Monstrum

Are White Walkers Really Nordic Zombies? What do the Sagas of the Icelanders and Game of Thrones have in common? Dr. Zarka answers this question and explores how the draugr, Nordic undead monsters, bear a striking resemblance to the White Walkers—and more importantly, how these monsters connect to the history of Ancient Nordic peoples. The concept of medieval-era and older undead beings going around fighting and terrifying the living isn’t new; it’s a part of Nordic, particularly Icelandic, history. Draugr myths offers insight into the burial practices, religious beliefs, cultural attitudes, and gender roles of Vikings and other Ancient Nordic people.

The Irish Dullahan not only helped inspire The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, but as Dr. Zarka will show, they are much scarier than Washington Irving’s monster. These headless monsters of Celtic lore are connected to horses, carriages, and graveyards—and they cannot be defeated. Oscar Wilde even called them “the most terrible thing in the world.” The dullahan can be male or female, but they are always headless, a characteristic that makes sense given Ireland’s social and religious history. Ultimately this monster is a personification of death, a monster that reminds us all not to “lose our heads” in more ways than one.

Did you know there are two different types of chupacabras? Or that these bloodsucking monsters only starting popping up 25 years ago? Sightings of el chupacabras, the “goatsucker,” began in Puerto Rico in 1994 for a very real reason—the unexplained deaths of many farm animals. Dr. Zarka looks at why humans are afraid of a creature that doesn’t real prey on humans, and traces the journey of the chupacabras from island monster to popular folk legend.

Godzilla is one of the most recognizable monsters in film, and he should be. After all, he is part of the longest running film franchise in the world, but you might be surprised to learn that his history in literature is just as prolific. Without his giant footsteps paving the way, we wouldn’t have the female kaijū Mothra, who is perhaps even more beloved. In this episode, Dr. Zarka shows how kaijū are deeply rooted in past events in Japan including the deployment of nuclear weapons there during World War II. She explains how both Godzilla and Mothra serve as metaphors and looks at how these monsters continue to shed light on social history.

Dragons are one of the most prolific monsters, conquering global mythology throughout human history. In this episode, Dr. Zarka looks at Classical dragons of European tradition and evaluates their possible natural origins.

The impossible, three-headed monster of Ancient Greek mythology, the Chimaera, may have started off as a fantasy, but today, the word “chimera” can be used to refer to anything that seems impossible. This includes the real-life, interspecies animals humans have successfully created. Watch to find out how myth directly influenced science, not only in language, but in how we approach the possibility of an interspecies future with Dr. Zarka and special guest Joe Hanson of Its Okay to be Smart.

La Llorona: Mother, Murderer, Victim The legend of La Llorona, the “weeping woman,” has terrified generations. This female ghost wanders in the darkness, crying as she searches for her children--the children she murdered. Some even say that she will capture other kids in her desperation. How could a murderous mother become such a cultural symbol?

Made from clay and animated by the sacred word of G-d, the golem of Jewish origin has evolved from a 6th-century meditation of creation, to a source of labor, and finally, an avenging symbol of redemption. The golem many people recognize today wasn’t invented until the 19th century--but how did it become so influential?

You might think that the stories of Martians began with little green men, but you’d be wrong. The history of humans speculating about extraterrestrial life on the red planet begins in the 19th century with one astronomer’s mistranslation of a single word.

This massive tentacled beast of the deep has terrorized sailors and seafarers for hundreds of years. But with real life giant cephalopods found in every ocean on earth, is the Kraken really just a myth? The ocean is a terrifying force of nature, filled with mysterious creatures that helped inspire the human imagination to construct a monster of epic proportions. Dr. Zarka looks at the history of the Kraken since the time of the Ancient Nordic, and admits her own fear of giant squid. Are you afraid of the Kraken? You might be after this episode!

This cannibal monster hunts during the coldest time of the year, traveling with the snow to terrorize humans with its insatiable hunger. Armed with sharp claws and teeth, and capable of running with incredible speed, the windigo, or wendigo, is a lesson in excess and a manifestation of the anxieties that emerge in the harsh realities of winter—and how to survive it. Explore the symbolic interpretations of the windigo with Dr. Zarka as she explains how this Native American legend can teach us about the spiritual beliefs and social values of the early indigenous peoples of North America.

Ever wonder why we seem to be so fascinated by vampires? Arguably the most recognizable blood-sucker in history, Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula has influenced over a hundred years of vampires in popular culture. Watch this episode of Monstrum to find out how the 1897 novel Dracula inspired other famous horror authors like Richard Matheson and Stephen King, and take a glimpse into how one terrifying creature changed monster history.

