Rebelliously Curious with Chrissy Newton: UFOs, Science, Culture and Futurism

UFOs, Cover-Ups, and Psychological Warfare: What Have We Been Led to Believe? Guest Mark Pilkington | RC 103

April 16, 2026·1h 10m
Episode Description from the Publisher

Today's episode sits right at the intersection of mystery, media, and manipulation. We're diving into the strange, often unsettling world of UFOs—or what we now call UAPs—and asking a simple question: what's real, and what have we been led to believe? For decades, stories of unidentified craft, alien encounters, and government secrecy have shaped public imagination. But behind those headlines lies a deeper story—one involving Cold War paranoia, psychological operations, and, at times, deliberate disinformation. Our guest is Mark Pilkington, author of Mirage Men. Together, we will deconstruct the controversial role of Air Force investigator Richard Doty, and the case of Paul Bennewitz—one of the most troubling examples of how belief, secrecy, and state power can collide. Along the way, we'll look at how media, including major publications like Life magazine in the 40s and 50s, may have been influenced—subtly or otherwise—by intelligence agencies during a time when information itself was a battlefield.  So today, we're not just asking whether UFOs are real. We're asking: who's been shaping the story all along? Join us as we get rebelliously curious. Follow Chrissy Newton: Winner of the Canadian Podcast Awards for Best Science Series. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM32gjHqMnYl_MOHZetC8Eg  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beingchrissynewton/  X: https://twitter.com/chrissynewton?lang=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeingChrissyNewton  Chrissy Newton's Website: https://chrissynewton.com Top Canadian Science Podcast: https://podcasts.feedspot.com/canadian_science_podcasts/

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