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55-590: The International Fortean Organization (INFO) publishes the INFO Journal: Science and the Unknown , keeps a library of Forteana and offers research service. Science Digest , in 1978, mentions their "attempts to handle inquiries from a world-wide membership". The Skeptic's Dictionary says "The International Fortean Organization publishes INFO Journal several times a year. It features stories on such topics as anomalous astronomical phenomena, anomalies in

110-636: A dinosaur in the Congo it would overturn all of evolution. It wouldn't. It would just be a late-occurring dinosaur, but that's their mistaken notion of evolution." Citing a 2013 exhibit at the Petersburg, Kentucky -based Creation Museum , which claimed that dragons were once biological creatures who walked the earth alongside humanity and is broadly dedicated to Young Earth creationism, religious studies academic Justin Mullis notes that "[c]ryptozoology has

165-477: A 'sound and healthy' purpose. The organization was formed in the early 1960s by brothers, the writers Ron and Paul Willis, who acquired much of the material of the original Fortean Society which had begun in 1932 in the spirit of Charles Fort but which had grown silent by 1959 with the death of its founder Tiffany Thayer . The Fortean Society was formed by a friend of Charles Fort, Theodore Dreiser, who had threatened his publisher that he would leave if The Book of

220-478: A field, cryptozoology originates from the works of Bernard Heuvelmans , a Belgian zoologist, and Ivan T. Sanderson , a Scottish zoologist. Notably, Heuvelmans published On the Track of Unknown Animals (French: Sur la piste des bêtes ignorées ) in 1955, a landmark work among cryptozoologists that was followed by numerous other similar works. In addition, Sanderson published a series of books that contributed to

275-400: A living thing having the quality of being hidden or unknown ... describing those creatures which are (or may be) subjects of cryptozoological investigation." The Oxford English Dictionary defines the noun cryptid as "an animal whose existence or survival to the present day is disputed or unsubstantiated; any animal of interest to a cryptozoologist". While used by most cryptozoologists,

330-819: A long and curious history with Young Earth Creationism, with this new exhibit being just one of the most recent examples". Academic Paul Thomas analyzes the influence and connections between cryptozoology in his 2020 study of the Creation Museum and the creationist theme park Ark Encounter . Thomas comments that, "while the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter are flirting with pseudoarchaeology , coquettishly whispering pseudoarchaeological rhetoric, they are each fully in bed with cryptozoology" and observes that "[y]oung-earth creationists and cryptozoologists make natural bed fellows. As with pseudoarchaeology, both young-earth creationists and cryptozoologists bristle at

385-623: A long-time member of the INFO Board of Directors, who went on to have over one hundred science-fiction novels published and the legendary fortean John Keel who frequently presented at FortFest, as often as his intermittent health permitted. Keel was, and still is, an advisor and friend to INFO and would give FortFest a generous plug during his stint as a contributing editor at Fate Magazine and be available for midnight wit and wisdom consultations. Keel also gave INFO collections of his early magazine publishing efforts which inspired many articles in

440-414: A loyal member and friend to INFO until his death. Paul was an exceptionally avid letter and article writer and had long-running data exchanges with an international group of nascent forteans including Bob Rickard who went on to found "The News" in 1967, later the " Fortean Times ", which was encouraged to expand with the help of corporate sponsorship. Rickard, and others, urged Paul Willis to publish. INFO

495-602: A move in 2003. The President of the International Fortean Organization and Chairman Journal Editor during the late '80s and early '90s was Raymond D Manners of Arlington VA who researched many phenomena reports from around the world and explained them in the INFO Journal publication creating much interest. The International Fortean Organization (INFO) holds a solid niche in the annals of forteana. Cryptozoology Cryptozoology

