Episodes

  • 65: Mummies and their cursed bacteria
    Oct 31 2023

    We've resurfaced - just in time for Halloween.

    Welcome friends, as Sarah and Dr. Kelly discuss all things mummy -- the hotness in the movies, how mummies were made, why they're so cool, and the curses those hilariously macabre victorians inevitably unleashed upon our earth.

    REFERENCES:

    • Robbing Cleopatra's tomb- the first horror movie?
    • Eyptomaaaaaania!!!!
    • How we know about Egyptian mummy embalming.
    • Eating mummies for fun and healing (WTF)
    • The Midnight Library podcast - Corpse Medicine episode!
    • The Pharoh's curse!
    • The Unlucky Mummy in the British Museum (where else)
    • Nautilus article on the unlucky mummy psychology.
    • Metagenomic Analysis of Ancient Egyptian Canopic jars
    • The mummy's curse: historical cohort study
    • Lord Carnarvon's Death: the curse of aspergillosis
      • (why is it so hard to say tho)
    • Lady Dai, the best preserved mummy ever. Warning, the photos are very real.

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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • 64: Halloween stories, expertly judged
    Oct 31 2022

    Join us for a dope selection of scary and bizarre halloween stories! Dr. Kelly Ruggles, our resident skeptical scientist judges these tales and assigns scores, just to get a little math up in here.

    Learn about one Alabama town's very weird child-harassing specter, and hear the terror that inhabits the most haunted road in England! IF YOU DARE!!!!

    Find us Online!

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    Struggling with drug or alcohol addiction? We understand, it's ok to struggle. But please, ask for help.

    SAMHSA Drug and Alcohol addiction hotline
    Or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

    REFERENCES:

    Ghosts of Blue Bell Road, Kent, England.

    Hugging Molly, the weirdest ghost we know. Excellent article, highly recommended!

    Halloween Horror nights by Universal!

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    35 mins
  • 63: Sasquatch don't play
    Dec 1 2021

    The promised third episode of our mega Bigfoot series! In this episode, we go through the strangest stories of Sasquatches attacking, acting creepy as sh!t, or even showing INTERDIMENSIONAL talents!! Join us, and rate the stories right along with Dr. Kelly.

    FYI, all references available at https://www.zeropercentscared.com

    Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com

    FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps

    Find us Online!

    If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

    Struggling with drug or alcohol addiction? We understand, it's ok to struggle. But please, ask for help.

    SAMHSA Drug and Alcohol addiction hotline
    Or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

    REFERENCES:

    Kristen Stewart Hitting Target Demographic -- gay ghost hunting reality show!!
    https://www.autostraddle.com/kristen-stewart-developing-ghost-hunting-reality-tv-show/

    Queers love cryptids!
    https://www.autostraddle.com/nessie-is-my-girlfriend-what-is-it-with-queer-people-and-cryptids-420335/

    Mysterious Universe - pretty good paranormal blog site
    https://mysteriousuniverse.org/

    BFRO's account of Alberts Ostman's bigfoot adventure
    http://bfro.net/GDB/show_report.asp?ID=1091

    The ape canyon Sasquatch attacks
    https://bizarreandgrotesque.com/2020/01/15/ape-canyons-bizarre-1924-bigfoot-attack/

    Bigfoot attacks!
    https://mysteriousuniverse.org/2018/01/bizarre-and-frightening-accounts-of-bigfoot-attacks/

    WJ Sheehans Terror in the Woods book series -- check these out, they're cheap and really fun
    https://www.amazon.com/W-J-Sheehan/e/B07H2W3KW7?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1638250291&sr=8-1

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    1 hr and 22 mins
  • 62: Bigfoot deserves a parade
    Nov 3 2021

    Hey folks! Here is the much anticipated second installment of our Bigfoot series -- and this is all about the evidence that even Dr. Kelly (the Scully in the relationship) will admit is compelling.

    In this episode, Sarah goes into the best evidence that Bigfoot is a real creature -- and we need to have a parade for her, we all agree.

    All references available at https://www.zeropercentscared.com

    Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com

    FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps

    Find us Online!

    If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

    Struggling with drug or alcohol addiction? We understand, it's ok to struggle. But please, ask for help.

    SAMHSA Drug and Alcohol addiction hotline
    Or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

    REFERENCES:

    The Man Who Killed Hitler and then Bigfoot:
    https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_man_who_killed_hitler_and_then_the_bigfoot

    Sasquatch legend meets science:
    https://www.amazon.com/Sasquatch-Legend-Science-Jeff-Meldrum/dp/0765312174

    Gigantopithecus:
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gigantopithecus

    The Lying Liar Ray Wallace:
    https://www.bfro.net/news/wallace_faq.asp

    Bigfoot track hoax reward:
    http://www.bigfootencounters.com/articles/reward.htm

    Jimmy Chilcutt and bigfoot fingerprints:
    https://txsasquatch.blogspot.com/2006/01/jimmy-chilcutt.html

    Mid-tarsal breaks:
    https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23686391/

    The idiocy, Fabrications and lies of ancient aliens:
    https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-idiocy-fabrications-and-lies-of-ancient-aliens-86294030/

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    57 mins
  • 61: Re-release of SCARY CLOWNS for halloween!
    Oct 31 2021

    Hey all! Listen, we know we've been gone a long time, but we ARE BACK!! Tonight for halloween, please enjoy this special re-release of our clowns episode. And join us next week for new content about bigfoot!

