Mushrooms. So cute. So tasty. So very toxic.

Humans have loved and feared mushrooms since before written history. In this episode, Hallie discusses the tumultuous history of this relationship, and a few of the most deadly mushrooms in the world.

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Originally posted in Dec. 2022, lets dive back into Krampus.

Without much effort, the layers of the Christian holiday of Christmas can be peeled away to reveal its origins in more ancient pagan traditions from across Europe. One of the ancient folkloric characters that has managed to survive by tooth and claw is Krampus. Lets talk about Krampus, the Christmas demon.

The Nahanni region in Canada's Northwest Territories has a nickname - The Valley of Headless Men - because several decapitated bodies have been discovered over the years. Most of these were found during the goldrush and while some suggest foul play, there is also talk of strange beasts and spirits in the valley. Let's explore these legends.

Originally published for patrons on Jun 28, 2023.

Let's take a casual dip into the world of medical terminology: its history, how diseases are named, colloquial names and out of date terms for disease, and fancy words for mundane conditions.

Vampire folklore is ancient, but with the publishing of Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1897, that lore changed forever. The terrifying, grotesque creature became suave and charming, then continued to evolve into the seductive creature of the night we know today. In this episode we examine that transition, as well as the origin and evolution of Dracula's vampiric powers.

Originally published on Patreon on April 9th, 2025

'Baba Yaga is a powerful witch who terrorizes all who enter the deep forest from her hut on bird's legs, it's fences strung with human bones. In this episode, Hallie discusses her origins, the strange duality of her character, and shares several Baba Yaga folktales.'

Did you know that disease has been used to help people? In this episode we're going to discuss several cases in which disease, or disease research, was utilized to protect people from great harm. All of these cases occurred during World War 2, and were carried out by physicians doing their best to protect those targeted by The Third Reich, also known as the Nazis.

Originally published for MCP Patrons of Feb 15, 2025.

'In this episode, Hallie explores the physiological and psychological aspects of fear, how these reactions may have developed in our human past, and how they both benefit and burden us today.'