UnderGround
Hosted by Michael Arbuthnot
A deep-dive interview show where a professional archaeologist profiles renegade scientists and historians who challenge mainstream narratives.
This is a platform for credentialed but often contrarian experts to present their evidence-based, non-consensus views on major historical and archaeological questions. Host Michael Arbuthnot, himself a veteran archaeologist who has worked on projects like the Titanic and the Clotilda slave ship, acts as a knowledgeable guide, helping guests articulate their controversial theories. The show champions the outsider and provides a serious, long-form venue for ideas that exist on the academic fringe.
“Unlike broader history podcasts, UnderGround has a tight focus on 'renegade' or 'independently minded' experts. Its key distinction is giving a serious platform to the specific figures behind controversial papers and discoveries, often in direct opposition to the prevailing academic consensus.”
Who hosts this show
UnderGround is an archaeology podcast hosted by professional archaeologist Michael Arbuthnot. The show features interviews with "independently minded archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, and science renegades" on controversial topics like early complex cultures, ancient migrations, and unexpected finds. Arbuthnot, who holds a master's degree in Anthropology from Florida State University, leverages his extensive field experience to explore paradigm-shifting discoveries and theories with the experts behind them.
Credentials & credits
- Senior Vice President at Southeastern Archaeological Research, Inc. (SEARCH)
- M.A. in Anthropology, Florida State University
- B.A. in Philosophy, minor in Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara
- Registered Professional Archaeologist (RPA)
- Fellow, The Explorers Club
- Host of TV series 'Secret Worlds', 'FOUND', and 'America's Lost Vikings'
Other ventures
- Southeastern Archaeological Research, Inc. (SEARCH)
- Host of 'Secret Worlds' (Travel Channel/PBS)
- Host of 'FOUND' (History Channel)
- Host of 'America's Lost Vikings' (Science Channel)
- Team Atlantis Productions (Founder)
What kind of podcast
- Country
- United States
- Region
- usa
When new episodes drop
- 01Lost City of the Monkey God: Steve ElkinsJun 18, 2026 · 1h 38m
- 02Unraveling Monte Verde: Dr. Todd SurovellJun 2, 2026 · 1h 11m
- 03Titanic's Fatal Flaw: Parks StephensonApr 15, 2026 · 1h 43m
- 04Killing Kennewick Man: Dr. James ChattersMar 13, 2026 · 1h 57m
- 05South America Before Clovis: Dr. Astolfo AraujoFeb 20, 2026 · 1h 46m
- 06America's Ancient Bonebreakers: Dr. Steven HolenDec 28, 2025 · 1h 29m
- 07Finding Amelia Earhart: Dr. Rick PettigrewNov 2, 2025 · 1h 38m
- 08Cleopatra's Lost Tomb: Dr. Kathleen MartinezSep 24, 2025 · 1h 23m
Notable episodes
- 01Lost City of the Monkey God: Steve Elkins
Chronicles the incredible story of a non-archaeologist discovering a lost city in Honduras using LiDAR, embodying the show's 'renegade explorer' theme.
- 02Unraveling Monte Verde: Dr. Todd Surovell
A prime example of the show's core mission: a credentialed expert directly challenges one of the most foundational sites in American archaeology.
- 03Titanic's Fatal Flaw: Parks Stephenson
Highlights the host's own expertise in maritime archaeology and features a guest who worked with James Cameron and declined to work with OceanGate, presenting a new theory on a famous disaster.
- 04Killing Kennewick Man: Dr. James Chatters
Features the primary archaeologist from one of the most significant and controversial Paleoamerican discoveries in North America, discussing the science and the politics.
What you'll be asked on this show
Michael Arbuthnot begins by establishing the guest's personal and professional backstory, often asking about their childhood and what drew them to their field. He then meticulously builds a foundation of their credentials before moving into the core controversial topic. He uses summarizing statements to frame complex ideas for the audience before posing a question. A signature technique is to directly probe the professional and political fallout of a guest's non-consensus work, asking about reactions from the academic community or challenges they've faced. He consistently closes by asking about the guest's future projects or for their parting advice to the audience.
This is a single-host interview show, typically conducted remotely. Arbuthnot provides long, well-researched introductions for his guests and frequently uses on-screen visual aids like photos, maps, and presentation slides to illustrate key points and guide the conversation. Episodes often follow a chronological path through a guest's career or the timeline of a specific discovery.