    HAPPY HALLOWEEN MY PEOPLE!

    Second: It's unanimous, nobody likes clowns. Or Disney World. OK fine that last one is just Kelly, but the clown thing is real. Especially when they're trying to murder you. Let's phase out the clowns, people. Phase them out.

    Email us! stories@zeropercentscared.com

    References:

    • Big ups to Sparrow Sounds Studios, our fabulous theme music creator
    • Mysterious America: The Ultimate Guide to the Nations Weirdest Wonders, Strangest Spots, and Creepiest Creatures. By Loren Coleman
    • Clown bar fight video
    • Why Clowns Creep Us Out by Frank McAndrew
    • On the Nature of Creepiness. McAndrew and Koehnke
    • A review of empirical evidence on different uncanny valley hypotheses: support for perceptual mismatch of one road to the valley of eeriness. Katsyri et al.
    • Uncanny but not confusing: Multisite study of perceptual category confusion in the Uncanny Valley. Mather et al.
    • Decoder Ring: Clown Panic
    • The disturbing true story of the pied piper of Hamelin
    • Wrinkles the Clown
    • The Wrinkles News Story

    Find Us Online:

    If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can check out our website too!

    Also, email us! stories@zeropercentscared.com

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    41 mins
  • 60: Bigfoot and the Scientists Who Love Her
    May 14 2021

    Friends, hear me out -- there are lots of legit actual scientists who believe in Bigfoot! No, seriously.

    Welcome the one the only Dr. Kelly back as we do a dive into scientists that believe Bigfoot, Sasquatch, the Yeti, whatever you might call it, is REAL.

    I'M BEING SERIOUS HERE!

    In this episode Kelly and Sarah discuss the scientists who believe in bigfoot, and the amazing book SASQUATCH: LEGEND MEETS SCIENCE.

    Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com

    FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps

    Find us Online!

    If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

    Show Notes:

    • Bigfoot: Legend Meets Science (Amazon link)
    • Interview w/ Dr. Meldrum on NPRs talk of the nation about Sasquatch: Legend Meets Science
    • Transcript of Jane Goodall's sasquatch comments
    • The Science behind Bigfoot, an interview with Dr. Jeff Meldrum
    • Entering Dubious Realms: Grover Krantz, Science, and Sasquatch (by Brian Regal)
    • Bigfoot genetics thingie Kelly rages about -- "Novel North American Hominins, Next Generation Sequencing of Three Whole Genomes and Associated Studies" Ketchum, M. S., Wojtkiewicz, P. W., Watts, A. B., Spence, D. W., Holzenburg, A. K., Toler, D. G., Prychitko, T. M., Zhang, F., Shoulders, R., Smith, R. (2013)
    • The Man, The Myth, and The Legend of Grover Krantz by Krissy Elliot

    Struggling with drug or alcohol addiction? We understand, it's ok to struggle. But please, ask for help.

    SAMHSA Drug and Alcohol addiction hotline
    Or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

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    56 mins
  • 59: Roman Candles Made of People
    Mar 26 2021

    Oh my god, you guys, did you know people just burst into flame for no reason? And then burn all the way up in a crazy weird way that makes no logical sense? It's true! And its OUR NEW WORST FEAR!

    Today we discuss the insane stories behind some very strange cases of Spontaneous Human Combustion. Sarah tells the crazy stories, and Dr. Mysterface talks about Autobrewery Syndrome, the wick effect, and why being a crossfitter is a recipe for becoming a fireball!

    Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com

    FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps

    Find us Online!

    If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

    Struggling with drug or alcohol addiction? We understand, it's ok to struggle. But please, ask for help.

    SAMHSA Drug and Alcohol addiction hotline
    Or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

    Show References:

    • Excellent and fair overview of SHC
    • Irish Coroner rules death is by Spontaneous Human Combustion
    • Mary Reeser, the 'cinder lady' (which is kind of rude as far as nicknames go).
    • Countess Di Bandi, human roman candle!
    • How to shrink a human head (don't ask me, we like tangents)
    • Auto-Brewery Syndrome
    • Ketosis
    • The Entrancing Flame by John Heymer. Fascinating book!
    • Borderland Phenomenon by Louis Proud
    • Text of the case from the Boston Medical and Surgical Journal, 1835
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    56 mins
  • 58: MERRY SCARY CHRISTMAS!!!
    Dec 25 2020

    Hey folks, we've decided to bring back the tradition of telling ghost stories on Christmas! Join us for some "true" ghost stories that take place during Christmas, and stay for some interesting science about FEAR!

    PS -- the Covid vaccine is safe, GET IT GUYS

    Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com

    FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps

    REFERENCES:

    • The Shipwright's Arms Pub and Haunted ass Inn
    • The go fund me -- throw em a buck will ya
    • Bramshill House
    • The Legend of the Mistletoe Bough
    • Hidden Brain Podcast - science of fear
    • Triune Brain theory
    • Why we like horror movies!
    • The Woman Who HAS NO FEAR
    • Christmas Hauntings!
    • The Gift of Fear
    • Insane "Haunted House" aka torture chamber (do not go!)

    Find us Online!

    If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

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    51 mins