Chasing Earhart

After finding a previously-unknown 1932 film of Amelia Earhart at Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, project guest Bill Zuk began a long odyssey across Canada, which has taken him to the places in Canada where Amelia had visited or lived. From serving in the First World War as a Nurse's Assistant in Toronto to using Newfoundland as the "jumping-off" point on her two transatlantic flights, over seven other instances of Amelia's visits to Canada have been identified, including a tuna fishing expedition in 1934 with her sister Muriel. On July 2, 1937, imagine the world's most famous woman, setting out on a groundbreaking circumnavigation of the globe, and suddenly disappearing. Amelia Earhart and her navigator were lost over the South Pacific yet, today, over 80 years later, the search for Amelia Earhart continues, with historians and researchers trying to probe the mysteries of this fascinating icon. Tonight on the 44th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast learn about her early life, the many connections to Ca

Candace Fleming awarded herself the Newbery Medal in fifth grade after scraping the gold sticker off the class copy of The Witch of Blackbird Pond and pasting it onto her first novel—a ten-page, ten-chapter mystery called Who Done It? She’s been collecting awards (her own, not Elizabeth George Speare’s) ever since. Today, Candace is the versatile and acclaimed author of more than twenty books for children and young adults, including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize honored The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion, and the Fall of the Russian Empire; Boston Globe/Horn Book Award-winning biography, The Lincolns; the bestselling picture book, Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!; and the beloved Boxes for Katje. On the 43rd episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Candace joins us via Zoom to discuss her book "Amelia Lost: The Life & Disappearance of Amelia Earhart" Amelia's impact and legacy and why the title "Amelia Lost" doesn't mean what you think it means.

After 145 days, 22 countries visited across five continents, and 32 outreach events inspiring more than 3,000 young girls and boys, Shaesta Waiz completed her global solo flight on October 4, 2017, returning to Daytona Beach International Airport to mark the completion of this historic circumnavigation for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and aviation education. At the age of 30, Shaesta is the youngest woman to fly solo around the world in a single-engine aircraft. On the 42nd episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Shaesta joins us via Zoom to discuss her career thus far as an aviatrix, the role Amelia Earhart plays in the lives of women all over the world, the formation and ongoing work that Dreams Soar is engaging in on behalf of STEM and her unexpected role as an ambassador of hope for people all over the world.

Amelia Earhart was a pioneer of aviation, flying all over the world, breaking records and becoming a voice for women along the way. Among many of the questions often asked regarding Amelia's career is "How could she afford it?" How did Amelia raise the money needed to finance her groundbreaking flying career? It's a question that many have asked and few have answered. Until now. Tonight on the forty-first episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, we sit down with author and project guest Barbara Schultz to discuss her book "Endorsed by Earhart: How Amelia Financed her Flying" to discuss the many creative ways that Amelia and her husband George Putnam used to finance her flying during the golden age of aviation. From being the face of countless products to having her own fashion and luggage lines as well as a growing public speaking career, Amelia Earhart invented ways to finance her passion while showcasing her other many talents to the world.

What is the most important aspect when it comes to the disappearance of Amelia Earhart & Fred Noonan? Is it confirmation bias? How about skepticism? Is it important to be skeptical of any information that is put out there when investigating a hypothesis? How about when it comes to your own? Tonight, on the 40th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, we sit down with project guest Brian Dunning of Skeptoid to discuss the Amelia Earhart case, why the world continues to be so invested in her and Fred Noonan's fate, confirmation bias and the importance of being skeptical of your own work as well as others.

One year ago, almost to the day of this recording I sent an email to Dr. Richard Jantz of the University of Tennessee. At the time of our initial conversation, Dr. Jantz was mid-way through his anthropological research and analysis of a set of bones originally found in 1941 on then Gardner island now known as Nikumaroro Island. Originally, examined by Dr. D.W. Hoodless, and determined to be male the bones were lost and to this day have yet to be located. Fast forward to 2018, and Dr. Jantz’ comprehensive analysis of the original Hoodless report; it is Dr. Jantz who has determined that in his opinion Dr. Hoodless had it all wrong and the bones that were originally examined many years ago were in fact that of woman. A woman that Dr. Jantz believes is none other than Amelia Earhart. Tonight, on the 39th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast Dr. Jantz joins us via Zoom from his office in Tennessee do discuss and break down his paper "Amelia Earhart and the Nikumaroro Bones: A 1941 Analysis versus Modern Quantita

Just when you thought it was safe to stop talking about Amelia Earhart! Recorded just two days after episode thirty-seven, Scott and Forrest re-join us to discuss the latest developments in the Amelia Earhart case including the theft and recovery of Amelia's Terraplane in Los Angeles, the International Women's Day Amelia Earhart Barbie, and the paper that swept the world by storm by Dr. Richard Jantz. Join us for an un-expected continued discussion with Scott & Forrest!

