iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

New from me today: the strange true story of an improbably named Frenchman, a "carelessly dressed" fortune-teller, and the hunt for a mythical golden calf. Plus books by @jonronson.bsky.social and Kate Summerscale: medium.com/singular-dis...

medium.com

Swindled by a Sorceress

A Frenchman named Bonjour digs for a golden calf; PLUS books about a dodgy castle and a grubby killer

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Pangram AI detector really does seem to work. You can download a Chrome extension and right-click to analyse any weird-looking content. The next step would be to filter and block AI slop, then we can start to reclaim the internet. www.pangram.com/history/imag...

pangram.com

bafkreibp6377txibegr7ugttdazgjfgi4misjk367ggjc5uhnsngh3gffy.webp

Pangram's image detector returned Fully AI.

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

When I was a kid, Newcastle's Hancock Museum had a weatherproof display case outside its main entrance containing a 5,000-year-old dead body. So began a thread-pull of discoveries leading to another ancient body and the solving of a more recent cold-case murder: eocampaign1.com/web-version?...

eocampaign1.com

The Bog Body Murder

A 2,000-year-old discovery unlocks a cold-case confession; PLUS leaving Substack, RIP Paul Brown, digital warnings

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

NEW: The Bog Body Murder: A 2,000-year-old discovery unlocks a cold-case confession; PLUS leaving Substack, RIP Paul Brown, digital warnings, in the latest edition of my free newsletter Singular Discoveries, the first since I left Substack. Read and subscribe here: eocampaign1.com/web-version?...

eocampaign1.com

The Bog Body Murder

A 2,000-year-old discovery unlocks a cold-case confession; PLUS leaving Substack, RIP Paul Brown, digital warnings

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

I left Substack. Come join me at singulardiscoveries.com. New edition of my free email newsletter going out first thing in the morning.

singulardiscoveries.com

Singular Discoveries

Unusual true stories from forgotten corners of the past; a newsletter by Paul Brown

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Your friends would like to know about the Soccer Book Club

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

What Kevin Keegan did for my football club and city, and the way he did it, changed my life for the better. Could never thank him enough. Loved the guy. The greatest. RIP King Kev ♥️ #NUFC

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

New edition of my free newsletter out today is a bumper World Cup summer special featuring ghostly grounds, missing trophies and forgotten champions. singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/world-cup-...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

World Cup Willies

A bumper World Cup summer special featuring ghostly grounds, forgotten champions, missing trophies and more...

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

I wrote about the strange atmosphere in empty football grounds for the latest issue of Fortean Times magazine, available now from good newsagents and the @forteantimes.bsky.social online shop shop.forteantimes.com/current-issue

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

How hard is it to get black and white stripes right? £120 for the "authentic" version, £85 for the presumably inauthentic version, £60 for kids. (Shirt sponsor available as an iron-on from the supporters club shop like back in the day?) They think we're complete mugs.

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

New from me today, following The Man Who Stole Shakespeare's Skull, meet The Woman Who Haunted Shakespeare's Grave. Why has there never been a movie about Delia Bacon? A Shakespeare's Skull thread-pull... singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/the-woman-...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

The Woman Who Haunted Shakespeare's Grave

Why has there never been a movie about Delia Bacon? A Shakespeare's Skull thread-pull...

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Jack El-Hai @jackelhai.bsky.social · 24/04/2026

"Using their bare hands." Today's #history article pick from Damn History, a free newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to writer @paulbrownuk.bsky.social! Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe www.narratively.com/p/the-man-wh...

narratively.com

The Man Who Stole Shakespeare’s Skull

On a cold night in 1794, a young man in pursuit of a huge reward supposedly set out to steal the Bard’s skull. Two centuries later, researchers are still trying to determine what happened that night.

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

A new narrative history / true crime tale from me on the Bard's day: The Man Who Stole Shakespeare's Skull: www.narratively.com/p/564674f3-0...

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Martin Fitzgerald @4hundredblows.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

In July 1979, a porn magazine called Gallery released a JFK assassination special, with a flexidisc of the gunshots. A drummer called Steve, from Ohio, listened to it repeatedly until he heard something no one else had. This is just one of the stories in The Umbrella Man and Other Stories. Out now.

