The Morbid Curiosity Podcast

By Hallie

What's The Morbid Curiosity Podcast about?

A history podcast for the morbidly curious. From serial killers to ghosts, ancient remains to obscure medical conditions, let us satisfy your curiosity.

(Some episodes may not be appropriate for children. Listener discretion is advised.)

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The Morbid Curiosity Podcast episodes:

04.25.2024
The Bloody Benders
The 1870s were a rough time in Kansas. Travelers and settlers on the frontier struggled against the odds to make even a modest living. The Bender family had a unique method of survival: murder. CW: forced relocation, murder of adults...
04.12.2024
Highgate Cemetery
Available For One Week Only! Originally published on Patreon on Feb 13, 2023 "Highgate cemetery was one of the first large garden cemeteries built during the industrialization of London. Over the years it's had its ups and downs, from being...
03.27.2024
Pentridge Prison
CW: Torture, Rape, Execution, Racism, Self-Harm, and Suicide Colonial Australia was used by the British to house prisoners in the late 1800s. Pentridge Prison began as a stockade in 1851 and grew into one of the most infamous prisons in...
02.21.2024
Ghost Theory
Have you ever wondered why paranormal investigators use certain devices to detect ghosts? It all has to do with theories about what ghosts are. In this episode, we explore theories about ghosts throughout history. Is there room for the possibility...
01.28.2024
The Chivruay Tragedy
Often called the Dyatlov Pass Incident of the 70s, the Chivruay Pass Tragedy has similar elements: 10 students go hiking in the snowy Russian mountains and are later found frozen to death. They also share a cloud of mystery and...
12.24.2023
Gryla & the Midwinter Monsters of Iceland
For this winter holiday special, Hallie dives into the folklore of Iceland to talk about the terrifying creatures of midwinter. Who are they, what are their origins , and what has become of them in the modern era?
12.13.2023
Plants That Bite
In this 4th instalment of the MCP's plants series, we discuss carnivorous plants: their traps, their habitats, and how to care for your own meat-eating plant.
11.29.2023
Taxidermy with Audrey Ko of Odd Taxidermy
CW: Processing of dead animals, killing of insects, poaching and killing of bats. In this episode, Hallie talks with Audrey Ko of Odd Taxidermy about how she got her start, the types of taxidermy and the...
10.31.2023
Exorcism
CW: Belief in the supernatural, mental illness, religious doctrine, refute of religious doctrine, ritual abuse, suicide, and religious persecution. For Halloween this year, Hallie dives into the supernatural world to explore the practice of exorcism. From the early mesopotamian demons...
09.08.2023
The Sinking of the Titanic
CW: Mass accidental death including women and children, mention of suicide. In this epiosde, we discuss the sinking of the HMS Titanic, one of the most devastating maritime tragedies of its age. The construction, the safety features, the voyage, the...
05.30.2023
Jack the Ripper, pt. 3
In this final part of episode 100, we explore the histories of the women whose lives were ended in 1888 by the Ripper. Each woman lived a different experience, leading them for better or worse to the East End. While...
04.24.2023
Jack the Ripper, pt. 1
CW: murder, physcial and sexual violence against women, sex work, detailed descriptions of bodily mutilation. In 1888, a string of brutal murders shocked the residents of London. Just as shocking, the police were unable to find the killer, nicknamed Jack...
03.27.2023
Aokigahara: Suicide Forest
TW: Discussions of suicide Aokigahara, a dense forest in Japan, is the setting for a surprising number of cases of suicide every year. Why Aokigahara? Some people think that it's due to the high rate of...
02.27.2023
Chimu Child Sacrifice
TW: Ritual violence, Child death The ancient Chimu civilization wasn't known to sacrifice humans, until a mass grave of child sacrifices was unearthed in 2011. In this episode we discuss the Chimu, how to identify human sacrifice in...
01.23.2023
Pirate Havens of Madagascar
During the Golden Age of Piracy, many small islands became havens for pirates, places they went to divide and enjoy thier loot. While some of these are legendary, such as the pirate Utopia Libertatia, others were real places. In this...
12.22.2022
Walking Corpse Syndrome
TW: Self-harm, Suicide Walking Corpse Syndrome is a psychiatric delusion in which you believe you are dead. You may not remember your own name and might try to prove that you're dead in extreme ways. In this episode,...
11.28.2022
Residential Schools
Canadian residential schools were not regular boarding schools, they were facilities meant to assimilate indigenous peoples into European-based Canadian society. Despite failing in this regard, they caused widespread intergenerational trauma to most people that attended them. ...
10.31.2022
The Corpse Light by D. Donovan
It's Halloween! Let's celebrate with a creepy ghost story. The MCP presents, 'The Corpse Light,' by D. Donovan, originally published in 1899.
10.24.2022
Bitten: Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies
In this episode, we discuss the folklore surrounding the three most popular supernatural creatures: vampires, werewolves and zombies. All three can transmit (or infect) humans with thier condition through a single bite, but what other similarities exists in thier origins...
08.30.2022
Death in Ancient Egypt pt 3: Tombs
In the final part of this series, we discuss the tombs of ancient Egypt, from plain burials to monumental pyramids. We also talk about how they changed over time and who built these monuments.
07.18.2022
Death in Ancient Egypt pt 2: Mummification
How did mummification begin? Were only the pharaohs mummified? Who made mummies? In part 2 of this 3 part series, we answer all these questions and more as we explore the evolution of mummification in ancient Egypt. In the next...
06.06.2022
Death in Ancient Egypt pt 1: Religion and Ritual
We know the ancient Egyptians built tombs and made mummies, but why? In part 1 of this 3 part series, we explore the ideology, religion, and funerary rituals surrounding death in ancient Egypt. In the next episode, we'll dive into...
05.02.2022
The Tsavo Man-Eaters
TW: Colonialism, Big Game Hunting, Animal Attacks In 1898, two lions began systematically killing and eating Indian workers building a British train line over the River Tsavo in Kenya. Their stealth and cunning made them incredibly difficult to stop. In...
04.11.2022
Plants That Thrill
That's right! The MCP is back! In this third instalment of our toxic plants series, we discuss natural hallucinogens with a focus on those found in Central and South America. Where they come from, how they...
05.31.2021
Tarrare
Tarrare was 18th century man who could eat almost anything, and did so in large quantities. That included live animals, wooden boxes, and feasts meant for 15 men. In this episode we discuss his life, and what might have been...
