Posted on 05/14/2025 10:29:53 AM PDT by Red Badger
A creepy creature with unsettling human-like hands has been discovered in Michigan. Is it a new species, or something else entirely?
A strange and eerie discovery at Michigan State University has captured the attention of scientists and folklore enthusiasts alike. A bizarre mummified creature, dubbed the ‘Capacabra‘ (a name inspired by the legendary chupacabra), with human-like hands was found during renovations of Cook-Seevers Hall.
A Creature With Human-like Features Found in a University
Discovered in 2018, the Capacabra has baffled scientists since its unveiling. According to Jerielle Cartales, a Ph.D. student involved in the investigation, the creature is about the size of a small cat. However, what sets it apart is its human-like hands – five fingers complete with nails, giving it an almost humanoid appearance. The creature is also covered with an extremely thin layer of tissue that feels similar to old parchment paper, which adds to its unique and unsettling quality.
While its body is mostly desiccated, it retains a few notable features: its nose and ears, though severely dried out, remain intact. “It is roughly the size of a small cat, and it’s got a very long, skinny tail, which goes hand in hand with cat-like features”, remarked the Ph.D. student.
The Connection to the Chupacabra According to Daily Mail, the creature’s resemblance to the mythical chupacabra, a blood-sucking creature often depicted in folklore, is undeniable. The Capacabra nickname, cleverly coined by the university’s Campus Archaeology Program (CAP), has helped ignite comparisons between the mummified animal and its legendary counterpart.
The chupacabra is typically described as a reptilian-like creature with spines along its back, notorious for draining the blood of livestock, especially goats. While the Capacabra does not share all the features of the chupacabra, its strange form and the mystery surrounding its discovery have made it a subject of intense speculation.
How Did This Creature Become a Mummy?
What makes the Capacabra truly remarkable is its state of natural mummification. This phenomenon occurs under very specific conditions, such as extreme dryness or lack of oxygen, and can preserve the body for years, or even centuries, without the use of chemicals.
According to Cartales, the creature may have been mummified due to the dry and warm conditions inside the building’s ventilation system. The building’s age, constructed in 1889, suggests that the creature couldn’t predate that year.
Yet, the exact timeline of its mummification remains uncertain. “So the interesting thing is that it could have been there for a month, it could have been there for 50 years, we don’t really know”, she added.
A 'weird' Mummified Creature With Human Like Hands - Credit: Jerielle Cartales/Pen News
The Raccoon Theory: The Most Likely Explanation
After months of analysis and debate, the most probable theory proposed by the scientists is that the Capacabra is a raccoon that became trapped inside the building. Based on the creature’s skeletal structure, Cartales has noted that the skull and snout resemble those of a raccoon. Though other animals, such as dogs and cats, were considered, these were quickly ruled out after detailed X-ray scans.
However, the identification is not entirely conclusive. One major challenge in confirming the species is the lack of available dental comparison. Since raccoons can often have similar features to other small mammals, Cartales plans to examine raccoon teeth samples to further narrow down the creature’s identity. This step is critical for solidifying the theory, though she remains cautious, stating that she is “about 75% sure” that the creature is indeed a raccoon.
How Did The Capacabra Get Trapped?
If the Capacabra is indeed a raccoon, the next question is how it ended up in the building’s air ducts. It’s theorized that the creature might have entered the building through an air vent, which provides an accessible point for animals to crawl through. Once inside, it may have become trapped in the duct system, leading to its gradual mummification over time.
The mummification process is thought to have been facilitated by the hot, dry air that circulated through the building, especially during the summer months when humidity levels were high. The dry conditions inside the ducts would have effectively preserved the creature, keeping it in a state of stasis for many years.
Moving forward, the team of scientists plans to perform additional tests on the creature, including comparing its teeth with known raccoon specimens. If successful, this could help settle the question of whether the Capacabra is a raccoon or a completely different species.
Years ago my furnace wasn’t working. Got into troubleshooting, and the pressure switch that verified the induced draft fan was running wasn’t making, even though the ID fan was clearly running.
Got into it, and there was a desiccated bird chick in the outlet of the ID fan in the furnace. And another. And another. About half a dozen.
Birds were nesting at the outlet in the Spring, when the heat wasn’t running any more, hatching chicks, and the chicks were falling down the 4” vent and ending up there. No cap on the furnace vent. Yeah, I fixed that right up.
In my neck of the woods we have a very small window in which to harvest persimmons. Gotta watch the animals.
Persimmons make a fine jam or bbq glaze.
Idiots
Looks like today’s Democrat. A sh-t eating grin and his hands outstretched.
Right. Silly headline.
Perfect.
I’ve had snakes and birds come down my chimney, but no coons.
It is an Opossum... Size matters...
Those idiots. Looks like a dead possum. I often noted they have fingers that look pretty human, apart from the lack of an opposable thumb.
I once detected a faint sour odor coming from a heat vent. Upon removing the cover, I found a mouse mummy.
Snakes? Where do you live, underground?....LOL!
Probably a raccoon. I just poked around for more info about this, hasn't taken the world by storm, nice find! I *think* I had a Shakespeare class (I think I just needed an English credit) in the Ag building (Morrill Hall) a couple of doors down.
Hmm, not germane to the story, but the class was in Cook Hall, up the stairs, first door on the left, corner classroom, good fit for me, all the bldgs where I got my K-8 ed were older than me, one was older than my parents. :^)
Hmm, really not germane to the story, but the class probably was in Morrill Hall, since the one that now bears that name was constructed (sez here) in 2013. No wonder it wasn’t quite a visual match to my ancient memory of the place.
https://search.brave.com/search?q=morrill+hall+msu&summary=1
“Looks like a dead possum. I often noted they have fingers that look pretty human, apart from the lack of an opposable thumb.”
Yep, there is a 12” ruler laying right next to it... It is not a Racoon.
Interesting. I enjoy so much your posts! Thanks
Oh! Like I needed anything else to amuse myself with, now I gotta review a bunch of scientific animal fact filled videos by Creepy Dave, my new favorite.
An atheist would tell you it’s a missing link.
My favorite is the Pergs.
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