October 16, 2013

#072 – THE WARREN OMISSION

WAS THE STORY OF The Conjuring the true story of how Ed and Lorraine Warren fought demonic forces in Rhode Island? In this special episode of MonsterTalk, we hear a different side to the story of America’s first family of ghost hunting. Features interviews with investigators Joe Nickell and Steven Novella. Interviewed for this episode Dr. Steven Novella is a neurologist and notable skeptical […]

Regular Episode 7 min read
September 18, 2013

#071 – HIS TORY OF THE JERSEY DEVIL

Kean University History Professor, Brian Regal, has tracked the Jersey Devil back to its astonishing historical roots. Religious in-fighting, self-publishing, snarky founding fathers, sorcery and political intrigue make the idea of a flying horse-faced monster almost seem tame. Dr. Brian Regal previously joined us on MonsterTalk to discuss the demise of the Werewolf at the hands of Charles Darwin, and the history of […]

Regular Episode 6 min read
September 4, 2013

#070 – MORE MAP MONSTERS

Medieval Art expert Asa Mittman discusses his love of monsters, the kinds of monsters that populate medieval land maps, and the persistent practice of monsterization as a cultural method for labeling “out-groups” in human interaction. Books by Asa Mittman Maps and Monsters in Medieval England The Ashgate Research Companion to Monsters and the Monstrous Inconceivable Beasts: The Wonders of the […]

Regular Episode 6 min read
August 7, 2013

S01E069 – THE KEY TO THE LEGEND OF THE MAP MONSTERS

đŸŽ™ïž Blake Smith sits down with Chet Van Duzer, writer, researcher, and Invited Research Scholar at the John Carter Brown Library in Rhode Island, to talk about one of the most visually delightful corners of the history of science: the sea monsters that cartographers placed — deliberately and carefully — onto medieval and Renaissance maps. Van Duzer’s book 📚 Sea […]

Regular Episode 5 min read
June 12, 2013

MONSTERTALK SPECIAL 002

The Tetrapod Zoology Podcast Super Cross-Over Tetrapodcats (sic erat scriptum) MonsterTalk host Blake Smith teams up with paleontologist Darren Naish and artist John Conway to introduce MonsterTalk listeners to this entertaining and educational podcast known as The Tetrapod Zoology Podcast. Topics include cryptozoology, pterosaur controversy, whale penis commentary and a scientist’s take on the film Cloverfield. Related Links Buy Darren Naish & John Conway‘s All Yesterdays book Visit […]

Special Episode 24 sec read
June 5, 2013

MONSTERTALK SPECIAL 001

[Note – this kickstarter did not fund, so this is being left here for archival purposes only.] In this episode of MonsterTalk, we take a brief break from our break to bring you breaking news about Ben Radford’s monstrous new project Undead Apocalypse—a board game featuring zombies, vampires and other horrors. The interview features artist Jeff Zornow, whose drawings were used to […]

Special Episode 21 sec read
April 17, 2013

067 – WHAT’S GOOD FOR THE MONGOOSE


ON THE ISLE OF MAN, between the World Wars, a lonely hilltop was home to a family of hardscrabble farmers. The father was a former piano salesman, and he struggled to make ends meet for his wife and daughter in their windswept cottage. And then one day, from up in the attic and behind the walls they began to hear […]

Regular Episode 7 min read
March 20, 2013

066 – THE ZOMBIE ANTPOCALYPSE

WHAT IF YOUR WILL WERE NOT YOUR OWN? What if your mind were being controlled by something other than your own volition? This isn’t an imaginary scenario. Real lifeforms here on earth can profoundly influence the behavior of other lifeforms, turning them into helpless zombies, forced to do the bidding of their emotionless masters. In this episode of MonsterTalk, we interview […]

Regular Episode 6 min read
March 6, 2013

065 – WEAK ARE THE CHAMP PUNS

THE SHORES OF THE LAKE were packed with strangers looking to catch a glimpse of the beast. A $50,000 reward was issued for its capture. Newspapers around the world carried the story of the strange creature that was said to lurk beneath these waters. Loch Ness? No—this is 1880s Vermont and the monster is alleged to be living in Lake […]

Regular Episode 6 min read