Listeners, it has been way too long since we've talked about aliens. Let's fix that! In this episode, Meagan is joined again by Substitute Sister and astronomer, Dr. Allison Kirkpatrick, to talk about the Fermi Paradox, which asks us to consider why we haven't heard from any intelligent extraterrestrial life yet, especially given the likely large n…

Can it be? The third and final part of our series on the Salem Witch Trials has arrived! You'll have to excuse the delay, we probably had sleepy sickness. In this episode we talk about the scientific/medical explanations that have been proposed for the events in Salem, and share a little about our own experiences visiting the Witch City! ** Want to…

Welcome to Part II of our three-part series on the Salem Witch Trials. In this episode, we discuss the specifics of the events of 1692-1693, coming to the completely logical conclusion that people generally suck. If the word "suck" bothers you, this episode is not for you. ** Want to listen without the ads? Check out our Patreon, where you can get …

Almost four years into our time as the Spooky Science Sisters and we are finally delivering on our promise of talking about the Salem Witch Trials. What we thought would be one of our original set of episodes back in 2020 was pushed back, along with our own trip to the Witch City. Well, in September 2023, we finally took that trip, and we are so ex…

Another Christmas episode!? What a merry surprise. Grab some nog and join us to hear about a few spooky Christmas traditions we weren’t able to get to in our 2022 episode. Happy Holidays, and we’ll see you in the New Year! ** Want to listen without the ads? Check out our Patreon, where you can get ad-free episodes & more! https://www.patreon.com/sp…

A lot of you have probably come across social media posts and even news articles that the holiday we know as Christmas is just ripoff of Pagan mythology and traditions. Meagan is joined by Substitute Sister Tyson Kemp to discuss and debunk many of these claims. ** You can find Tyson telling wonderful, well-researched spooky and skeptical stories @t…

Welcome to our fourth (!!!) volume of Halloween Listener Stories. Yes, we know it's almost a month after Halloween, but it's always Halloween in our hearts, right!? Listen to hear us try to debunk three creepy tales featuring a haunted (?) hotel room, mysterious nocturnal jewelry removals, and a phantom smell. Have your own story to share? Be sure …

Let's talk about death, baby! Burying and memorializing the dead is typically thought of as a distinctly human (or at least hominid) act. In this episode, Meagan is joined by Substitute Sister and history teacher, Amy Manlapas, to talk about what that has looked like for the last few hundred thousand years (we've been digging graves for a long time…

Meagan is joined by Substitute Sister and Professor for the History of Science at Kean University, Dr. Brian Regal, to talk about the O.G. spooky science - alchemy and its influences on science as we know it today. Although alchemists came to be associated with gold, mysticism, the Philosopher's Stone, and in some cases, fakery, many were careful e…

Meagan is joined by Substitute Sister and host of the Just the Zoo of Us and Spellbound & Gagged podcasts, Ellen Weatherford, to discuss the man, the moth!?, the legend - Mothman! Join us to hear all about the history and science behind one of America's coziest cryptids, and get our thoughts on important questions such as "Is Richard Gere actually …

It is time for our fifth round of Short & Spooky stories, which, according to The Fast and the Furious franchise naming scheme, must be called Short Five. This also means that we are bringing you five spooky stories and each one has to have some aspect including or related to the number five. There's a little bit of everything here from alien encou…

Struggling to figure out who you are in this world? Never fear - there's a test for that! In fact, there's A LOT of them. In this episode, we discuss the historical origins of personality tests, and discuss two popular ones available today - the MBTI and the Big Five - with a focus on what's "real" and what's pseudoscience. You'll even get to hear …

Several times throughout human history, people have experienced extreme events that made them believe their world might be coming to end. In this episode, we discuss two of these terrifying times, the Late Antique Little Ice Age that began around 536 CE, and the Dust Bowl that plagued American and Canadian prairies from 1930-1936. We then journey f…

In this episode, Paige and Meagan are joined by Tanner and Taylor of the Beyond the Breakers podcast to talk about one of the worst environmental disasters in history - the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Because what's scarier than an enormous explosion on a deep-sea drilling platform and massive oil spill caused by the "gross negligence" and " willf…

Join us for a discussion on all things fairies (AKA faeries, fae, fay, Little People, Wee Folk, Fair Folk, etc. etc., etc.). Turns out, when it comes to Celtic and western European fairy lore, pretty much EVERYTHING comes down to the fae, and they are not having it with our human sh*t. From changelings, to banshees, to boggarts, to brownies - Holy …

In this episode, Meagan is joined by two Substitute Sisters - archaeologist and television producer, Annelise Baer, and the host of the podcast Digging Up Ancient Aliens (and also an archaeologist), Fredrik Trusohamn, to talk about everything Ancient Aliens. Our discussion includes the origins of the ancient astronauts hypothesis that inspired it, …