04.05.2021
Dancing Mania
In 1518, the city of Strasbourg was consumed by a strange epidemic: hundreds were struck by the irresistible urge to dance until they died. This incident of Dancing Mania was not the first, and no one knew the cause of...
12.07.2020
Sleep Paralysis
In this episode, we discuss a biological phenomenon that has been mistaken for a supernatural experience for hundreds of years. People of the past believed demons, witches, or spirits were sitting on their chests while they slept, crushing them, but...
11.23.2020
Bloodletting and Leeches
Bloodletting is an ancient treatment that persisted until the 18th century. One of the techniques used to let blood were leeches, blood-sucking worms. In this episode, we discuss both the history of bloodletting and these fascinating yet creepy creatures. Become...
11.09.2020
Curse Tablets
One of the most common types of magic in the ancient Graeco-Roman world were curses. These binding spells were placed on special tablets & figurines that have since been unearthed by archaeologists. In this episode, we discuss these curse tablets,...
10.12.2020
The Hinterkaifeck Murders
On March 31, 1922, an entire family and their maid were murdered in their home, an isolated farmstead in Bavaria, Germany, known as Hinterkaifeck. The killer has never been discovered, and a web of mystery has been woven around the...
09.28.2020
Shrunken Heads
In the past, tsantsas, or shrunken heads, were made by the Shuar people of Ecuador and Peru. These ritual items were part of a complex system of power among the Shuar, but were later traded to fascinated Westerners for guns...
09.14.2020
The Donner Party, Part 3
After travelling west by covered wagon in 1846, the Donner Party became marooned in the snows of the Sierra Mountains. Even though a small group had made it out to find help, they were running out of food and strength....
08.31.2020
The Donner Party, Part 2
The Donner Party travelled by covered wagon in 1846 toward California, but became marooned in the snows of Sierra Mountains. In the second part of this episode, we discuss the first half of their winter ordeal, including the struggle to...
08.17.2020
The Donner Party, Part 1
The Donner Party left Illinois in April 1846. Hoping to reach California by covered wagon before winter, they decided to take a brand new short cut. This short cut proved disastrous, and led to much hardship and horror when the...
08.03.2020
The Pyramids of Nubia
South of Egypt lies Nubia, the ancient home of of the Kushite Kingdom. The Kushites built their own pyramids and even rose to rule Egypt at one point. In this episode we discuss the history of Kush and the many...
07.20.2020
Footbinding in Imperial China
The practice of footbinding - binding the feet tightly in order to change their shape - appeared sometime before the 10th century in Imperial China among noble women. As time passed, it became popular among women of all classes, despite...
06.08.2020
The Lancashire Witch Trials
Nine women and two men were tried and executed for witchcraft in 1612 near Pendle in Lancashire. This was an unprecedented death toll for a single witch trial at the time. In this episode, we discuss witchcraft in England, and...
05.25.2020
Waverly Hills Sanatorium
While hundreds of urban legends surround Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Kentucky, there is also plenty of documented history. Some of the rumours may hold a grain of truth to them. In this episode, we shine a light on the history...
05.11.2020
Plants That Kill Vol. 2
Back by popular request, Hallie discusses more toxic plants! Poisonous plants have been used throughout history for many purposes, including hunting, medicine, cosmetics, and of course, murder. In this episode we discuss several of the most poisonous plants with emphasis...
04.27.2020
Doppelgängers
The Doppelgänger, or supernatural double, has been featured in almost every modern media genre, from romance to science fiction. However, the roots of this folkloric creature are ancient, and the concept of the double and what it represents has been...
04.13.2020
The 1918 Influenza Pandemic
1918 saw the end of World War One but also a pandemic that killed more soldiers than the fighting. It wasn't until 1997 that the lethal disease, sometimes called the Spanish Flu, was identified as Influenza. In this episode, we...
03.30.2020
The Black Hole of Calcutta
During the night on June 20th, 1756, a large number of prisoners were crowded into a single cell at Fort William, Calcutta, and died due to suffocation. This incident was later used to legitimize British rule in India, as well...
03.16.2020
The Plague, Part 3: The Third Pandemic
In the finale of this three part episode, we discuss the last of the three Great Plague Pandemics, known as the Plague of Bombay and the Third Pandemic, which began in 1855. Become a Patron: bit.ly/morbidpatron Buy Us a Book:...
03.02.2020
The Plague, Part 2: The Black Death
In this now three part episode, we discuss the three Great Plague Pandemics. In Part Two, we discuss the Black Death, Plague Doctors, and the Great Plague of London Become a Patron: bit.ly/morbidpatron Buy Us a Book: bit.ly/morbidwishlist
02.17.2020
The Plague, Part 1: the Plague of Justinian
In this two part episode, we discuss the three Great Plague Pandemics. In part one, we discuss the bacterium behind the plague, Yersinia pestis, and the Plague of Justinian, which occurred in the 6th century CE. In part two, we...
02.03.2020
Amelia Earhart
In 1937, Amelia Earhart, a pioneer of aviation, attempted to fly around the world. Near the end of this journey, she and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared over the Pacific Ocean. In this episode we discuss Earhart's rise to fame,...
01.20.2020
Victorian Post-Mortem Photography
During the Victorian era, the practice of capturing photographs of the dead was part of a complicated etiquette surrounding death and mourning. In this episode, we examine that etiquette and how post-mortem photography developed, its processes and how it aided...
12.16.2019
Franklin's Lost Expedition, Part 2
In 1845, Sir John Franklin and 129 men sailed into the Canadian Arctic Archipelago in search of the Northwest Passage. They were never seen again, and what happened on that expedition has remained a mystery. In this episode, we explore...
12.02.2019
Franklin's Lost Expedition, Part 1
In 1845, Sir John Franklin and 129 men sailed into the Canadian Arctic Archipelago in search of the Northwest Passage. They were never seen again, and what happened on that expedition has remained a mystery. In this episode, we explore...
11.18.2019
The Destruction of Pompeii
In the year 79 CE, Mt. Vesuvius erupted, burying the Roman city of Pompeii. The ruins were only rediscovered in the the late 1700s, and have been under excavation ever since. In this episode we discuss written references and the...

