Strange Origins

While horror movies today have given us a stereotypical demon that we can imagine living under our beds and tickling our toes, the history of these little devils paints them in a slightly different light. From the Greek guardian angels called Daimons to the troll-like Oni of Japanese mythology, the story behind demons is a lot more interesting than you may think.  If you like history and spooky st...

Men in Black are either the cool government agents you wish existed, or your worst nightmare, depending on who is telling the story. From the post-WWII UFO craze of the 1940’s to the wild comic books from the 1990s, how did Men in Black become such a creepy household name? If you like history and spooky stories go ahead and click subscribe on whatever platform you're listening on. And if you want...

Have you ever wished you could divine your future or communicate with those on the other side? Through the act of scrying people have been interpreting their fates for thousands of years. From Ancient Greek oracles to the Queens of Europe, and Aztec hallucinogens, scrying has served a purpose in teaching us about ourselves and helping us to pass on to the next phases in our lives. Looking for Scry...

The Kraken is mysterious, elusive, and larger than life. Join me this week in discovering the history behind how the Kraken grew from a Norwegian Tall-Tale to being a star in dramatic Hollywood films. From its female interpretation in Homer's Odysseus to its surprising cameo in the Dr. Seuss prequel, Halloween is Grinch Night, the Kraken was born from nothing and grew to be a household name. So is...

I'm back after the busiest summer of my life. Thank you all for allowing me that time to work and deal with bills, broken-down cars, and adult life in general.  In this episode, I dive into the different versions of Halloween around the world. While in the U.S. we are usually busy Trick-or-Treating, dressing up in costumes, and putting giant spiders on our front stoop, the rest of the world i...

A Note Of Warning: this episode is not appropriate for children under the age of 13. Dragons are a lot more powerful than you think they are. While in European countries, they have the power of fire and poison on their side, in Asian cultures they can shapeshift, control entire water systems, and sink battleships. So where do these stark differences between the dragons of old originate? Join me an...

The story of dragons goes further back in history than you realize.  From Chinese Dragon Bones, the birth of the Spartans, and monstrous apocalyptic beasts, join me as I discover just how strange the origin of the dragon is, and also just how much the monster has shaped our modern notions of evil and chaos. Follow me on Instagram at instagram.com/strangeoriginspodcast/ and DM me your strange...

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to travel anywhere in the world, with no restrictions at all? It’s said that if you just focus your mind and go to the astral plane you can escape the confines of your physical form. Going back to the history of astral projection from Egyptians to the "Good Walkers" to the Theosophical Society, it might surprise you just how many people report being able to travel o...

A Note Of Warning: The topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13. Stories of Ladies in White are some of the most iconic ghost tales ever told. So where exactly did the genre of wailing women come from? Jumping across the globe I investigate the different types of Ladies in White who have graced our castle halls and waved us down on the road. If you like histo...

Green Men and Woodwose have stood in European cathedrals for a thousand years now, so why are they not well known? From Gods to the magic of Merlin what is the origin of these strange carvings? Unicorns, Werewolf men, and Mermen also make guest appearances. Do you have a strange story to tell? Email me at StrangeOriginsPodcast@gmail.com . Visit Patreon.com/FascinatingProductions to become a patron...

Did you know that blowing out birthday candles is both a wish sent to the Gods and a way of keeping bad spirits at bay? Or that it’s bad luck to sweep your home on New Years Day? Join me as I travel the globe (via the internet) and discover some of the many ways we as humans celebrate the new beginnings of a birthday and a New Year. Just don’t forget to grab some chipped plates and exactly twelve...

Note of Warning: This topic includes dark themes and may not be appropriate for those under the age of thirteen. Corpse Roads weren’t just passageways that the English peasantry took in order to transport their dead to consecrated ground. They also serve as a reminder that Halloween superstitions were an everyday occurrence in medieval times. Be careful where you walk this spooky season, as lost s...

