Wild Thing Space Invaders

The journalist Laura Krantz tracked Bigfoot in the first season of  Wild Thing,  so looking for life in outer space isn’t a giant leap for her. Plenty of kooks, conspiracy theorists, and  Star Trek  fans believe in aliens—but so do scientists, pilots, and elected officials. For Krantz, the search for extraterrestrial life includes every single one of these people. She interviews former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who recalls a black-money, UFO-tracking operation he  pushed Congress to fund . His story legitimizes all those who believe in secret government programs, and it doubles as a warm blanket for believers. In another episode, a trip to the UFO Watchtower feels like a pilgrimage to a holy site. Listening to the podcast can feel like being in a sensory-deprivation chamber, but with the low hum of audio.  Wild Thing  is a mind-altering experience. Put on your best headphones and let its eerie mood conjure the cosmos.