The Dark Science History Series That Ties Elon Musk’s Rocketry To The Occult

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 39 seconds ago

The only thing stranger than science fiction is science fact. Dark Matters: Twisted But True, a short-lived documentary series hosted by genre legend John Noble, took this to the extreme in 2011.

Every episode documented the real history behind strange scientific experiments and breakthroughs, from the origins of lobotomies to brain transplant experiments, and even how the origins of the rocket were tied to the Occult. After catching a few episodes, you’ll think that science fiction doesn’t go far enough. 

The Occult And Cheating Death Are Only Part Of The Series

Dark Matters: Twisted But True stuck to a formula, an introduction by Noble, historical images, and reenactments combined to tell a twisted story, and then the final wrap-up that was, typically, tragic or horrifying and often, both. The Season 3 finale tells the story of John Parsons and the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), which developed the first rocket engine. In an effort to boost his research, Parsons started taking the teachings of Aleister Crowley very seriously, converting to Thelema and using sex-magic rituals to empower his experiments. It worked until he pushed too far, losing his standing in the academic community, his marriage, and all of his money. 

The first episode included a segment on the Philadelphia Experiment, the alleged disappearance of the USS Eldridge, which has served as the basis for movies and even Stranger Things. It’s a tame story compared to another Season 2 episode focused on Dr. Robert Cornish, a researcher in the 1930’s convinced the dead could come back to life, though his human experiments never worked. The lengths men and women of science went to prove a theory or to push the boundaries of human knowledge sound ripped from the pages of a dime-store novel, but they’re true. 

John Noble’s gravitas adds to each segment of Dark Matters: Twisted But True; no matter how ridiculous the experiment is or how insane the researcher has become, his soothing yet oddly unsettling tones elevate each reenactment. Once you start watching, you’ll keep going through the entire series in one night. There’s something oddly hypnotizing about the dark science tales you don’t hear about in school. 

On The Verge Of Being Lost Forever

With the rise of true crime docuseries in the last decade, it’s clear that there’s a massive audience out there for real stories that aren’t afraid to show how bizarre early science could get. New standards and closely monitored research make it unlikely that there’s anyone out there experimenting with brain transplants or trying to bring back the dead, but for centuries, science was the wild west. There’s no telling how many bizarre stories are out there. 

Dark Matters: Twisted But True aired 19 episodes between 2011 and 2012, and currently, only Season 3 is available for digital purchase. It’s a shame that the series is close to becoming lost media, and more of a shame that there have been no new episodes in the last 14 years. Dark Matters: Extra Twisted, a series of remixed episodes with more scenes, more information, and “deeper insights,” was briefly aired on the Science Channel as well, but it has since vanished into the digital aether. If you can find it, the series is a fun binge despite the disturbing content. If nothing else, John Noble’s portrayal of Fringe’s mad scientist Walter Bishop makes a lot more sense when you realize the long, sordid history of insane researchers who’ve shaped our understanding of the universe.