You might not think a crying, screaming ghost is a good thing, but you’d be wrong. The Irish banshee does predict death, but she also serves as a cathartic symbol and has a long history going all the way back to the 8th century. Dr. Zarka shows how this wailing female ghost connects to the very real Irish tradition of keening— a rhythmic wailing and mourning performed by women as part of the death ritual. Tune in to see how fact and fiction combine to create a supernatural tradition that connects the people of Ireland to their ancestors.

In this special Halloween episode of Monstrum, Dr. Zarka takes a look at the complicated history of the flying creature and how the town of Point Pleasant was forever changed by the myth of the Mothman. Newspapers gave the winged, red-eyed creature its name after it was spotted on November 15, 1966—an incident followed by almost a hundred other eyewitness accounts. Exactly 13 months later, the paranormal activity culminated in a very real tragedy--the collapse of Point Pleasant’s Silver Bridge. Some claimed Mothman was the cause of the accident, others say he was actually meant to forewarn the town of the catastrophe. The accident claimed 47 lives, so why does the town of Point Pleasant celebrate the monster with a festival every year and adorn their main street with a statue of his likeness?

Did you know the original Frankenstein’s Creature is a highly intelligent vegetarian who hates the idea of harming another living creature? Or that the author Mary Shelley came up with the idea for the original novel in a dream while on a holiday with her married lover? The “mad scientist” Frankenstein isn’t even really a doctor! Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was revolutionary text that pioneered the sci-fi genre. On the surface, it’s a novel about a scary monster, but Shelley’s sympathetic description of a soulful Creature makes us rethink who we label as the “monster”—an important question made increasingly relevant by the advances in technology and science we see today. Watch this episode to learn about the original novel, why it was created, and how (and why) popular culture continues to perpetuate the story hundreds of years later.

You might recognize the one-eyed giant from Ancient Greek myths, but the cyclops has appeared in stories across the globe for thousands of years. Some elements of the legend do differ, but there are striking similarities in all of these “Blinded Ogre” tales. In this episode, you’ll hear all about Homer’s Polyphemus and Hesiod’s one-eyed blacksmiths, but also a little about the role paleontology has played in creating monsters. Join Dr. Zarka and special guests Kallie Moore and Blake de Pastino from Eons to learn all about the surprising fossil inspiration behind the cyclops.

Connected to witchcraft, sexual predation, and mischief, the tokoloshe is a dominant myth in South Africa. There are different kinds of tokoloshe/tikoloshe, but one thing remains the same in all versions of the monster: they cause havoc in the lives of all those unfortunate enough to encounter them. A human-like figure of small stature with long ears and a hairy, ape-like body, and supernatural powers these creatures dominate South African folklore. They’re blamed from everything from murder and possesion to divorce and debt.

Connected to witchcraft, sexual predation, and mischief, the tokoloshe is a dominant myth in South Africa. There are different kinds of tokoloshe/tikoloshe, but one thing remains the same in all versions of the monster: they cause havoc in the lives of all those unfortunate enough to encounter them. A human-like figure of small stature with long ears and a hairy, ape-like body, and supernatural powers these creatures dominate South African folklore. They’re blamed from everything from murder and possesion to divorce and debt.

With her dramatic serpentine hair, and powerful petrifying gaze, Medusa has been a prominent figure in literature and art for thousands of years. One of three Gorgon sisters, she’s been worshipped and feared in almost equal measure. Medusa once served as a symbol of protection, but became a sign of vice and seduction. In this episode you’ll learn the different variations of this snake-haired woman’s origin story from 8th century BC to 19th-century poetry and even modern films. I know what you’re thinking: ‘I know Medusa. I’ve seen the movies.’ But do you really? Watch to find out!

One of the Phillipine’s most dangerous and bizarre aswangs, the viscera-sucking, self-segmenting monster hunts at night. A beautiful woman by day, this creature detaches its upper torso and grows wings after sunset. You might never have heard of this monster before, but after this episode, I can promise you’ll know everything you need..and probably some stuff you didn’t want to know. An intestine-dangling nightmare woman with a taste for fetuses sounds like absolutely madness, but can she teach us about the history of social and religious power in Filipino culture? You might be surprised by the answer.

Christmas isn’t just a time for presents, cookies, and holiday cheer, but the hunting period of Iceland’s murderous monster feline, the Yule Cat. This giant, fluffy cat towers over buildings, roaming the snowy countryside for human victims who have yet to receive new clothes before Christmas. Although at first glance this monster may seem random, in this episode you’ll learn how the importance of wool production, the absence of Santa Claus, and a respect for cats drove Icelandic folklore to create such a gruesome Yuletime critter.