EP 402: Explorer Josh Gates on Adventures, Legends, and Treasures

Adventurer and explorer Josh Gates has spent his career crossing the globe to investigate the world’s most intriguing mysteries as host of Expedition Unknown on Discovery Network. In the age of Google Maps, he says there are still unexplored parts of the world full of wonders to be uncovered. The self-described “opened-minded skeptic” talks his obsession with Yeti and why these "mystery primates" appear again and again in cultures all around the world. He reveals how Expedition Unknown helped recover Judy Garland’s stolen ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz, new forensic evidence they found in the case of D.B. Cooper, and recent developments that have lead him to revisit several topics in the new season. Josh recalls some of his craziest adventures in Season 7 such as braving the Siberian winter to look into the bizarre Dyatlov Pass incident and scouring the ancient caves of Israel and Jordan for the lost Dead Sea Scrolls. He walks me through how he decides which legends to chase, which ones are too dangerous, how to handle a shakedown by local authorities in a strange country, and the most awkward of conversations - how to divvy up a treasure!

Expedition Unknown airs Wednesdays at 9PM Eastern on Discovery Network. Keep up with Josh at www.joshuagates.com or on Twitter at @JoshuaGates. This episode is sponsored by Capella University, MyBookie, and White Castle.