Folklore is our legacy. We humans have carried it with us everywhere we’ve gone in the world, and it anchors us to our roots and our community. But it also does something else: it gives us a place to hide our fear, to put it on a leash and control it. And there’s one story in particular that does that better than most.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Michelle Muto and music by Chad Lawson.
Folklore is our legacy. We humans have carried it with us everywhere we’ve gone in the world, and it anchors us to our roots and our community. But it also does something else: it gives us a place to hide our fear, to put it on a leash and control it. And there’s one story in particular that does that better than most.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Carl Nellis and music by Chad Lawson.
We like it when things go according to plan. Even when it comes to death, we long to have some semblance of control over our path. So when those best-laid plans are disrupted by the unexpected, it’s only natural to assume the worst.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Taylor Hagerdorn, and music by Chad Lawson.
There’s nothing more certain in life than death. No matter how rewarding or challenging our days on this planet might be, for as long as humans have been around, we’ve viewed death as something akin to slumber, however natural or untimely it might be. But not all that sleep are left undisturbed.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Michelle Muto and music by Chad Lawson.
The human tendency to study the unknown—to dig deep and search for the bedrock of truth at the bottom of the mystery—is one of our most enduring qualities. But while that tenacity has helped scientists unlock much of our world, it has also led us to unusual ideas. And you’d be surprised what they recorded about it.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Marcet Crockett and music by Chad Lawson.
We all love a good hiding place. Whether it’s the child who tucks the key to their diary under their pillow, or the parent who hides away the holiday gifts, humans have proven themselves to be fond of secret places. But if the stories are any indication, there’s one place in England that was better than most at doing what we love.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Taylor Hagerdorn, and music by Chad Lawson.
While the ocean represents opportunity and hope to a lot of people, it also holds more mystery than most of feel comfortable with. Yes, we’ve explored it in search of new lands and discoveries, but we’ve also lost so much in the process. Amazingly, though, some things that are lost occasionally return.
Written, researched, and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with music by Chad Lawson.
Before cell phones and internet access, learning about the world around us took a lot of time. Along the way, there would be gaps in our knowledge—holes that human cultures tended to fill with folklore. And while the creatures they invented to fill those gaps were amazing, it’s how close they often got to reality that makes those stories truly frightening.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Michelle Muto, and music by Chad Lawson.
The longer humans stay in one place, the more progress and community we seem to create. But at the same time, we bring our darkness with us, and over time it begins to stain a place with shadows of pain and tragedy. And the older the city, the darker the mark.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Robin Miniter, and music by Chad Lawson.
Most of our life is spent looking for things. Companionship, security, even our lost keys. But above all of that is our search for answers, and the way human beings have tried to find them has lead to all manner of frightening situations.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Sam Alberty, and music by Chad Lawson.
If you flip through the pages of history long enough, you’ll eventually run into stories about life out of balance, and how something—fate or chance or something otherworldly—has stepped in to make it right. In fact, some of those stories have become a part of our modern popular culture—all despite the deadly stories at their center.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Carl Nellis, and music by Chad Lawson.
Some places in our world have a dark legacy. Prior failures. Shameful acts. Painful tragedy. Even though it all took place long before we arrived there, we can still feel the tremors of that darkness—and the stories about their source are deeply chilling.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Taylor Hagerdorn, and music by Chad Lawson.
Everyone longs for someone. That special partner who can enter their life and make is something better, something more. And while dating has taken many forms over the years, nothing is like a good, old fashioned personal ad—or the people who took advantage of them.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Michelle Muto, and music by Chad Lawson.
Everyone wants to look good. And while there’s nothing wrong with beauty, sometimes people have made sacrifices—both willing and unaware—in the pursuit of it. After looking through the pages of history, though, that hasn’t always been a good thing.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Taylor Hagerdorn, and music by Chad Lawson.
Home might very well be what you make it, but it’s not always about beautiful decorations and comfortable furnishings. Sometimes the places we live take on elements of our own personality. Even after we’ve moved on, those pieces remain behind, like echoes of another time—echoes that can still be felt today.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Robin Miniter, and music by Chad Lawson.
Human nature has a number of powerful, universal characteristics. Our need for community. Our love of storytelling. Our seemingly infinite capacity to adapt and thrive. But some of the most terrifying events in history find their root in one other: our will to survive.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Taylor Hagerdorn, and music by Chad Lawson.
Some threats to our safety and well-being are obvious and easy to spot from a mile away. Over the course of history, people have become very skilled at looking for danger and avoiding it. But some threats are more difficult to spot—and once they strike, the results can be deadly.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Carl Nellis , and music by Chad Lawson.
Human ambition has led us to some amazing achievements, and taken us to unexplored places. But it has also lured us into places where there is a lot more fear and danger than we are used to, and the stories that have grown out of that world have left the world a richer—and more frightening—place.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Sam Alberty , and music by Chad Lawson.
Some stories have been around for a very long time, and others are fairly new. One thing is certain, though: the tales we tell have a way of changing over time. But that doesn’t make them any less powerful—or any less frightening.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Taylor Hagerdorn, and music by Chad Lawson.
Some people have a fire inside them that drives them to do great things. New discoveries, breakthrough inventions, or astonishing accomplishments. But some have harnessed that passion for something darker, and they’re actions have left a painful mark on history.
Written and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with research by Marcet Crockett, and music by Chad Lawson.