A copy of the July 1979 edition of Gallery, including a flexidisc that contained the words - The Historic Recording of The JFK Assassination Gunshot Evidence That Destroyed the Lone Assassin Theory”

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 18/04/2026

Giles Coren on pop music in today's Times. ☹️

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

I rarely post about #NUFC (or anything) anymore, but yesterday felt like a season ending (and perhaps era ending) performance, so a few quick thoughts... 1/

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

NEW: Music and the Microbe: Cloudbuster uses organ to kill bacteria in a strange story involving UFOs and Kate Bush; PLUS book recommendations: Umbrella Murder; No Road Leading Back; John & Paul. All in the latest free edition of Singular Discoveries: singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/music-and-...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

Music and the Microbe

Cloudbuster uses organ to kill bacteria; PLUS Umbrella murder, Escape from Ponar, Beatles book, Substack Nazis

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 10/02/2026

New edition of my newsletter out on Thursday featuring cloudbusting, umbrella murder, escape from WWII death forest, new Beatles book, and grumbles about Substack Nazis and other big tech dilemmas. Subscribe for free here: singulardiscoveries.substack.com

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

Singular Discoveries | Paul Brown | Substack

Unusual true stories and engaging recommendations. Click to read Singular Discoveries, by Paul Brown, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 22/01/2026

The latest edition of my newsletter is a dive into a morphine murder mystery. Read and subscribe here, always free: singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/countess-a...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

Countess as Dope Fiend

Morphine murder mystery leads to Great War thread-pull; PLUS: Black Dahlia / Zodiac claim and AI update

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

A few days before Christmas in 1885, a household servant found a boy in a dustbin... New edition of Singular Discoveries out today, including a 2025 round-up and a load of year-end mixtapes. singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/the-boy-in...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

The Boy in the Dustbin

A lost boy is found in a bin; PLUS 2025 round-up and mixtapes

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 09/12/2025

If you don't already subscribe to my free newsletter, Singular Discoveries, now would be a good time, as there's a new edition out on Thursday featuring a brand new strange but true story and a 2025 round-up. Come join "thousands of subscribers..." singulardiscoveries.substack.com

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

Singular Discoveries | Paul Brown | Substack

Unusual true stories and engaging recommendations. Click to read Singular Discoveries, by Paul Brown, a Substack publication with thousands of subscribers.

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

Interesting change of direction for New Order on Spotify.

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

My book The Tyne Bridge is available for just £6.49 in the Hurst Black Friday Sale. That's 50% off the paperback price of £12.99. Offer valid until Tues 9th Dec, automatic 50% discount applied at checkout, no promo code required: www.hurstpublishers.com/book/the-tyn...

hurstpublishers.com

The Tyne Bridge | Hurst Publishers

A compelling account of how engineering, architectural ingenuity, a region’s great industrial tradition, and the labour of thousands came to span the Tyne.

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Hurst Publishers @hurstpublishers.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

Our Black Friday sale is live! 🎉 Get 50% off ALL books until midnight on 9th December. This year, you can get your hands on a free eBook when you spend over £50 (excl shipping). Browse our full list ➡️ hurstpublishers.com

A black graphic with the words 'Black Friday Sale' in gold at the top with a '50% off' gold sign at the bottom right. In the middle of the graphic, in white, the words read: 'Valid until December 9' and 'Free ebook with orders over £50 (conditions apply, see FAQs on our website'.

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 15/10/2025

Nice review of the Ruhleben book, glad Matthew liked it.

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Ben Dickenson @benjitoon.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

Newcastle says no to fascism. The far right brought a hundred or so with them, bussed from far and wide. This city turned out 1000s, from local communities, estates and streets. Geordies of all backgrounds coming together and outnumbering the purveyors of hate by some distance. Newcastle united.

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 24/09/2025

"Stop the boats and paracetamol."

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Question arising from #NUFC vs #FCB last night. Why did Barca have a coach standing with the subs who were warming up near the corner flag? He also walked behind the goal to pass instructions to the keeper. I thought the rule was "coaching staff are restricted to the confines of the technical area"?

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

In the new edition of my newsletter, out today, a young boy battles a boogle of weasels. Yes, "boogle". It also features George Robledo, Sam Fender, and Nuremberg. You can read "Attacked by Weasels" here: singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/attacked-b...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

Attacked by Weasels

A young boy battles Britain's most savage killer; PLUS George Robledo book, Nuremberg movie, Sam Fender podcast

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

I reviewed the book Postcards from Santiago: The George Robledo Story by Spencer Vignes for the latest edition of @wsc.co.uk magazine, WSC 457, in shops now or get it here: www.wsc.co.uk/shop/wsc-457/

wsc.co.uk

WSC 457 – order with free UK delivery

October 2025 - Players refusing to play, Euro 2025 review, Sheffield Wednesday, Argentina, Ayresome Park

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 07/09/2025

I'm selling a prized possession, a complete hardcover edition of the 1906 Book of Football, possibly the most sought after football book ever published: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/28680790...

