
Jimmy Akin’s
Mysterious World
Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World is a podcast that explores the weird, the strange, and the unusual through the twin lenses of faith and reason. Hosted by longtime Catholic apologist Jimmy Akin and co-host Domenico Bettinelli, the show takes listeners on a fascinating journey through ancient mysteries, folk tales, urban legends, true crime, conspiracies, and supernatural phenomena — always with curiosity, clarity, and a commitment to both intellectual rigor and spiritual depth.
Episodes tackle a wide range of topics: from UFO sightings and historical enigmas to supernatural claims, paranormal lore, biblical puzzles, and listener-submitted “weird questions.” Jimmy and Dom don’t simply recount the odd or unexplained — they evaluate the evidence, sort through competing explanations, and ask what reason, science, history, and the Catholic faith each have to say about what’s claimed.
As part of the StarQuest Production Network, Mysterious World reflects SQPN’s mission to bridge modern culture and Catholic thought, inviting listeners to consider mysteries not as distractions from truth, but as opportunities to think critically, discern wisely, and appreciate the wonder inherent in creation. Episodes are thoughtful, engaging, and accessible to listeners of all backgrounds — believers and skeptics alike.
Whether you’re intrigued by the paranormal, puzzled by history’s unanswered questions, or simply love a good mystery approached with integrity and insight, this podcast transforms curiosity into understanding.
Send us your feedback at [email protected] and visit us at the Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World Facebook page.
Want to listen to our first 100 episodes? Just copy THIS SPECIAL LINK to your podcast player app of choice to listen to them all. Need to get any of our episodes between 101 and 300? Try THIS SPECIAL LINK. (See THIS VIDEO for how to do this in Apple Podcasts; other apps will be similar.)
Due to technical limitations, our regular podcast feed only contains the most recent 300 episodes. This means that some of the earliest episodes are no longer available in the standard feeds.
And follow our recent and future episodes with the links below:

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Want to see the book suggestions from our episodes? Visit the Mysterious World Bookstore.

Sponsors
Jimmy Akin’s Mysterious World is brought to you in part through the generous support of sponsors, including Rosary Army, featuring award-winning Catholic podcasts, Rosary resources, videos, and the School of Mary online community, prayer, and learning platform. Learn how to make them, pray them, and give them away while growing in your faith at RosaryArmy.com and SchoolOfMary.com.
And by John R. Dougherty’s followup novel in the Holy Terror trilogy, Holy Terror Quickened. As a riveting prequel, Holy Terror Quickened takes readers back to the origin story of the avenging angel, Thumos. It is an exciting, fictionalized retelling of many Bible stories, which also chronicles the life stories of your favorite characters from the first book. You can find author John R. Dougherty at johnrdougherty.com. And for those who enjoy audiobooks, Holy Terror Quickened is also available on Audible.com. Subscribers to John’s email list can receive a free copy of the Bible study guide companion at authorjohnrdougherty.com/subscribe.
And by The Grady Group, a Catholic company bringing Financial Clarity to their clients across the United States. Using safe money options to produce reasonable rates of return for their clients. Visit GradyGroupinc.com.
Listen Now
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Hitler’s Marriage (and More Weird Questions)
It’s a fifth Friday, so Jimmy Akin is answering weird questions from Catholic Answers listeners, about topics like Hitler’s marriage in the Fuhrerbunker; getting married on a desert island; what demons can posses; how salvation would work in a multiverse; and more.
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Ghost Pets! (Animal After Death Communications, ADCs)
Do pets reach back after death? Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli assess new scientific studies on animal after-death communications. Can warning apparitions, shared sightings, and sensory details offer evidence for animal life after death?
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Mysterious Experiences!
What if your strangest moment carried meaning? On their 400th episode, Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli tackle more listener stories of healings, visions, dreams, and UFOs—asking: coincidence, psychology, or something more?
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Alone Together for Christmas 2025
Are Ouija boards really paranormal? Does God know what time it is? And is dark matter real — or is gravity wrong? Continuing his Christmas tradition of spending the holiday with those spending it alone, Jimmy Akin tackles these and many more questions posed by…
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Can Psychopaths Be Saved? And More Weird Questions
For New Year’s week, Jimmy Akin is answering more weird questions posed by Cy Kellett, including whether psychopaths who feel no remorse can be saved; what happened to the saints who rose at the Resurrection; who was Peter’s wife; and more!
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How Many Souls Do Twins Have? And More Weird Questions
It’s Christmas week so we’re bringing you a special weird questions episode where Jimmy Akin answers questions like: Can identical twins share a soul? What happens if you’re excommunicated unfairly? Could a living soul possess someone else? Are demons capable of repentance? Are we insignificant…
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The Amazing Sea-Monkeys!
Starting in 1960, comic books began advertising mail order pets known as sea monkeys, the brainchild of inventor Harold von Braunhut. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli investigate the whimsical creatures, their creator, and a series of disappointing revelations connected to them.
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The Calvine UFO Sighting
In 1990, two men in Calvine, Scotland took photos of a strange object in the sky that would become the clearest UFO photos ever. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli ask what really happened in Calvine, what happened to the two men, and what was the…
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The Eye of Providence and More Patrons’ Questions
Is lying ever moral? Why did God create Satan—and dinosaurs? What is the eye of Providence? From purgatory to AI ethics, Jimmy Akin fields more questions from fellow pilgrims during his recent Italy pilgrimage.
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This Advent, Help StarQuest Continue the Mission
Advent begins. Help StarQuest bring faith and reason to the world. Become a $10/month patron (or increase your current donation by $10 per month) and be among the first 400 donors to receive a Mysterious World sticker signed by Jimmy and Dom. Your gift is…
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The Sword of St. Michael (and More Weird Questions)
It’s our annual Thanksgiving Weird Questions episode, and this time Cy Kellett is asking Jimmy Akin questions about whether the Holy Spirit has chromosomes, what sacraments angels can perform (if any), whether Zoroaster was a savior before Jesus, and what to make of the sword…
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Marita Lorenz and the JFK Assassination
Did the CIA kill JFK? A mysterious woman’s testimony at 1985 libel trial apparently indicated CIA agents were in Dallas with operatives and weapons on the night before the assassination. Jimmy Akin and Dom Bettinelli examine the credibility of the claims and counter-claims.













