British author Mary Shelley has become the latest historical figure to be commemorated by Google Doodles. On what would have been her 213th birthday, the author who brought us the classic horror tale Frankenstein received her own spooky doodle in place of the search engine’s traditional logo.

Few black projects – especially recent ones – can be seen on public display in museums, or at least museums that are open to the public! The Bird of Prey, developed in the 1990s by McDonnell Douglas and Boeing to test stealth technology, is one of the rare exceptions.

Midsummer has long been a time when myth and reality converge, when deities dance in woodlands and fiery festivities mark the advent of Midsummer’s Day. Primarily a European tradition, different countries have their own unique and often colourful take on this festival. Let’s take a look at six of them.

An eclectic mix of druids, hippies and sun worshippers gathered at Stonehenge this morning to watch dawn break on the longest day of the year.

Even top secret aircraft, known as black projects, require something as seemingly mundane as a patent. This one from the late 1970s is interesting. It looks like a classic “flying wing” design, albeit for a much smaller aircraft than the B2 Stealth Bomber. Heresay suggests such a plane might actually be flying. Let’s take a look at the evidence.

Our oceans abound with myth and legend, some of them mainstream and others obscure. But if there is one thing that can be said with any certainty, it is that mariners throughout the ages have been highly superstitious, and often very religious, types. Here we take a look at a selection of fisherman’s chapels where mariners would pray before venturing out on the ocean waves.

Graffiti is nothing new in the United States or indeed other parts of the world. While much of it involves senseless scribbles, some graffiti is more creative in nature, blurring the distinction between art and vandalism. Here’s one stenciled depiction in Washington, D.C. that brings to mind the work of Banksy in the UK. But who’s the culprit?

There is nothing more fascinating in the aviation world than the “black projects” – aircraft programs that are so secret that even those with the highest security clearance have no idea they exist. But occasionally the veil of secrecy is accidentally lifted, offering a fleeting glimpse into this shadowy world. Here we take to the air with six of the world’s most classified aircraft (assuming they exist, that is!).

Hello everyone and thanks once again for stopping by! Before I get started, please accept my apologies for the lack of new content over the last week. I’ve been plotting, planning and strategising the future of Urban Ghosts Media, and an exciting new course for 2010! Read on…

As many people know, the local pub is the cornerstone of British culture. Not only that, the country itself is rather old, meaning you can pop for a pint at establishments formerly visited by the likes of King Richard the Lionheart and Oliver Cromwell. Here is an assortment of medieval ale houses to whet your appetite as we near the weekend.

You may have heard stories about ghostly World War Two aircraft appearing alongside modern airliners and frightening the living daylights out of passengers. But now it seems that even Google Earth could be picking up the supernatural essence of a high tech bundle of nuts and bolts. Can you locate this ghostly Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet? Read on…

The fearsome reputations surrounding certain historic – and often abandoned – places mean it doesn’t need to be Halloween for ghosts and ghouls to come crawling out of the woodwork. These three venues, where the spirits of the dead reportedly run riot in a ghastly ghostly carnival, might offer the more supernaturally minded among you some ideas for where to explore – or to stay well away from…

The old mining settlement at Bodie in California is arguably America’s best preserved ghost town. Dating back to the 1800s, the town is frozen in a state of “arrested decay”, looked after as a historic park but not restored to its original state. This makes Bodie both authentic and mysterious, with original fixtures in the buildings remaining untouched since their occupiers deserted them.

The Peak District in Northern England is an ancient landscape steeped in myth and legend, none more enduring than that of Robin Hood. Robin’s friend Little John appears alongside him in early accounts dating from 1420 to 1440, and a headstone in Hathersage churchyard is even marked with his name.

Just over twenty years ago, RAF Binbrook was a front line fighter base, tasked with protecting the northern approaches of Britain against the Soviet Union.  Today, the station is largely derelict except for several hangars which form part of a trading estate.  The “married quarters” have been reclaimed by the council and turned into a [...]