The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week Vintage Antivaxxers, Horror Flick Psychology, Robin-Eating Bats
Dec 3, 2025
Colton Scrivner, a psychologist and author of *Morbidly Curious*, dives into the fascinating psychology behind horror fans. He discusses how empathy plays a unique role in enjoying scary narratives, pointing out that horror enthusiasts actually score higher in cognitive empathy. Meanwhile, Sara Kiley explores the shocking behavior of bats that hunt and eat birds mid-flight, revealing their predatory tactics. Rachel shares the bizarre history of the early anti-vaccine movement, highlighting the striking propaganda art used to oppose vaccination.
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Why We're Drawn To Morbid Content
- Morbid curiosity studies ask why people seek scary or disgusting content and what it reveals about wellbeing.
- Colton Scrivner's book 'Morbidly Curious' explores why we can't look away and its psychological effects.
Bat That Hunts Robins Midflight
- Greater noctule bats in Europe were found to eat birds after researchers found feathers and bird DNA in their guano.
- Sara Kiley Watson explains researchers later tracked a bat in Spain to document aerial predation on a robin.
How Bats Carry And Consume Big Prey
- The tracked bat fought and chewed a robin while descending thousands of feet and then spent 23 minutes flying while eating it.
- Researchers found bats remove wings and tuck carcasses into a membrane pouch to carry large prey.
