In this special October episode, the Rabbit Hole of Research crew takes the show on the road to Chicago’s Horror House. Joined by co-owners Moses and Vinny, the conversation drifts through ghosts, graveyards, and the supernatural, blending personal stories with science, folklore, and a dash of pop culture.

From sleep paralysis and memory to cats staring into the void, from reincarnation theories to favorite ghost movies, the crew explores how cultures imagine the dead and why graveyards loom so large in horror and storytelling. The episode closes with upcoming Horror House events and a look ahead at future haunted adventures. Equal parts eerie and enlightening, this one celebrates October with science, speculation, and spooky fun.

And check the Episode 45: Substack newsletter for a ghostly list of movies by the RHR crew, Moses and Vinny, to get your month of horror off to a spooky start.

Links for Horror House

HORROR HOUSE WEBSITE

HORROR HOUSE EVENTS ON FACEBOOK

CONNECT WITH HORROR HOUSE ON INSTAGRAM

Check out what the RHR crew is creating:

Joe:

Red Line: Chicago Horror Stories Anthology featuring a new story by Joe!

Chicago Writers Association Podcast: Talkin’ Science Fiction with Joe Austin

Essay by Joe: From Beyond Press: Specific Knowledge: Jotham Austin, II, PhD on Transformations in Fiction

Joe explores how many calories it would take to transform into monsters across sci-fi and horror—think 222 Big Macs and tubs of Cherry Garcia.

It’s Science for Weirdos

Want to support the show? Tell your friends. Follow us on social media, Discord, share the podcast, and let us know what topics you are excited about. Leave a Comment. And for email alerts sign-up for the Substack newsletter and never miss an episode, exciting updates or the bonus images we talk about on the episodes.

We want to Hear From You (leave a comment):

Do you believe in ghosts?

Have you ever had a strange experience in a graveyard, house, pub, or maybe your cat stared into the darkness like it saw something you couldn’t?

Do you have a favorite ghost movie or story?

Future Episodes & Events

Episode 46 – Slashers (Recorded at Reed’s Local, Avondale, Chicago)

Guests: Jesse Andrus (Slasher Sauces) and Melissa (Co-owner of Reed’s)

Blades and booze collide as the crew unpacks the legacy of slasher films. From 80s VHS carnage to modern horror meta-commentary

Episode 47 – Who Goes There? The Thing and The Shape of Paranoia

Guests: Todd Thyberg (Angel Bomb) and Bill Halliar

A deep-dive into the horror of isolation, distrust, and shapeshifting terror through the lens of The Thing. Expect philosophical chills.

Episode 48 – Perception vs. Perspective

Guest: Katie Lichte-Mullenix

Is your brain lying to you? An exploration of perception, illusion, and how the mind constructs reality.

Events:

Joe will be reading with 5 other story tellers at the Printer’s Row Wine Shop and Bar on November 1st.

2pm-4pm

Joe will be reading with other story tellers at the Experimental Station in Hyde Park on November 1st.

5:30-8pm

For more stuff (Images, Episode Highlights, Notes and Fun Facts, events, etc), subscribe to our Substack newsletter!

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