Solo Rescue

Summary

Solo Rescue

Episode of Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities

Release Date: April 3, 2025
Host: Aaron Mahnke
Produced by: iHeartRadio and Grim & Mild

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Aaron Mahnke's "Cabinet of Curiosities" episode titled "Solo Rescue" intricately weaves together fascinating explorations of innovative crime deterrent systems and a compelling true story of survival and unexpected heroism. This long-form summary captures the essence of the episode, highlighting key discussions, insightful analyses, and memorable conclusions enriched with notable quotes and precise timestamps.

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1. The Evolution of Crime Deterrent Systems

Opening Remarks on Crime Prevention
Aaron Mahnke sets the stage by delving into the age-old adage, "Crime does not pay," emphasizing its role in societal teachings aimed at deterring illicit behavior. He reflects, "Crime does not pay. It's a saying that almost everyone knows. We teach it to our children to remind them not to take shortcuts, because in the end, your actions have consequences and your choices will catch up with you" (01:06).

Intelligent Banknote Neutralization System (IBNS)
Mahnke introduces listeners to the Intelligent Banknote Neutralization System (IBNS), a sophisticated bank robber deterrent developed in the early 1980s. This system involves embedding a small explosive within a wad of cash, which, when removed unlawfully from a bank, triggers an explosion releasing tear gas and colored paint. This mechanism not only incapacitates the would-be robber but also marks both the individual and the stolen money, rendering it unusable. Mahnke explains, "This explosion releases tear gas and sometimes a colored paint that marks the bank robber and more importantly, the stolen money" (02:00).

Japan's Anti-Crime Color Balls: Bohan Yokara Buro
Shifting focus to Japan, Mahnke narrates an inventive solution to a peculiar problem—toll evasion on public highways. Initially, toll workers resorted to throwing raw eggs at evading drivers, a method more reflective of frustration than effectiveness. Recognizing its limitations, innovators replaced eggs with bohan yokara buro, or anti-crime color balls, introduced in the early 1980s. These plastic spheres filled with bright orange paint provide a more durable and visible mark compared to eggs, aiding law enforcement in identifying offenders. Mahnke notes, "Toll workers could use them to tag a fleeing vehicle, providing a more useful mark for policemen to find the perpetrator" (03:30). Although rarely deployed in actual theft scenarios, studies suggest their presence serves as a powerful psychological deterrent, discouraging potential criminals from attempting shoplifting or other minor thefts.

Psychological Impact Over Physical Deterrence
Mahnke underscores the psychological advantage of such deterrents, stating, "Anti crime color balls make a much stronger statement than raw egg" (04:20). The mere visibility of these color balls in places like Japanese convenience stores is enough to make potential offenders think twice, showcasing the effectiveness of psychological barriers in crime prevention.

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2. Cody Claassen's Harrowing Rescue by a Hollywood Hero

A Boy Scout's Ordeal in Yellowstone
Transitioning from technological deterrents, Mahnke recounts the true story of Cody Claassen, a 13-year-old Boy Scout who found himself lost in Yellowstone National Park during the summer of 2001. Equipped with scouting skills yet facing unforeseen challenges, Cody took a wrong turn on a hike, leading him deep into unfamiliar territory. Despite his training in navigation and survival, he was ill-prepared for the extended ordeal. Mahnke narrates, "He was wearing sandals, shorts, a thin T-shirt which was doing nothing to cut the cold as the sun dipped below the horizon" (06:20), highlighting Cody's vulnerability.

Desperate Measures and Resourcefulness
As night fell, worsening weather conditions intensified Cody's predicament. With no adequate shelter, he sought refuge in a nearby cave, battling freezing temperatures and dwindling supplies. The situation grew dire with the onset of rain, transforming into sleet that made survival increasingly unlikely. Mahnke illustrates Cody's desperation: "He needed to find his way back soon or he would really be in trouble" (07:05).

An Unexpected Rescuer: Harrison Ford
The turning point in Cody's story unfolds with the arrival of a search helicopter. However, dense tree canopies obscured Cody from the pilot's view. Drawing upon ingenuity, Cody used his shiny metal belt buckle to reflect sunlight towards the helicopter, creating a noticeable signal. Miraculously, this led to his rescue by none other than Harrison Ford—a volunteer pilot and the iconic actor renowned for his role as Han Solo. Mahnke recounts, "Cody whipped the belt off and used it to catch the sunshine... and miraculously, it worked" (08:15).

Ford's involvement brings an extraordinary twist to the narrative. Not only did he execute the rescue, but his prior experience with the Teton County Search and Rescue Team—including rescuing another lost hiker just a year earlier—underscores his commitment to community service. Reflecting on the event, Ford humorously acknowledges Cody's scout achievements: "Now, I'm no scoutmaster... But if Han Solo says you've earned a merit badge, he probably has a point" (09:30).