Scott & Forrest have been called the 'Click and Clack of esoterica' by their listeners. Their mission is to take a look at legendary strange and unusual events from throughout history and interview people who've had close encounters with the unexplained. It was Astonishing Legends that gave Chris his model in early 2014 for what would eventually become the Chasing Earhart podcast. A hugely popular podcast focusing on the mysterious and unexplained, Astonishing Legends continues to capture the imagination and excitement of fans all over the world that are fascinated with mystery and intrigue. On the 37th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Scott and Forrest join us via Zoom from Blanket Fortiana in Los Angeles, California, for our longest discussion yet, to discuss the robustness of the Amelia Earhart disappearance case and all of the aspects that make it Astonishing!

Andy Sherrell received his B.S. degree in Ocean Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology and has over 15 years of experience in the oceanographic community. As a former employee of Oceaneering International, Inc., he has worked on numerous deep-sea search and salvage operations to depths of 20,000ft. His experience includes locating and recovering downed aircraft and various other lost items for both the commercial and military industries. Andy’s work has included being first on the scene to begin searching for an airplane’s ‘black box’ to working with film crews to find and document historic shipwrecks. He enjoys working as a mission planner, operator, technician, and engineer throughout all phases of these exciting operations. On the 36th episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Andy chats with us about deep sea exploration, the tools of the trade and the incredible work that the Waitt Institute has done in the search for Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan's Lockheed Electra.

“This is kind of like hidden history that I’m hoping to get out." Rob Ellos is the definition of a dedicated Amelia Earhart researcher, and he's put that dedication to good use. Over the years, Rob has become an Amelia Earhart presentation expert; giving his presentations to a variety of audiences; from kindergarten to retirees. Depending on the audience, Rob tailors his presentations by discussing Amelia's impact, legacy, and connection to children as well as the disappearance case and the Japanese capture hypothesis in unique and groundbreaking ways that leave a lasting impact on any audience that he presents to.  In the thirty-fifth episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Rob joins us via Zoom from his home in Minnesota to discuss the art of the Amelia Earhart presentation, the Japanese capture hypothesis and it's many key witnesses and artifacts and why he believes he knows what really happened to Amelia Earhart and Fred Noonan.

Rebecca Behrens lives and writes in New York City, where she also works as a copy editor. She is the author of When Audrey Met Alice, which BookPage called “a terrific work of blended realistic and historical fiction;” Summer of Lost and Found, which School Library Journal praised for its “deft writing;” and The Last Grand Adventure, which Kirkus recommends as “a quirky, heart-rending journey.”  On episode thirty-four of the Chasing Earhart podcast, and the eve of her novel's release, Rebecca joins us via Zoom to discuss "The Last Grand Adventure", and why she believes Amelia Earhart is a great fit for young adult novels.

For the first time in Chasing Earhart history, we release two episodes of the podcast on the same weekend! Episode thirty-three of the show is also a Chasing Earhart first as we welcome back project guests Dr. Tom King and Andrew McKenna of TIGHAR to recap the summer 2017 Niku expedition. Among the topics discussed are the unique twist of bringing forensic dogs to Niku, as well as Dr. Tom King's forthcoming second book, what's next for TIGHAR and the paper that everyone is talking about by Dr. Richard Jantz.

We have spoken to a lot of guests on this show in the first 31 episodes. We’ve spoken with researchers, authors, historians, and experts in aviation and aerospace. However, there is one area that has eluded us thus far. Family. While we have spoken to a lot to the extended families of Amelia Earhart, Fred Noonan, and George Putnam we have never had the opportunity to have them as a Chasing Earhart project guest. Until now. Amy Kleppner is the daughter of Muriel Earhart and the niece of Amelia Earhart. She is an educator, writer, and adventurer. I suppose being an adventurer just runs in the family. On the 32nd episode of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Amy joins us via Zoom from her home in Vermont to discuss the impact and legacy of her mother Muriel and her aunt Amelia in one of the most special interviews that we've ever conducted.

