Ghosthropology

 In this episode, Matt talks about an infamous TV movie - Ghostwatch - that allegedly tricked millions of Britons into believing that the BBC had inadvertently let a malevolent spirit loose on the country. The actual story is both more mundane and more interesting. Plus, Ghostwatch provides a snapshot of public paranormal beliefs of the early 1990s. Come learn about one of the best horror movies M...

In this episode, Matt talks about a bit of local weirdness: The Fresno Nightcrawler. This strange creature, or spirit, or UFO, or someone’s legs, has been spotted in and near the city of Fresno, where Matt resides. Is it real? Is it a hoax? Is it mentioned in Native Californian legends? Did a bleached-out pair of Levis become sentient? Find out in this episode! Full show notes: kmmamedia.com/podca...

We have all heard of ghost towns, but what about the ghost-facilities that exist within some of the world’s most-populated cities? What happens when a location associated with something as storied as London’s famous Underground is abandoned? What sorts of folklore builds up around it? In this episode, Matt discusses two such examples and what they may tell us about how Londoners view themselves an...

In Belgium, there is a forest… and in that forest, there is a fog… but it is not your normal fog, and this is not your normal bit of folklore.  Full show notes: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcast/ Facebook: facebook.com/ghosthroplogy Instagram: instagram.com/ghosthropod YouTube: youtube.com/@ghosthropology Patreon: www.patreon.com/c/ghosthropology Email: ghosthropology@gmail.com

In this episode, Matt tells the story of a rather standard haunted house. However, the tale of how the ghosts came to be there involves what amounts to sitcom tropes, a barrel of rum, and the specters of iconic eras in San Francisco’s history. Full show notes: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcast/ Facebook: facebook.com/ghosthroplogy Instagram: instagram.com/ghosthropod YouTube: youtube.c...

In this episode, Matt discusses Vice President J.D. Vance’s recent comments about UFOs and demons, and what those comments likely reveal both about common American beliefs regarding the paranormal and grand conspiracies, as well as how those beliefs may play into electoral politics. Full show notes: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcast/ Facebook: facebook.com/ghosthroplogy Instagram: inst...

In this episode, Matt talks about a famous Irish ghost story… sort of… and from there discusses porcine omens, boarish monsters, and generally evil pork. He also gets to work in some discussion of zooarchaeology and a couple of St. Patrick stories. Full show notes: https://kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcast/ Facebook: facebook.com/ghosthroplogy Instagram: instagram.com/ghosthropod YouTu...

In this episode, Matt focuses on a haunted, possibly cursed Spanish ghost town, discusses the connections among fairies, ghosts, and UFOs, and discovers he retains language skills he thought long lost. Come hear about the cliff-side town in a Spanish mountain range, where you can check out any time you like, but you may or may not ever leave. Previous episodes, detailed show notes, and transcripts...

In this episode, Matt discusses Loab, a woman who might be a ghost, or a demon, or a cryptid, or just an oddity of data storage. Whoever, or whatever, Loab is, she (it?) provides a ghost story that helps express what is making us uneasy about artificial intelligence and the industry of Big Data. Sources and previous episodes found here: https://kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcast/ Facebo...

In this episode, Matt partakes in the old, but rarely practiced, tradition of telling a ghost story for the Christmas episode. The Kit Bag by Algernon Blackwood was originally published in 1908. Listen as the secretary to one of London’s best criminal defense attorneys has a difficult time packing for a Christmas vacation. Sources, photos, and back episodes found here: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghost...

In this episode, Matt takes a trip to Sanger, California, and its surrounding area to talk about ghost stories associated with a few small town cemeteries. Along the way, he ponders the monuments we leave behind for the dead, explains why glowing tombstones are often reported in “haunted” cemeteries, and then drives on an allegedly (but not really) horribly twisty road said to be haunted by the gh...

Matt discusses paranormal investigation with Kimi Lopez of 911 Paranormal Rescue Fresno. He asks her about how she became involved and how she approaches her work. He also shares his own thoughts and observations on paranormal investigation. Sources, photos, and back episodes found here: kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcast/ Facebook: facebook.com/ghosthroplogy Instagram: instagram.com/gh...

