Giants: Myth, History, and the Secrets of the Colossal

From towering Nephilim to Photoshopped skeletons and Cold War psychic spies, the idea of giants has haunted the edges of human history for centuries. In this episode of This Podcast is a Secret, we explore how ancient mythology, sensational headlines, and conspiratorial whispers have kept the legend of giants alive.

Ancient Origins of the Giant Myth

Cultures across the world feature tales of enormous beings. In the Hebrew Bible, the Nephilim were the offspring of divine beings and human women, later connected to Goliath—the armored warrior said to be nearly ten feet tall. Fringe researchers claim ancient texts hint at entire Nephilim bloodlines erased from history.

In Greek myth, the snake-legged Gigantes rose from the blood of Uranus to challenge the Olympians, their story reenacted in underground rites. Norse sagas tell of the Jötnar—primordial frost giants who created the world and are prophesied to destroy it. And in Nevada, the Northern Paiute recount the Si-Te-Cah, red-haired cannibal giants allegedly smoked out in a battle within Lovelock Cave.

Tall Tales and Hoaxes

In the Age of Exploration, giants made their way into travel logs. Magellan's crew described 10-foot natives in Patagonia. Nineteenth-century U.S. newspapers ran wild with reports of giant skeletons found in burial mounds. And in 1869, the infamous Cardiff Giant—a gypsum carving made to mock biblical literalists—fooled thousands.

In Montana's Silver City, a miner's claim of a 12-foot femur led to a brief media frenzy—before the bones vanished. A similar fate befell many "giant" remains, often revealed as bison bones, mastodon limbs, or outright hoaxes.

What Science Says

Gigantism and acromegaly are real conditions, and the tallest man ever recorded, Robert Wadlow, stood nearly 9 feet tall. Some ethnic groups like the Dinka and Dutch average over 6 feet. But so far, no verified hominin remains have ever exceeded about 6 ft 6 in.

Claims of giant bones dissolve under radiocarbon dating, anatomical review, or basic scale-checking. The infamous 1932 Wyoming "giant femur" turned out to be bison bone.

Strange Finds and Viral Fakery

Stories persist: a 12-foot red-haired warrior allegedly killed by U.S. troops in a Kandahar cave; postcards of South American "giant skulls" later ID'd as elephant bones; and a flood of viral photos showing giant digs, all traceable to early Photoshop contests.

Even real archaeological sites like Lovelock Cave have become breeding grounds for exaggerated claims—mixing Paiute oral tradition with misidentified remains and a dash of dime-novel flair.

Fringe Theories & Secret Histories

Some theories go full sci-fi: Sitchin’s Anunnaki, alien hybrids from Genesis, and hollow-earth civilizations led by giant bloodlines. Others suggest misread megafauna or phantom footprints carved by erosion.

The internet has kept the fire stoked, with forums debating everything from giant stone sandals to rune-covered boulders. South African and Welsh rock formations are still pointed to as fossilized steps from ancient titans.

The Conspiracy Corner

Perhaps the most persistent theory? That powerful institutions are hiding the truth. A viral satire article claimed the Smithsonian destroyed giant bones to protect evolutionary science. Though the story was entirely fake, it continues to circulate.

The Vatican Archives are also a favorite target for forbidden-knowledge theorists, despite no evidence of any giant relics being stored within their vast collections.

Psychic Spies and the Cold War Nephilim Hunt

In the 1970s, the U.S. military's remote-viewing program allegedly targeted a site called Omega-9 in Utah’s Canyonlands. Psychic operatives claimed to see giant femurs and lost temples. Air Force memos noted "EM anomalies" before all references were redacted. Hikers found unmarked stakes and restricted airspace. No bones ever surfaced—but the rumors never died.

Why Giants Endure

Real or imagined, giants loom large because they represent something primal: chaos, fear, awe. They're symbols of lost power, buried history, or just the feeling that there might be something enormous waiting just beneath our feet.

Thanks for listening, but remember, don’t tell anyone about what you heard today, because this podcast is a secret!