In this episode, Meagan is joined by Substitute Sisters Tyson Kemp and Jeremy Foster, both residents of Appalachia, to talk about the internet phenomenon that is Appalachian folklore. We discuss the history of the region, America's long-standing fascination with its folklore, and how stereotypes about Appalachia and its people have developed and ev…

It's time for our fifth installment of spooky true crime stories! This episode kicks off with a discussion about sensationalism surrounding the crimes of infamous serial killer Herman Webster Mudgett, AKA H.H. Holmes. We then recount the tale of the Hammersmith Ghost, who terrorized a small village on the outskirts of London for two months in the w…

Meagan is joined by Substitute Sister and astronomer Dr. Allison Kirkpatrick for a discussion on all things spooky (or, more accurately, completely terrifying) about space. We cover rogue black holes and planets, asteroid deflection, gamma ray bursts (oh hey Betelgeuse!), and the mysterious Great Attractor (is it God!?). ** Want to listen without t…

Word on the street is that triangles are the spookiest shape, so let's talk about some famous ones! Turns out, there are a whopping twelve triangle-shaped, paranormal regions across the globe. In this episode, we'll debunk the most popular of them all, the Bermuda Triangle, as well as triangles in Lake Michigan, off the coast of Japan, and even one…

Dr. Rebecca Gibson joins Meagan for a discussion on robots, artificial intelligence, and simulation theory for our first ever Substitute Sister episode! We talk about why robots sometimes freak us out, why you shouldn't be too worried about an evil AI taking over the world, and why Meagan now thinks she might not be real. ** Want to listen without …

Our fourth volume of Short & Spooky stories is here, and you know the drill! This episode features three stories that are too short for a full episode, but that we really want to share with you. In this installment, you can hear about recent Yellowstone volcano fearmongering, James Dean's cursed Porsche, and Benadryl-induced visions of the mysterio…

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Good Yule, Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Holidays! We're glad you're here with us on the other side of the Long Night (i.e., the Winter Solstice). For this year's Christmas episode, we're talking about spooky, or just plain quirky, Christmas traditions primarily from across the pond. Listen to hear about …

Join us for this discussion on Ancient Egypt, mummies, and a deep dive into the life and death of Tutankhamen (AKA King Tut), including the finding of his supposedly cursed tomb. For this episode, we are joined by archaeologist and producer Annelise Baer. ** You can find links to Annelise's work and social media on her website: https://annelisebaer…

Happy Halloween! It's time for our THIRD (!!!) annual Halloween listener stories! Enjoy these three spooky stories sent to us from listeners and then let us know what you think of our explanations! ** You can find our sources at spookysciencesisters.com. ** While you’re here, we’d love it if you could subscribe to our YouTube channel! There you’ll …

We went to New Orleans for Paige's 30th birthday, and thought this was a perfect opportunity to tell you about some of the spookiest stories from one of America's spookiest cities! Listen to hear our take on the heinous crimes of Madame LaLaurie, the ghosts of Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar, and burial practices in the Big Easy. ** You can find our …

THIS IS A RE-RELEASE OF AN EPISODE ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN OCTOBER 2020. ** Why are black cats considered unlucky? Do we really have to worry about our children receiving poisoned candy? And what is the deal with Skeleton Lake? Find all of this out and more by listening to our second Halloween special episode. We explore the history of our favorite…

A new contender for giggliest episode enters the ring! In this episode, we're talking internet urban legends, from the O.G. "Ted the Caver" to the "Not Deer" craze on Appalachian TikTok. Our guest this episode is the delightful Tyson Kemp! ** You can find Tyson telling wonderful, well-researched spooky and skeptical stories @tysonunkempt on TikTok …

It's December 1900, and three men go missing while working as keepers at the Eilean Mor Lighthouse. To this day, their disappearance is an unsolved mystery. Stories of what happened span everything from a rogue wave to a murder-suicide to mystical bird transformations. In this episode, we discuss the days leading up to the disappearance, the invest…

We made it to episode 50! This one is all about spooky storms from devastating hurricanes to record-setting blizzards, featuring some of our favorite storm stories and why we think they're spooky. ** You can find our sources for this episode at spookysciencesisters.com. ** While you’re here, we’d love it if you could subscribe to our YouTube channe…

Michael Bay, if you’re listening, we made this episode for you. To the rest of our listeners, we agree movie explosions can be great, but in this episode, we’re discussing the real-life science behind why some chemicals go boom and the dangers associated with them when they do. We go into detail about two terrifying, recent explosions, one in a Tex…

Surprise! We're talking all things spooky caves in this bonus episode we recorded last fall with the incomparable Sara Head of the Archaeological Fantasies podcast. Listen to hear us discuss the use and mythology about caves from prehistory to current-day TikTok conspiracies. This episode is a bit less polished than our regular ones, but we hope yo…

In our fourth Spooky True Crime episode, we're taking you back to Pennsylvania Dutch country in 1928 for the story of the Hex Hollow murder. Listen to hear about the traditional medicine and folk magic traditions of Brauche or Powwow, and what happens when we succumb to fear and suspicion to try to remedy a string of bad luck. *** Link with picture…