A Note Of Warning: The topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13 due to light mentions of sexuality. Unicorns are nothing if not mythical. Starting out as a strange and fabled creature thought by some to live in India, Unicorns blossomed out of nothing. Going through transformations in different cultures, and eventually becoming an awe-inspiring symbol in Chri...

The Moon is a fickle mistress. Is she evil or is she the personification of a loving woman? Will she turn you into a murderous lunatic, or will she restore your fertility and protect you from harm? Join me as I join the rabbit on the moon in discovering all the different lunar superstitions lore has to offer. For more info on me and my podcasts please visit FascinatingPodcasts.com . There you can...

A Note Of Warning: The topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13.  The Northfield Pigman is just one of those classic myths that send a shiver down your spine. This week Phoebe travels to Vermont to research the origin of an urban legend that has terrified generations and kept visitors from the infamous "Devil's Washbowl." For only $2 a month you can gain...

The Bermuda Triangle is an area of Earth shrouded in mystery. Join me as I dive into the deep waters and learn about the history of where exactly the Triangle garnered its name and how it’s had a reputation as a dangerous spot for longer than you might think. Oh yeah, and I talk about aliens, ghost ships, and wormholes a little bit. Don't forget a life jacket! For more info on me and my podcasts p...

A Note Of Warning: The topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13. Did you know real human skeletons were cheaper than fake ones in the 1980s? Or that theaters began handing out barf bags to viewers of the Exorcist? Join me as I dive down the rabbit hole of haunted media. I mostly talk about haunted film sets, but I also scratch the surface of subliminal messag...

A Note Of Warning: The topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13 due to themes of sexuality. From black cats to magic cauldrons the strangest part of this episode is actually the fact that naughty monks may have caused the sensational witch hunts that killed millions. Oh yeah, and I also dive into the history of the male witch, the warlock. Join me as I throw...

A Note Of Warning: The topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13. Do you know who holds the keys to the underworld in Greek Mythology? Do you know which Loa from Haitian Voodoo keeps zombies from rising from the grave? Do you know how many people have died from war just in the last century? This week I dive into all of the different characters that reap our so...

So what exactly do coincidences have to do with the wholeness of the universe? From Unus Mundus to Ouroborus, to the Philosophers Stone, everything is connected in some way, it just might not be the way you initially assumed.   For more info on me and my podcasts please visit FascinatingPodcasts.com . There you can listen to all my episodes, find merch, leave reviews, and read my other p...

A Note Of Warning: The topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13.  This week I delve into the strange things that have fallen from the sky. Whether it’s organic, like the blood rains that have showered down on funeral parties, or the unexplainable blobs of jelly that supposedly come from falling stars, it’s all pretty equally weird. Beware before you list...

A Note Of Warning: The topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13.  For the first episode of season three of Strange Origins, I deep dive into the history behind Zombies. From werewolf/vampire/ghoul hybrids to the shores of Haiti, the idea of what zombies are has taken on a thousand different forms. That was, until the golden age of monster movies and Holl...

While the story of Phoebe is fictional, all the research done is based off of actual myths.  While this episode of American Mythos will be free for everyone to listen to, the other upcoming 49 episodes will be Patreon exclusive for only $2 a month. I will be producing an episode of this podcast along with Strange Origins every other week, switching off from one to the other. So if you would l...

*A note of warning: the topic I discuss this week may not be suitable for listeners under the age of 13.  Souls are a tricky subject. If they do exist, where are they, what are they, and can they be stolen? According to mythology, the answer is yes. From Frog-Men to burning heads stuck in a flying wheel, to the origin of the myth that cats have nine lives, this Strange Origin is especially st...

The world of psychics is a doozy. This week I dive into the strange lives of Mediums, (or rather people who refer to themselves as Mediums.) From the Egyptians to murdered hobos in Spiritualist hotbeds, to mud baths prescribed by a man under hypnosis, psychic activity can get pretty weird.  For more info on me and my podcasts please visit FascinatingPodcasts.com . There you can listen to all...