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3. Concluding Reflections

Aaron Mahnke wraps up the episode by intertwining themes of human ingenuity in crime prevention and the unpredictable nature of heroism. The juxtaposition of advanced deterrent systems with a serendipitous rescue by a celebrity figure invites listeners to ponder the diverse mechanisms societies employ to navigate safety and morality.

Notable Quote from Harrison Ford:
"I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities. ... until next time, stay curious." (09:48)

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Timestamps Summary

• 01:06: Aaron Mahnke introduces the concept "Crime does not pay," emphasizing its societal teaching.
• 02:00: Explanation of the Intelligent Banknote Neutralization System (IBNS) and its functionality.
• 03:30: Introduction to Japan's anti-crime color balls, their origins, and purpose.
• 04:20: Discussion on the psychological impact of anti-crime color balls over physical deterrents.
• 06:20: Overview of Cody Claassen's predicament in Yellowstone National Park.
• 07:05: Description of Cody's struggles and resourcefulness amid worsening conditions.
• 08:15: Narration of Cody's ingenious use of his belt buckle to signal for help.
• 09:30: Harrison Ford's reflective and humorous acknowledgment of Cody's scout achievements.
• 09:48: Closing remarks by Aaron Mahnke encouraging listeners to stay curious.

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Conclusion

"Solo Rescue" masterfully blends explorations of innovative crime prevention methods with an inspiring tale of survival and unexpected heroism. Through detailed storytelling and insightful commentary, Aaron Mahnke invites listeners to appreciate the multifaceted approaches humanity adopts to confront challenges, both mundane and extraordinary. This episode not only educates but also captivates, leaving audiences with a renewed sense of curiosity and appreciation for the complexities of human behavior and ingenuity.

Transcript

[Jeremy Scott]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley season one.

[Gilbert King]

Every time I hear about my dad is, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Jeremy Scott]

I was becoming the bridge between Jeremy Scott and the son he'd never known.

[Gilbert King]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Jeremy Scott]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2, starting April 9th on the iHeartRadio app app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Aaron Manke]

Welcome to Erin Menke's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim and mild.

[Harrison Ford]

Our world is full of the unexplainable. And if history is an open book, all of these amazing tales are right there on display, just waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities.

[Aaron Manke]

Crime does not pay. It's a saying that almost everyone knows. We teach it to our children to remind them not to take shortcuts, because in the end, your actions have consequences and your choices will catch up with you. Stealing something is still stealing something. Of course, this sort of moralizing has not prevented crime from happening. Thievery is a profession as old as the very concept of ownership. And since we no longer hang thieves for taking things, and most petty theft happens too fast to notify police, merchants have found themselves in need of alternate ways to deter criminals. United States banks, for example, are armed with a dummy wad of cash that conceals a trap for potential robbers. Inside this innocuous looking wad of tens and twenty dollars bills, there is a small explosive triggered by radio to detonate when brought out of the doors of the bank. This explosion releases tear gas and sometimes a colored paint that marks the bank robber and more importantly, the stolen money. Any cash marked in this way would be unusable to the criminal in question. This bank robber deterrent is known as an Intelligent Banknote neutralization system, or IBNS. The first prototype was developed in 1982 using colored smoke rather than paint. After a decade in development, the modern system was fully finalized, and it remains in common use to this day. But this was not the only crime deterrent that took off in the 1980s. On the other side of the globe, the country of Japan was facing an interesting crisis. They were running low on eggs. This wasn't because people were stealing eggs at increased rates. It was because people were refusing to pay at toll booths. Yes, you heard that right. You see, at this time, Japan was facing a small epidemic of people who wouldn't pay tolls on public highways. They would just drive past the attendants and keep going down the highway to avoid any payment. Toll workers responded to this behavior by throwing raw eggs at the vehicles that did it. This was an imperfect system, of course, more useful in letting out the frustration of a toll worker than inflicting any real consequences on the drivers. But this practice gave someone the bright idea of replacing the eggs with something more permanent, because egg can be washed off fairly easily. After all. Sometime in the early 1980s, someone developed a suitable egg replacement, a plastic sphere about the size and shape of a baseball filled with bright orange paint. Toll workers, who presumably had plenty of practice with eggs, could use them to tag a fleeing vehicle, providing a more useful mark for policemen to find the perpetrator. These plastic paintballs eventually became known as bohan yokara buro, or anti crime color balls. In the years following their invention, they would expand from toll booths to banks and even convenience stores. Even today, when you step into a convenience store in Japan, you're likely to see a small pile of these orange balls waiting by the cash register. Of course, they're rarely used. In fact, studies have shown that even in cases of store robbery, the owners rarely turn to the paintballs for assistance. Their benefit, it is said, is more psychological than physical. If someone enters a store and sees these innocuous plastic oranges, they will think twice about shoplifting. It's impossible to say how many potential crimes were deterred with the mere threat of getting painted, but one thing is for sure. Anti crime color balls make a much stronger statement than raw egg.

[Jeremy Scott]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in Bone Valley season one. I just knew him as a kid. Long, silent voices from his past came.

