Strange Origins

Episode 23 | Angels

It may have taken Clarence from It’s a Wonderful Life 200 years to earn his wings, but what about the angels with three sets of wings? Spanning across all the Abrahamic religions, angels have done a lot of work to keep the cosmos in order. And some have done a lot of work to bring…

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Episode 22 | Santa & Krampus

Who is Krampus and why is always scaring the children? This week I close out the year and discuss one of the more fan-favorite monsters of the season and Santa Claus’ counterpart from Hell, Krampus. From St. Nicholas’ healing bone manna to Santa Claus’ abolitionist history, you’ll be full of strange facts to share with…

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Episode 21 | Black Eyed Children

*Please note that due to darker themes this episode may not be suitable for children under the age of 13. When do contemporary American myths cross the border between fun and just plain strange? From hypnotism to dead cats to nosebleeds, where do The Black Eyed Children fit in and how much can they be…

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Episode 20 | The Ghost Club

From the hallowed halls of Trinity College was born The Ghost Club. After decades of lectures, research, and debunkings, where did their interest in the unexplained take them? Apparently, exploding knives, fake mediums, and a Spontaneous Psychophysical Incident Data Electronic Recorder (SPIDER). (Sidenote: I know that I pronounce Cambridge weird. I tried to watch out…

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Episode 19 | Hags

*Please note that this episode lightly mentions child cannibalism and may not be suitable for children 13 and under. Did you know that being called a Hag was at one point in history a compliment? Join me in my deep dive into the history of the hag, which in essence, is the history of women…

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Episode 18 | Stonehenge

*Please note this episode lightly mentions the subject of human sacrifice, and may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13. What is it about a circle of stones that either inspires or frightens generations of people? With Stonehenge, the answers aren’t very clear. Still, though, the evidence remains that there’s something special…

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Episode 17 | Halloween

All Hallow’s Eve is a time for sweets, pranks, and talking to the dead. But where exactly did all of these strange and seemingly random traditions originate? From Stingy Jack to pranks that went a little too far, Halloween has more mischievous beginnings than you thought. For more info on me and my podcasts please…

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Episode 16 | The Brothers Grimm

Grimm’s Fairy Tales such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Rapunzel have been a large part of our childhoods. So why don’t we know anything about where they came from? From Philology to the Nazis, the Grimm’s had quite the effect on the modern world. And he funny thing is, it was mostly on…

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Episode 15 | Golems

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week, which involves mention of genocide and death, which may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13. What makes Golems such strange creatures? In my opinion, it’s everything. From their birth to their death, and the religious implications behind the myth, Golems are…

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Episode 14 | Witches

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week, which involves themes of sexuality and Satanism, may not be suitable for listeners younger than 13. From Scorpion Hunters to Greek Goddesses, to the Colonies, witches are either vilified or revered (depending on who you ask.) When exactly did the gap between respected and feared…

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