Hello — I am a writer, editor, & podcast host.

A Quick Bio

I (Austin Harvey, nice to meet you) am a writer, editor, and podcast host from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 2018, I graduated from Point Park University with a degree in screenwriting.

Currently, I'm a staff writer for the digital publication All That's Interesting, where I also serve as a host of the podcast History Uncovered, a weekly history podcast that explores the uncharted corners of the natural world and the world past. I've also written for Discover Magazine, Giddy, Imprint, and worked as an editor for Roasty Coffee.

Privately, I host the comedy podcast Conspiracy Realists with my good friends Nick Sarnelli and Gino Caputo.

Featured Articles

Wisconsin Teacher Madison Bergmann Charged With Sexually Assaulting An 11-Year-Old Student

Madison Bergmann, a 24-year-old teacher at River Crest Elementary School in Hudson, Wisconsin, was allegedly "obsessed" with her fifth-grade student.

A Wisconsin elementary school teacher is facing charges of child sexual assault after it was revealed that she had been “making out” with an 11-year-old student.

Madison Bergmann, 24, had been texting the young boy, with incriminating messages detailing the time they spent together in her classroom. These conversations included details about how

A Drought In The Philippines Just Dried Up A Reservoir — And Revealed A Forgotten, Centuries-Old Town

About 50 years after it was intentionally flooded, extreme heat and low rainfall have revealed the forgotten town of Pantabangan in the Philippines.

A prolonged period of little rain and intense heat in the Philippines’ Nueva Ecija province just caused a reservoir’s water levels to dramatically recede — exposing the ruins of a lost 300-year-old town.

Although the village itself is around three centuries old, it was inhabited into the 1970s. The town’s population was then relocated to make way

'I Am The Captain Now': The True Story Behind The Somali Pirate Leader In 'Captain Phillips'

As portrayed in the Tom Hanks-led film Captain Phillips, Abduwali Muse and three other Somali pirates hijacked the Maersk Alabama and kidnapped its captain. But Muse’s story was far more complicated than it appeared onscreen.

Abduwali Muse’s life took a dramatic turn from the impoverished streets of Somalia to the global stage when, in April 2009, he became the face of modern piracy.

That month, Muse became internationally known as the sole surviving pirate from the group that hijacked the MV

Serge Monast, The Journalist Who Claimed NASA And The UN Were Trying To Create A New World Order

In 1994, Serge Monast claimed that NASA and the United Nations were trying to abolish traditional religions and national identities — so they could create a totalitarian one-world government.

Serge Monast is a name that has sparked controversy, intrigue, and countless theories within conspiracy circles and beyond.

This Canadian journalist, poet, and essayist became most notorious for his development of the Project Blue Beam conspiracy theory in the 1990s. This theory proposed that NASA and the

These Prehistoric Monuments Found In Ireland May Have Served As ‘Routes For The Dead’

Using LiDAR technology, archaeologists found that prehistoric monuments across County Wicklow may have served as routes to guide spirits to the afterlife.

In a recent archaeological survey, researchers revealed the presence of hundreds of previously unknown historic monuments scattered across the Irish countryside, including a “massive” Bronze Age hillfort and early medieval fortifications.

However, the most significant of these finds were five particularly rare structures from prehistoric tim

This Massive Lava Tube Beneath The Arabian Desert Sheltered Prehistoric Humans For Thousands Of Years

Starting at least 7,000 years ago, prehistoric humans in the Arabian Desert used the Umm Jirsan cave as shelter from the blistering heat of the arid landscape above.

Northern Arabia’s place in the development and evolution of prehistoric humankind has been well documented, but certain aspects of life in the region have long eluded researchers. This is largely because organic remains are not easily preserved for thousands of years in such arid desert regions.

However, millennia-old remnants can

Researchers Identify Mexico’s Taam Ja’ Blue Hole As The Deepest Ocean Sinkhole On Earth

Now recognized as the deepest blue hole on Earth at a depth of 1,378 feet, the Taam Ja' ocean sinkhole located in Mexico's Chetumal Bay has surpassed the competition by hundreds of feet — and experts still don't know how deep it goes.

First discovered in 2021, Mexico’s Taam Ja’ Blue Hole was originally believed to be 900 feet deep. But a diving expedition in December 2023 showed that the Taam Ja’ Blue Hole was much, much deeper, extending at least 1,378 feet below sea level.

This staggering di

The History Behind The Lost City Of Atlantis And The Theories Surrounding Its Existence

In 360 B.C.E., Plato wrote that Atlantis was once a powerful civilization — but the gods sent earthquakes to destroy the island nation when its people became greedy and proud.