550-974: A sense of wonder in a world that has been very thoroughly charted, mapped, and tracked, and that is largely available for close scrutiny on Google Earth and satellite imaging" and that "on the whole the devotion of substantial resources for this pursuit betrays a lack of awareness of the basis for scholarly consensus (largely ignoring, for instance, evidence of evolutionary biology and the fossil record)." According to historian Mike Dash , few scientists doubt there are thousands of unknown animals, particularly invertebrates, awaiting discovery; however, cryptozoologists are largely uninterested in researching and cataloging newly discovered species of ants or beetles , instead focusing their efforts towards "more elusive" creatures that have often defied decades of work aimed at confirming their existence. Paleontologist George Gaylord Simpson (1984) lists cryptozoology among examples of human gullibility, along with creationism : Humans are

605-627: Is a pseudoscience and subculture that searches for and studies unknown, legendary, or extinct animals whose present existence is disputed or unsubstantiated, particularly those popular in folklore , such as Bigfoot , the Loch Ness Monster , Yeti , the chupacabra , the Jersey Devil , or the Mokele-mbembe . Cryptozoologists refer to these entities as cryptids , a term coined by the subculture. Because it does not follow

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660-431: Is a broad consensus among academics that cryptozoology is a pseudoscience . The subculture is regularly criticized for reliance on anecdotal information and because in the course of investigating animals that most scientists believe are unlikely to have existed, cryptozoologists do not follow the scientific method . No academic course of study nor university degree program grants the status of cryptozoologist and

715-499: Is also found in New Age circles and dubious " Indian burial grounds " and other legends [...] invoked in hauntings such as the "Amityville" hoax [...]". In a 2011 foreword for The American Biology Teacher , then National Association of Biology Teachers president Dan Ward uses cryptozoology as an example of "technological pseudoscience" that may confuse students about the scientific method. Ward says that "Cryptozoology [...]

770-458: Is credited to "Jacques Bergier and the Editors of INFO" and contains many articles reprinted from the "INFO Journal". The Willis', under the banner of the International Fortean Organization, had also started a conference called FortFest with speeches given by and largely attended by those working in the field of anomalous phenomena. Early INFO conferences included INFO members David Drake , also

825-656: Is held at the Musée Cantonal de Zoologie in Lausanne and consists of around "1,000 books, 25,000 files, 25,000 photographs, correspondence, and artifacts". In 2006, the Bates College Museum of Art held the "Cryptozoology: Out of Time Place Scale" exhibition, which compared cryptozoological creatures with recently extinct animals like the thylacine and extant taxa like the coelacanth , once thought long extinct ( living fossils ). The following year,

880-480: Is not valid science or even science at all. It is monster hunting." Historian of science Brian Regal includes an entry for cryptozoology in his Pseudoscience: A Critical Encyclopedia (2009). Regal says that "as an intellectual endeavor, cryptozoology has been studied as much as cryptozoologists have sought hidden animals". In a 1992 issue of Folklore , folklorist Véronique Campion-Vincent says: Unexplained appearances of mystery animals are reported all over

935-733: The American Museum of Natural History put on a mixed exhibition of imaginary and extinct animals, including the elephant bird Aepyornis maximus and the great ape Gigantopithecus blacki , under the name "Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns and Mermaids". In 2003, cryptozoologist Loren Coleman opened the International Cryptozoology Museum in Portland , Maine . The museum houses more than 3000 cryptozoology related artifacts. Jacques Bergier Too Many Requests If you report this error to

990-454: The ghost seekers , cryptozoologists are convinced that they will be the ones to solve the mystery and make history. With the lure of mystery and money undermining diligent and ethical research, the field of cryptozoology has serious credibility problems." There have been several organizations, of varying types, dedicated or related to cryptozoology. These include: The zoological and cryptozoological collection and archive of Bernard Heuvelmans

1045-712: The scientific method , cryptozoology is considered a pseudoscience by mainstream science: it is neither a branch of zoology nor of folklore studies . It was originally founded in the 1950s by zoologists Bernard Heuvelmans and Ivan T. Sanderson . Scholars have noted that the subculture rejected mainstream approaches from an early date, and that adherents often express hostility to mainstream science. Scholars studying cryptozoologists and their influence (including cryptozoology's association with Young Earth creationism ) noted parallels in cryptozoology and other pseudosciences such as ghost hunting and ufology , and highlighted uncritical media propagation of cryptozoologist claims. As

