Stories of Strangeness

Episode 56 – HMS Terror and Ice Mummies

In this episode, Mike tells us about the HMS Terror and its ill-fated expedition into the Northwest passage in the Canadian arctic. He also tells us about ice mummies, and the circumstances behind their creation. We also talk about future telepathy, the fall of Twitter and capitalism, and everyone’s favourite topic – cannibalism. Here’s a…

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Episode 55 – Halloween ’22

In this Halloween special episode, Mike tells us about The Devil’s Footprints, a series of odd markings that appeared in the snow in a hundred mile area around Devon in one night in 1855. Then Zoe talks about doppelgängers – the weird, phantasmal doubles that appear and often portend disaster. We also talk about the…

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Episode 54 – Elizabeth Bathory

In this episode, Zoe tells us about Elizabeth Bathory – by all means a terrible employer and possibly an inspiration for vampires and Dracula’s wife. We also talk about Keanu Reeves’ acting, Jeffrey Dahmer, and how monks need to be more proactive with their complaints. Here’s a rundown of the episode: 00:28 – Hello! 10:13…

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Episode 53 – The Wickedest Man In The World

In this episode, Mike tells us about Aleister Crowley, dubbed “The Wickedest Man in the World,” by a contemporary tabloid. We learn he was more than just an occultist, he was also a mountaineer, poet and lover extraordinaire. We also talk about pugilist poets, taking drugs for medical benefits, immortal celebrities’ secrets, and why Mike…

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Episode 52 – Dreams

In this episode, Zoe tells us about dreams – what we understand, (and don’t) about them, as well as some of the folklore and myths about beings who bring us those dreams. We also talk about our own dreams, how Mike met Freddy Kreuger in one, and Zoe found out how her childhood dog died…

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Episode 51 – Operation Paperclip

In this episode, Mike tells us about Operation Paperclip, the US government’s initiative to repatriate German scientists after WWII, or “Adopt a Nazi” as we’ve decided to call it. Many of the Germans were Nazi Party members, and some were involved in some of the most horrific and unsavoury parts of the war. We also…

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Episode 50 – Trolls

In this episode, Zoe tells us about Trolls, those mythological creatures that we all know and… wait, do we really know them? After struggling to find stories where people actually meet them and describe them, Zoe delves into the folklore surrounding these mysterious creatures that may not look the way you think. We also talk…

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Episode 49 – The Oak Island Money Pit

In this episode, Mike tells us about the possible buried treasure on Oak Island, Nova Scotia, and all the attempts to recover it over the last 200 years. We also talk about episode 33’s Somerton Man and how his identity might finally be revealed; the difficulties of keeping track of what we’ve covered on the…

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Episode 48 – Lizard people

In this episode, Zoe tells us about the conspiracy theory of shape-shifting Lizard people, who secretly control the Earth. We also talk about Humpty Dumpty, what topping we think the Queen prefers on a jacket potato, and a strange language from the Pyrenees that *might* be Welsh. Here’s a rundown of the episode: 00:28 –…

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Ep 47 – Dark Water: The Mysterious Death of Elisa Lam

In this episode, Mike tells us about the mysterious disappearance and death of Elisa Lam, and how it mirrors the story of the film Dark Water, released 8 years prior. We also talk about the best ways to hide a body, why people agree to tell their darkest secrets on tv, and why metal musicians…

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