Episode 60: Moonshine, Mastodons, and the Fight for Real Archaeology

In Episode 60, Mike and I sit down with archaeologist Carl Feagans, a U.S. Forest Service archaeologist by day and a watchdog against pseudo-archaeology by night. From uncovering forgotten iron furnaces to debunking viral claims about 130,000-year-old humans in North America, Carl’s mission is clear—keep archaeology grounded in evidence, not clickbait.

We start with the Cerutti Mastodon site, a discovery some claim proves humans were in California over 130,000 years ago. Carl walks us through why that idea doesn’t hold up—missing carnivore marks, heavy machinery damage, and absent stone tools all point to a more mundane explanation. Extraordinary claims, he reminds us, demand extraordinary evidence—and this one simply didn’t have it.

The conversation then turns to pseudo-archaeology’s gateway effect—how fringe theories like Graham Hancock’s lost civilizations attract people who crave grand alternative histories but end up distrusting real science. Carl argues that the real story of the past is already fascinating without the need for hidden technologies or secret empires. He also shares how archaeology’s language has evolved—from “prehistoric” to “pre-contact”—as part of a broader respect for indigenous histories and cultural ownership of artifacts.

From ancient myths to modern myths, Carl’s fieldwork on Prohibition-era moonshine stills proves that archaeology doesn’t just live in deserts or pyramids—it thrives in the Appalachian woods. Using old maps, leaf blowers, and local stories, Carl reconstructs how moonshiners built hidden distilleries using fences, springs, and even flour as a sealant. His “moonshine archaeology” bridges ethnography and science—showing how oral history, when cross-checked with material evidence, can illuminate America’s forgotten industrial past.

By the end, Carl reminds us that real archaeologists don’t “dig dinosaurs” or “hunt treasure.” They uncover truth—slowly, systematically, and with humility. Whether it’s defending the scientific method from pseudo-archaeologists or preserving the legacy of American moonshiners, Carl’s work shows that the most compelling stories are the ones grounded in reality.

Listen to the full episode to hear how LIDAR, leaf blowers, and a few good questions can separate real history from fantasy—and why truth still matters, even underground.