The Great New England Vampire Panic
Think vampires aren’t historically relevant? Think again. They caused a panic in New England not that long ago.
St. Louis’ Importance in the Spiritualism Movement
Considered by some as one of the top five most haunted cities in the United States, St. Louis plays an important role in the 19th century’s fascination with the occult.
The Fox Sisters and the Ouija Board
Speaking of Spiritualism, here’s some of the history behind the Ouija board.
All of the Sounds Onboard Voyager 1
In 1977, NASA launched Voyager 1. Onboard was humanity’s mixtape. Check out what’s on it and how it came to be. Also, a playlist.
The Voynich Manuscript
A 15th century illustrated codex with immensely detailed notes and drawings that has eluded the best cryptographers for hundreds of years.
The Taman Shud Case
The body of a man is discovered on Somerton Beach with no identification and no cause of death. And it gets weirder.
Victorian Witches as Feminine Icons
The Victorians, prudish by reputation, and their fascination with witches. How they turned classic iconography on its head to subvert societal expectations of the feminine and give women some sexual agency.
A Cultural History of Skimpy Halloween Costumes
Anymore, it seems like a lot of women pay a bunch of money for costumes with minimal fabric. Here’s a cultural dissection of the “sexy” Halloween costume trend.
A Mummy Walks Into a CAT Scan
What it looks like when a 3,000 year old mummy goes through a CAT scan and why that might benefit science.
America’s Abandoned Asylums
This is what it looks like when we forget the places that our society placed people they wanted to forget. The abandoned asylums and cemeteries of America.