The Morbid Curiosity Podcast

Between the late 18th and early 20th century, the fear of premature burial was intense. This fear was spurred by both real incidents and magnification of the issue by newspapers and public interest groups. Many inventive ideas arose to deal with the issue, one of which was the security coffin. In this episode we discuss where this fear came from and the many devices created to aid the mistakenly buried.

This episode is part 2 of a 3-part series, originally published on May 18th 2023. "In this episode, we discuss the evidence from the Jack the Ripper case, including, letters, photos, and personal accounts from the Metropolitan and City of London police. We also dive into the many suspects that have been proposed over the years, which range from escaped asylum inmates to royalty."

When you need a glimpse of hope in the most dire circumstances, there is Anna Essinger, a school teacher who was able to pull her whole school full of Jewish pupils out of Germany. Essinger taught and cared for hundreds of Jewish refugees, quietly and peacefully resisting the Nazi party throughout World War II.

Originally posted on Patreon on July 14, 2023.  "In this episode, we discuss the archaeological and scientific work that has been done at the RMS Titanic wreck site, from its discovery in 1985 to the more recent and unfortunate expedition undertaken by OceanGate. We strive to remain sensitive and respectful, while also giving the most up-to-date and factual information about these expeditions."

Bone-setting was the strength-based art of resetting broken bones, dislocations, and bad backs. In the 1730s, one of the most prolific and effective bonesetters was Sarah Mapp, also known as Crazy Sally.

Originally published as 'Lost' on Nov 14, 2016, this remastered episode was published on Patreon on June 18th, 2024. "Before the colony of Jamestown, another colony attempt was made on Roanoke Island. After several years and many unfortunate events, the people and the village seemingly disappeared. The Colony of Roanoke is known as the Lost Colony, and it's not as lost as you might think."

Alchemy is an ancient practice combining mysticism with scientific observation in order to explain and manipulate the natural world. Secrecy was a large part of alchemy and the use of codes and ciphers was common. Several substances were especially important to Alchemists, and in this episode, we dive into these legendary ingredients.

Originally posted on Patreon on Feb 10, 2024   'In this episode, Hallie looks into how technology used by ghost hunters actually works, what its detecting, and how that information is interpreted by investigators.'

The Dybbuk is a malevolent possessing spirit that originates in 16th century Jewish folklore. How does this concept end up part of modern paranormal belief? In this episode, Hallie discusses the origins of dybbuk, how to exorcise one from a human, and if the original being could even possess a box. 

Originally published on Patreon on Oct. 11, 2023 'In this episode, we discuss spirit possession from a multitude of angles. What it is, the variations that occur, the history of reports, and the possible scientific explanations for it. We also touch on why its so hard to test any of these theories.'

CW: Death of humans and animals During the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, Robert Falcon Scott made two attempts tor each the South Pole. His second attempt was his last. In this episode, Hallie tells the story of the 1911 race to the South Pole, the adventure and the tragedy.

Originally posted on Patreon on Jan 11, 2024. In this episode, Hallie explores the many aspects of Dark Tourism - visiting places with macabre and haunting histories - as well as the types of locations this practice encompasses.  CW: Discussions of enslavement, genocide, incarceration, suicide, and exploitation.

A disease associated with pirates and explorers, scurvy was a constant threat to humans without access to fresh fruit and vegetables. In this episode we discuss the symptoms, the long quest to discover the cause, and tales of disasters and recoveries of those who suffered from scurvy.

Originally posted on Patreon on March 11, 2024. As we're exploring tools used by ghost hunters and mediums, let's take a look at the Ouija board, a mass produced version of the talking board, which was born out of the impatience of Spiritualists attending seances in the late 1800s.

Happy Halloween! In celebration, Hallie is proud to present Perfect Skin, a short horror story, written exclusively for the MCP by author L.J. Stanton. This audiobook will be free for everyone for two weeks. After that, it will only be accessible to patrons of the MCP. CW: Body horror, pregnancy horror, birth horror

In the beginning of 1692, young women in Salem village began experiencing strange symptoms, which were soon blamed on witchcraft. The girls began accusing neighbours of bewitching them, escalating the situation. More and more young women became afflicted and more townsfolk were accused. 19 people were eventually executed. In this second instalment, Hallie discusses the criminal trials, the executions, and the rise and fall of the power of the afflicted.

In the beginning of 1692, young women in Salem village began experiencing strange symptoms, which were soon blamed on witchcraft. The girls accused three women of bewitching them, but instead of resolving the case, the matter only escalated. More young women were afflicted and more townsfolk were accused, and 19 people were eventually executed. In this first instalment, Hallie discusses what was going on in Salem when accusations began to fly, who was afflicted, who was accused, and who was hearing the cases.