1100-426: The " Doubting Thomas ," and was concerned that the cryptozoology folklore around Champ was pseudoscience and that cryptozoologists enthused about the drone discovery did not have legitimate earned academic degrees in science. Rossi shared the entire five minutes of footage with scientists with earned doctorates in science for further study to prepare a scholarly article for academic peer review. A five-second clip from

1155-575: The Champ, (America's Loch Ness), movie Lucy and the Lake Monster , the filmmakers reviewed their drone footage from production on August 2, 2024, and noticed what appears to be a large creature swimming just below the surface of the water, in Bulwagga Bay. The alleged plesiosaur image is visible in the bottom right portion of the screen, swimming behind a boat containing the two lead actors in

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1210-704: The Complete Works of Charles Fort published by Dover. Martin Gardner , in a chapter devoted to Fort, which according to the Sceptic Report neither scorns or damns, in Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science , notes that Fort doubted everything, even his own speculations. Gardner makes the point that Forteanism serves to remind science that no theory is above doubt, and that knowledge is provisional, it serves

1265-454: The Congo to find the Mokele-mbembe in 2018. While they found no evidence of the creature, they did find a new species of green algae. A subset of cryptozoology promotes the pseudoscience of Young Earth creationism , rejecting conventional science in favor of a literal Biblical interpretation and promoting concepts such as " living dinosaurs ". Science writer Sharon A. Hill observes that

1320-564: The Damned was not put into print. The original society included many of New York's literati including Booth Tarkington , Ben Hecht , Clarence Darrow , Alexander Woollcott and Dorothy Parker . Oliver Wendall Holmes and H.L. Mencken were also early members along with a number of fledgling science-fiction writers such as Eric Frank Russell , Edmond Hamilton and Damon Knight . Dan Oldenburg in The Washington Post said of

1375-781: The INFO Journal and which INFO lent to Board member Mark Chorvinsky who was eager to start his own magazine, Strange. Keel started his own short-lived, prestigious, New York Fortean Society and named Phyllis Benjamin as a Founding Member and awarded her his often called "coveted" Falling Frog Award for contributions to continuing the work of Charles Fort in 1988. Other recipients of the Falling Frog Award included notable fortean writers/researchers Doug Skinner and Antonio Huneeus. The Willis' and an ex-pat American living in Canada who called himself Mr. X (after one of Charles Fort's unpublished novels) were concerned that Fort's works, in

1430-614: The New York Public Library where they remain today. INFO rented space in the Washington, D.C. suburbs. Paul Willis named the building NO! in protest of a new-age bookstore called YES! who had rejected an INFO-visiting Bob Rickard who had petitioned YES! to carry the works of Charles Fort, The Fortean Times and the INFO Journal. INFO remained based in College Park for over twenty years until a fire necessitated

1485-594: The Unexplained":..This Dover edition;...a replication of the omnibus volume originally published for the Fortean Society by Henry Holt and Company, New York in 1941. The four books by Fort are unabridged and unaltered, but the 1941 Introduction by Tiffany Thayer has been omitted...The present edition has had the encouragement and cooperation of the International Fortean Organization (Info), P.O. Box 367, Arlington, Virginia 22210." The Arlington post office box

1540-715: The Young Earth creationist segment of cryptozoology is "well-funded and able to conduct expeditions with a goal of finding a living dinosaur that they think would invalidate evolution". Anthropologist Jeb J. Card says that " [c]reationists have embraced cryptozoology and some cryptozoological expeditions are funded by and conducted by creationists hoping to disprove evolution." In a 2013 interview, paleontologist Donald Prothero notes an uptick in creationist cryptozoologists. He observes that "[p]eople who actively search for Loch Ness monsters or Mokele Mbembe do it entirely as creationist ministers. They think that if they found

