Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files (2010) s02e13 Episode Script
The Grim Sleeper & The Real Mr. Freeze
Tonight on "Fact or Faked" One of the greatest paranormal videos of all time.
"paranormal files" No way! Austin: They call him the ice man for having this crazy ability to withstand temperatures so cold that it would literally stop the average person's heart from beating.
This is an absolute medical phenomenon.
This is really, really dangerous.
The most aggressive poltergeist case ever.
Devin: Whoa! Okay, but we don't have any accurate points of reference.
The whole premise is that this is a trail.
Right, but it's a theory.
Your core temperature's already dropped.
As that process starts, it's very painful.
As that process ends, you're dead.
Oh, my God! Oh, my goodness! There's a flying saucer.
I'm getting a series of lights right there.
Are you seeing what I am seeing? What the heck is happening? [ Indistinct talking .]
Hey, hey, hey! How are you? It's good to see you.
Hey, what's happening? Oh, not much.
Hey.
So, why don't we jump right into it? Bill, how would you like to kick us off? Sure.
Glad to.
Now, I have a fascinating clip, and if it's genuine, this would be one of the greatest paranormal videos of all time.
Wow.
Lanisha: Okay.
Yeah.
Now, in July 2010, Diane cosby was staying with a friend while she was house hunting.
Now, Diane, who was sleeping in the basement, kept waking up with these mysterious bruises up and down her leg.
Now, she was mystified and a little afraid, and so she had a friend set up a camera to record her while she was sleeping.
Here's what they saw the next morning when they reviewed the footage.
Take a look at what's gonna happen, though.
Devin: Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Whoa.
Wow.
What? Is she levitating right now? She came off the bed! We're talking full body levitation.
I mean, I was blown away when I saw this clip, and Diane reports that she remembers nothing unusual at all.
Wow.
Now, some people are calling this the most aggressive poltergeist case ever.
Well, yeah.
I mean, this case is black and white for me.
Either an unknown force is levitating this woman for real, or it's an outright hoax.
I'm having trouble with what I'm seeing here.
Do you guys notice the scan lines? Ben: Yeah.
Well, a modern camera wouldn't exhibit those scan lines.
Ben: Lanisha, you make a good point.
But still, the video is very compelling, and I think there's good backstory, things we could do with it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I say we put it on the top of our list, definitely.
Great case.
Okay? All right, guys, I have a video for you today.
It comes all the way from the big island of Hawaii.
Now, two brothers, tom and don, both military men, captured this video of a UFO.
Flying over the big island of Hawaii.
The interesting thing is that the UFO is metallic in nature but also completely silent, according to the witnesses.
Now, take a look at this.
Interesting.
Lanisha: Okay.
Ben: What the Oh.
Hmm.
That is an odd shape.
The shape is irregular, too.
I mean, it's not smooth and symmetrical like the other saucer videos that we've seen.
Right.
The shape is one of my favorite things about it.
I can't tell if it's changing shape or if it just has weird attachments on the UFO.
Yeah.
Well, do we know how long this sighting lasted? Well, yes.
Witnesses said that it lasted for over an hour, but their camera battery died.
So that's why our video clip is so short.
What I find really interesting about this video is that if this was CG, hoaxed in some sort of computer-graphic way, that image is extremely difficult to track.
I agree with you, Devin.
I don't think it is CG.
Look when the craft passes behind his head.
You can see it fade through the blur of his hair.
So, watch what happens.
So, the camera's moving Oh.
Lanisha: Whoa! Right.
Now, look at that.
That would be really difficult to do because not only do you have the fade to contend with, you have some feathering you'd have to do.
I think it's more likely that we're looking at a physical object in the sky here.
This is either a genuine UFO or this is misidentification.
Yeah.
That's a good catch, bill.
This is my issue with the video.
You're seeing a UFO.
Your camera battery died? You're telling me with two people neither one of them possibly had a camera to continue recording what they're seeing? That, to me, is an issue.
Okay.
Well, I am a little suspicious.
Why don't you see if you can find out more about the witnesses and the video.
I mean, if it was there for an hour, maybe they have more to this.
Okay.
I can do that.
Guys, I know that we've seen sasquatch videos before, but have we ever really looked at a good yeti case? No.
No.
Well, we have this mysterious video.
It comes from a couple who were reportedly hiking in the himalayas, the home of the abominable snowman, or the yeti.
[ Gasps .]
Now, if this is true, this could be a major discovery.
All right.
The abominable snowman! Now, you'll see a hiker on the left-hand side.
They notice something in the distance, right out there.
Oh.
Oh.
Bill: Oh, whoa.
Yeah, I see.
There's a second section where they see it sitting in a valley floor.
It gets up and starts to walk away.
Look how huge it is.
So, who's to say this isn't just one of the hikers in their company? I mean, they could just be hoaxing this whole thing.
Devin: Well, let's look at the facts here, you guys.
If you take a look at this video, it looks like there's actually a hiker's trail here.
Jael: Oh, I see that.
Okay? Now, the average person, when traveling through the snow, makes a path of about two feet wide.
If this track here is an average hiker, using that as a reference point, Jeff Meldrum, the noted cryptozoologist, estimates this supposed yeti to be 8 to 10 feet tall.
I don't think this is a person.
Thanks for having my back, Dev.
Right, but we don't have any accurate points of reference because we don't really know how big that trail is, and we don't really know how tall those trees are or how big those rocks are.
So, how could we make an accurate point of reference? That's the premise, though.
The premise is that this is a trail and it probably was created by a hiker.
Right, but it's a theory.
Ben, has the videographer given a statement about this clip? No.
I haven't been able to talk to them yet.
Because, I mean, if this is an anonymous video and we can't interview the videographer, to me, it doesn't make sense to go all the way up to the himalayas to investigate this, as much as I would like to do so.
I agree with you, bill.
I don't think we have anything to start with.
Well, fair enough.
I thought it was interesting.
Finding this particular location would be difficult.
Yeah.
So, maybe we should shelf it for now.
All right, guys.
As long as we're on firsts for "fact or faked," I think I found us a literal superhuman.
This guy Wim Hof is famous all over the world for having this crazy ability to withstand temperatures so cold that it would literally stop the average person's heart from beating.
They call him the ice man.
Check this out.
Right here, he's running barefoot, no shirt, with nothing besides shorts and a beanie on.
He's running a half marathon above the arctic circle, okay? Here's another one where he does, in front of a lot of people in public -- he's sitting fully submerged in ice, setting a world record.
He literally holds over 20 world records that push his body to the brink and back.
Devin: Wow.
Jael: Wow.
Yeah.
It's insane.
This is pretty impressive, but this has to be dangerous, right? Does he ever get hurt? This is where it gets pretty unbelievable.
Wim does all this without sustaining any injury, literally leaving the medical community just fascinated.
He seems to have this superhuman ability, to just crank up his core temperature, that seriously defies science.
I mean, this guy is extremely popular, and if he's hoaxing this, he's fooling millions of people.
I really like this case.
I mean, we haven't done anything else like this before.
You guys, I know this case is a little outside the box and it would definitely be a "fact or faked" first, but what's paranormal? I mean, paranormal's anything that lies outside of a simple scientific explanation, and this guy is definitely defying science.
Very true.
Yeah, and he's willing to not only meet with us but come and possibly do some of this for us.
I mean, this meets everything that we need.
Okay.
Well, guys, time to vote.
Thinking about levitating woman, I think we can come up with some pretty awesome experiments.
I'm definitely in for that.
If we're talking about poltergeists and levitations, that's the case I want to go on.
I'd like to try something different.
Ice man.
That's what I'm talking about.
I'm with Jael.
I want to challenge the ice man and find out if this guy's superhuman or what's going on.
I can't help it.
I want to see if we can make a woman float out of a bed.
All right, guys, well, it looks like Austin, you brought us ice man.
Why don't Jael and I go with you on that one.
Yes! And bill, Devin, and Lanisha, why don't you guys do the levitating woman and see if you can replicate this amazing video.
All right.
Sounds good.
Perfect.
Let's do this.
Bill: All right, guys, here we are -- Atlanta, Georgia, to investigate a really strange case.
In July of 2010, Diane cosby had moved here from Michigan and was staying with a friend, Jo Mari Burnicke, while she was looking for a place of her own.
Right.
But then Diane started waking up to find mysterious bruises all over her body, and being concerned, she set up a camera to monitor her sleep.
Now, when Jo Mari and Diane reviewed the footage the next day, they were shocked to see Diane's entire body just completely lift off the bed.
She levitated off the mattress.
Devin: I mean, understandably, both women were completely shocked by the video.