In this special spooky season episode, Hallie interviews Ryan Matthew Cohn (Oddities) and Regina Marie Rossi (Oddities Flea Market) about their upcoming book The Witch's Door. They talk exploded skulls, provenance, ethical collecting and more! The book is part personal history and part examination of specific objects from their massive oddity and curiosity collection. 

MCP host Hallie sites down with John and Rob Donkin, also known as Bad Viking Games, to discuss thier cozy mystery game Strange Horticulture. You are the owner of horticultural shop in the bleak town of Undermere. Many of the plants you stock can heal or harm. When murder strikes, you are dragged into a web of intreague involving witches, cults, and many toxic plants. 

CW: Detailed descriptions of execution methods and corpse desecration Before 1868, executions in England were held in designated public spaces. One of these was famous due to its long history as a place of death and for the large number of criminals that could be executed at once. That place was Tyburn and its infamous execution apparatus was known as the Tyburn Tree.

"Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother 40 whacks. When she saw what she had done she gave her father 41."  Or did she? In this epic remaster of the MCP's very first episode, we go over the details of the murder case against Lizzie Borden, and discuss what might have happened in Fall River on Aug 4th, 1892.    The original epiosde was released on July 31, 2016 and was titled 'An Axe to Grind.' Please enjoy this remasterd and updated version!

During the Victorian era, the display of differently abled humans, termed the Freak Show, was a hugely popular form of entertainment. Today this form of entertainment is nearly taboo, but the morbid fascination with disability and physical differences remains. Let's discuss why.

Originally released on Patreon on Nov 17, 2023 "In this episode, we discuss a rare example of a monumental tomb from the ancient Maya. This tomb is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the Americas to date, due to its preservation, the accompanying texts and a wealth of grave goods."

It may come as a surprise, but most plants aren't very friendly. Like most creatures, they survive by defending themselves against predators, parasites, and pathogens. Some have developed quite extreme defence mechanisms, and they are subject of this episode.

Welcome to Morbid Meditations. This is a preview of a series of meditations produced for Patreon in Jan 2022. Each meditation has three versions:  voice only, nature sounds and voice, and background music, nature sounds, and voice. Patreons have a choice which version they listen to.  These meditations are accessable by become a patron, but are also for sale on the MCP Patreon page. Visit the MCP Patreon  

CW: animal experimentation, mental illness, suicide, non-consensual surgical procedures, malpractice and abuse in mental health facilities. One of the most infamous procedures from the era of psychosurgery is the Lobotomy. From the beginning there was criticism that lobotomy was too unpredictable and invasive to treat mental illness. Despite this, the procedure was marketed as a miracle cure and thousands of vulnerable people were subjected to it, with and without their consent. 

Originally posted on Patreon on June 28, 2023. For One Week Only! Let's take a casual dip into the world of medical terminology: its history, how diseases are named, colloquial names, out of date terms for disease, and fancy words for mundane conditions. CW: words that reference cultural steriotypes  

The 1870s were a rough time in Kansas. Travelers and settlers on the frontier struggled against the odds to make even a modest living. The Bender family had a unique method of survival: murder. CW: forced relocation, murder of adults and children, suicide

Available For One Week Only! Originally published on Patreon on Feb 13, 2023 "Highgate cemetery was one of the first large garden cemeteries built during the industrialization of London. Over the years it's had its ups and downs, from being a sought-after luxury cemetery to an abandoned, overgrown haunt of tramps and adolescents. It was even the scene of a possible vampire sighting. In this episode we discuss the history of Highgate."

CW: Torture, Rape, Execution, Racism, Self-Harm, and Suicide Colonial Australia was used by the British to house prisoners in the late 1800s. Pentridge Prison began as a stockade in 1851 and grew into one of the most infamous prisons in Victoria, both for its size and the brutality of the punishments suffered by its inmates.

For One Week Only (FOWO) Originally post of Patreon on July 14, 2023 "In this episode, we discuss the archaeological and scientific work that has been done at the RMS Titanic wreck site, from its discovery in 1985 to the more recent and unfortunate expedition undertaken by OceanGate. We strive to remain sensitive and respectful, while also giving the most up-to-date and factual information about these expeditions."

Have you ever wondered why paranormal investigators use certain devices to detect ghosts? It all has to do with theories about what ghosts are. In this episode, we explore theories about ghosts throughout history. Is there room for the possibility that they exist? Maybe.

Originally published on Sep 21, 2023 In this episode, Hallie talks with Alicia Williams aka LadyTaphos on TikTok about how her hobby/therapy of cleaning headstones grew into a full time job thanks to social media. 

Often called the Dyatlov Pass Incident of the 70s, the Chivruay Pass Tragedy has similar elements: 10 students go hiking in the snowy Russian mountains and are later found frozen to death. They also share a cloud of mystery and intrigue that may or may not be true. 

