Loving the Alien: Three Days in the Mirror World of Modern UFOlogy (w/ Eric Benson)

<p>We are joined by investigative reporter, writer, and podcast creator, Eric Benson. Benson is well-known for his hit podcasts, <em>Project Unabom</em>, <em>Suspect</em>, and <em>Death County, PA</em>. However, he recently dipped his toes into the murky waters of UFOlogy, having embedded himself in a UFO conference recently held at Rice University. In his fascinating long-form article for Baffler, titled, "Loving the Alien: Three Days in the Mirror World of UFOlogy, he describes his experiences at the "UFO and the Impossible" conference, where a diverse mix of scientists, experiencers, and spiritual seekers gathered to explore UFOs (or UAPs) through both empirical and mystical lenses. As Benson will discuss, he found the conference's blend of rigorous science, conspiratorial narratives, and deeply personal testimonies a bit unsettling, but nonetheless, compelling. This is no more apparent than when he meets Nancy, an artist who shared both skepticism and raw vulnerability. We break down the piece and where he stands today on the fascinating community we call "home."</p><br><p>Read the article: <a href="https://thebaffler.com/latest/loving-the-alien-benson" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://thebaffler.com/latest/loving-the-alien-benson</a></p><p>Find Eric's work at: <a href="https://ericbensonwriter.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://ericbensonwriter.com/</a></p><br><p>Please take a moment to rate and review us on Spotify and Apple.</p><br><p>Book Ryan on CAMEO at: <a href="https://bit.ly/3kwz3DO" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/3kwz3DO</a></p><p>Patreon: <a href="http://www.patreon.com/somewhereskies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.patreon.com/somewhereskies</a></p><p>ByMeACoffee: <a href="http://www.buymeacoffee.com/UFxzyzHOaQ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.buymeacoffee.com/UFxzyzHOaQ</a></p><p>PayPal: <a href="mailto:[email protected]" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">[email protected]</a></p><p>Email: [email protected]</p><p>Discord: <a href="https://discord.gg/NTkmuwyB4F" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://discord.gg/NTkmuwyB4F</a></p><p>Bluesky: <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/ryansprague.bsky.social" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://bsky.app/profile/ryansprague.bsky.social</a></p><p>Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/SomewhereSkies" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/SomewhereSkies</a></p><p>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/somewhereskiespod/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.instagram.com/somewhereskiespod/</a></p><p>Tik Tok: <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@ryansprague51" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.tiktok.com/@ryansprague51</a></p><p>Order Ryan’s new book: <a href="https://a.co/d/4KNQnM4" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://a.co/d/4KNQnM4</a></p><p>Order Ryan’s older book: <a href="https://amzn.to/3PmydYC" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://amzn.to/3PmydYC</a></p><p>Store: <a href="http://tee.pub/lic/ULZAy7IY12U" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">http://tee.pub/lic/ULZAy7IY12U</a></p><p>Proud member of SpectreVision Radio: <a href="https://www.spectrevision.com/podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.spectrevision.com/podcasts</a></p><p>Read Ryan’s articles at: <a href="https://medium.com/@ryan-sprague51" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://medium.com/@ryan-sprague51</a></p><p>Opening Theme Song by Septembryo</p><p>Copyright © 2025 Ryan Sprague. All rights reserved.</p><br><p>Support this show <a target="_blank" rel="payment" href="http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies">http://supporter.acast.com/somewhere-in-the-skies</a>.</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

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