1595-648: The all-volunteer staffed International Fortean Organization, "Its membership ranges from hard-core skeptics to top scholars to true believers -- but its cornerstone is open-mindedness." The Willis brothers owned a bookstore in the States (Arlington, Virginia) and were also publishers of SF fanzines and magazines of speculative fiction and non-fiction, notably "Anubis". They enjoyed a long-time correspondence and relationship with many Fort-inspired science fiction writers such as Fritz Leiber , Philip K. Dick , Robert Anton Wilson and, especially Robert A. Heinlein , who remained

1650-751: The appellation of parascience, like parapsychology : the same corpus is reviewed; many scientists participate, but for those who have an official status of university professor or researcher, the participation is a private hobby". In her Encyclopedia of American Folklore , academic Linda Watts says that "folklore concerning unreal animals or beings, sometimes called monsters, is a popular field of inquiry" and describes cryptozoology as an example of "American narrative traditions" that "feature many monsters". In his analysis of cryptozoology, folklorist Peter Dendle says that "cryptozoology devotees consciously position themselves in defiance of mainstream science" and that: The psychological significance of cryptozoology in

1705-437: The approach of cryptozoologists to colonial big-game hunters, and to aspects of European imperialism. According to Card, "[m]ost cryptids are framed as the subject of indigenous legends typically collected in the heyday of comparative folklore , though such legends may be heavily modified or worse. Cryptozoology's complicated mix of sympathy, interest, and appropriation of indigenous culture (or non-indigenous construction of it)

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1760-473: The coinage of the term cryptozoology to Sanderson. Following cryptozoology , the term cryptid was coined in 1983 by cryptozoologist J. E. Wall in the summer issue of the International Society of Cryptozoology newsletter. According to Wall "[It has been] suggested that new terms be coined to replace sensational and often misleading terms like 'monster'. My suggestion is 'cryptid', meaning

1815-544: The developing hallmarks of cryptozoology, including Abominable Snowmen: Legend Come to Life (1961). Heuvelmans himself traced cryptozoology to the work of Anthonie Cornelis Oudemans , who theorized that a large unidentified species of seal was responsible for sea serpent reports. Cryptozoology is 'the study of hidden animals' (from Ancient Greek : κρυπτός, kryptós "hidden, secret"; Ancient Greek ζῷον, zōion " animal ", and λόγος, logos , i.e. "knowledge, study"). The term dates from 1959 or before— Heuvelmans attributes

1870-481: The evidence to be revealed as the product of a hoax. This may occur during a closer examination by experts or upon confession of the hoaxer. Cryptozoologists have often led expeditions to find evidence of their claims. Bigfoot researcher René Dahinden led unsuccessful expedition into caves to find evidence of sasquatch, which Daniel Loxton attributes to changes in the popular perception of bigfoot. Lensgrave Adam Christoffer Knuth led an expedition into Lake Tele in

1925-611: The fact that the discoverers do not identify as cryptozoologists and are academically trained zoologists working in an ecological paradigm rather than organizing expeditions to seek out supposed examples of unusual and large creatures. Card notes that "cryptozoologists often show their disdain and even hatred for professional scientists, including those who enthusiastically participated in cryptozoology", which he traces back to Heuvelmans's early "rage against critics of cryptozoology". He finds parallels with cryptozoology and other pseudosciences, such as ghost hunting and ufology , and compares

1980-739: The few with a legitimate doctorate in biology. What is rarely mentioned, however, is that he had no training that would qualify him to undertake competent research on exotic animals. This raises the specter of 'credential mongering', by which an individual or organization feints a person's graduate degree as proof of expertise, even though his or her training is not specifically relevant to the field under consideration." Besides Heuvelmans, Sanderson, and Mackal, other notable cryptozoologists with academic backgrounds include Grover Krantz , Karl Shuker , and Richard Greenwell . Historically, notable cryptozoologists have often identified instances featuring "irrefutable evidence" (such as Sanderson and Krantz), only for