Given the sensitive nature of their case, both Jo Mari and Diane were reluctant to tell their story, but we're on our way right now to go and talk to them both and get their firsthand account.
[ Knock on door .]
Burnicke: Hi.
Bill: Jo Mari? Yes.
Come on in.
Hi.
You must be Diane.
I'm Diane.
Bill: I'm bill.
Nice to meet you.
Hi.
Nice to meet you.
Hi.
Nice to meet you.
This is Lanisha, and this is Devin.
Hi.
We would love to see the room where you shot the video.
Okay.
It's right this way.
Okay.
We'll follow you.
As you can see now, it's an office, but it was an extra bedroom when Diane was staying here.
So, what sort of experiences did you have in this house after you moved in? Just little things I would think had moved, hearing noises, and then I started waking up with bruises, and I just never felt like I rested.
It was, like, an ongoing thing.
Jo Mari, have you experienced anything similar? Well, there was this one time that I woke up and I had scratches down my back.
Now, how long did you stay here in this house with waking up with bruises? I was here for about two months total.
I left when I seen the video.
Has anything similar to what you experienced here happened now that you moved? Not at all.
Everything's been absolutely calm.
Diane, what type of camera did you use to shoot the video? Actually, it's right behind you.
Oh, okay, great.
So, this is just a little mini DV camera with, like, a night shot or night vision.
Exactly.
You had it mounted on a tripod, right? Yes.
It was on a tripod.
And do you mind if we use it for our tests? No.
Go ahead.
Absolutely.
This video is really -- it's incredible.
And it's hard maybe for some people to believe, so how would you respond to those people? If it hadn't happened to me, I don't know what I would think.
Just watching it, it's just so crazy.
You just have to believe it.
It happened.
It's real.
It's freaky.
I have a question for you guys.
Okay.
Now, did you hoax this video in any way? No.
Not at all.
Okay.
We really appreciate your time.
Thank you.
Okay.
Thank you.
All right.
You know what? Let's look at this video again because I can't think of a natural explanation for what we're seeing here.
Devin: Bill, I completely agree with you.
Either she's levitating and this is actual evidence of the supernatural, or it's a complete hoax.
Lanisha: All right, guys.
So, obviously, the room has changed since the night the video was shot.
So we're definitely gonna have to get it back.
So, what do you guys say? Let's go grab our gear and get everything started.
All right.
Let's get to work.
Sounds good.
All right.
All right.
Devin: For our experiments, we decided to build a custom bed with a foam mattress 'cause that gives us a little bit more flexibility with actually cutting the mattress, but when we're done, it's gonna look just like a regular bed.
Okay.
So, everything's in place.
Guys, for our first experiment, we're gonna start with an illusion that was made extremely popular by the movie "the matrix.
" The actors would put their foot inside of a large boot, and then a contraption would go up their leg underneath their pants and it would allow them to kind of swirl back like that without falling over.
Okay, but we're gonna have to make a few modifications because as you can see in the video, Diane's legs are fully exposed.
So we can't hide it with a pant leg.
Right.
We got some welding to do, so let's take it outside.
All right.
This 48-inch steel beam is going to act as a lever and raise Lanisha up.
This is where she'll sit, and this is the off-camera handle right here that will help support her.
Now, this beam is gonna run along her inner thigh, hidden, off camera, and this little plate here is where she can put her foot to help her support herself.
Now, this eyelet is gonna be connected to the cable system, which is gonna run through a pulley all the way to the winch.
When the winch is turned on, it's gonna lift the lever, and Lani's gonna levitate.
All right.
So, let me go get changed up, and then I'll be ready to go.
Okay.
All right.
It's ready.
Need? Bill: You guys ready for this? Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
Let's go green.
All right, guys.
This camera is now recording.
All right, Lanisha.
You ready? I'm ready, bill.
Okay.
You're in position.
Devin, are you ready? Ready.
All right.
Devin, on three Two One.
Start the winch.
[ Laughs .]
Whoa! Let's go green.
Bill: We're testing a hoax scenario.
Lanisha will be the subject of a levitation experiment, Devin's gonna be operating the winch, and I'll be controlling the camera.
If this is how the levitation effect was achieved, we'll know soon enough.
All right.
Devin, on three Two One.
Start the winch.
[ Laughs .]
Whoa! Lower the winch.
Lanisha, start tilting your head back up towards the pillow.
We are good.
Lani, you okay? I'm good.
[ Chuckles .]
Bill, how'd it look? It looked pretty good, but we need to do a comparison.
Okay.
Let's check it out.
All right.
Lanisha, can you hit the light? Was it difficult? It was really hard 'cause you see the bar, how thin that is? Yeah.
Just trying to keep my balance on it.
But let's check it out.
Okay.
Look, look, look.
Here we go.
She's taking off.
Oh, okay.
Look at that.
Oh, that's not bad.
I can tell that you're having to work your muscles.
You don't have that at all in the original video.
Yeah.
With the original video, the movement is really fluid and really smooth, and here with me, it did get a little, you know, mechanical 'cause I was losing my balance.
You know, I can think of a few modifications that we could make to this experiment and make it more of a lifting action rather than a lever action.
So let's learn from our observations and retool this setup.
All right.
All right.
All right, guys, you know, our first experiment was promising, but the leg lever required a lot of muscle control for you to maintain balance, even with the winch helping.
And I could see that on camera.
Yeah.
Exactly.
It was really hard to maintain that sleepy look that we see from Diane in her footage.
Yep.
I mean, we really need to do something that you're not gonna strain as much.
Yeah.
So, this time, we're gonna do a take on a magician's illusion, okay? It's a cantilever arm that essentially is gonna lift you straight up and down.
It'll be a lot smoother, hopefully, than our first experiment.
Okay.
Cool.
Sounds good.
Have good spot welds along this edge.
This is where she'll lay, so you need one These bolts are gonna go into the base that Lani's building.
All right, guys.
Let's test this thing out.
Devin: These are gonna go in here.
So, it's gonna be like this -- levitate and descend.
That's right.
Pretty easy for you.
Nice.
All right.
Let's do this.
Bill: The magician's arm is a simple device which consists of a platform, a metal arm, and a sturdy base.
Lanisha will drape herself over the platform.
The metal arm will be over the bed, but obscured by her body.
Devin will operate the winch, which would levitate Lanisha, mimicking the levitation of Diane.
All right.
Lower down.
Go ahead.
Give it a test.
This is our extended platform system in place.
And the eyelet here in the back is connected to a steel wire which runs through a pulley system all the way to the winch.
When the winch is activated, the cable is pulled, and up goes the lift.
And Lanisha levitates.
Will you grab the light? Okay.
Winch is ready.
Okay.
Lanisha, you set? I'm in position, bill, and I'm good to go.
All right.
So, on three Two One.
Start winch! [ Grinding .]
Keep that left leg tucked in.
Okay, start the descent.
Keep going, Devin.
This is looking good.
Lani, you okay? I'm good.
[ Chuckles .]
All right.
Let's see side by side.
Look at that! There we go.
There we go.
All right, that looks good.
The levitation is good.
You got the arch down pat.
A little bit of a hesitation right there.
See, that's the problem that I'm still having.
Just like in the last experiment, the movement of the lever isn't fluid enough.
Yeah.
You know, I mean, I'm really happy with the way that you rise up, the form that you take when you hit the peak, but you're right.
You've still got this wobble push, and I think that's the problem, is that we keep on pushing you from up underneath, and it's causing a lot of pressure and tension.
We need to pull you from your chest.
Exactly.
And just fluidly bring you forward.
Just let my body just hang, just like we see in the original video.
Even though this is an improvement over the previous test, it's still a single point that we're depending on for your stability, and it's lacking.
I think we need multiple anchor points.
Yeah.
All right.
Let's step it up.
Let's try something a little bit more challenging.
Let me get changed up once again and I'll come back and we'll get our next experiment going.
Okay? All right.
All right, guys, I think we can set up this next test to address the issues we had with the previous test.
By using a flywire harness, I mean, a wrap around your body, we could lift you, which would seem like you're levitating, as opposed to pushing you up.
Yep.
That would be a lot smoother.
The flywire would do most of the work, so all I have to do is just lean back and just maintain that same body orientation that Diane did in the original video.
Let's get our material.
All right.
Okay.
Let's go.
Help me, bill? Yeah.
Lanisha: Okay.
Got it, bill? Yep.
All right, guys, we got three more of these, some pulleys, and some cross beams to get, so let's get started.
We're gonna have a square rig system on the top and two cross support beams, and that's where all of our wires are gonna hang from.
I think we're good to go.
