#191 – THE ZANA PROBLEM

MonsterTalk revisits the story of Zana, the alleged Almasti wild woman of Abkhazia who was the subject of Bryan Sykes DNA research in his book The Nature of the Beast. A legendary forest spirit of the Balkans may have some relevance to the story of Zana and her descendants.

Mentioned in the episode

• MonsterTalk episode 100 with Dr. Sykes
• MonsterTalk episode 179 with Christopher Klimovitz (legends of the Balkans)
• Jason Colavito on the complex issues around Sykes Book
• PZ Myers criticisms of Sykes’ book:
  • April 4, 2015 — Sykes’ imaginary Institute
  • April 6, 2015 — calls Sykes “incompetent”
• African Slave Trade in Abkhazia:
  • African people of the Caucuses enslaved in Russia
  • The history of Afro-Abkhazians

Music

• Monstertalk Theme: Monster by Peach Stealing Monkeys