Most of us remember the nursery rhyme “Do you know the Muffin Man” from childhood or its appearance in Shrek movies.  However, is there truth to the claim that the song references the first documented serial killer in London as opposed to some nice gentleman that made baked goods?  We discuss the truth behind the origin of the song and the real first documented serial killer in London history.

On September 16th, 1994, children at the Ariel School in Ruwa, Zimbabwe claim to have seen an alien spacecraft and extraterrestrial visitors while outside playing at morning recess.  People have heralded this as proof of Extraterrestrial visitation or contended that it is a classic case of mass hysteria.  Take a listen and see what you think.

We discuss the details of the case of Christopher McCandless who opted into living a nomadic lifestyle and ultimately starved to death in the Alaskan wilderness leading to a somewhat cult following.  What led him to do what he did and why do people still risk their lives to emulate his ultimately fatal decision to live unprepared in the wilderness?

We discuss to urban legends that revolve around female monsters.  The first is the Kuchisake-onna, or “slit faced woman”, of Japan.  She confronts lone travelers at night and murders those that no longer find her beautiful after revealing her bloody slit open mouth.  The second is Baba Yaga, the Slavic grandma living in the woods in her chicken-footed home, cooking and eating children.

One of the great revolutions in the history of the development of humankind is the controlled use of fire.  When did we as a species learn to keep and make fire?  What changes did it make to humans socially and physically.  Jeni, our resident Anthropologist, has the answers.

Our episode this week is on the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.  A time when major drought, grasshopper plagued, swarms of jackrabbits, and massive migration shook the Great Plains of the United States.  Take a listed and find out the multiple horrors of the Dirty Thirties.

This week we discuss Floriography better known as the Language of Flowers.  Floriography is a long practiced means of coded communication through the arrangement and display of flowers.  Want to tell someone that you enjoyed their party and want to be friends, there's an arrangement for that.  Want to tell someone they disgust you and you think they are childish, there's an arrangement for that.  Take a listen and learn about the secret language of flowers.

The Pony Express only functioned for about 18 months in 1860-61, but the mail delivery service has somehow managed to sink it's way into the zeitgeist of the America West due to the influence of the Buffalo Bill Cody Wild West Show.  Take a listen and find out what the Pony Express was really like.
 

The concept of the Holy Grail as ultimate quest item, the true goal of any quest has sunk into the fabric of our culture.  When did the concept of the Grail and the Grail quest get started?  What is the Grail: last supper cup? serving dish? magic rock?  Is there any adaptation of the Grail Quest better than that of Monty Python?  These questions and more are answered this week.

Take a listen and learn about the history of the hit cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.  Created in the late sixties and still going strong today, it was originally made as part of an attempt to push back against violence in kid's cartoons.  Want to know how the characters got their personalities, what Shaggy's real name is, and how Scooby got is strange name?  We've got you covered.