We can start threading our cables.
Devin: Sounds good.
Lanisha: Nice work.
All right.
This is what's gonna be connected to your harness.
We'll just take the shackle on here and feed it through.
And that's what's gonna hold you up.
Nice.
We got a couple more to make, though.
All right.
[ Chuckles .]
Okay.
So, we're good here.
So, this is the rail system that we've built to lift Lanisha.
She'll lay in this harness, which is connected to these wires that feed through a series of pulleys and lead all the way back to our counterweight system here at the end.
Now, we're gonna attach a 60-pound weight to this, so that way we can make sure we can levitate and drop Lanisha at a very smooth and slow rate.
Devin: All right.
So, this is gonna be your back support and your brace.
Go ahead and lay down.
Oh, this is good.
Okay.
All right, bill.
We want to thread these, actually, through the holes in her shirt.
Bill: You know what? The good thing is this shirt is actually loose enough that I think people really won't be able to detect that there's wires coming through it so obviously.
Okay, Lanisha, is the harness comfortable? Give it a little tug.
That's perfect.
Devin: All right.
All right, Devin, why don't you go to the counterweight system.
I'm gonna go to the camera, let's get this framed up, and it's time for you to levitate.
All right.
Sounds good.
I'll hit the lights.
So, Dev, let me help you real quick with the counterweight.
All right, lani, you're gonna have about 60 pounds pulling up on you right now, okay? All right.
You ready? I'm good to go.
[ Laughs .]
And open.
Lock it.
All right.
Let me get back to the vantage point.
We're ready.
Standing by.
Okay, we're now rolling on this.
Three Two One.
Levitate! Bill: Lanisha is rigged up in a flywire harness and is ready to go.
Devin is gonna be operating a counterweight pulley system which can levitate Lanisha a little more smoothly.
Let's see if this replicates what we see in the original video.
Devin: Standing by.
Okay, we're now rolling on this.
Three Two One.
Levitate! Whoa! Ben: What's going on? Good to see you again.
Still worn out from the case, yeah.
First of all, I want to hear about a levitating woman in Atlanta.
Due to the fact that we couldn't think of one natural explanation for what we're seeing in the video, we decided to test hoax scenarios.
So we decided that a fly harness would work best.
We built a steel cube that was 10 feet tall with crossbeams across the top so we could fly her up.
Take a look at what we got.
Wow.
As far as movement goes, that's perfect.
Positioning's great, movement's great, everything's fluid, but wires are very obvious.
And, you know, that is something that we noticed, as well.
Lanisha made an observation when we first saw this video that there were scan lines, but we also noticed some unusual artifacting in the original video.
So, possible video manipulation at hand, here.
We did a little video manipulation ourselves, and we got a very interesting result.
Take a look at this.
All right.
Ben: All right.
No way! Wow.
Oh, wow.
That looks good.
I'm seeing no wires.
Lanisha: Exactly.
Look at what a little editing can do.
Just because we used this framing rig that we built doesn't mean that that's exactly what they used for the original clip.
We found out that at the time the original video was shot, the ceiling was not yet closed in, so there was exposed beams.
So they easily could have rigged up a flywire harness to those exposed beams before the ceiling was closed.
Now, given the success of our experiments, it called into question their testimony.
So we subjected the testimony of Diane to layered voice analysis.
Listen to this.
Cosby: If it hadn't happened to me, I don't know what I would think.
Just watching it, it's just so crazy.
Now, the LVA indicates heightened levels of stress and deception, which points to a hoax scenario.
What do you guys think? What's the verdict? I think we replicated the video, and I think maybe they just wanted the attention.
I'm gonna have to say that the original case is faked.
I'm gonna say hoaxed.
Given your experiments and the LVA, I'm gonna have to go with faked.
This video -- faked.
Ben: [ Chuckles .]
Very challenging case you had there, but the experiments you came out with -- excellent job.
Bill: Thanks.
So, tell us.
Did your investigation into ice man reveal any superhuman abilities? Well, as you remember, we stayed here in L.
A.
And met up with Wim Hof, the dutchman known around the world as the ice man, and we wanted to find out, is he really superhuman? So we put him to the test.
Take a look.
We're here in Los Angeles investigating a man who many believe has a superhuman capability to withstand temperatures so cold, so freezing that they would kill the average person.
Girl: Whoa! Jael: Well, guys, before we meet with the ice man himself, we're gonna go meet with Dr.
Bassil Aish.
He's really familiar with the ice man, and I think it'll be good to get some insights as to what the body is capable of in these extreme temperatures.
Well, this is Dr.
Aish's office here.
You guys ready to have a talk with him? Let's go meet him.
All right.
Hi, Dr.
aish.
I'm Ben.
This is Austin and Jael.
How you doing? Hi.
Jael: Hi.
Nice to meet you.
We understand that you can help us fill in some blanks with Wim Hof and try to understand his physiology.
Yeah.
Wim is an incredible guy.
I can't figure him out.
What are some of the extreme risks of the average person going and trying to just jump into an ice bath? The first risk is cold shock -- that they will immediately go into the bath and their heart will stop.
The second risk is pain.
When you jump into an ice-temperature bath, immediately, every nerve in your body reacts.
That hurts.
Because the blood vessels have muscles in them themselves, can they be conditioned, like any other muscle, to be able to constrict quicker or easier without the pain? I mean, that is an awesome point.
It appears that Wim has just been able to condition his blood-vessel constriction response with his brain.
It actually defies the laws of biology.
We'll just talk a little bit about hypothermia.
What are the stages and the signs as it progresses? Normal core temperatures are core temperatures between approximately so the first stages of hypothermia start at core temperatures below 95 degrees.
The signs of that are your heart rate increases up to about 100, 120.
When you get to core temperatures at about 92, 93 degrees, even lower, then you start to get to organ failure.
As that process starts, it's very painful.
As that process ends, you're dead.
We'll keep that in mind.
Thank you.
All right.
Thanks so much, doctor.
Well, a lot of people believe that it's not possible for a human being to withstand being submerged in a container full of ice the way the ice man has, so skeptics believe that his stunt is just that -- a stunt.
Austin: I say we start with our first test, seeing if we can fake the ice man's dangerous submersion in ice.
Well, check this out.
This is polysorb II.
Looks like breadcrumbs, doesn't it? But what happens when you throw it in here And we add some water to it Look at that.
Wow.
It really looks like ice.
Well, if we're gonna fill this, we're gonna need a lot more of that.
And we do have a whole lot more, if you want to help me.
Okay.
I think this ought to fill her up.
Yeah.
All right, guys.
I'm setting up our camera.
Austin, you can play the role of the ice man.
All right.
I'm getting changed.
And Ben, I will help you fill up our tank with fake ice once this is ready.
Okay.
And once the vat is full, we can put a layer of real ice on the top of it.
That way on camera, we can show ourselves, you know, taking the temperature reading and it will actually read cold 'cause it's just the top layer.
Why don't you jump in there.
Jael: All right.
We're about to see if the ice man's apparent ability to withstand freezing cold temperature is nothing more than an illusion using fake ice.
Jael: All right.
It's time for the real ice, huh? Let's take a thermometer reading here.
How does it feel? All right, guys.
I think we got it.
Looks good.
I mean, you're the same distance from the tank.
You got the interaction of us putting it in there.
As far as looking like I'm in ice, I definitely think we could fool the average person.
And this is, you know, a demonstration in the middle of a New York street with many spectators.
And it would just take one of those people up close to see something they shouldn't have, and the whole thing would be a bust.
I think it's time that we move on to a test with real ice and real danger.
I'm in.
Yeah.
So, guys, for our next experiment, we're gonna test ourselves and see if we can replicate one of the ice man's most famous endurance feats.
To me, one of the accomplishments the ice man did that stands out among the rest was when he ran a half marathon barefoot north of the arctic circle.
Ben: Not only was he barefoot, but he was wearing just shorts.
Well, I think it's time we push ourselves to the limit, Ben.
Let's see how long we can run on this rink on 11-degree-temperature ice wearing only shorts.
I say in order to really replicate the same conditions that Wim ran in, we throw on these cooling ice vests.
Those are the ones that they use for soldiers that are out in the heat of the desert.
Adding these vests -- that's gonna be cold.
So, while you guys are out there, we'll be monitoring your heart rates.
I'll also have a stopwatch to time how long you can actually last before you need to come back in.
And, you know, remember that this is really quite dangerous, so we'll have our medic standing by just in case.
Okay.
That works.
I hope we don't have to use you.
Laumann: Me, too.
[ Chuckles .]
All right, why don't you guys go change, and when you get back, we'll hook up your heart monitors and put on those ice vests.
