Spotlight on Loren Coleman: Cryptozoology and the Unknown

CRYPTOZOOLOGY: Literally the "study of hidden animals," the science of seeking out animals whose existence has not been proven

 Cryptozoologist Loren Coleman has a lot to celebrate this month: he’ll appear on both the small and big screen, celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the International Cryptozoology Museum, and (rather fittingly) marry his fiancée, Jenny White, on Halloween.

Coleman has been researching and investigating cryptozoological mysteries and folklore since 1960, and has hundreds of articles and numerous books to show for it. If it’s strange and unexplained, Coleman’s probably an expert on it. For example, his most famous work, Mysterious America, is a comprehensive field guide to sightings of everything from The Minnesota Iceman to The Jersey Devil, Bigfoot, and lake monsters. 

His enthusiasm and expertise have made him a frequent contributor to television shows and films concerned with the super- and preter- natural. His knowledge of the Mothman, for example, led to his inclusion on the DVD extras for the Richard Gere film The Mothman Prophecies, and to the publication of Mothman and Other Curious Encounters by Paraview Press (now available in print or for Kindle here, and in various e-reader formats at reKiosk).

This month Coleman will be featured on the Travel Channel show "Mysteries of the Museum" and he is featured heavily in the documentary feature The Bridgewater Triangle, which premieres on October 20^th. Indeed, Coleman coined the term "Bridgewater Triangle" in Mysterious America, referring to an area of Massachusetts plagued by strange occurrences. It's fitting, therefore, that he'll be introducing the film before the premiere at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth. Cryptozoology fans can purchase tickets to attend the event live or simulcast screen it to their computers (complete with Coleman’s introduction and a post-film Q&A).

For more on cryptozoology, be sure to check out Coleman's website, which provides a history of the term, as well as other helpful and informative links. You can also find him on Twitter, where he tweets frequently about cryptozoology events and sightings.