February 21, 2020
He can grow higher than the trees, or smaller than a blade of grass. Both demon and deity, guardian and antagonist, the Leshy is r...Read more
February 28, 2020
Hansel and Gretel is one of the most famous fairy tales of the Western world, and contains one of the most notorious witches. In t...Read more
March 26, 2020
Dr. Zarka examines the yeti’s origins, from Tibetan folklore and religion to the Westernized abominable snowman version. She expla...Read more
May 8, 2020
Jinn is a popular character in fiction and their origins continue to influence Islamic cultures today. From the Qur’an to The Thou...Read more
May 29, 2020
Dr. Zarka explains the timeline of this Internet folklore sensation, examining how unlike so many other monster origins stories, w...Read more
April 7, 2020
In this special episode, Dr. Zarka shows you what’s inside her “go bag,” a kit of survival supplies she keeps on hand at all times...Read more
July 29, 2020
Although able to appear as a beautiful young woman, the jorōgumo is really a deadly spider monster in disguise. This episode dives...Read more
July 29, 2020
Originating in the stories and beliefs of the southeastern Indigenous peoples of Australia, accounts of the bunyip are widely vari...Read more
July 29, 2020
This episode explains how sirens appeared in ancient history, from literature to art, and looks at how the half human half bird cr...Read more
October 18, 2020
While reported sightings of a mysterious creature in Loch Ness go back hundreds of years, it received little global recognition un...Read more
October 18, 2020
19th century London and the hunting ground of Spring-Heeled Jack. The fire-breathing, wall-leaping, claw-wielding devil attacked w...Read more
October 18, 2020
Before these stoney grotesques became monsters they were just water spouts. We still adorn our buildings with the carvings and scu...Read more
October 16, 2020
In the first episode of our three-part special series, we explore the complex history of the zombie—from its origins in the spirit...Read more
October 23, 2020
The second episode of our three-part special series looks at the Romero zombie. Considered the “godfather of zombies,” Romero’s 19...Read more
October 30, 2020
This final episode of our three-part series, brings us to the 21st-century zombie where the monstrous legacy of both the original ...Read more
December 14, 2020
This horse-like horror of Scottish folklore emerges from the sea bringing death and disease. With origins in Orcadian folklore thi...Read more
December 14, 2020
The pontianak, or kuntilanak, has long been a staple of Malay horror. In addition to serving as an allegory for the tension betwee...Read more
December 23, 2020
A sky deity falling from the sky sounds bad, right? Not if it’s the Kasogonagá! From the mythology of the Toba peoples of South Am...Read more