All right.
This is gonna be freezing.
[ Laughs .]
Jael: Military-grade ice vests will help simulate the subzero temperatures of the ice man's arctic circle run.
To avoid the onset of potentially fatal hypothermia during the test run, Ben and Austin will need to run fast enough to maintain their core body temperature above 95 degrees fahrenheit.
Laumann: All right, so, what we're gonna do is put a heart-rate monitor on you guys so we can kind of trend what's going on with your heart with the cold temperature.
We have really no idea how it's gonna go.
We're gonna monitor your core body temperature and see how that changes in transit, as well.
Jael: Here's your ice vest.
Oh, yeah.
That's a little chilly.
Ready to do this, buddy? Yeah, I'm ready.
Jael: All right, guys.
And three Two One.
Begin polar run! Whoo-hoo! I never expected it would be so painful right off the bat.
You're coming up on one minute.
My feet already feel like blades, shards of glass.
Breathe, guys.
Try and focus.
Two minutes.
It's not my core that's the problem.
It's my feet.
My body itself is actually not too bad, but the very bottoms of my feet I can't feel anymore.
Coming up on four minutes.
The numbness is spreading like anesthesia.
It, like, starts at the bottom and then just creeps up from the sole.
Jael: At this point, Ben is in the early stages of first-degree frostbite.
The cold from the ice rink is actually beginning to freeze Ben's skin, and if it's left untreated, it could lead to permanent damage.
And you've reached nine minutes.
The pads of my feet have turned, like, ice.
Okay.
Like, like, hard as rocks.
Let's go ahead and call it.
All right.
Guys, we're gonna bring you back in.
That's definitely a little bit of cause for worry.
All right.
That is pretty remarkable.
Let's get you warmed up first.
Let's get that vest off.
You guys did really good.
We're almost done, and then we can get you dressed again.
temperature as of right now, so that's a mild hypothermia is what we're looking at.
Let's get you in front of the heating fan.
So, the guys ran for 10 minutes and 42 seconds, which is pretty remarkable.
But in reality, it's a far cry from the 2 hours and 16 minutes that the ice man ran his barefoot half marathon in.
How you feeling? It was weird because my core didn't really ever feel like it was cold.
It was my feet that started to get a sensation of water squishing inside, and that didn't feel right.
Oh, that does not sound right.
We have to understand we're competing against a world-record holder who's been doing this for years.
I think it's just the fact that he's been conditioning himself for so long, his body's adapted to be able to do that kind of extreme activity.
If the ability to maintain your core temperature is possible, I want to know how he regulates it.
I think that now we should go meet the ice man and challenge him one on one to see how we do.
I'd love to be the one to challenge him.
The challenge is all yours.
You can take it.
[ Laughter .]
Let's pack up, guys.
All right.
Okay.
Jael: This clip of supposed UFOs in the sky over Dubai has become an online sensation.
Nick Wilty, the videographer, was on vacation when he caught this video of oval-shaped crafts hovering in the sky.
But are these UFOs fact or faked? The answer coming up.
Jael: While in Dubai, a man on vacation captured video of these supposed extraterrestrial craft in the sky.
But are these UFOs fact or faked? Faked.
Look closely.
The UFOs don't move in relation to each other, a tip-off that these UFOs are nothing more than light fixtures on a ceiling painted to match the sky.
We're about to meet with Wim Hof, the ice man himself.
We're gonna ask him how he learned to deal with temperatures so cold that it would kill the average person.
Nice to meet you.
I'm Ben.
Nice to meet you, too.
This is Austin and Jael.
Nice to meet you, Wim.
When did you first start to experiment with these extreme temperatures that would kill the average person? Now, what specifically does your body do in order to regulate your internal thermostat? Now, if the temperature of the rest of your skin is lowering close to zero, aren't you in danger of, you know, getting frostbite? Have you ever suffered damage like that? So, do you believe in the existence of superhumans? Now, did you bring your superhuman capabilities with you today? 'Cause I'd like to face off against you for a mano-a-mano ice bath competition.
I'm about to challenge the ice man himself.
[ Cheers and applause .]
We're gonna find out how my vitals stack up against his when submerged in a giant bucket of ice water.
We have over 1,000 pounds of ice that we're combining with water.
Now, personally, I'd rather be in pure ice.
This water will make you lose your body temperature faster, so we'll see how long Austin lasts.
All right, guys.
Wim and I are suited up, ready to go.
We'll let the battle begin in just a minute.
Let's get your vitals and get your baseline readings, then we'll go.
It's gonna go under your tongue.
Pulse is 72.
How you feeling? Feeling good.
Good.
Okay.
Core temperature.
He's alive, huh? He's alive, yeah.
What about pulse? Okay, Matt.
Here's the summary.
Looking at that, how do you think they compare? It looks right about where would we see it as far as a normal baseline.
All right.
You're signed off medically.
Austin: Now that we have Wim's vitals and compared them against my own, there's only one thing left to do, and that's get in the ice.
I'm gonna see if I can get even close to Wim's seemingly superhuman ability to withstand the cold.
Polar plunge in three Two One.
The time starts as soon as you're in.
[ Moans .]
Clock has begun.
I'd better sit down? Why is it better to sit? Okay.
Your heart rate's definitely going up.
Get ready for our first reading coming up.
This is really interesting, Austin.
Your core temperature's already dropped.
One minute.
Okay.
96.
2.
Jael: Wow.
Core temperature on Wim? He's still at 98.
6.
What's the reading on the pulse? Pulse is 72.
Austin, you are at 78.
Jael: Austin has been in the ice for just over a minute, and his vital signs are already showing signs of stress on his body.
His heart rate has increased to nearly 80 beats per minute, and his core temperature has dropped two full degrees, indicating his internal organs are affected.
Meanwhile, the ice man's temperature has remained stable.
[ Laughs .]
Coming up on three minutes.
Five minutes.
Six minutes.
Wim is still at 98.
6 degrees fahrenheit.
His heart rate's at 72 beats per minute.
You doing okay? Trying to stay calm.
Trying to regulate my breathing.
Jael: Controlled, regulated breathing can help Austin keep his heart rate steady, which is vital to maintain a constant body temperature because without proper blood circulation, frostbite or even massive heart failure can occur.
Okay, seven minutes.
Approaching 12 minutes.
Coming up on the 15-minute mark.
Okay, 97.
7 on Austin.
Guys, we just passed Austin's temperature is going erratic.
He's starting to shiver a little bit.
He's down to 97, 96.
Now Austin is up against this seemingly superhuman ice man and is submerged in ice.
His vital signs are already showing signs of stress, and his core temperature has dropped.
Meanwhile, the ice man's temperature has remained stable.
Your temperature, Austin, is pretty erratic.
It's going up and down, up and down.
He's down to 97, 96.
At this point in time, I think it's best to get him out.
Coming up on 18 minutes, Austin.
Good job.
Okay.
Now, the medic and the team are actually trying to get me out of this ice bath 'cause I'm starting to suffer from complications, but I was able to withstand, and I actually held out and made it to the 20-minute mark.
Wow.
No way.
Nice.
Seriously? The problem is the longer you're in there, I literally started getting these sharp, shooting pains in my internal organs.
So it wasn't even the cold that was hurting, it was the fact that I felt like I was suffering from internal damage.
But when I got out, you guys have got to see the thermal image we took of my body.
Oh, my gosh.
Check this out.
Jael: Check this out.
That blue is the lower half [ Laughter .]
Oh, my God.
of Austin's body.
You guys, the blue indicates that my external body temperature was at 40 degrees.
Okay, that's eight degrees away from freezing.
Austin, Yeah.
Thank you.
[ Laughs .]
Man! Now, Wim was still in the tank.
But amazingly, his body temperature was still 98.
6.
The ice man did show us right before our very eyes that he can withstand extreme cold temperatures.
Ben: So, some people believe there's nothing superhuman about it at all and that any physically fit adult could replicate such an experiment.
If you guys, for a moment, think this wasn't dangerous well, look what happened to my feet.
Bill: Oh! Yeah.
That's just 10 minutes on the ice barefoot.
That's like first-degree frostbite.
Wow.
When we were pulled off the rink, we actually both had our vitals checked and found out we were suffering from the first stages of hypothermia.
I mean, the ice man has been able to maintain his core temperature in these freezing conditions.
This is one tough guy.
But does that make him superhuman? Well, you know, the doctor we consulted with said what Wim does is not normal, so I guess we could say it's paranormal.
I have to agree with you, Ben.
At this point, I think he really has found a way to use mind over matter.
Wim Hof, paranormal? Fact.