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 14/08/2025

For a suitably scorching Singular Discoveries summer special, I wrote about an astronomer who blamed heatwaves on Jupiter: singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/blaming-he...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

Blaming Heatwaves on Jupiter

A super scorching Singular Discoveries summer special; PLUS The Martians, Pavement, and AI rewriting history

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

Hmm. This says less "Tyne Bridge" and more "Saudi Arabia" to me. And yours for just £120... #nufc

Newcastle United away shirt apparently inspired by the Tyne Bridge.

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Football fans: Ever been inside an empty stadium—on a tour, after a match—and felt something strange? A lingering echo of noise, emotion, presence, like it's still alive, even when no one is there? Have you ever experienced the uncanny atmosphere of an absent crowd? Let me know, for a thing... ⚽👻

St James' Park, Newcastle, empty at night, Paul Brown @paulbrownuk

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Jack El-Hai @jackelhai.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

"Lying face down." Today's article pick from Damn History, a free monthly newsletter for readers/writers of #popularhistory. Congrats to writer @paulbrownuk.bsky.social! Read/subscribe to Damn History: damn-history-16d93f.beehiiv.com/subscribe singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/the-red-cr...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

The Red Cross Murders

Were the murders of John Batey, Dr Robert Stirling, and Ellen Atkinson linked? PLUS: Art fraud, The Rehearsal, AI rapture

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 12/06/2025

New Singular Discoveries newsletter out today: I wrote about three murders linked to a strange red cross. Also Nathan Fielder’s The Rehearsal, Orlando Whitfield’s All That Glitters, the forthcoming AI apocalypse, and the late, very great Brian Wilson: singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/the-red-cr...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

The Red Cross Murders

Were the murders of John Batey, Dr Robert Stirling, and Ellen Atkinson linked? PLUS: Art fraud, The Rehearsal, AI rapture

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

This month's Substack post is just your everyday true story of a man who killed the king to become ruler of England, and his association with a stake-through-the-heart vampire… singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/oliver-cro...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

Oliver Cromwell and the Vampire's Grave

The Lord Protector and a strange burial; PLUS True crime book, New Beatles find, Chernobyl FC, Ruhleben article

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Markus Hesselmann @hesselmann.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

Die kleine Freiheit in der Gefangenschaft: Vor 110 Jahren #OTD gründeten britische Kriegsgefangene in Spandau die „Ruhleben Football Association“. Auch Nationalspieler waren auf der Trabrennbahn interniert. @paulbrownuk.bsky.social hat ihre Geschichte erzählt. www.tagesspiegel.de/berlin/bezir...

tagesspiegel.de

Liga und Pokal im Gefangenen-Lager: „Ohne Fußball hätten wir nicht überlebt“

Vor 110 Jahren gründeten britische Kriegsgefangene in Spandau bei Berlin die „Ruhleben Football Association“. Auch Nationalspieler waren auf der Trabrennbahn interniert. Der Buchautor Paul Brown hat i...

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

NEW: In 1859, villages in the North East of England were plagued by sightings of a terrifying individual known as "the Winlaton Wild Man". A posse was formed to hunt for the Wild Man led by local hero and "Blaydon Races" legend Coffee Johnny... singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/coffee-joh...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

Coffee Johnny and the Winlaton Wild Man

A local hero hunts for a local legend; PLUS Calvine UFO and Meta madness

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Today's NEW edition of my free newsletter Singular Discoveries contains self-help advice from a murder suspect with a backwards name; PLUS Extrasensory, Rocketbelt doc, and big tech takeover: singulardiscoveries.substack.com/p/how-to-be-...

singulardiscoveries.substack.com

How to be Wise, Happy, Useful, and Rich

Self-help advice from a murder suspect with a backwards name; PLUS Extrasensory, Rocketbelt doc, and big tech takeover

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

This is a bad decision by the way. VAR's tech isn't accurate enough to overrule something this tight. Striker's elbow vs defender's shoulder? The linesman had a better view. Onside. Great goal. 3-0 (5-0 agg.) #NUFC

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

That's not a sword dance. *This* is a sword dance. www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6GA...

youtube.com

Miner Dancers (1930)

YouTube video by British Pathé

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Paul Brown @paulbrownuk.bsky.social · 10/01/2025

"A rare instrument known as a 'recorder'". Resembles a flute, popular in Elizabethan times, mentioned in Hamlet... and foisted upon every 1980s schoolkid when they really would have preferred to learn the guitar. Source: Daily Chronicle, 15 May 1919, via BNA.

Musician's Loss, Daily Chronicle, 15 May 1919

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