Treehouse Detective

The Most Elaborate Prank Ever: A Teen's Years-Long Mystery Solved

In the 2000s, a teenager named Kolin Pope was given a book that predicted he would become Earth's savior, sparking an elaborate multi-year ARG. This incredible journey involved a cross country adventure, solving many a mystery, and even starring in a rock opera. And the craziest thing is that he had no idea who was doing it until years later...--Written, shot, and edited by Andrew PriceIntro sequence by Andrew PriceOriginal animation by Brandon Nebitt https://www.instagram.com/brandonnebittOriginal music by D. Catalanohttps://wekeepoddhours.bandcamp.com/--No clips or images in this video are generated using AI. I use Vecteezy (https://www.vecteezy.com) for all stock footage and images. The site does contain AI-generated content, but it is labeled as such and I don't use it.--Sources:Deep Cuts. “Velocity Gnome Pt. 2 w/ Dylan Reiff & Joe Korsmo | Case File #82.” YouTube, uploaded by Deep Cuts, 3 Sept. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=a28oery62ek. Accessed November 2025.(Interview with Dylan Reiff and Joe Korsmo about the three-year Velocity Gnome saga and the prank narrative.)dawhois.com. Thefutureshock.com: The Future Shock – Part 1 – Zane Figiam. dawhois.com, last updated recently, www.dawhois.com/site/thefutureshock.com.html. Accessed November 2025.

This Pizza Guy Almost Caught the Zodiac By Making a Movie

Dive into a bizarre piece of San Francisco history with the tale of a 1970s pizzeria owner's attempt to catch the zodiac by making a movie. This true crime video essay explores the intersection of art and reality. Discover the story behind this wild scheme and its surprising near success, all while exploring the influence of movies.--Written, shot, and edited by Andrew PriceIntro sequence by Andrew PriceOriginal animation by Brandon Nebitt https://www.instagram.com/brandonnebittOriginal music by D. Catalanohttps://wekeepoddhours.bandcamp.com/--Sources:https://pastebin.com/6sVSDa3MThe movie, if you want to rent and watch it:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExiY6aE1RYM

This Rock Band Was Imprisoned For a Decade

The Shaggs were one of the strangest and most haunting bands to emerge from the 1960s. Three teenage sisters from Fremont, New Hampshire — Dorothy “Dot,” Betty, and Helen Wiggin — were forced into the spotlight by their controlling father, Austin Wiggin Jr., who believed it was their destiny to become famous musicians. With no real training, no freedom, and very little contact with the outside world, the girls were kept isolated and pressured to play, record, and perform under his strict control.If you’re interested in 1960s rock history, cult bands, outsider music, strange records, or stories of control and survival, this is a story you won’t want to miss.--Written, shot, and edited by Andrew PriceIntro sequence by Andrew PriceOriginal animation by Brandon Nebitt / https://www.instagram.com/brandonnebittOriginal music by D. Catalanohttps://wekeepoddhours.bandcamp.com/

Boy Scout Who Built a Nuclear Reactor in His Shed

Meet David Charles Hahn—the infamous “nuclear Boy Scout.” This is the true story of a 1990s Detroit teen who set out to build a backyard reactor in a potting shed. It’s weird history at its wildest.--Written, shot, and edited by Andrew PriceIntro sequence by Andrew PriceOriginal animation by Brandon Nebitt https://www.instagram.com/brandonnebittOriginal music by D. Catalanohttps://wekeepoddhours.bandcamp.com/--Sources:Silverstein, K. (2004). The radioactive boy scout: The frightening true story of a whiz kid and his homemade nuclear reactor. Random House.Silverstein, K. (1998, November). The radioactive boy scout. Harper’s Magazine. https://harpers.org/archive/1998/11/the-radioactive-boy-scout/ ‘Radioactive Boy Scout’ arrested. (2007, August 3). World Nuclear News. https://world-nuclear-news.org/Articles/Radioactive-Boy-Scout-arrested If a boy scout can get nuclear materials, what’s stopping terrorists? (2011, February 8). PBS NewsHour. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/building-a-better-breeder-reactor-1Mulko, M. (2023, April 6). Who was David Hahn and why was he nicknamed the nuclear boy scout? Interesting Engineering. https://interestingengineering.com/culture/david-hahn-the-nuclear-boy-scout Federal Bureau of Investigation. (n.d.). David Hahn Part 01 (Final) [PDF]. FBI Records: The Vault. https://vault.fbi.gov/david-hahn/David%20Hahn%20Part%2001%20%28Final%29Farivar, C. (2017, April 23). “Radioactive Boy Scout” regularly visited by FBI for a decade, father says. Ars Technica. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/04/radioactive-boy-scout-regularly-visited-by-fbi-for-a-decade-father-says/