Bill: Well, you guys did a great job.
Yeah, awesome case, you guys.
"paranormal files" No way! Austin: They call him the ice man for having this crazy ability to withstand temperatures so cold that it would literally stop the average person's heart from beating.
This is an absolute medical phenomenon.
This is really, really dangerous.
The most aggressive poltergeist case ever.
Devin: Whoa! Okay, but we don't have any accurate points of reference.
The whole premise is that this is a trail.
Right, but it's a theory.
Your core temperature's already dropped.
As that process starts, it's very painful.
As that process ends, you're dead.
Oh, my God! Oh, my goodness! There's a flying saucer.
I'm getting a series of lights right there.
Are you seeing what I am seeing? What the heck is happening? [ Indistinct talking .]
Hey, hey, hey! How are you? It's good to see you.
Hey, what's happening? Oh, not much.
Hey.
So, why don't we jump right into it? Bill, how would you like to kick us off? Sure.
Glad to.
Now, I have a fascinating clip, and if it's genuine, this would be one of the greatest paranormal videos of all time.
Wow.
Lanisha: Okay.
Yeah.
Now, in July 2010, Diane cosby was staying with a friend while she was house hunting.
Now, Diane, who was sleeping in the basement, kept waking up with these mysterious bruises up and down her leg.
Now, she was mystified and a little afraid, and so she had a friend set up a camera to record her while she was sleeping.
Here's what they saw the next morning when they reviewed the footage.
Take a look at what's gonna happen, though.
Devin: Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Whoa.
Wow.
What? Is she levitating right now? She came off the bed! We're talking full body levitation.
I mean, I was blown away when I saw this clip, and Diane reports that she remembers nothing unusual at all.
Wow.
Now, some people are calling this the most aggressive poltergeist case ever.
Well, yeah.
I mean, this case is black and white for me.
Either an unknown force is levitating this woman for real, or it's an outright hoax.
I'm having trouble with what I'm seeing here.
Do you guys notice the scan lines? Ben: Yeah.
Well, a modern camera wouldn't exhibit those scan lines.
Ben: Lanisha, you make a good point.
But still, the video is very compelling, and I think there's good backstory, things we could do with it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
I say we put it on the top of our list, definitely.
Great case.
Okay? All right, guys, I have a video for you today.
It comes all the way from the big island of Hawaii.
Now, two brothers, tom and don, both military men, captured this video of a UFO.
Flying over the big island of Hawaii.
The interesting thing is that the UFO is metallic in nature but also completely silent, according to the witnesses.
Now, take a look at this.
Interesting.
Lanisha: Okay.
Ben: What the Oh.
Hmm.
That is an odd shape.
The shape is irregular, too.
I mean, it's not smooth and symmetrical like the other saucer videos that we've seen.
Right.
The shape is one of my favorite things about it.
I can't tell if it's changing shape or if it just has weird attachments on the UFO.
Yeah.
Well, do we know how long this sighting lasted? Well, yes.
Witnesses said that it lasted for over an hour, but their camera battery died.
So that's why our video clip is so short.
What I find really interesting about this video is that if this was CG, hoaxed in some sort of computer-graphic way, that image is extremely difficult to track.
I agree with you, Devin.
I don't think it is CG.
Look when the craft passes behind his head.
You can see it fade through the blur of his hair.
So, watch what happens.
So, the camera's moving Oh.
Lanisha: Whoa! Right.
Now, look at that.
That would be really difficult to do because not only do you have the fade to contend with, you have some feathering you'd have to do.
I think it's more likely that we're looking at a physical object in the sky here.
This is either a genuine UFO or this is misidentification.
Yeah.
That's a good catch, bill.
This is my issue with the video.
You're seeing a UFO.
Your camera battery died? You're telling me with two people neither one of them possibly had a camera to continue recording what they're seeing? That, to me, is an issue.
Okay.
Well, I am a little suspicious.
Why don't you see if you can find out more about the witnesses and the video.
I mean, if it was there for an hour, maybe they have more to this.
Okay.
I can do that.
Guys, I know that we've seen sasquatch videos before, but have we ever really looked at a good yeti case? No.
No.
Well, we have this mysterious video.
It comes from a couple who were reportedly hiking in the himalayas, the home of the abominable snowman, or the yeti.
[ Gasps .]
Now, if this is true, this could be a major discovery.
All right.
The abominable snowman! Now, you'll see a hiker on the left-hand side.
They notice something in the distance, right out there.
Oh.
Oh.
Bill: Oh, whoa.
Yeah, I see.
There's a second section where they see it sitting in a valley floor.
It gets up and starts to walk away.
Look how huge it is.
So, who's to say this isn't just one of the hikers in their company? I mean, they could just be hoaxing this whole thing.
Devin: Well, let's look at the facts here, you guys.
If you take a look at this video, it looks like there's actually a hiker's trail here.
Jael: Oh, I see that.
Okay? Now, the average person, when traveling through the snow, makes a path of about two feet wide.
If this track here is an average hiker, using that as a reference point, Jeff Meldrum, the noted cryptozoologist, estimates this supposed yeti to be 8 to 10 feet tall.
I don't think this is a person.
Thanks for having my back, Dev.
Right, but we don't have any accurate points of reference because we don't really know how big that trail is, and we don't really know how tall those trees are or how big those rocks are.
So, how could we make an accurate point of reference? That's the premise, though.
The premise is that this is a trail and it probably was created by a hiker.
Right, but it's a theory.
Ben, has the videographer given a statement about this clip? No.
I haven't been able to talk to them yet.
Because, I mean, if this is an anonymous video and we can't interview the videographer, to me, it doesn't make sense to go all the way up to the himalayas to investigate this, as much as I would like to do so.
I agree with you, bill.
I don't think we have anything to start with.
Well, fair enough.
I thought it was interesting.
Finding this particular location would be difficult.
Yeah.
So, maybe we should shelf it for now.
All right, guys.
As long as we're on firsts for "fact or faked," I think I found us a literal superhuman.
This guy Wim Hof is famous all over the world for having this crazy ability to withstand temperatures so cold that it would literally stop the average person's heart from beating.
They call him the ice man.
Check this out.
Right here, he's running barefoot, no shirt, with nothing besides shorts and a beanie on.
He's running a half marathon above the arctic circle, okay? Here's another one where he does, in front of a lot of people in public -- he's sitting fully submerged in ice, setting a world record.
He literally holds over 20 world records that push his body to the brink and back.
Devin: Wow.
Jael: Wow.
Yeah.
It's insane.
This is pretty impressive, but this has to be dangerous, right? Does he ever get hurt? This is where it gets pretty unbelievable.
Wim does all this without sustaining any injury, literally leaving the medical community just fascinated.
He seems to have this superhuman ability, to just crank up his core temperature, that seriously defies science.
I mean, this guy is extremely popular, and if he's hoaxing this, he's fooling millions of people.
I really like this case.
I mean, we haven't done anything else like this before.
You guys, I know this case is a little outside the box and it would definitely be a "fact or faked" first, but what's paranormal? I mean, paranormal's anything that lies outside of a simple scientific explanation, and this guy is definitely defying science.
Very true.
Yeah, and he's willing to not only meet with us but come and possibly do some of this for us.
I mean, this meets everything that we need.
Okay.
Well, guys, time to vote.
Thinking about levitating woman, I think we can come up with some pretty awesome experiments.
I'm definitely in for that.
If we're talking about poltergeists and levitations, that's the case I want to go on.
I'd like to try something different.
Ice man.
That's what I'm talking about.
I'm with Jael.
I want to challenge the ice man and find out if this guy's superhuman or what's going on.
I can't help it.
I want to see if we can make a woman float out of a bed.
All right, guys, well, it looks like Austin, you brought us ice man.
Why don't Jael and I go with you on that one.
Yes! And bill, Devin, and Lanisha, why don't you guys do the levitating woman and see if you can replicate this amazing video.
All right.
Sounds good.
Perfect.
Let's do this.
Bill: All right, guys, here we are -- Atlanta, Georgia, to investigate a really strange case.
In July of 2010, Diane cosby had moved here from Michigan and was staying with a friend, Jo Mari Burnicke, while she was looking for a place of her own.
Right.
But then Diane started waking up to find mysterious bruises all over her body, and being concerned, she set up a camera to monitor her sleep.
Now, when Jo Mari and Diane reviewed the footage the next day, they were shocked to see Diane's entire body just completely lift off the bed.
She levitated off the mattress.
Devin: I mean, understandably, both women were completely shocked by the video.
Given the sensitive nature of their case, both Jo Mari and Diane were reluctant to tell their story, but we're on our way right now to go and talk to them both and get their firsthand account.