We are once again joined by the wonderful Sara Head of the Archaeological Fantasies and Digging to the Other Side podcasts to talk about all things Atlantis. In this episode, we tackle the origins of the myth, what science has to say about real "lost" civilizations and continents, and the very serious problems with the perpetuation of the Atlantis …

In this episode we get back to our paranormal roots to cover a listener request, the Enfield Poltergeist! You may be familiar with this story from the movies, but we are here (per usual) to tell you that what happened to the Hodgson family may not have been as spooky as it seems. Join us to hear about Peggy Hodgson, her children, their G-H-O-S-T, a…

Paige is our resident health and safety professional and it's her time to shine in this episode all about the "Radium Girls", a group of amazing women whose fight against the US Radium Corporation was instrumental in the establishment of the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and modern workplace safety regulations. This is part o…

For this installment of Short & Spooky, we're bringing you four stories that have about as much connection to one-another as The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift has to the rest of the franchise its associated with. That is to say, almost none. Join us as we learn about creepy dolls, glowing Civil War wounds, strange trees, and baby dragons. ** Yo…

In this episode, our very own volcano expert, Meagan, talks about what occurred during the infamous eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE. We discuss what is left of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as what makes them spooky. We also dive into supervolcanoes, including how much of a threat they really pose to the survival of the hum…

In this episode we are joined by the fabulous Karen Stollznow (author and host of the Monster Talk podcast) to talk about the history and rumors surrounding Sarah Winchester and her famed California mansion. As with the Mystery House itself, things aren't always what they seem when it comes to the reclusive widow who built it. ** You can find our f…

In our third spooky true crime episode we chat about Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park. If the chemistry of the lake and its potential to turn bodies into soap isn’t spooky enough for you, the long history of mysterious disappearances, deaths, and ghost stories associated with it will surely creep you out. Buckle in, because you're in for a wi…

Whether or not you realize it, you interact with chemicals every day of your life. The foods you eat, the products you use to clean your home, and even you, yourself, are made of chemicals! Some of them, though, can be quite dangerous or have been used for nefarious purposes. So, in this episode, we're diving into the darker side of chemistry with …

We’re keeping the holiday spirit alive for just a bit longer with this listener stories episode all about how people discovered the truth about St. Nick! Thanks to friends, family, and listeners Garrett and Cassie for sharing your stories. ** You can find our sources for this episode at spookysciencesisters.com. ** While you’re here, we’d love it i…

This (belated) Thanksgiving episode features an exceptionally giggly discussion on spooky birds. It’s got a little bit of everything, from dinosaur-like cassowaries capable of disemboweling an adult human to owls as Mothman to meat raining from the sky! ** You can find our sources for this episode at spookysciencesisters.com. ** While you’re here, …

Happy (Belated) Halloween! In our second annual Halloween Listener Stories episode we will share (and debunk) three spooky stories that came to us from your fellow listeners! Has something similar happened to you? Do you have an explanation that we didn’t cover? Let us know your thoughts! Special thanks to Sophie, DJ, and Tyson for sharing their am…

Are Black-Eyed Children just a product of a Creepypasta run rampant, or is there some science behind reported sightings of creepy kids? We discuss the origins of this popular urban legend, and then dive into possible explanations – Meagan has a theory of her own that we’re excited for you to hear! ** You can find our sources for this episode at spo…

In our second short and spooky episode we discuss four exciting topics! Paige covers Deja Vu – what are we really experiencing and how is it studied? She also shares the story of the mysterious disappearance of Flight 513. Meagan gives an update on Oumuamua – the first interstellar object that we’ve been able to observe passing through our solar sy…

Thalassophobia, the fear of the ocean or other large bodies of water, is a common phobia, and in this episode we discuss what makes large bodies of water so spooky. Whether it be the size of the ocean, ghost ships, or what could be lurking beneath the surface of the water there are plenty of reasons to be creeped out! ** You can find our sources fo…

We’ve all heard stories of Elizabeth Bathory, who is known as the most torturous and prolific female serial killer in history. Was she really the monster we all know her as, or was she the Regina George of her time – a powerful woman with enemies just as mean as she was? Kyna, host of the Historical AF podcast joins us for our second spooky true cr…

Thousands of crop circles have appeared in fields worldwide. Theories about what created them have included everything from horny hedgehogs to extraterrestrials. In this episode we discuss the history of crop circles and cover who (or what) is really behind them. ** You can find our sources for this episode at spookysciencesisters.com. ** While you…

Do you enjoy scary movies? Have you ever wondered why that is? In this episode we chat about what science has to say about why scary movies are so enjoyable, and what is happening to your body while you watch them. We discuss a list of the top 20 scariest movies and attempt to rank them ourselves. Whether you are a fan of psychological thrillers or…