2035-409: The field and discusses aspects of the subculture, noting internal attempts at creating more scientific approaches and the involvement of Young Earth creationists and a prevalence of hoaxes. She concludes that many cryptozoologists are "passionate and sincere in their belief that mystery animals exist. As such, they give deference to every report of a sighting, often without critical questioning. As with

2090-427: The film. The boat was 142 inches from the tip of the bow to the stern and 50.5 inches at the widest point and the alleged plesiosaur appears bigger than the boat. One of the co-writers, Kelly Tabor, a cryptozoology adherent who has searched for the legendary sea serpent of Lake Champlain for fifty years, believes it is probably Champ. The second co-writer and director of the film, Richard Rossi , referred to himself as

2145-512: The folkloric record, and the psychology behind the cryptozoology approach has been the subject of academic study. Few cryptozoologists have a formal science education, and fewer still have a science background directly relevant to cryptozoology. Adherents often misrepresent the academic backgrounds of cryptozoologists. According to writer Daniel Loxton and paleontologist Donald Prothero , "[c]ryptozoologists have often promoted 'Professor Roy Mackal , PhD.' as one of their leading figures and one of

2200-437: The formation of the International Fortean Organization (INFO)...which played a vital role in encouraging a new generation of young forteans." Although the Fortean Society was never officially dissolved their aims were continued by the International Fortean Organization according to Lewis Spence in the "Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology" and encouraged by Damon Knight who credited the organization in his introduction to

2255-853: The longer five minute footage was shared publicly on YouTube . While biologists regularly identify new species, cryptozoologists often focus on creatures from the folkloric record. Most famously, these include the Loch Ness Monster , Champ (folklore) , Bigfoot , the chupacabra , as well as other "imposing beasts that could be labeled as monsters". In their search for these entities, cryptozoologists may employ devices such as motion-sensitive cameras, night-vision equipment, and audio-recording equipment. While there have been attempts to codify cryptozoological approaches, unlike biologists, zoologists, botanists, and other academic disciplines, however, "there are no accepted, uniform, or successful methods for pursuing cryptids". Some scholars have identified precursors to modern cryptozoology in certain medieval approaches to

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2310-629: The media and encouraged (largely with the aim of gain for touristic promotion) by the local population, often genuinely convinced of the reality of this profitable phenomenon." Campion-Vincent says that "four currents can be distinguished in the study of mysterious animal appearances": "Forteans" ("compiler[s] of anomalies" such as via publications like the Fortean Times ), "occultists" (which she describes as related to "Forteans"), "folklorists", and "cryptozoologists". Regarding cryptozoologists, Campion-Vincent says that "this movement seems to deserve

2365-485: The modern world [...] serves to channel guilt over the decimation of species and destruction of the natural habitat; to recapture a sense of mysticism and danger in a world now perceived as fully charted and over-explored; and to articulate resentment of and defiance against a scientific community perceived as monopolising the pool of culturally acceptable beliefs. In a paper published in 2013, Dendle refers to cryptozoologists as "contemporary monster hunters" that "keep alive

2420-412: The most inventive, deceptive, and gullible of all animals. Only those characteristics can explain the belief of some humans in creationism, in the arrival of UFOs with extraterrestrial beings, or in some aspects of cryptozoology. [...] In several respects the discussion and practice of cryptozoology sometimes, although not invariably, has demonstrated both deception and gullibility. An example seems to merit

2475-488: The old Latin saying 'I believe because it is incredible,' although Tertullian, its author, applied it in a way more applicable to the present day creationists. Paleontologist Donald Prothero (2007) cites cryptozoology as an example of pseudoscience and categorizes it, along with Holocaust denial and UFO abductions claims , as aspects of American culture that are "clearly baloney". In Scientifical Americans: The Culture of Amateur Paranormal Researchers (2017), Hill surveys

