Hosted by archaeologist Michael Arbuthnot, UnderGround features independently minded archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, and science renegades on controversial topics and themes such as early complex cultures, unexpected finds, ancient migrations, diffusion, and ancient technology.
Did ancient China and other Old World civilizations reach America before Columbus? Pioneering archaeologist and anthropologist Alice Beck Kehoe, Ph.D., examines the controversial evidence for pre-Columbian culture contact, trans-Pacific voyages, and connections between the ancient Old World and New World.Kehoe reflects on her boundary-breaking career, including decades of work with Indigenous communities and her role as an early voice in Feminist Archaeology. She explains how academic gatekeeping and archaeology’s “fortress mentality” can determine which theories are seriously investigated—and why researchers who challenge accepted history often face professional resistance.The conversation explores ancient seafaring, possible contact between Asia and Mesoamerica, and theories involving the Olmec and Maya. Kehoe also considers the Newport Tower, Kensington Runestone, wheeled toys found in Mesoamerica, Old World animal imagery, and other archaeological mysteries that have fueled debate over who may have reached America before Columbus.The episode also examines Viking and Norse exploration, ancient China, cultural diffusion, and whether ideas and technologies could have traveled across the oceans in both directions. Rather than relying on one artifact as definitive proof, Kehoe argues that archaeology should remain open to cumulative evidence and the possibility of a more interconnected ancient world.Alice Beck Kehoe is the author of Traveling Prehistoric Seas: Critical Thinking on Ancient Transoceanic Voyages.Subscribe to UnderGround for more evidence-based archaeology and ancient mysteries that challenge conventional narratives!#Archaeology (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/archaeology) #BeforeColumbus (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/beforecolumbus) #PreColumbian (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/precolumbian) #AncientChina (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/ancientchina) #Mesoamerica (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/mesoamerica) #AncientHistory
23 Jun 2026
Lost City of the Monkey God: Steve Elkins
Explorer, filmmaker, and adventurer Steve Elkins joins UnderGround to tell the extraordinary story behind the discovery of the legendary Lost City of the Monkey God deep within the remote jungles of Honduras.In this episode, Elkins discusses the legend of the White City (AKA, the Lost City of the Monkey God), the pioneering use of LiDAR technology to reveal hidden archaeological sites beneath dense rainforest canopy, the dangers of exploring the Mosquito Coast, encounters with deadly diseases and wildlife, and the archaeological discoveries that transformed our understanding of ancient civilizations in Central America.The conversation explores lost cities, jungle exploration, ancient Honduras, the Lost City of the Monkey God, LiDAR archaeology, unexplored ruins, the Explorers Club, prehistoric migrations, bone tools, trans-Pacific contact theories, scientific discovery, and the enduring human quest to uncover forgotten worlds.#lostcity (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lostcity) #monkeygod (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/monkeygod) #honduras (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/honduras) #archaeology (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/archaeology) #exploration (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/exploration) #lidar (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lidar) #whitecity (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/whitecity) #ancientcivilizations (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/ancientcivilizations) #discovery (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/discovery)
13 Jun 2026
Unraveling Monte Verde: Dr. Todd Surovell
Archaeologist Todd Surovell, Ph.D., has dropped a bomb on the American archaeological establishment, arguing that Monte Verde in Chile may not be pre-Clovis after all and that the long-debated Clovis First model deserves a fresh look.
Why do fully developed cultures appear so early in South America? Did the first Americans arrive earlier than Clovis or have archaeologists misinterpreted some of the most influential evidence ever discovered?
In this episode of UnderGround, Dr. Surovell joins Michael Arbuthnot to discuss the peopling of the Americas, Clovis culture, Monte Verde, Paleoindian archaeology, archaeological gatekeeping, and the evidence behind one of archaeology's most contentious debates. Dr. Surovell explains why he has revisited Monte Verde, examines the challenges of dating ancient sites, and explores competing models for the colonization of the New World, paradigm shifts in science, and the future of Paleoamerican research.
#archaeology #podcast #history #historydocumentary #historypodcast #iceage
21 Apr 2026
Titanic's Fatal Flaw: Parks Stephenson
After five expeditions to the wreck of the RMS Titanic, maritime historian and naval expert Parks Stephenson presents a compelling and controversial perspective on how the ship truly met its end in the North Atlantic.
Drawing on firsthand observations from the wreck site and decades of research into the legendary White Star ocean liner, Stephenson sheds new light on Titanic's structural flaws and reexamines the proceeding redesign and hull modifications.
The discussion also covers the work of filmmaker James Cameron, who brought renewed global attention to the tragedy and its enduring legacy.
Was it simply an iceberg collision, or did deeper structural failures and design decisions ultimately seal the ship’s fate on the ocean floor?
This conversation explores Titanic history, wreck analysis, deep ocean expeditions, maritime engineering, ship design, iceberg collision theory, and the final hours of the ill fated voyage.
