Cut loose and grab your dancing shoes for this episode of WTF because it’s a fun one! We learn that you can quite *literally* dance yourself to death, and that these dancing plagues happened more than once throughout history! Rebecca delves a bit deeper into the Dancing Plague of 1518 while Nicole educates us on psychogenic diseases, including mass psychogenic illnesses and psychogenic movement disorders. Theorize with us possible explanations for these diseases, and let us know what you think!

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This week we each research an ethically questionable psychological study. Rebecca researches the Asch Experiment, Nicole researches the Milgram Experiment, and Journey researches the Stanford Prison Experiment. This episode is a longer one but it is full of stories that will make you question what the researcher was thinking so you don't want to miss out. We have some great discussions about what we think went wrong and what we would do differently, or what we wished we could do today, with each experiment. There is no forensic case in this episode but that doesn't make it any less fun and disturbing of an episode...

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This week on What The Forensics we talk about Canadian killer Luka Magnotta, his life leading up to the murder, the murder victim Justin Lin, and what it means to kill for fame. This is a very interesting episode that discusses the problems around media, podcasts, and other sources that cover crimes and inadvertently glorify the killer over the victim. We discuss how we play a role in that, how we can try mitigate the effects of this, why people view killing as something to be glorified for, and how all of this played a role in why Luka Magnotta did what he did. This is one you don't want to miss!

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This week we delve into the interesting case of Samuel Little. This man confessed to 93 murders (!) at the age of 74, after spending a lifetime going in and out of jail. Rebecca does a great job giving an overview of his entire life and crimes. Nicole then tells us all about the science of victimology, Modus operandi, and signatures. These three topics are super interesting and we have many great conversations surrounding what Samuel Little's MO, victimology, and signatures were, as well as their representation in mainstream media. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did! 

 Listener’s discretion is advised as there is discussion of: murder, sexual assault, and abuse. 

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For more details about the hosts, episode details, sources, and images related to each episode, check out our website at www.whattheforensics.ca

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Are you ready to quit smoking? In just 5 short days, YOU, can be on the road to salvation! … This may have been a marketing tactic for Roch Thériault and his followers, The Anthill Kids, as he beings his small commune of 8 wives and over 20 children. Join us this week as Nicole tells us about the terrible things that went on behind closed doors with this Canadian cult and Journey teaches us about various types of cults. Not only that, she categorizes these cults and discusses where the Anthill Kids may fall into certain categories. You don’t want to miss this final episode of our three part cult series.  

Listener’s discretion is advised as there is discussion of: abuse, both sexual and physical on adults and children,  multilation and breif descriptions of desecration.

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For more details about the hosts, episode details, sources, and images related to each episode, check out our website at www.whattheforensics.ca

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What are two things that sound like they don't go together... and yet they do? What about salmonella poisoning and Sex Guru? 
Listen in to this week's episode where Journey tell us all about Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and the connection between these two things. Following this interesting case study that will leave you wondering who *actually* was behind these attacks, Rebecca teaches us about Forensic Epidemiology, what it is, it's significance in the case, and how the science encompasses much more than we all thought it was. This marks 2 out 3 episodes in our 3-part cult special; be sure to tune in to our final one next time. 

Listener’s discretion is advised as there is discussion of: poisoning and death.

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For more details about the hosts, episode details, sources, and images related to each episode, check out our website at www.whattheforensics.ca

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How did one man's hope of spreading peace through meditation and worship spiral into him becoming the God of his own deadly cult? This kicks off our 3-part special on cults. Join us this week as Rebecca share the story of Aum Shinrikyo, the cult known as the "religion for the elite" who was responsible for two of Japan's most deadly terrorist attacks, then Nicole delves into the fascinating topic of biological warfare and how even the smallest of biological organisms can become deadly when put in the wrong hands. Interested in learning more about the dangerous world of cults? Make sure to tune in next episode too as we continue our 3-part cult special!

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For more details about the hosts, episode details, sources, and images related to each episode, check out our website at www.whattheforensics.ca

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This is a special episode where in honour of the National day of Truth and Reconciliation, September 30, we have decided to focus on some cases of wrongful death and murder of Indigenous men, women, and children in Canada. We felt that since we are fortunate enough to have this platform we need to bring awareness to the atrocities that Indigenous communities face everyday. This episode is definitely one of a more somber nature and we hope that it encourages you to educate yourself on the issues that Indigenous communities are facing. And even though we will never understand what Indigenous communities go through and are currently going through, we want to let you know that we sympathize and stand with you. We hope that everyone takes a second to recognize the land that they are living on does not belong to them and was taken from First Nation communities during time of Colonization, that was not that far in the past. We want to acknowledge that the places we live and are currently recording from are the ancestral, unceded, and traditional lands of indigenous peoples.

In Halifax, we are in Mi'kma'ki, the unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq peoples.

In Calgary, we are in the traditional territories of Niitsitapi and the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta, which includes the Siksika, the Piikuni, the Kainai, the Tsuut’ina and the Stoney Nakoda First Nations, including Chiniki, Bearpaw, and Wesley First Nations.

And in Burlington, we are in the Haudenosaunee, Anishinabewaki, Attiwonderonk, and Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, Mississauga peoples.

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For more details about the hosts, episode details, sources, and images related to each episode, check out our website at www.whattheforensics.ca

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Mayday, mayday! I repeat, mayday, we're going down .... a rabbit hole of information as Journey tells us all about three different plane crashes, SwissAir Flight 111, Flight TWA-800, and MH370. After fueling Journey's own flight anxiety, Rebecca follows up by teaching us about forensic engineering and its importance in solving the questions around why certain things may not work the way they're supposed to. 

Listener’s discretion is advised as there is discussion of: mass death/casualties, plane crashes, and suicide.

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For more details about the hosts, episode details, sources, and images related to each episode, check out our website at www.whattheforensics.ca

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Have you ever wondered how much radiation the human body can withstand? In this episode of What The Forensics we discuss the controversial case of Alexander Litvinenko, an ex-Russian KGB agent who gets exposed to Polonium-210 while seeking asylum in the UK. Rebecca tells us all about who Alexander Litvinenko was and what led him to the seek out safety in the United Kingdom. Nicole then educates us on how radiation poisoning works, signs, symptoms, and different types of exposure. This is a captivating and educational episode that listeners will love!

Interested in learning more about when WTF releases new episodes, contests, and more? Make sure to give us a follow on:
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For more details about the hosts, episode details, sources, and images related to each episode, check out our website at www.whattheforensics.ca

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