[ Knock on door .]
Burnicke: Hi.
Bill: Jo Mari? Yes.
Come on in.
Hi.
You must be Diane.
I'm Diane.
Bill: I'm bill.
Nice to meet you.
Hi.
Nice to meet you.
Hi.
Nice to meet you.
This is Lanisha, and this is Devin.
Hi.
We would love to see the room where you shot the video.
Okay.
It's right this way.
Okay.
We'll follow you.
As you can see now, it's an office, but it was an extra bedroom when Diane was staying here.
So, what sort of experiences did you have in this house after you moved in? Just little things I would think had moved, hearing noises, and then I started waking up with bruises, and I just never felt like I rested.
It was, like, an ongoing thing.
Jo Mari, have you experienced anything similar? Well, there was this one time that I woke up and I had scratches down my back.
Now, how long did you stay here in this house with waking up with bruises? I was here for about two months total.
I left when I seen the video.
Has anything similar to what you experienced here happened now that you moved? Not at all.
Everything's been absolutely calm.
Diane, what type of camera did you use to shoot the video? Actually, it's right behind you.
Oh, okay, great.
So, this is just a little mini DV camera with, like, a night shot or night vision.
Exactly.
You had it mounted on a tripod, right? Yes.
It was on a tripod.
And do you mind if we use it for our tests? No.
Go ahead.
Absolutely.
This video is really -- it's incredible.
And it's hard maybe for some people to believe, so how would you respond to those people? If it hadn't happened to me, I don't know what I would think.
Just watching it, it's just so crazy.
You just have to believe it.
It happened.
It's real.
It's freaky.
I have a question for you guys.
Okay.
Now, did you hoax this video in any way? No.
Not at all.
Okay.
We really appreciate your time.
Thank you.
Okay.
Thank you.
All right.
You know what? Let's look at this video again because I can't think of a natural explanation for what we're seeing here.
Devin: Bill, I completely agree with you.
Either she's levitating and this is actual evidence of the supernatural, or it's a complete hoax.
Lanisha: All right, guys.
So, obviously, the room has changed since the night the video was shot.
So we're definitely gonna have to get it back.
So, what do you guys say? Let's go grab our gear and get everything started.
All right.
Let's get to work.
Sounds good.
All right.
All right.
Devin: For our experiments, we decided to build a custom bed with a foam mattress 'cause that gives us a little bit more flexibility with actually cutting the mattress, but when we're done, it's gonna look just like a regular bed.
Okay.
So, everything's in place.
Guys, for our first experiment, we're gonna start with an illusion that was made extremely popular by the movie "the matrix.
" The actors would put their foot inside of a large boot, and then a contraption would go up their leg underneath their pants and it would allow them to kind of swirl back like that without falling over.
Okay, but we're gonna have to make a few modifications because as you can see in the video, Diane's legs are fully exposed.
So we can't hide it with a pant leg.
Right.
We got some welding to do, so let's take it outside.
All right.
This 48-inch steel beam is going to act as a lever and raise Lanisha up.
This is where she'll sit, and this is the off-camera handle right here that will help support her.
Now, this beam is gonna run along her inner thigh, hidden, off camera, and this little plate here is where she can put her foot to help her support herself.
Now, this eyelet is gonna be connected to the cable system, which is gonna run through a pulley all the way to the winch.
When the winch is turned on, it's gonna lift the lever, and Lani's gonna levitate.
All right.
So, let me go get changed up, and then I'll be ready to go.
Okay.
All right.
It's ready.
Need? Bill: You guys ready for this? Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
Let's go green.
All right, guys.
This camera is now recording.
All right, Lanisha.
You ready? I'm ready, bill.
Okay.
You're in position.
Devin, are you ready? Ready.
All right.
Devin, on three Two One.
Start the winch.
[ Laughs .]
Whoa! Let's go green.
Bill: We're testing a hoax scenario.
Lanisha will be the subject of a levitation experiment, Devin's gonna be operating the winch, and I'll be controlling the camera.
If this is how the levitation effect was achieved, we'll know soon enough.
All right.
Devin, on three Two One.
Start the winch.
[ Laughs .]
Whoa! Lower the winch.
Lanisha, start tilting your head back up towards the pillow.
We are good.
Lani, you okay? I'm good.
[ Chuckles .]
Bill, how'd it look? It looked pretty good, but we need to do a comparison.
Okay.
Let's check it out.
All right.
Lanisha, can you hit the light? Was it difficult? It was really hard 'cause you see the bar, how thin that is? Yeah.
Just trying to keep my balance on it.
But let's check it out.
Okay.
Look, look, look.
Here we go.
She's taking off.
Oh, okay.
Look at that.
Oh, that's not bad.
I can tell that you're having to work your muscles.
You don't have that at all in the original video.
Yeah.
With the original video, the movement is really fluid and really smooth, and here with me, it did get a little, you know, mechanical 'cause I was losing my balance.
You know, I can think of a few modifications that we could make to this experiment and make it more of a lifting action rather than a lever action.
So let's learn from our observations and retool this setup.
All right.
All right.
All right, guys, you know, our first experiment was promising, but the leg lever required a lot of muscle control for you to maintain balance, even with the winch helping.
And I could see that on camera.
Yeah.
Exactly.
It was really hard to maintain that sleepy look that we see from Diane in her footage.
Yep.
I mean, we really need to do something that you're not gonna strain as much.
Yeah.
So, this time, we're gonna do a take on a magician's illusion, okay? It's a cantilever arm that essentially is gonna lift you straight up and down.
It'll be a lot smoother, hopefully, than our first experiment.
Okay.
Cool.
Sounds good.
Have good spot welds along this edge.
This is where she'll lay, so you need one These bolts are gonna go into the base that Lani's building.
All right, guys.
Let's test this thing out.
Devin: These are gonna go in here.
So, it's gonna be like this -- levitate and descend.
That's right.
Pretty easy for you.
Nice.
All right.
Let's do this.
Bill: The magician's arm is a simple device which consists of a platform, a metal arm, and a sturdy base.
Lanisha will drape herself over the platform.
The metal arm will be over the bed, but obscured by her body.
Devin will operate the winch, which would levitate Lanisha, mimicking the levitation of Diane.
All right.
Lower down.
Go ahead.
Give it a test.
This is our extended platform system in place.
And the eyelet here in the back is connected to a steel wire which runs through a pulley system all the way to the winch.
When the winch is activated, the cable is pulled, and up goes the lift.
And Lanisha levitates.
Will you grab the light? Okay.
Winch is ready.
Okay.
Lanisha, you set? I'm in position, bill, and I'm good to go.
All right.
So, on three Two One.
Start winch! [ Grinding .]
Keep that left leg tucked in.
Okay, start the descent.
Keep going, Devin.
This is looking good.
Lani, you okay? I'm good.
[ Chuckles .]
All right.
Let's see side by side.
Look at that! There we go.
There we go.
All right, that looks good.
The levitation is good.
You got the arch down pat.
A little bit of a hesitation right there.
See, that's the problem that I'm still having.
Just like in the last experiment, the movement of the lever isn't fluid enough.
Yeah.
You know, I mean, I'm really happy with the way that you rise up, the form that you take when you hit the peak, but you're right.
You've still got this wobble push, and I think that's the problem, is that we keep on pushing you from up underneath, and it's causing a lot of pressure and tension.
We need to pull you from your chest.
Exactly.
And just fluidly bring you forward.
Just let my body just hang, just like we see in the original video.
Even though this is an improvement over the previous test, it's still a single point that we're depending on for your stability, and it's lacking.
I think we need multiple anchor points.
Yeah.
All right.
Let's step it up.
Let's try something a little bit more challenging.
Let me get changed up once again and I'll come back and we'll get our next experiment going.
Okay? All right.
All right, guys, I think we can set up this next test to address the issues we had with the previous test.
By using a flywire harness, I mean, a wrap around your body, we could lift you, which would seem like you're levitating, as opposed to pushing you up.
Yep.
That would be a lot smoother.
The flywire would do most of the work, so all I have to do is just lean back and just maintain that same body orientation that Diane did in the original video.
Let's get our material.
All right.
Okay.
Let's go.
Help me, bill? Yeah.
Lanisha: Okay.
Got it, bill? Yep.
All right, guys, we got three more of these, some pulleys, and some cross beams to get, so let's get started.
We're gonna have a square rig system on the top and two cross support beams, and that's where all of our wires are gonna hang from.
I think we're good to go.
We can start threading our cables.
Devin: Sounds good.
Lanisha: Nice work.
All right.
