For your podcast pleasure: My recent guest appearance on the Project: Archivist show! Episode 101, Kidney Thieves and Urban Legends with Ben Radford. I return to the show to talk about urban legends. We talk about all the good ones from Disney’s frozen head, kidney...
Folklore
CFI Blog: Secular Sacred Sites and Ghost Hunting
It is not hard to find sacred religious sites; churches, synagogues, shrines, mosques, and other such places dot the landscape, offering a place for followers of one religious faith or another to join with others and worship. There is another kind of secular sacred...
Who’s Afraid of Bloody Mary?
I wrote this for Halloween, but it's a classic urban legend year-round: The history and mystery of Bloody Mary! You can read my Discovery News piece on it HERE.
Runner Assigned Number 666 Refuses to Compete
A Tennessee high school athlete, Codie Thacker, has pulled out of a competition after being assigned to compete wearing the number 666. In my article for Discovery News, I note that--as weird as it may sound-- it's probably a good idea, and you can read why HERE.
Yeti and Polar Bear DNA: What’s the Deal?
I was recently quoted in a new article about Brian Sykes's research suggesting that claims of Yeti ("the Abominable Snowman") may be traced back to polar bears. You can read it HERE.
A History of Halloween
What better time for a review of the history of Halloween? HERE is a look at the holiday's curious past...
The Stonehenge Surprise: The “Best Case” for Crop Circles
My investigation into what is considered the best case for crop circles appears as the cover article in this month's issue of Fortean Times magazine. You can get a copy at Barnes and Noble and elsewhere, get it before it's sold out!
The Evil Eye: Meaning of the Curse, and Protections Against It
Just in time for Halloween: My article on the history and folklore of the Evil Eye is now up at LiveScience.com. You can read it HERE.
Satan and Scalia: Why Do People Still Believe in the Devil?
In a recent interview in New York magazine, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia acknowledged his belief in Satan: Scalia said that “I even believe in the Devil…..Of course! Yeah, he’s a real person. Hey, c’mon, that’s standard Catholic doctrine! Every Catholic...
African Hospital Sells Body Parts for Magic Use
The second-largest hospital in the Southern African country of Swaziland may be operating a black market in human body parts used in magic spells, according to claims made by a reverend and others. Weird, creepy, and not really surprising if you understand the magical...