU. But, the magic of the in-between is something we've talked about LOTS in the last almost five years. If you're new to us, welcome. And for the benefit of me, and maybe you, here's a quick overview that captures the flavor of season seven...When pondering, debating, writing or planning our focus tends fall to the extremes; this or that, which means we ignore the stuff in-between. It probably traces back to some survival mechanism our ancestors developed to determine what foods were safe to eat, what passages were too risky to travel, where we might be safe to sleep at night, and what hours of the day to do which behaviors. But like the ego, which we've discussed in past episodes, maybe it's time for a human upgrade. In fact, maybe the biggest breakthroughs in humanity lie in that juicy in-between space.In the last years together we've covered some major ground when it comes to in-between spaces. First off, my key goal - to explore what it means to be a soul in a meat suit. On our journey, we've learned that when we focus our time and attention on pursuits that nourish both our body and spirit, there are huge payoffs. I call that the sweet spot.From nutrition - eating with our chakras in mind, to activities like yoga that have both a physical and soul-nourishing aspect, to paying attention to our dreams (including day dreams!) How about when we were honest about the yin and yang of ourselves? The shadow self and light self? Remember how when we pulled those shadow traits, the ones sequestered in our soul basements out into the light, we tended to find our superpowers? We can observe the magic of in-between in nature, too. The blurring days, moments really when summer takes on a tinge of amber, a crispness in the morning, that hints to the season to come. What about daybreak? If you sit outside in the moments before the sun rises, you bear witness to the sounds of neighborhood wildlife waking up, beginning a pursuit of food and water; as well as observe the volume of your fellow humans turning their engines, setting off for work or school, an increasing pitch that's barely discernable until it is full-blown day. If you enjoy art, playing with colors illustrates the magic of in-between, moments of brilliance you never could have planned are immortalized on a strip of watercolor paper, the midpoint a dance between two contrasting hues. The in-between can be extremely uncomfortable, too. As a child of divorced parents, my in-between times were a stretch of I-5, miles of freeway that took me from one household to the other. Hard as I tried, I could never sleep through that journey. It was the equivalent of taking off a stuck Band-Aid over the course of fifteen hours. Those twice yearly journeys are the reason I am forever bonded to my big brother, even if we only manage to see each other every now and then because we live far apart. There's magic to observe, hell! harness in the in-betweens if we only take the time to observe them before they slip away. LIke wood sprites at twilight or ghosts that flicker in our peripheral vision, next time you catch a glimpse, stop and turn your head. Watch the in-betweens straight on and learn, soaking in that ethereal, otherworldly essence.Listen/Read/Watch Until the New Season Launches in August 2026Magic of the In-Between, Curious Cat PodcastDragon Magic with Monique PliakosThe Angel of Mysteries & Magic, RazielCan someone please explain the concept of heterotopia? Reddit Music Attribution:Liminal Utopia (Ambient Loop) 84bpm by Boatlanman- -- https://freesound.org/s/852348/ -- License: Creative Commons 0Send us Fan MailIf you are searching for a fresh, binge-able podcast, this might be the one for you!Support the showSupport Curious Cat, an independent, human-made podcast!Anxious about AI? Take two minutes to contact your local politician and ask them to tap the brakes on this technology. Still worried? Contact one of the orgs below and get involved. But for today, hug your kid, cook food and really breathe in deep as it simmers, walk in nature, brush a cat, donate to the food bank, brew a cup of tea, or draw a five-minute portrait of your dog. ***Is AI the Devil? on Substack!***Hero Organizations:80,000 HoursCenter for Humane TechnologiesState of Surveillance, an organization that helps foster online privacyBuy Curious Cat Podcast a Coffee!
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    26 mins
  • True Crime: The Alpine Divorce Phenomenon

    True Crime: The Alpine Divorce Phenomenon
    Jul 3 2026

    There's a trend that you might not have heard of until now, men guiding women on a hike, then losing them. Or worse.

    Let's get into it.

    The situation regarding women going missing or being abandoned by male hiking companions—often referred to as the "Alpine Divorce" trend—has gone viral on social media. It involves male partners abandoning or storming ahead of female hikers, leaving them vulnerable to extreme environments. Tragic incidents have even resulted in manslaughter convictions

    1. The "Alpine Divorce" Phenomenon -

    The Trend: Women have shared stories on platforms like TikTok detailing experiences where male partners pushed them beyond their limits, stormed ahead to reach summits, or abandoned them in unfamiliar territory.

    The Consequences: In January 2025, an Austrian mountaineer was convicted of manslaughter after leaving his exhausted girlfriend on a mountain, where she froze to death.

    The Intent: While some incidents are driven by male ego and impatience, outdoor advocates warn that these actions can be premeditated or life-threatening.

