Showing results for "Folklore" in Science & Engineering

A pioneering scientist writes of the fascinating ecological and pharmaceutical properties of trees, and how mother trees nourish younger trees and help them defend themselves The inspiration for the documentary Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees, and herself part of the...

UFO abductions, television psychics, paranormal phenomena, skeptics and believers alike, find themselves debating truths and lies in the strange web of pseudoscience and the occult. Now, director of the Skeptics Society Michael Shermer explores the very human reasons why we find other worldly phenomena, conspiracy theories, and cults so appealing.

The stars and constellations are among the few remaining objects that appear to us just as they appeared to our distant ancestors. From anywhere on Earth, a person may view the celestial panorama simply by stepping outside at night and gazing upward. This nonfiction narrative presents the tales of the 48 classical constellations, compiled from literature spanning a thousand years from Homer to Claudius Ptolemy. These age-old tales have captured the human imagination from ancient times to the present.

Explore the wonderful world of some of the most incredible natural forms on our planet—fungi. At the center of countless superstitions, folkloric tales, and magical beliefs, as well as appearing in recipes and medicines both traditional and modern, mushrooms have incredible powers. The Magic of Mushrooms shows that from saving lives to expanding the mind, the potential of these fascinating organisms should not be underestimated.

Explore the mysteries of the night through sleep science, dream psychology, and folklore. Hosted by Yarrow—executive coach, neuroscience explorer, vivid dreamer, and lifelong learner—the show moves between two realms: 🌙 Tuesdays: Applied Science – Unwind with neuroscience insights, dream interpretation & gentle rituals rooted in sleep science and psychology. Includes how to design restorative rituals, how ancient practices align with modern sleep research, and more. 🌌 Fridays: Step into folklore, mythology, & haunted history with Yarrow's alter ego: YLDragons. Venture into the ...

Mythopedia is a fun, fact-filled A-Z treasury of myths inspired by natural events. Bringing together fifty legends from antiquity to the present, this delightfully entertaining book takes you around the world to explore sunken kingdoms and lost cities, accursed mountains and treacherous terrains, and lethal lakes and singing sand dunes, explaining the historical background and latest science underlying each tale.

Behind every star and constellation is a story. Ever since human beings were able to articulate the world around them, they gazed up towards the stars and crafted myths, stories and legends about the night sky. Every creation story has an origin for the stars, sun and moon! Whether it's telling stories about the night or telling stories in the dark, it is a fundamental element of our cultural history, one which is shared the world over. Listen to folk tales and stories inspired by the night sky.

Fieldnotes And Folklore is a naturalist's view of science, nature, and culture. Naturalist Bekah Simon takes listeners outdoors to learn about what is out there and how different types of people have used or thought about each topic.

Animals have extraordinary minds capable of exceptional acts of perception, generosity, bravery, and kindness. Their connection with humankind gives us a glimpse into their world and their desire to share it with us. Here is a collection of fascinating, heartwarming, and humorous tales about some of the animal kingdom’s amazing inhabitants and their often mysterious connection with us.

Loving or aloof, mischievous or cuddly - for many people, their cats are an integral part of the family. Here are extraordinary stories of some of the world’s most charismatic and captivating cats.

Wise women, apothecaries, witches, herbalists: whatever you like to call them, those who cultivate plants for their apparent mystical properties have existed for thousands of years. The Witch's Garden tells the story of our folkloric fascination with these magical specimens, documenting the beliefs and rituals surrounding the natural world. This book beautifully evokes the bewitching nature of mysterious plants.

I've been finding old stories and re-telling them as podcast episodes since 2015. They used to be all over the place, now they're all here (or will be, as I find time to add them). My goal has always been, simply, to catalogue these stories so that they don't get lost. I don't always get the pronunciations right, and the quality of the audio will vary as my skills as an audio engineer varied over the 6-years I've been collecting and retelling these stories. In total there are over 200. Keep your eye on the feed, I'll bulk upload as I find the time to do so.

Myths are usually seen as stories from the depths of time—fun and fantastical, but no longer believed by anyone. Yet, as Philip Ball shows, we are still writing them—and still living them—today. From Robinson Crusoe and Frankenstein to Batman, many stories written in the past few centuries are commonly, perhaps glibly, called "modern myths." But Ball argues that we should take that idea seriously. Our stories of Dracula, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Sherlock Holmes are doing the kind of cultural work that the ancient myths once did.

Explore the world through its most unlikely creatures: Cryptozoology, the study of hidden, monstrous, and legendary animals, is truly the art of discovering the unknown. Richard Freeman, Zoological Director of Centre for Fortean Zoology, has explored the corners of the five continents on the search for creatures that many people believe are non-existent. In this book, he shares the exciting stories of his investigations of the Yeti, Mongolian Deathworm, Loch Ness Monster, Orang-Pendak, Ninki-Naka, and more.

A podcast that welcomes cryptid skeptics and believers alike. Hosts Dominick and Meaghan take you, the listeners on a journey through a world of strange and potentially unknown creatures. We ponder over the evidence in an objective, analytical, and deductive manner. At the end of episodes, we will grade discussed cryptids based on how much we personally believe in them, employing our own custom scale.Make sure to follow our Facebook page for updates https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100092225752561&mibextid=LQQJ4dAlso have a TikTok for podcast updates as well at cryptidsfolkloreormore (@...

There are more than 220 million cats in the world, and this book has stories about the world’s favourite pet from all across the globe. From an owner with 96 cats in Calgary, Alberta, Canada to a daring cat-escape from Lebanon to the Middle East, the book tells many fine feline tales. We also list over 20 different breeds from around the world, where they’re from and a short description. Truly a global cat reference for any cat-lover.

So many of our greatest authors have had cats that it seems a cat is next to the pen in importance to writers. Similarly cats have appeared all through great literature and all through more mainstream modern entertainment. This book tells the stories of these cats in story, and of their writers.

What do you know about your dog? Or dogs in general? Learn more from over 300 facts, trivia bits, factoids (and even some jokes) all about humans’ most loyal companion: the dog. Sit down, listen up and be informed.