[Gilbert King]

Forward, and he was just staring at me.

[Jeremy Scott]

And they had secrets of their own to share.

[Gilbert King]

Gilbert King I'm the son of Jeremy Lynn Scott.

[Jeremy Scott]

I was no longer just telling the story. I was part of it.

[Gilbert King]

Every time I hear about my dad, it's, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Jeremy Scott]

I was becoming the bridge between a killer and the son he'd never known.

[Gilbert King]

If the cops and everything would have done their job properly, my dad would have been in jail. I would have never existed.

[Jeremy Scott]

I never expected to find myself in this place. Now I need to tell you how I got here.

[Gilbert King]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Jeremy Scott]

Bone Valley Season 2 Jeremy.

[Gilbert King]

Jeremy, I want to tell you something.

[Jeremy Scott]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9th on the iHeartRadio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts and to hear the entire new season ad free with exclusive content starting April 9th. Subscribe to Lava for Good plus on Apple Podcasts.

[Aaron Manke]

Cody Claassen was starting to get scared. It was the summer of 2001 and the 13 year old Boy Scout had been hiking for hours. He began the day excited to be venturing into Yellowstone national park, one of the most beautiful natural areas in the country. As part of his Scout training, he had spent hours navigating with a map, hiking through brush, and orienting himself with the stars. He even had the badges to prove it, so he felt comfortable as he set out for a short walk down the trails. That morning he'd wandered for a bit, hoping to see some wildlife and then he would be home in time for lunch. But he must have taken a wrong turn somewhere. For some reason, the trails didn't seem to match the trail that he thought he was following. Nothing looked familiar matter how many times he doubled back. A few hours past his scheduled return, Cody was shivering as he struggled through the brush. He figured if he picked a direction and headed towards where he thought the trailhead was, he would stumble upon a marker or another hiker soon enough. But as the hours racked up and no savior materialized, he began to really worry. Cody was woefully unprepared for his long hike. He was wearing sandals, shorts, a thin T shirt which was doing nothing to cut the cold as the sun dipped below the horizon. Any snacks or water that he'd brought with him were long gone by then. He needed to find his way back soon or he would really be in trouble. A rumble sounded from overhead and Cody looked up to see his problems had just gotten worse. It was starting to rain. As he continued walking, soaked to the skin, the rain turned colder in the night air, freezing into sleet that stuck to his skin. Cody looked for cover and managed to find a cave nearby. He spent a long night shivering in the cold, wondering how on earth he would find his way home. When Cody woke up, it was to the sound of helicopter blades beating the air above the forest. Still cold and groggy, he struggled to his feet with just one thought on his mind. Rescue. But when he emerged from the cave, he saw that there was a problem. The trees were so thick the helicopter flying back and forth overhead couldn't see him through the canopy. He had to think fast before it moved on to the next area. That's when he remembered his belt and its shiny metal buckle. Cody whipped the belt off and used it to catch the sunshine. He reflected a beam of light back at the helicopter, hoping the pilot would see him, and miraculously, it worked. The pilot set the chopper down in a clearing close to the caves. Cody ran to the pilot as he stepped out of the chopper, but froze when the man pulled his helmet off. His desperate joy turned to starstruck wonder, because the man standing in front of him wasn't just any pilot. It was the one who had made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. Han Solo himself, actor Harrison Ford. Harrison had been flying since the 1960s and often volunteered with the Teton County Search and Rescue Team. He'd been flying nearby when the call came over the radio asking pilots to look for lost Cody Clawson. He'd heeded the call and quickly found the missing scout. Surprisingly, this wasn't even Harrison's first rescue mission in the area. Just a year before, he had rescued another lost hiker, Sarah George, who thanked him by promptly vomiting inside his helicopter. Harrison flew the starstruck Cody to a nearby search and rescue place. After 18 hours in the wilderness, he thankfully wasn't worse for wear. Before flying off, Cody reported that the actor knelt down to tell him one last thing that after all he had been through, he certainly deserved a merit badge. Now, I'm no scoutmaster. In fact, I might just be a half witted, scruffy looking nerf herder. But if Han Solo says you've earned a badge, he probably has a point.

[Harrison Ford]

I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts or learn more about the show by visiting Curiosity's podcast. The show was created by me, Aaron Manke, in partnership with How Stuff Works. I make another award winning show called Lore, which is a podcast, book series and television show and you can learn all about it [e-mail] and until next time, stay curious.

[Jeremy Scott]

Something unexpected happened after Jeremy Scott confessed to killing Michelle Schofield in In Bone Valley Season one.

[Gilbert King]

Every time I hear about my dad is, oh, he's a killer. He's just straight evil.

[Jeremy Scott]

I was becoming the bridge between Jeremy Scott and the son he'd never known.

[Gilbert King]

At the end of the day, I'm literally a son of a killer.

[Jeremy Scott]

Listen to new episodes of bone Valley Season 2 starting April 9 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.