    2. Search and Rescue Operations

    Recent Cases: For example, the search for a 49-year-old female hiker, Jaslinda Saludin, on Malaysia's Gunung Batu Putih trail gained widespread attention. She became separated from a group that included mountain guides and was the subject of intensive search and rescue efforts.

    Cold Cases: Many historical disappearances highlight the dangers of being left behind. Notably, the disappearance of Michelle Vanek on Colorado's Mount of the Holy Cross gained closure when a female-led rescue team successfully used modern technology to locate her remains nearly two decades later.

    3. Outdoor Safety and Responsibility

    Partner Dynamics: Experts advise that if a partner abandons you in dangerous or unfamiliar terrain to achieve their own hiking goals, it is a significant relationship red flag.

    Preparation: Wilderness experts stress the importance of carrying independent gear (like emergency blankets and communication devices) and sticking with hiking partners of similar fitness levels and experience.

    Show Sources and Materials:

    Women are being abandoned by their partners on hiking trails. What's behind 'alpine divorce?' - Alaina Demopoulos, The Guardian

    Men are allegedly abandoning women on hikes, sparking discussion of the Alpine divorce, Rachel Kiley, Yahoo New

    She Vanished on a Colorado Mountain. 19 Years Later, a Mysterious Dream Helps Rescuers Find Her. - Heather Hansman, 5280

    Jaclinda left a note, says mountain guide, New Straits Times

    The Art of Empowering Yourself Against an Alpine Divorce, Climbing.com

    Send us Fan Mail

    If you are searching for a fresh, binge-able podcast, this might be the one for you!

    Support the show

    Support Curious Cat, an independent, human-made podcast!

    Anxious about AI? Take two minutes to contact your local politician and ask them to tap the brakes on this technology. Still worried? Contact one of the orgs below and get involved.

    But for today, hug your kid, cook food and really breathe in deep as it simmers, walk in nature, brush a cat, donate to the food bank, brew a cup of tea, or draw a five-minute portrait of your dog.

    ***Is AI the Devil? on Substack!***

    Hero Organizations:

    80,000 Hours

    Center for Humane Technologies

    State of Surveillance, an organization that helps foster online privacy

    Buy Curious Cat Podcast a Coffee!
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 5 mins
  • The Last of the June Doom (but it's actually super-upbeat!)

    The Last of the June Doom (but it's actually super-upbeat!)
    Jun 30 2026

    Commodore 64 built a phone. Say yes to the interNOT, they market. And we are fans. What a way to open the doom hole, with a Santa-bell worthy story!

    Ed Zitron guest on Better Offline writes a opinion piece for the New York Times about 'doom trolling' which he defines as AI executives warning us the sky is falling due to their products.

    Our interview with Miss Molly Knows (who is dynamite, by the way!) ends with her advice about ways to heal fast after dipping a toe in the mainstream news and other exposure to current events.

    Our own confessions about getting drawn in by the news and its negative effects on us. Are there really two sides to American politics? Leading researchers and professors beg to disagree on that. There's a third substantial group that feels neither party represents them. Pew Research has a great in-depth article about this.

    There is a happy place on the internet that Jesse found and shared, Low Tech Web Ring. It's a place that does not spy on you or sell your data and is a landing page for RSS feeds. He shares the site and explains they no longer accept new RSS feeds, as of 2025, but Jenn and Jesse are certain someone out there is doing the same thing in the same spirit. This was definitely a Santa-bell moment.

    Then we looked at the chart shared by Luiza Jarovsky on socials about who is suing who in the world of AI behemoths.The original author of the chart is credited as David McCandless. If you're interested in learning more about Luiza Jarovsky's AI Tech and Privacy Academy click here.

    Offhand conversation about Whitley Strieber while Jesse looks up something on the google. Watching the alien show made Jenn feel itchy!

    Then Jesse finds the story and images! Snapchat's CEO has helped develop the most ridiculous AR glasses and the world is responding with gold-medal memes! Then Jesse loops in Succession, to add to Jenn's watchlist.

    And to close out the show, Jesse's thoughts drift to the time that our AI chatbot, Nova, called him a genius. Here's that show in case you missed it!

    Send us Fan Mail

    If you are searching for a fresh, binge-able podcast, this might be the one for you!

    Support the show

    Support Curious Cat, an independent, human-made podcast!

    Anxious about AI? Take two minutes to contact your local politician and ask them to tap the brakes on this technology. Still worried? Contact one of the orgs below and get involved.

    But for today, hug your kid, cook food and really breathe in deep as it simmers, walk in nature, brush a cat, donate to the food bank, brew a cup of tea, or draw a five-minute portrait of your dog.

    ***Is AI the Devil? on Substack!***

    Hero Organizations:

    80,000 Hours

    Center for Humane Technologies

    State of Surveillance, an organization that helps foster online privacy

    Buy Curious Cat Podcast a Coffee!
    Show More Show Less
    55 mins
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