The legend of Atlantis, a sophisticated island civilization said to have sunk into the ocean’s abyss, has intrigued scholars and enthusiasts for millennia. Originating from Plato’s dialogues, the story of Atlantis has evolved from a philosophical allegory into a subject of serious archaeological and historical investigati

Skeletons With Missing Hands And Feet Discovered Underneath The Home Of Nazi Leader Hermann Göring In Poland

Buried beneath the sprawling Wolf's Lair complex were the skeletons of three adults, a teenager, and a baby — but the details of their macabre deaths are still unclear.

It’s no secret that Hermann Göring, the highest-ranking Nazi official put on trial at Nuremberg, committed some of the most vile crimes in human history. It seems, however, that the full extent of those crimes had not yet been realized, perhaps, as a team of German and Polish archaeologists recently uncovered skeletons missing h

How Peter Madsen Went From Eccentric Entrepreneur To Convicted Murderer

Go inside the chilling story of Peter Madsen, the entrepreneur-turned-murderer who killed Kim Wall aboard his submarine on August 10, 2017.

Once touted as the “Danish Elon Musk,” Peter Madsen made quite the name for himself as an inventor, entrepreneur, and self-taught engineer in his native Denmark and beyond. Using crowdfunding to build rockets and submarines, Madsen convinced many individuals, organizations, and businesses of his great potential, despite his lack of formal education.

Howeve

Fossilized Footprints Uncovered In China Lead To The Discovery Of One Of The Largest Raptors To Ever Live

Measuring nearly 14 inches long, the footprints of Fujianipus yingliangi are the largest of their kind — and likely belonged to one of the biggest raptors to ever walk the Earth.

Velociraptors rank among the most recognizable of all dinosaurs, and the most feared. Most of them, however, only grew to roughly the size of a turkey or a medium-sized dog. But a team of paleontologists recently identified a potential new megaraptor species based on fossilized footprints found in China.

Their finding

'Hell With The Lid Taken Off': 44 Photos That Reveal What Pittsburgh Looked Like Years Ago

Once known as the "City of Smoke," Pittsburgh used to produce over half of America's steel. Though the steel industry largely crumbled by the 1980s, the city made an impressive comeback by reinventing itself.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is something of a unique city, forged from the confluence of the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio Rivers. With more than 400 bridges stretching across the waterways, Pittsburgh has always been a pioneering city from an industrial and technological standpoint, thoug

How Marion Stokes Singlehandedly Preserved Over 30 Years Of American Television History

Beginning in 1979, former librarian Marion Stokes privately recorded broadcasts from multiple televisions at once, 24 hours a day, eventually accumulating a startling 71,000 tapes of television history.

Marion Stokes believed that the news held crucial historical details at risk of disappearing forever. So, beginning around 1979, the former librarian and civil rights activist began obsessively recording television broadcasts 24 hours a day.

For more than three decades, Stokes attempted to arch

Archaeologists Just Uncovered The Mysteries Behind The Real-Life 'Excalibur' Found Standing Straight Up In The Ground

First discovered in 1994, the origins of the mysterious "Excalibur" sword found in Valencia, Spain had eluded researchers for 30 years.

In 1994, archaeologists working at a site in Valencia, Spain discovered an iron sword sticking straight up out of the ground. They dubbed the sword “Excalibur” due to its similarity to the mythical blade from the British legends of King Arthur, but until recently, it was unclear how old the sword truly was or who once wielded it.

Now, however, a team of archae

Researchers Exploring A 15th-Century Shipwreck In Sweden Just Identified A Weapon Chest Used To Make Ammunition

A recent examination of the wreckage of the Danish-Norwegian flagship Griffin revealed new information about this top-of-the-line medieval warship and the armaments of its soldiers on board.

In the spring of 2023, maritime archaeologists from Stockholm University and Södertörn University explored the wreckage of a 500-year-old ship off the Swedish coast.

Known as the Griffin, the ship had belonged to the Danish-Norwegian King Hans. Then, in 1495, the doomed flagship caught fire and sank on its

The Disturbing Story Of Nasubi, The Contestant Who Survived History’s Cruelest Reality Show

When Tomoaki Hamatsu, a.k.a. Nasubi, was cast on the show "Susunu! Denpa Shōnen" in 1998, he had no idea he'd spend the next 15 months of his life naked and isolated in an apartment — or that his ordeal would be broadcast live to 17 million people.