#Titanic (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/titanic) #RMSTitanic (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/rmstitanic) #TitanicSinking (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/titanicsinking) #TitanicDisaster (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/titanicdisaster) #History (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/history) #Shipwreck (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/shipwreck) #Archaeology (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/archaeology) #DeepSeaExploration (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/deepseaexploration) #HistoryDocumentary (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/historydocumentary) #HistoryPodcast (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/historypodcast)
18 Mar 2026
Killing Kennewick Man: Dr. James Chatters
Archaeologist and paleontologist James Chatters discusses the discovery of Kennewick Man -- also known as the Ancient One -- one of the most famous and controversial ancient human skeletons ever found in North America. Discovered along the Columbia River near Kennewick, Washington, the 9,000-year-old remains sparked intense debate about the earliest peoples of the Americas, Paleoindian archaeology, and the scientific study of ancient human remains.
In this episode, Dr. Chatters explains how Kennewick Man reshaped discussions about early human migration, ancient DNA research, skeletal morphology, and the peopling of the Americas. The conversation explores Ice Age archaeology, the origins of the first Americans, and what discoveries like Kennewick Man reveal about prehistoric North America and humanity’s deep past.
#KennewickMan (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/kennewickman) #AncientAmericans (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/ancientamericans) #Archaeology (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/archaeology) #PeoplingOfTheAmericas (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/peoplingoftheamericas) #AncientHistory (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/ancienthistory) #FirstAmericans (https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/firstamericans)
23 Feb 2026
South America Before Clovis: Dr. Astolfo Araujo
Archaeologist Dr. Astolfo Araujo, leading expert in South American Paleoindian archaeology, describes the baffling prehistory of ancient Brazil and presents evidence humans roamed South America more than 18,000 years ago.
Focusing on ancient Brazil and eastern South America, Dr. Araujo examines Paleoindian sites, Pleistocene archaeology, early hunter-gatherers, pre-Clovis lithic technology, geoarchaeology, and early human migration. This episode explores South American prehistory, stone tools, settlement patterns, and the debate over when the first humans reached the New World.
#ArchaeologyPodcast #FirstAmericans #IceAge #AncientCivilizations #LostHistory #HumanOrigins #AncientAmerica #PreClovis #BeforeClovis #IceAgeHumans #AncientMigration #DeepHistory #ArchaeologyDiscovery
#AncientMysteries #SouthAmericaHistory
Intro and outro music by Ross Bugden @RossBugden
2 Jan 2026
America's Ancient Bonebreakers: Dr. Steven Holen
Archaeologist Dr. Steven Holen discusses the Cerruti Mastodon site and its implications for understanding the early human presence in North America, challenging conventional timelines in this interview.
15 Nov 2025
Finding Amelia Earhart: Dr. Rick Pettigrew
Archaeologist Rick Pettigrew discusses the ongoing search for Amelia Earhart's missing plane, detailing plans for a new expedition using satellite imagery to uncover the truth in this interview.
1 Oct 2025
Cleopatra's Lost Tomb: Dr. Kathleen Martinez
Archaeologist Dr. Kathleen Martinez discusses her ongoing search for Cleopatra's lost tomb, detailing her shift to a submerged site off the Egyptian coast in this interview.
2 Sept 2025
Riddle of the Newport Tower: Brad Lidge
Archaeologist and MLB legend Brad Lidge explores theories surrounding the Newport Tower's origins, potentially rewriting early American exploration history in this interview.
14 Jul 2025
Lost Voyages of the Ancient Mariners: Dr. James Delgado
Maritime archaeologist Dr. James Delgado explores theories surrounding ancient seafaring, transoceanic crossings, and pre-Columbian culture contact, offering insights into early maritime capabilities in this interview episode.
6 Jun 2025
Rewriting the American Stone Age: H. Blaine Ensor
Archaeologist H. Blaine Ensor discusses the Capps Mystery and prehistoric American stone tools, revealing the mindset required for groundbreaking archaeological discoveries in this interview.
7 May 2025
The Clovis-Solutrean Enigma: Dr. Bruce Bradley
Who were the first people to inhabit the Americas? Archaeologist and author Dr. Bruce Bradley reveals his theories on the Clovis-Solutrean connection, academic gatekeeping, and ancient cultural diffusion. Dr. Bradley's insights challenge conceptual narratives and invite us to reconsider how the Americas were first peopled.
#archaeology #ancienthistory #ancientmystery #ancientamerica #lostcivilizations #prehistoric #paleolithic
11 Apr 2025
Secrets of Egypt Revealed: Dr. Zahi Hawass
Undiscovered chambers under the pyramids at Giza? Join host Michael Arbuthnot and guest Dr. Zahi Hawass as they discuss breaking news and the latest archaeological discoveries from Egypt. Dr. Hawass sheds light on recent SAR scan anomalies, possible underground structures, the Sphinx’s erosion, Cleopatra’s lost tomb, and more.
Who has been a guest on UnderGround
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Dr Steven Holen
Dr Rick Pettigrew
Dr Kathleen Martinez
Brad Lidge
Dr James Delgado
Reach and audience
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YouTube views
64,780
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
10 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
8 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 42 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
40
Social presence
0
YouTube
76
Engagement
32
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