Every Halloween, Hallie reads a creepy story to celebrate! This year we present the Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe. Enjoy, and Happy Halloween!

Rats have a reputation for being disgusting plague carriers, but they're also thought of as integral to the scientific process and loving pets. In this episode we explore the three versions of the rat, their place in human history, and the ways in which they are more like humans than most people think.

High in the Himalaya Mountains sits a tiny lake surrounded by hundreds of shattered human skeletons. Known as 'Skeleton Lake' in the media, its true name is Roopkund and it seems determined to keep its secrets. In this episode, we try to shed some light on this shroud of mystery.

Corpse medicine, or medicinal cannibalism, is the practice of eating human flesh as medicine. During the European Renaissance, it became incredibly popular for all kinds of ailments. In this episode we discuss why and which body parts were most often used to treat different medical conditions.

One of the most baffling Australian cold cases is the 1948 death of an unidentified man at Somerton Beach. To this day, the man’s identity and the cause of his death remains cloaked in mystery, the only clues being a suitcase full of clothing and a scrap of paper with the words ‘Tamam Shud’ typed on it.

Claude Tozer was a doctor and a rising Australian cricket star in 1920, but his career was cut short when he was shot by Mrs. Dorothy Mort, a woman with whom he was having an affair and also treating for mental illness. In this episode we discuss this intriguing and very tragic case.

Poisonous plants have been used throughout history for many purposes, including hunting, medicine, cosmetics, and of course, murder. In this episode we discuss several of the most poisonous and historically significant plants, with emphasis on those associated with medicine and witchcraft.

In this episode, we discuss the amazing discovery of a Neolithic man frozen in the ice of Italian Alps, including what his life could have been like and the mystery of his death.

In this episode, we discuss the legend of the Golem, which has its origins in Jewish Mythology, but has become ingrained in all forms of entertainment media all over the world

In this episode, we discuss hysteria as a common psychiatric diagnosis of females from the 16th to the 20th century, including the ideas of Charcot, Freud and the contested diagnosis of male hysteria.

In this episode, we discuss the supposed Ancient Greek origins of Hysteria, a common psychiatric diagnosis of females from the 18th to the early 20th century. We also cover how the symptoms of hysteria were interpreted in the Medieval era.

In this episode, arctic ghost ships of the Northwest Passage are discussed, both historic and legendary. The plight of the crews, whether rescued, frozen or mysteriously disappeared is also discussed.

Asylums of the past hold our fascination due to their dark histories. In this episode, the asylums of the late 1800s and early 1900s in Victoria, Australia are discussed in detail.

While Hallie is away, let's hear a classic short horror story by Ambrose Bierce!

Teratomas are a unique type of tumor that are best known for containing human teeth and hair. Let's discuss the history of these tumors, and how those teeth and hair end up inside them.

In 1864, the British Parliament passed the Contagious Disease Acts, which attempted to regulate prostitution in hopes of protecting their troops from sexually transmitted infections, then known as venereal diseases.

Typhoid Mary is a term used to describe someone who spreads disease. Many people know the name refers to a real woman, but not many know the details of her story.

In January of 1959, 9 hikers mysteriously perished on the frigid slopes of Ural Mountains in Russia. To this day, no one knows what killed them. In part 2, we discuss the the theories put forth over the years as to what happened to the hikers.

In January of 1959, 9 hikers mysteriously perished on the frigid slopes of Ural Mountains in Russia. To this day, no one knows what killed them.

These burials, and the historical documents from the time, suggest that these individuals were suspected of being vampires by those that buried them. They are known as Vampire Burials, and in this episode, we explore exactly what was at stake.