Grave robbing may seem like something people did long ago, but it actually still occurs unfortunately. For example, in Egypt, archaeologists often have to have security round the clock to prevent people from stealing from the tombs. Most of that is for the gold and expensive tomb-related items, however sometimes the black market calls for more obscure things like mummy dust. But in the beginning, grave robbing had more to do with stealing the corpses themselves than it did what was buried with them. On this episode, we dig into the whys, what-fors and oh-nos of grave robbing and what people did with various body parts. 

Bats are one of the coolest animals we have. Some think they’re cute and cuddly, and they’re the only animal that doesn’t walk on four legs and instead, flies. Despite their small size, they’ve also been depicted in folklore as one of the scariest animals we have. On this episode, we swoop in to tell you all about the history of bat folklore and who the first Batman really was. 

Tossing a coin into a fountain or well and making a wish has been a tradition since ancient times. People long ago gave the coin as a gift or tribute to a god, usually to keep them happy, make them happy or as a form of payment for whatever it was they were asking for. On this episode, we dive into the history of making wishes and why we like to toss coins into water.

In creature mythology, pixies, fairies and sprites are sometimes used interchangeably, and although there are some similarities, there are also many differences. On this episode, we take a look at what these magical creatures, butterfly wings and biodegradable materials all have in common.

Magnets are cool, and everyone has at least one. They hang our pictures on refrigerators, they hold things together, they’re used in various machinery, even the center of Earth has a type of one. Put simply, a magnet is a rock or piece of metal, called ferromagnetic metals, that have the ability to pull metals to – or repel metals away – from itself with a force called magnetism. On this episode, we examine the attraction between magnets and why certain parts of the body have more pull. 

We're back! Welcome to our new season! On this episode, we take a look at how Nikola Tesla and shark intestines became the inspiration for filtering water today.

Most people believe in some sort of superstition, whether it’s throwing salt over your shoulder to keep the devil away, or preventing bad luck by not walking under a ladder or breaking a mirror. It may seem silly, but these superstitions have been around for thousands of years and are passed down from generation to generation like grandma’s keepsakes. Some believe superstitions are super silly, but there are logical origins behind each one. On this episode, we look at the origins of some evil eye superstitions and just how afraid we still are of bad luck and evil spirits. 

We all try to stay healthy and exercise, but the holidays tend to add a few extra pounds to our waistline. Throw in a pandemic or two and staying healthy is tops in our minds. Well, we’re here to help. You see, throughout history, various cultures have had the same problems and came up with some unusual food combinations to become healthier. From drinking snail water to roasting sheep lungs and eating a dead body part or two, it's clear to us where modern bizarre health food kicks and medicines come from. On this episode, we help you with your New Year’s resolution of staying healthy and avoiding COVID by offering up some tasty treats from history’s strangest food remedies. 

The yule log, which wasn’t a log at all, but instead an entire tree, is originally a Nordic tradition dating back to medieval times. The burning of the Yule log is one of the oldest pagan rituals, which was lit to entice the sun to return as part of the Yule festival in Scandinavia. On this episode, we explore the history of the yule log and why people refused to cut the tree into pieces before they burned it.

Santa Claus's gift bringing at Christmas time really began in northern and central Europe before spreading to other parts of the world. And some of the things that spread with him were his little helpers. We're not talking about the elves, although they did come along for the ride, no, we're talking about his darker little friends, the ones who handed out punishments. On this episode, we’re hanging out in Germany with St. Nick’s scary friend who smacks kids with his dirty bag of ashes if they’re on the naughty list.