Questions Michael Arbuthnot keeps coming back to
12 cataloguedIf you're going on this show as a guest, expect some version of each of these. Each note explains when Michael Arbuthnot reaches for it.
personal
2- Q.01
“What did I miss in your biography?”
Asked at the very beginning, this gives the guest a chance to amend or add to the host's detailed introduction.
- Q.02
“How do you define yourself professionally?”
Used to understand how the guest sees their own professional identity, especially if they work across disciplines.
origin
2- Q.01
“Where are you from originally?”
An early question used to establish the guest's personal history and origin story.
- Q.02
“Was your interest in this field something that started in your youth?”
This question explores the guest's origin story and the roots of their passion for their work.
process
1- Q.01
“Can you tell us the story of how this discovery was made and how you got involved?”
A broad, open-ended question to kick off the main narrative of a key discovery or event.
controversy
3- Q.01
“How did the academic community react to your theory?”
Directly probes the controversy and professional friction central to the show's premise.
- Q.02
“Why is this particular topic so political or controversial?”
This meta-question asks the guest to analyze the politics and personalities within their own field.
- Q.03
“Should we be using a specific term for this, out of respect or for clarity?”
Asked early when discussing sensitive topics to establish correct and respectful terminology.
future
2- Q.01
“What would it take to definitively prove this one way or another?”
This question focuses on the future of the research and what evidence is still needed.
- Q.02
“What's next for you? What's your dream project?”
A closing question to explore the guest's future ambitions, often framed as a 'benevolent billionaire' scenario.
data
1- Q.01
“How do you respond to [specific counter-argument or piece of data]?”
The host presents a specific challenge to the guest's theory to elicit a direct rebuttal or explanation.
advice
1- Q.01
“Do you have any closing advice for our audience?”
A final question that allows the guest to offer a takeaway message for listeners interested in the field.
Signature segments
- · Host's opening mission statement about featuring 'independently minded' experts.
- · Use of on-screen visuals (photos, maps, slides) to illustrate topics.
- · Host's closing line: "Ponder the implications, stay curious, spread the word..."
- · Branded cinematic video intro.
- · Focus on the controversy and politics within academic disciplines.
Topics covered repeatedly
Who gets booked here
The show books credentialed experts—academics with PhDs, museum directors, and career explorers—whose work challenges a mainstream consensus, proposes a controversial new theory, or involves a major, high-profile discovery. Guests are often the primary authors or discoverers of the topic at hand.
- Steve Elkinson Lost City of the Monkey God: Steve Elkins
- Dr. Todd Surovellon Unraveling Monte Verde: Dr. Todd Surovell
- Parks Stephensonon Titanic's Fatal Flaw: Parks Stephenson
- Dr. James Chatterson Killing Kennewick Man: Dr. James Chatters
- Dr. Astolfo Araujoon South America Before Clovis: Dr. Astolfo Araujo
Where to find this show
Audience & reach
No sponsors or advertisements were detected in the analyzed episodes. The potential audience is niche, educated, and highly engaged with specific topics in archaeology and history, suggesting an opportunity for specialized brands in education, travel, or scientific equipment.
Subscriber and view counts are pulled live from YouTube and re-verified on a 30-day cycle. Listener estimates for the RSS feed aren't published here unless they're host-verified.
Pitch Michael Arbuthnot
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People also ask
- What is the host's real name and background?
- The host is Michael Arbuthnot, a professional archaeologist with a Master's degree in Anthropology and over 25 years of experience in terrestrial and maritime archaeology.
- What is the format of the show?
- It is a long-form, one-on-one interview show. The host uses visual aids to supplement the conversation with a single expert guest per episode.
- Is the podcast still active?
- Yes, based on the provided episode data, the podcast releases new episodes on a roughly monthly basis.
- Where can I listen to UnderGround?
- Video versions of the podcast are available on YouTube.
- What kind of guests are featured?
- The show features credentialed experts—archaeologists, historians, and scientists—who have made significant discoveries or are proposing theories that challenge the mainstream consensus in their fields.
Built from the show's public RSS feed, YouTube, the host's own websites, and the cited sources below. Computed and AI-extracted fields are labelled. Facts only — no private info, no fabrication, no transcripts republished.
Sources & how this page was built
This page is AI-assisted, grounded in the public sources cited below, and host-verifiable. We publish facts only; we do not republish transcripts. If anything here is wrong, the host can claim and correct the page above.Model: gemini-2.5-pro · high confidence
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