For one week only, this MCP Patreon exclusive episode is yours to listen to! If you want more MCP content, please consider becoming a Patron. Join now! Originally published on May 18th 2023. "In this Patreon exclusive episode, we discuss the evidence from the Jack the Ripper case, including, letters, photos, and personal accounts from the Metropolitan and City of London police. We also dive into the many suspects that have been proposed over the years, which range from escaped asylum inmates to royalty."

For this winter holiday special, Hallie dives into the folklore of Iceland to talk about the terrifying creatures of midwinter. Who are they, what are their origins , and what has become of them in the modern era?

In this 4th instalment of the MCP's plants series, we discuss carnivorous plants: their traps, their habitats, and how to care for your own meat-eating plant.

CW: Processing of dead animals, killing of insects, poaching and killing of bats.   In this episode, Hallie talks with Audrey Ko of Odd Taxidermy about how she got her start, the types of taxidermy and the ups and downs of the industry.   There is a more chatty version of this episode available on Patreon. 

CW: Belief in the supernatural, mental illness, religious doctrine, refute of religious doctrine, ritual abuse, suicide, and religious persecution.  For Halloween this year, Hallie dives into the supernatural world to explore the practice of exorcism. From the early mesopotamian demons of the desert to modern day demons, famous exorcists and infamous exorcisms.

CW: Mass accidental death including women and children, mention of suicide.  In this epiosde, we discuss the sinking of the HMS Titanic, one of the most devastating maritime tragedies of its age. The construction, the safety features, the voyage, the aftermath and the psychological affects of the sinking are all discussed. 

In this final part of episode 100, we explore the histories of the women whose lives were ended in 1888 by the Ripper. Each woman lived a different experience, leading them for better or worse to the East End. While the details are incomplete, and in some cases very sparse, we can at least get an idea of what life was like for the women of Whitechapel.

CW: murder, physcial and sexual violence against women, sex work, detailed descriptions of bodily mutilation. In 1888, a string of brutal murders shocked the residents of London. Just as shocking, the police were unable to find the killer, nicknamed Jack the Ripper.  For the 100th epiosde of the Morbid Curiosity Podcast, we present a 3-part episode on Jack the Ripper. In this, part 1, we go over the details of the murders. In part 2, which is for Patrons of the MCP only, we'll discuss the suspects and the thoeries about who the Ripper was. In Part 3, we'll discuss the women who died, and how they might have been connected. 

TW: Discussions of suicide   Aokigahara, a dense forest in Japan, is the setting for a surprising number of cases of suicide every year. Why Aokigahara? Some people think that it's due to the high rate of suicide in Japan in general, others believe the forest is host to miserable spirits that draw other unhappy people into its depths. In this episode, we discuss Aokigahara and the history of suicide in Japan.

TW: Ritual violence, Child death   The ancient Chimu civilization wasn't known to sacrifice humans, until a mass grave of child sacrifices was unearthed in 2011. In this episode we discuss the Chimu, how to identify human sacrifice in archaeology, and the two mass child grave sites in Huanchaco, Peru.   Due to technical issues, the audio quality isn't the best. Our apologies!

During the Golden Age of Piracy, many small islands became havens for pirates, places they went to divide and enjoy thier loot. While some of these are legendary, such as the pirate Utopia Libertatia, others were real places. In this episode, Hallie discusses pirate havens, focusing on those in Madagascar.   TW: Enslaved peoples, Trade in Enslaved Peoples.

TW: Self-harm, Suicide   Walking Corpse Syndrome is a psychiatric delusion in which you believe you are dead. You may not remember your own name and might try to prove that you're dead in extreme ways. In this episode, we discuss this delusion, possible causes and treatments.  

Canadian residential schools were not regular boarding schools, they were facilities meant to assimilate indigenous peoples into European-based Canadian society. Despite failing in this regard, they caused widespread intergenerational trauma to most people that attended them.   TW: Physical/Sexual/Religious Abuse, Racism, Colonialism, Violence, Violence against children.

It's Halloween! Let's celebrate with a creepy ghost story. The MCP presents, 'The Corpse Light,' by D. Donovan, originally published in 1899.

In this episode, we discuss the folklore surrounding the three most popular supernatural creatures: vampires, werewolves and zombies. All three can transmit (or infect) humans with thier condition through a single bite, but what other similarities exists in thier origins and lore, and why are these creatures still popular today? Happy Halloween!

In the final part of this series, we discuss the tombs of ancient Egypt, from plain burials to monumental pyramids. We also talk about how they changed over time and who built these monuments.

How did mummification begin? Were only the pharaohs mummified? Who made mummies? In part 2 of this 3 part series, we answer all these questions and more as we explore the evolution of mummification in ancient Egypt. In the next part of this series, we'll talk about burials, tombs and pyramids.