72: Former Cryptids & The Art of a Scary Story

Oct 24, 2024

Explore the fascinating world of former cryptids that turned out to be real, like the Komodo dragon! Delve into the art of scary storytelling that blends fear with unexpected heartwarming elements. From the enigmatic 52 hertz whale to the whimsical jackalope, the hosts discuss the interplay between folklore and science. They've got childhood fears and creepy urban legends to share, along with intriguing insights from the SCP Foundation. Discover how horror narratives evolve and impact us, making you think twice about the tales that send shivers down your spine!

01:57:20

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Episode notes

Intro

00:00 • 3min

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Exploring the Art of Scary Stories

02:34 • 2min

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The Mystery of the 52 Hertz Whale

04:29 • 3min

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Exploring the World of Cryptids

07:33 • 12min

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Mysteries of the Giant Squid

19:31 • 12min

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Cryptids and Colonial Narratives

32:00 • 15min

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From Myths to Medical Marvels: The Unlikely Connections

46:30 • 4min

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Bread and Bumps in the Night

50:40 • 5min

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Childhood Fears & Scary Stories

55:24 • 25min

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The Art of Scary Storytelling

01:20:52 • 10min

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Exploring the SCP Foundation and Horror Storytelling

01:30:31 • 27min

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Days with Frog and Toad

arnold lobel

Days with Frog and Toad is a charming children's book that explores themes of friendship, adventure, and solitude through the experiences of two endearing characters. The book includes stories like 'Tomorrow', 'The Kite', 'Shivers', 'The Hat', and 'Alone', each highlighting the unique bond between Frog and Toad as they navigate life's simple joys and challenges.

Scary Stories 3

More Tales to Chill Your Bones

Alvin Schwartz

Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones is the third installment in Alvin Schwartz's series of scary stories, featuring a mix of modern and ancient tales of horror, dark revenge, and supernatural events. The book includes stories that have been part of folklore for centuries, retold in a way that continues to captivate young readers. The original edition was illustrated by Stephen Gammell, whose artwork is often praised for its macabre style.

In Search of the Supernatural

The Written Record

Gan Bao

The Book of Revelation

A Biography

Timothy Beal

The Strange Adventures of Andrew Battelle

OF LEIGH, IN ANGOLA AND THE ADJOINING REGIONS.

Andrew Battelle

Retelling Urban Legends

Mary Weldon

Gene Fox T.

A History of Horror, 2nd Edition

None

Wheeler Winston Dixon

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Alvin Schwartz

This book is a timeless collection of scary tales and legends, compiled by folklorist Alvin Schwartz. It features over two dozen stories that include ghosts, skeletons, and other supernatural elements. The stories are often dark and do not have tidy, happy resolutions, making them thrilling and memorable. The book is illustrated by Stephen Gammell, whose creepy drawings enhance the spooky atmosphere of the tales. The collection also includes tips on how to scare an audience when telling the stories aloud, adding to the overall eerie experience.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

Alvin Schwartz

On the Trail of the Jackalope

Michael P. Branch

Other Minds

The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness

Peter Godfrey-Smith

In this book, Peter Godfrey-Smith delves into the evolution of intelligence and consciousness, particularly in cephalopods such as octopuses and cuttlefish. He argues that these creatures represent an independent experiment in the evolution of large brains and complex behavior, distinct from the evolutionary paths of vertebrates. Godfrey-Smith draws on his own scuba-diving experiences and the latest scientific research to explore how these animals' unique neural structures, including decentralized brain-like systems in their arms, enable their remarkable intelligence and adaptability. The book also reflects on the broader implications for understanding human consciousness and the nature of subjective experience.

Cryptids may be spooky, but what about the spooky animals that turned out to be... real?? And what makes a good spooky story? Could it be something secretly... heartwarming??

Timestamps:
(00:07:15) Intro
(00:04:21) Former Cryptids
(00:54:25) The Art of Spooky Stories
(01:52:33) Outro

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We also learn about: Caroline have you never met a vampire? that was from episode number Four Three, what’s spookier than having to be known, Ella met Tom the true Cryptid, the cryptid museum was research, formerly the cryptic mascot: the Okapi, komodo dragons inspired king kong, 60 iron tipped teeth (like beavers), dragon virgin birth, yes queen life finds a way, squid squads on the hunt, only photographed in 2004, 20 years ago - don’t say that, 8 fully controllable giant tentacles, “I’m learning!” as it drags you down to the bottom of the ocean, save the whales because we need them on our team for the kraken wars, you know what’s not a cryptid? western hegemony, the head of a fox and the tail of a monkey, so many names for the jackalope across the world, are jackalopes cancer??? the Jackalope and HPV vaccine are zero degress of separation away, Ella writes a sappy ending for Tom, Ella watched The Ring at 6, being retold Evangelion in an art class, a meteor made of vampires, King’s 3 kind of scary, “don’t you like to feel the shivers?”, evangelical horror, Zhiguai - accounts of the strange, a story of a beautiful harp player, creepypastas, Ella formaly apologize for her cocktober misstep, “I see you sluts out there and I don’t want to do you any disservice, two sentence horror, the artistry of Telling a scary story, maybe the real spooky story was the friends we made along the way who were dead the whole time.

Sources
Guardian: Komodo Dragons
ESA Journals: The Okapi of the Apadana
BBC: Facts About Komodo Dragons
Scientific American: Iron Tipped Teeth
New Yorker: The Squid Hunter
BBC Science Focus: Giant Squid
Wiki: Giant Squid
On the Track of Unknown Animals
The Strange Adventures of Andrew Battell
PBS: Fantastic Creatures
Evolutionary Anthropology: Discovering Gorilla
Cambridge University Press: Hanno and Gorillae
Nature: The First Description of a Kangaroo
National Geographic: The Myth of the Komodo Dragon’s Dirty Mouth
Shope OG paper
Royal Society Paper: Shope Papilloma Virus
The Scientist: On the Trail of the Jackalope
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NYTimes Story on Exxon and Climate Change
A History of Horror
Timothy Beal Paper on Evangelical Horror
Pliny The Elder's Ghost Story
Liu Ming Ming on Zhiguai
The Story of Liang
Gan Bao In Search of the Supernatural
Retelling Urban Legends Study
SCP Antimemetics Division
JSTOR Daily on Alvin Schwartz's Process
CRR Library on Alvin Schwartz Language Arts Interview

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