This is what's gonna be connected to your harness.
We'll just take the shackle on here and feed it through.
And that's what's gonna hold you up.
Nice.
We got a couple more to make, though.
All right.
[ Chuckles .]
Okay.
So, we're good here.
So, this is the rail system that we've built to lift Lanisha.
She'll lay in this harness, which is connected to these wires that feed through a series of pulleys and lead all the way back to our counterweight system here at the end.
Now, we're gonna attach a 60-pound weight to this, so that way we can make sure we can levitate and drop Lanisha at a very smooth and slow rate.
Devin: All right.
So, this is gonna be your back support and your brace.
Go ahead and lay down.
Oh, this is good.
Okay.
All right, bill.
We want to thread these, actually, through the holes in her shirt.
Bill: You know what? The good thing is this shirt is actually loose enough that I think people really won't be able to detect that there's wires coming through it so obviously.
Okay, Lanisha, is the harness comfortable? Give it a little tug.
That's perfect.
Devin: All right.
All right, Devin, why don't you go to the counterweight system.
I'm gonna go to the camera, let's get this framed up, and it's time for you to levitate.
All right.
Sounds good.
I'll hit the lights.
So, Dev, let me help you real quick with the counterweight.
All right, lani, you're gonna have about 60 pounds pulling up on you right now, okay? All right.
You ready? I'm good to go.
[ Laughs .]
And open.
Lock it.
All right.
Let me get back to the vantage point.
We're ready.
Standing by.
Okay, we're now rolling on this.
Three Two One.
Levitate! Bill: Lanisha is rigged up in a flywire harness and is ready to go.
Devin is gonna be operating a counterweight pulley system which can levitate Lanisha a little more smoothly.
Let's see if this replicates what we see in the original video.
Devin: Standing by.
Okay, we're now rolling on this.
Three Two One.
Levitate! Whoa! Ben: What's going on? Good to see you again.
Still worn out from the case, yeah.
First of all, I want to hear about a levitating woman in Atlanta.
Due to the fact that we couldn't think of one natural explanation for what we're seeing in the video, we decided to test hoax scenarios.
So we decided that a fly harness would work best.
We built a steel cube that was 10 feet tall with crossbeams across the top so we could fly her up.
Take a look at what we got.
Wow.
As far as movement goes, that's perfect.
Positioning's great, movement's great, everything's fluid, but wires are very obvious.
And, you know, that is something that we noticed, as well.
Lanisha made an observation when we first saw this video that there were scan lines, but we also noticed some unusual artifacting in the original video.
So, possible video manipulation at hand, here.
We did a little video manipulation ourselves, and we got a very interesting result.
Take a look at this.
All right.
Ben: All right.
No way! Wow.
Oh, wow.
That looks good.
I'm seeing no wires.
Lanisha: Exactly.
Look at what a little editing can do.
Just because we used this framing rig that we built doesn't mean that that's exactly what they used for the original clip.
We found out that at the time the original video was shot, the ceiling was not yet closed in, so there was exposed beams.
So they easily could have rigged up a flywire harness to those exposed beams before the ceiling was closed.
Now, given the success of our experiments, it called into question their testimony.
So we subjected the testimony of Diane to layered voice analysis.
Listen to this.
Cosby: If it hadn't happened to me, I don't know what I would think.
Just watching it, it's just so crazy.
Now, the LVA indicates heightened levels of stress and deception, which points to a hoax scenario.
What do you guys think? What's the verdict? I think we replicated the video, and I think maybe they just wanted the attention.
I'm gonna have to say that the original case is faked.
I'm gonna say hoaxed.
Given your experiments and the LVA, I'm gonna have to go with faked.
This video -- faked.
Ben: [ Chuckles .]
Very challenging case you had there, but the experiments you came out with -- excellent job.
Bill: Thanks.
So, tell us.
Did your investigation into ice man reveal any superhuman abilities? Well, as you remember, we stayed here in L.
A.
And met up with Wim Hof, the dutchman known around the world as the ice man, and we wanted to find out, is he really superhuman? So we put him to the test.
Take a look.
We're here in Los Angeles investigating a man who many believe has a superhuman capability to withstand temperatures so cold, so freezing that they would kill the average person.
Girl: Whoa! Jael: Well, guys, before we meet with the ice man himself, we're gonna go meet with Dr.
Bassil Aish.
He's really familiar with the ice man, and I think it'll be good to get some insights as to what the body is capable of in these extreme temperatures.
Well, this is Dr.
Aish's office here.
You guys ready to have a talk with him? Let's go meet him.
All right.
Hi, Dr.
aish.
I'm Ben.
This is Austin and Jael.
How you doing? Hi.
Jael: Hi.
Nice to meet you.
We understand that you can help us fill in some blanks with Wim Hof and try to understand his physiology.
Yeah.
Wim is an incredible guy.
I can't figure him out.
What are some of the extreme risks of the average person going and trying to just jump into an ice bath? The first risk is cold shock -- that they will immediately go into the bath and their heart will stop.
The second risk is pain.
When you jump into an ice-temperature bath, immediately, every nerve in your body reacts.
That hurts.
Because the blood vessels have muscles in them themselves, can they be conditioned, like any other muscle, to be able to constrict quicker or easier without the pain? I mean, that is an awesome point.
It appears that Wim has just been able to condition his blood-vessel constriction response with his brain.
It actually defies the laws of biology.
We'll just talk a little bit about hypothermia.
What are the stages and the signs as it progresses? Normal core temperatures are core temperatures between approximately so the first stages of hypothermia start at core temperatures below 95 degrees.
The signs of that are your heart rate increases up to about 100, 120.
When you get to core temperatures at about 92, 93 degrees, even lower, then you start to get to organ failure.
As that process starts, it's very painful.
As that process ends, you're dead.
We'll keep that in mind.
Thank you.
All right.
Thanks so much, doctor.
Well, a lot of people believe that it's not possible for a human being to withstand being submerged in a container full of ice the way the ice man has, so skeptics believe that his stunt is just that -- a stunt.
Austin: I say we start with our first test, seeing if we can fake the ice man's dangerous submersion in ice.
Well, check this out.
This is polysorb II.
Looks like breadcrumbs, doesn't it? But what happens when you throw it in here And we add some water to it Look at that.
Wow.
It really looks like ice.
Well, if we're gonna fill this, we're gonna need a lot more of that.
And we do have a whole lot more, if you want to help me.
Okay.
I think this ought to fill her up.
Yeah.
All right, guys.
I'm setting up our camera.
Austin, you can play the role of the ice man.
All right.
I'm getting changed.
And Ben, I will help you fill up our tank with fake ice once this is ready.
Okay.
And once the vat is full, we can put a layer of real ice on the top of it.
That way on camera, we can show ourselves, you know, taking the temperature reading and it will actually read cold 'cause it's just the top layer.
Why don't you jump in there.
Jael: All right.
We're about to see if the ice man's apparent ability to withstand freezing cold temperature is nothing more than an illusion using fake ice.
Jael: All right.
It's time for the real ice, huh? Let's take a thermometer reading here.
How does it feel? All right, guys.
I think we got it.
Looks good.
I mean, you're the same distance from the tank.
You got the interaction of us putting it in there.
As far as looking like I'm in ice, I definitely think we could fool the average person.
And this is, you know, a demonstration in the middle of a New York street with many spectators.
And it would just take one of those people up close to see something they shouldn't have, and the whole thing would be a bust.
I think it's time that we move on to a test with real ice and real danger.
I'm in.
Yeah.
So, guys, for our next experiment, we're gonna test ourselves and see if we can replicate one of the ice man's most famous endurance feats.
To me, one of the accomplishments the ice man did that stands out among the rest was when he ran a half marathon barefoot north of the arctic circle.
Ben: Not only was he barefoot, but he was wearing just shorts.
Well, I think it's time we push ourselves to the limit, Ben.
Let's see how long we can run on this rink on 11-degree-temperature ice wearing only shorts.
I say in order to really replicate the same conditions that Wim ran in, we throw on these cooling ice vests.
Those are the ones that they use for soldiers that are out in the heat of the desert.
Adding these vests -- that's gonna be cold.
So, while you guys are out there, we'll be monitoring your heart rates.
I'll also have a stopwatch to time how long you can actually last before you need to come back in.
And, you know, remember that this is really quite dangerous, so we'll have our medic standing by just in case.
Okay.
That works.
I hope we don't have to use you.
Laumann: Me, too.
[ Chuckles .]
All right, why don't you guys go change, and when you get back, we'll hook up your heart monitors and put on those ice vests.
All right.
This is gonna be freezing.
[ Laughs .]