Nicole Swinford is an author, writer, historian, videographer, and broadcaster – she is a Historyteller. Nicole's first book Amelia Earhart's Last Photo Shoot was published by The Paragon Agency in May 2015. Based on a never-before-seen film of Amelia's last photo shoot as she prepares to leave on her fatal World Flight, the book and film were featured on outlets such as Fox News Business and National Geographic, amongst others. This was followed up with Amelia Earhart's Last Flight to Hawaii in May 2016. Nicole's work also appears in The Digby Stuart War Memorial in which she writes the section "Women on the Digby Stuart Memorial." The book will be released in 2018 in honor of the 100th Anniversary of the end of the First World War. On episode thirty-one of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Nicole sits down with us via Zoom from London to discuss Amelia Earhart, her last photo shoot, the world flight and the reasons that Amelia Earhart may have been tied closer to the United States government than anyone ever

David S. Ferriero was confirmed as 10th Archivist of the United States on November 6, 2009. Early in 2010, he committed the National Archives and Records Administration to the principles of Open Government—transparency, participation, and collaboration. To better position NARA to fulfill these goals, Mr. Ferriero initiated an agency transformation in 2010. The transformation restructured the organization and set goals to further our mission, meet the needs of those who rely on us and find new, creative ways to approach the agency's work. Openness and access drive NARA's actions in a variety of ways. The agency has embraced a number of social media tools—Facebook, Twitter, blogs, YouTube, Tumblr, and others—to reach a wider and broader audience. NARA uses this digital engagement as a two-way street. Early in his tenure, Mr. Ferriero celebrated the contributions of "citizen archivists," and he encourages public participation in identifying historical Federal records and sharing knowledge about them. In the 30

Many hypothetical explanations of the disappearance and demise of Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan and the Lockheed Electra aircraft with which she hoped to circumnavigate the globe have been proposed. This is another, very similar to some others, but different in that it answers one important question; how did the radio broadcasts from the Phoenix Islands originate without more evidence of the Electra crash on the islands of the region? How could the fliers and aircraft completely disappear? On episode twenty-nine of the podcast, we sit down with radar expert and project guest Tom Maxwell to discuss Amelia and Fred’s world flight, what he believes happened on the morning of July 2nd and whether or not Orona island has been hiding the holy grail of aviation for the past 80 years.

"It's impossible, but if it were possible, how could it be done?" ​With that question, Rockwell Collins engineer Tom Vinson threw his hat into the Amelia Earhart disappearance case. Working with Nauticos and alongside his fellow Rockwell Collins engineers, Tom has been responsible for some of the most groundbreaking engineering work that the Amelia Earhart disappearance case has ever seen. In episode twenty - eight of the Chasing Earhart podcast, Tom sits down with us and reflects on his work with Rockwell Collins, Nauticos, and Amelia Earhart's legacy. Giving perhaps the most emotional and impactful answer to the question "Why does the world still care about Amelia Earhart?" Tom's expertise, passion, and words will touch you in a way that few people have.

Jessica Cox is the Master of Adaptation. She believes that having the skill of adaptability is the most significant stepping stone to success and champions the mindset of infinite adaptability to break down perceived barriers! Described as a speaker “no one will ever forget," Jessica shows audiences around the globe how success is built on a culture that embraces challenges. She teaches organizations how to develop the skill of adaptability in an evolving world. Born without arms, Jessica is fascinated by the limitless ways the human body can adjust to a variety of circumstances. Jessica has utilized dormant physical traits to adapt and use her feet the way people use their hands. As she learned to conquer physical barriers, she developed mental skills that allowed her to go on to achieve the seemingly impossible. Jessica is best known for becoming the first armless pilot in aviation history. Her achievement earned her a Guinness World Record medal and has been a trending topic on Facebook and featured on

Brad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Inner Circle, The Book of Fate, and nine other bestselling thrillers including The Tenth Justice, The First Counsel, The Millionaires and The President’s Shadow. In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (History Decoded), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award. He is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History on H2 and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel. The Hollywood Reporter recently put him on their list of Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors. For sure, it’s tough to find anyone being so successful in so many different mediums of the popular culture. But why does Brad thrive in all these different professions? His belief that ordinary people change the world. It is that core beli

We all have pivotal moments in our lives. A moment that plants the seeds for the person that we'll become. For Amelia Earhart, that moment came when she was a little girl in Atchison, Kansas. For episode twenty-five of the Chasing Earhart podcast, we sit down with educator, author and project guest Mark Weakland to discuss "When Amelia Earhart Built a Roller Coaster." We'll discuss this single event way back from Amelia's childhood that set in motion the events that would create the biggest icon in aviation history.