2530-417: The physical sciences, scientific hoaxes and cryptozoology ." The quarterly INFO Journal grew from a 54-page publication to a 69-page publication and according to Factsheet Five , a publication dedicated to the review of periodicals, by 1993 was the longest-running Fortean publication. John Michell and Bob Rickard in their book Unexplained Phenomena said of the International Fortean Organization "INFO

2585-407: The public domain, would be lost to posterity and engaged in a letter campaign and, eventually, went to New York City to Dover Publications, Inc. to urge them to publish the works. Dover complied and the following is from "The Complete Works of Charles Fort", 1974 edition with an introduction by Damon Knight "Founder and President of Science Fiction Writers of America, author "Charles Fort, Prophet of

2640-635: The rejection of mainstream secular science and lament a seeming conspiracy to prevent serious consideration of their claims." Media outlets have often uncritically disseminated information from cryptozoologist sources, including newspapers that repeat false claims made by cryptozoologists or television shows that feature cryptozoologists as monster hunters (such as the popular and purportedly nonfiction American television show MonsterQuest , which aired from 2007 to 2010). Media coverage of purported "cryptids" often fails to provide more likely explanations, further propagating claims made by cryptozoologists. There

2695-524: The subculture is primarily the domain of individuals without training in the natural sciences. Anthropologist Jeb J. Card summarizes cryptozoology in a survey of pseudoscience and pseudoarchaeology : Cryptozoology purports to be the study of previously unidentified animal species. At first glance, this would seem to differ little from zoology. New species are discovered by field and museum zoologists every year. Cryptozoologists cite these discoveries as justification of their search but often minimize or omit

2750-408: The term cryptid is not used by academic zoologists. In a textbook aimed at undergraduates, academics Caleb W. Lack and Jacques Rousseau note that the subculture's focus on what it deems to be "cryptids" is a pseudoscientific extension of older belief in monsters and other similar entities from the folkloric record, yet with a "new, more scientific-sounding name: cryptids". During post-production of

2805-612: The wall. This incident is mentioned more than a few times in the "INFO Journal". Ron Willis, with help from his brother Paul, and in collaboration with Jacques Bergier , in 1974 brought out the book, Extraterrestrial Intervention, the Evidence , published by Henry Regnary Company in the US and as in France as Le Livre de l'inexplicable by Editions Alvin Michel. The authorship (or editorship)

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2860-598: The world today. Beliefs in the existence of fabulous and supernatural animals are ubiquitous and timeless. In the continents discovered by Europe indigenous beliefs and tales have strongly influenced the perceptions of the conquered confronted by a new natural environment. In parallel with the growing importance of the scientific approach, these traditional mythical tales have been endowed with sometimes highly artificial precision and have given birth to contemporary legends solidly entrenched in their territories. The belief self-perpetuates today through multiple observations enhanced by

2915-585: Was founded in 1965 as the natural successor to the original Fortean Society ." Colin Wilson said he wished to assure The American Spectator that Charles Fort is far from forgotten and credited the publishing efforts of the International Fortean Organization's INFO Journal . Una McGovern in Chamber's Dictionary of the Unexplained said, "Seven years lapsed between the demise of the Fortean Society and

2970-492: Was incorporated as a non-profit in 1965. The "INFO Journal: Science and the Unknown" was born shortly thereafter in the Spring of 1967. Membership was set at $ 12US and Heinlein would dutifully send in a check which was promptly framed and put on the wall. Heinlein would then send in a letter complaining that his check had not been cashed, along with suggestions for articles and improvements and, that too, would be framed and put on

3025-652: Was moved to P.O. Box N, College Park, MD 20740 to reflect the location of the INFO offices and the INFO Library in College Park. Paul Willis relocated to College Park following the 1975 death from a brain tumor of Ron Willis. An office was found for INFO's 10,000+ books and large collection of clippings, files, and magazines such as the complete issues of "Doubt" dating back to the original Fortean Society along with letters from Theodore Dreiser, Tiffany Thayer and Ben Hecht. The original notes of Charles Fort had been donated to

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