Tomoaki Hamatsu, better known as Nasubi, signed up for the Japanese game show Susunu! Denpa Shōnen in 1998. He hoped it would change his life, and it did — though perhaps not in the way he wanted.

The premise of the show was simple: Nasubi had to li

After Decades Of Trying To Decode The Voynich Manuscript, Researchers Say It May Offer Sex Advice

Based on similar medieval texts, at least part of the Voynich manuscript could be about "women's secrets."

The Voynich manuscript, a centuries-old text written in an unknown language and featuring odd, otherworldly illustrations, has long fascinated historians.

Since its rediscovery in 1912, countless scholars have attempted — and largely failed — to decipher this strange book’s meaning and origin.

The late-medieval text is rife with illustrations depicting a wide range of objects, from stars

The Fearless Story Of Frank Hamer, The Man Who Took Down Bonnie And Clyde

Sometimes referred to as the "greatest lawman of the 20th century," former Texas Ranger Frank Hamer not only took on Bonnie and Clyde but also the KKK and lynch mobs.

Texas Ranger Frank Hamer’s life was a tapestry of daring pursuits, fueled by an unwavering commitment to justice. Called the “greatest lawman of the 20th century” by biographer John Boessenecker, Hamer is the man credited with ending the notorious crime spree of Bonnie and Clyde, the infamous duo whose names are etched in the coll

Hikers In Wales Just Stumbled Upon Human Remains At The Site Of A Crumbling Castle Wall

The remains were found by hikers along the picturesque Dunraven Bay, a popular tourist destination where TV shows like Poldark and Doctor Who have been filmed.

Near Dunraven Bay in South Wales, human remains — possibly hundreds of years old — were just discovered following the collapse of a castle wall. Surprisingly, this is far from the first time human bones have been found in the area.

The recent set of bones was discovered by hikers on April 9 near Dunraven Castle, a large mansion construc

Scientists Discover 100 New Species Of Marine Life In A Rift Off New Zealand's Coast

Over the course of a three-week expedition, Ocean Census collected nearly 1,800 samples and discovered more than 100 new species.

Off the coast of New Zealand is a deep oceanic rift known as Bounty Trough, a name that is seemingly well-earned — as it recently supplied scientists with a bounty of new discoveries in the form of roughly 100 previously unknown species of marine life.

The discoveries came after a three-week voyage undertaken by Ocean Census, a global alliance founded by the Nippon

Why Everything You Learned In School About Who Built The Pyramids Is Likely Wrong

Between 2575 and 2465 B.C.E., the Pyramids of Giza were constructed as tombs for the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure — but who built the pyramids?

There is no short supply of theories about who built the pyramids. Many suggest that slaves kept by the ancient Egyptians were forced en masse to construct these magnificent ancient wonders. Other, more outlandish, theories claim the Pyramids of Giza were erected by aliens.

Certainly, the pyramids are a remarkable feat of architectural engineer

French Ghost Hunter Found Dead In Italian Church With Her Body Drained Of Blood

Auriane Nathalie Laisne, a 22-year-old woman from France, was found dead in an abandoned Italian church on April 5 — and it may have been her boyfriend who killed her.

After embarking on what was seemingly a ghost hunting trip in northern Italy, a French woman was found dead inside an abandoned church — with no blood left in her body.

According to a CNN report, the chapel was located in Italy’s Aosta Valley. The woman, 22-year-old Auriane Nathalie Laisne, told family members about her plans fo

Meet The Real-Life Henry Hill, The Gangster-Turned-Informant Who Inspired 'Goodfellas'

The gangster-turned-informant who inspired Goodfellas, Henry Hill's true story was far crazier than the 1990 film could ever portray.

Martin Scorsese’s 1990 film Goodfellas is a classic mob drama, telling the story of a young gangster as he becomes heavily involved with organized crime in New York City. But Scorsese’s film is not entirely a work of fiction. It’s based on the nonfiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi — which chronicles the life of Henry Hill, a real gangster-turned-informant.

The Disturbing Story Of Josh Powell, The Father Who Blew Up His Two Young Sons In A Gruesome Murder-Suicide

Josh Powell killed himself and his two children in a fiery explosion in his Washington home in 2012 — and he may have murdered his wife Susan two years earlier.

On Dec. 6, 2009, a young Utah mother named Susan Cox Powell disappeared. Police immediately suspected her husband, Josh Powell, was to blame. His story about taking their sons on a seemingly random camping trip was suspicious at best, and as investigators uncovered more information, a much darker tale began to play out before them.

Jos
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