Jael: Military-grade ice vests will help simulate the subzero temperatures of the ice man's arctic circle run.
To avoid the onset of potentially fatal hypothermia during the test run, Ben and Austin will need to run fast enough to maintain their core body temperature above 95 degrees fahrenheit.
Laumann: All right, so, what we're gonna do is put a heart-rate monitor on you guys so we can kind of trend what's going on with your heart with the cold temperature.
We have really no idea how it's gonna go.
We're gonna monitor your core body temperature and see how that changes in transit, as well.
Jael: Here's your ice vest.
Oh, yeah.
That's a little chilly.
Ready to do this, buddy? Yeah, I'm ready.
Jael: All right, guys.
And three Two One.
Begin polar run! Whoo-hoo! I never expected it would be so painful right off the bat.
You're coming up on one minute.
My feet already feel like blades, shards of glass.
Breathe, guys.
Try and focus.
Two minutes.
It's not my core that's the problem.
It's my feet.
My body itself is actually not too bad, but the very bottoms of my feet I can't feel anymore.
Coming up on four minutes.
The numbness is spreading like anesthesia.
It, like, starts at the bottom and then just creeps up from the sole.
Jael: At this point, Ben is in the early stages of first-degree frostbite.
The cold from the ice rink is actually beginning to freeze Ben's skin, and if it's left untreated, it could lead to permanent damage.
And you've reached nine minutes.
The pads of my feet have turned, like, ice.
Okay.
Like, like, hard as rocks.
Let's go ahead and call it.
All right.
Guys, we're gonna bring you back in.
That's definitely a little bit of cause for worry.
All right.
That is pretty remarkable.
Let's get you warmed up first.
Let's get that vest off.
You guys did really good.
We're almost done, and then we can get you dressed again.
temperature as of right now, so that's a mild hypothermia is what we're looking at.
Let's get you in front of the heating fan.
So, the guys ran for 10 minutes and 42 seconds, which is pretty remarkable.
But in reality, it's a far cry from the 2 hours and 16 minutes that the ice man ran his barefoot half marathon in.
How you feeling? It was weird because my core didn't really ever feel like it was cold.
It was my feet that started to get a sensation of water squishing inside, and that didn't feel right.
Oh, that does not sound right.
We have to understand we're competing against a world-record holder who's been doing this for years.
I think it's just the fact that he's been conditioning himself for so long, his body's adapted to be able to do that kind of extreme activity.
If the ability to maintain your core temperature is possible, I want to know how he regulates it.
I think that now we should go meet the ice man and challenge him one on one to see how we do.
I'd love to be the one to challenge him.
The challenge is all yours.
You can take it.
[ Laughter .]
Let's pack up, guys.
All right.
Okay.
Jael: This clip of supposed UFOs in the sky over Dubai has become an online sensation.
Nick Wilty, the videographer, was on vacation when he caught this video of oval-shaped crafts hovering in the sky.
But are these UFOs fact or faked? The answer coming up.
Jael: While in Dubai, a man on vacation captured video of these supposed extraterrestrial craft in the sky.
But are these UFOs fact or faked? Faked.
Look closely.
The UFOs don't move in relation to each other, a tip-off that these UFOs are nothing more than light fixtures on a ceiling painted to match the sky.
We're about to meet with Wim Hof, the ice man himself.
We're gonna ask him how he learned to deal with temperatures so cold that it would kill the average person.
Nice to meet you.
I'm Ben.
Nice to meet you, too.
This is Austin and Jael.
Nice to meet you, Wim.
When did you first start to experiment with these extreme temperatures that would kill the average person? Now, what specifically does your body do in order to regulate your internal thermostat? Now, if the temperature of the rest of your skin is lowering close to zero, aren't you in danger of, you know, getting frostbite? Have you ever suffered damage like that? So, do you believe in the existence of superhumans? Now, did you bring your superhuman capabilities with you today? 'Cause I'd like to face off against you for a mano-a-mano ice bath competition.
I'm about to challenge the ice man himself.
[ Cheers and applause .]
We're gonna find out how my vitals stack up against his when submerged in a giant bucket of ice water.
We have over 1,000 pounds of ice that we're combining with water.
Now, personally, I'd rather be in pure ice.
This water will make you lose your body temperature faster, so we'll see how long Austin lasts.
All right, guys.
Wim and I are suited up, ready to go.
We'll let the battle begin in just a minute.
Let's get your vitals and get your baseline readings, then we'll go.
It's gonna go under your tongue.
Pulse is 72.
How you feeling? Feeling good.
Good.
Okay.
Core temperature.
He's alive, huh? He's alive, yeah.
What about pulse? Okay, Matt.
Here's the summary.
Looking at that, how do you think they compare? It looks right about where would we see it as far as a normal baseline.
All right.
You're signed off medically.
Austin: Now that we have Wim's vitals and compared them against my own, there's only one thing left to do, and that's get in the ice.
I'm gonna see if I can get even close to Wim's seemingly superhuman ability to withstand the cold.
Polar plunge in three Two One.
The time starts as soon as you're in.
[ Moans .]
Clock has begun.
I'd better sit down? Why is it better to sit? Okay.
Your heart rate's definitely going up.
Get ready for our first reading coming up.
This is really interesting, Austin.
Your core temperature's already dropped.
One minute.
Okay.
96.
2.
Jael: Wow.
Core temperature on Wim? He's still at 98.
6.
What's the reading on the pulse? Pulse is 72.
Austin, you are at 78.
Jael: Austin has been in the ice for just over a minute, and his vital signs are already showing signs of stress on his body.
His heart rate has increased to nearly 80 beats per minute, and his core temperature has dropped two full degrees, indicating his internal organs are affected.
Meanwhile, the ice man's temperature has remained stable.
[ Laughs .]
Coming up on three minutes.
Five minutes.
Six minutes.
Wim is still at 98.
6 degrees fahrenheit.
His heart rate's at 72 beats per minute.
You doing okay? Trying to stay calm.
Trying to regulate my breathing.
Jael: Controlled, regulated breathing can help Austin keep his heart rate steady, which is vital to maintain a constant body temperature because without proper blood circulation, frostbite or even massive heart failure can occur.
Okay, seven minutes.
Approaching 12 minutes.
Coming up on the 15-minute mark.
Okay, 97.
7 on Austin.
Guys, we just passed Austin's temperature is going erratic.
He's starting to shiver a little bit.
He's down to 97, 96.
Now Austin is up against this seemingly superhuman ice man and is submerged in ice.
His vital signs are already showing signs of stress, and his core temperature has dropped.
Meanwhile, the ice man's temperature has remained stable.
Your temperature, Austin, is pretty erratic.
It's going up and down, up and down.
He's down to 97, 96.
At this point in time, I think it's best to get him out.
Coming up on 18 minutes, Austin.
Good job.
Okay.
Now, the medic and the team are actually trying to get me out of this ice bath 'cause I'm starting to suffer from complications, but I was able to withstand, and I actually held out and made it to the 20-minute mark.
Wow.
No way.
Nice.
Seriously? The problem is the longer you're in there, I literally started getting these sharp, shooting pains in my internal organs.
So it wasn't even the cold that was hurting, it was the fact that I felt like I was suffering from internal damage.
But when I got out, you guys have got to see the thermal image we took of my body.
Oh, my gosh.
Check this out.
Jael: Check this out.
That blue is the lower half [ Laughter .]
Oh, my God.
of Austin's body.
You guys, the blue indicates that my external body temperature was at 40 degrees.
Okay, that's eight degrees away from freezing.
Austin, Yeah.
Thank you.
[ Laughs .]
Man! Now, Wim was still in the tank.
But amazingly, his body temperature was still 98.
6.
The ice man did show us right before our very eyes that he can withstand extreme cold temperatures.
Ben: So, some people believe there's nothing superhuman about it at all and that any physically fit adult could replicate such an experiment.
If you guys, for a moment, think this wasn't dangerous well, look what happened to my feet.
Bill: Oh! Yeah.
That's just 10 minutes on the ice barefoot.
That's like first-degree frostbite.
Wow.
When we were pulled off the rink, we actually both had our vitals checked and found out we were suffering from the first stages of hypothermia.
I mean, the ice man has been able to maintain his core temperature in these freezing conditions.
This is one tough guy.
But does that make him superhuman? Well, you know, the doctor we consulted with said what Wim does is not normal, so I guess we could say it's paranormal.
I have to agree with you, Ben.
At this point, I think he really has found a way to use mind over matter.
Wim Hof, paranormal? Fact.
Bill: Well, you guys did a great job.
Yeah, awesome case, you guys.