As the inciting incident of World War I, it is no surprise that the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand would be the subject of folklore. However, the car he was in when he was killed has been the focus of increasingly strange and macabre stories of death and dismemberment since the 1920s. In this episode, Matt explores the story of the infamous car in which the Archduke took his final ride and ho...

What did the early Church leaders think the Bible said about ghosts? How have their beliefs changed over time? In this episode, Matt discusses a paper by Matthew McGuire on the history of ghost beliefs within the context of Christianity. He also provides some additional context for the points made in the paper and suggests some critiques of it. Sources, photos, and back episodes found here: https:...

This episode deviates slightly from the stories of ghosts and demons featured in most episodes to discuss one of the internet's earliest conspiracy theories. This story contains travel to alternate Earths, encounters with paranormal phenomena, mysticism and chaos magic, shadowy government agents bent on stripping humanity of freedom, and lots of drugs and sex. It also can teach us a lot about how...

In this episode, Matt describes a visit that he made to a haunted hotel. He didn’t have time to prep, so this episode’s field audio is not as smooth as a normal episode, but you will hopefully enjoy hearing Matt talk about a haunted hotel while actively staying in the same hotel. Sources, photos, and back episodes found here: https://kmmamedia.com/podcasts/ghosthropology-podcast/ Facebook: faceboo...

The Cock Lane haunting is one of the best known British ghost stories and one of the best known British hoaxes. In this episode, Matt discusses the events that took place at 20 Cock Lane in the 1760s, how they related to the religious, political, and social currents of the time, and how we might think about them today. Ghosthropology is a part of the KMMA Media Podcasting Network. For sources, tra...

In this very special 100th episode, your friendly neighborhood Ghosthropologist sits down with his Good Lady Wife for some listener submitted stories and some Q&A. Hear about the creepy bathroom, a smelly ghost, and a shadowy figure on the highway… Enjoy! Ghosthropology is a part of the KMMA Media Podcasting Network. For sources, transcripts, and a full back catalog of episodes, visit kmmamedia.co...

The story of the Screaming Skull of Bettiscombe Manor is one of the better-known British ghost stories and is part of a larger motif in British supernatural folklore. The Bettiscombe Manor story involves slavery, ignoring the wishes of the dead, and the price paid for these transgressions. There is less reality to the story than even a skeptic might think, but quite a lot is going on in the folklo...

In this episode, Matt chats with Mike Banti, author of the popular Weird Fresno blog. They discuss how paranormal investigators help people, the importance of folklore, and the charm of Fresno's own Nightcrawler. Enjoy! Weird Fresno Blog: https://www.weirdfresno.com/ ... plus on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/WeirdFresno/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/weirdfresno/ TikTok https://www.tikto...

In this episode, Matt concludes his discussion of Ludwig Lavatar’s 16th-century book on Protestant Demonology, Of Ghostes and Spirites Walking by Night. In this part, we learn that ghosts are actually demons, that Medieval and late Roman sorcerers got up to some freaky stuff, and that Bulgaria was once ruled by a werewolf. We also find that Lavatar has a rather upsetting yet mundane explanation as...

In this, the first of two episodes, Matt discusses the first part of Of Ghostes and Spirites, Walking by Night, a book in which a 16th-century theologian tried to explain why, in a world that he believed to be ruled by a Christian God, people saw ghosts. This book provides fascinating insights into Renaissance folklore, beliefs about the afterlife, and theology. And there’s a lot of smack talk. Gh...

In this episode, Matt takes a field trip to California State University Fresno to talk about the spooky stories associated with the campus, including haunted music rehearsal spaces, a demon stalking the dormitories, and the spirit of a respected journalism professor. Along the way, he is nearly run down by scooters and encounters horses walking through campus. He also tries to persuade a ghost to...

In this episode, Matt discusses sleep paralysis, one of the most common and controversial topics in discussions of ghost folklore. Matt will talk about the folklore surrounding sleep paralysis, the origins of the modern study of the phenomenon, and how a folklorist appears to have spurred the medical community to take the matter seriously. All episodes, sources, and show notes: https://kmmamedia.c...

The Pinedale neighborhood of Fresno, California was once the location of a facility used to stage Japanese-Americans on their way to the WWII-era internment camps. In this episode, Matt talks about how history can be stored but also warped in ghost stories and how some aspects of our past hold lessons for the present. Also, there’s an old Spanish lady who throws sand in people’s eyes. Previous Epi...