What's The Morbid Curiosity Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Morbid Curiosity Podcast episodes:

The Bloody Benders

Highgate Cemetery

Pentridge Prison

Ghost Theory

The Chivruay Tragedy

Gryla & the Midwinter Monsters of Iceland

Plants That Bite

Taxidermy with Audrey Ko of Odd Taxidermy

Exorcism

The Sinking of the Titanic

Jack the Ripper, pt. 3

Jack the Ripper, pt. 1

Aokigahara: Suicide Forest

Chimu Child Sacrifice

Pirate Havens of Madagascar

Walking Corpse Syndrome

Residential Schools

The Corpse Light by D. Donovan

Bitten: Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies

Death in Ancient Egypt pt 3: Tombs

Death in Ancient Egypt pt 2: Mummification

Death in Ancient Egypt pt 1: Religion and Ritual

The Tsavo Man-Eaters

Plants That Thrill

Tarrare

Dancing Mania

Sleep Paralysis

Bloodletting and Leeches

Curse Tablets

The Hinterkaifeck Murders

Shrunken Heads

The Donner Party, Part 3

The Donner Party, Part 2

The Donner Party, Part 1

The Pyramids of Nubia

Footbinding in Imperial China

The Lancashire Witch Trials

Waverly Hills Sanatorium

Plants That Kill Vol. 2

Doppelgängers

The 1918 Influenza Pandemic

The Black Hole of Calcutta

The Plague, Part 3: The Third Pandemic

The Plague, Part 2: The Black Death

The Plague, Part 1: the Plague of Justinian

Amelia Earhart

Victorian Post-Mortem Photography

Franklin's Lost Expedition, Part 2

Franklin's Lost Expedition, Part 1

The Destruction of Pompeii