Category: Strange and Creepy

The Odessa Catacombs and the Legend of Masha

When we think of catacombs, we think of underground tunnels and chambers, locations where bodies were stored in lieu of a cemetery. Perhaps the most popular of catacombs is beneath the city of Paris, France. There you will find the skeletal remains of more than 6 million people. What you may not know, is that the largest catacomb system in the world is the Odessa Catacombs in Ukraine. There you will find the legend of Masha.

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Welcome to The Island of the Dolls

Welcome to the Island of the Dolls

The town of Xochimilco is located in southern Mexico City, and is known for its canals. The canals, built by the Aztecs, are much like what you would find in Venice, Italy. They provide water transport where visitors can take gondola-like boats to see the sights. Not only will you find sightseers, but there are also food vendors, artisans, and mariachi boats that travel the canals. Xochimilco is a fun and festive town, but is also home to an island – a haunted island. No visit to Xochimilco is complete without a trip to La Isla de las Muñecas, The Island of the Dolls.

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Randonautica Leads to Dead Body in Viral TikTok

Randonautica Leads to Dead Body in Viral TikTok

Have you ever wanted to go on a road trip? Something small, spur of the moment, with no real destination in mind? Did you know that there’s an app for that? Meet Randonautica, the app that lets you set a distance radius, and then gives you random coordinates. It’s up to you whether you want to take the trip, and for many during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a way to pass the time when everything was closed. For one group, heading out to those random coordinates ended with a grisly discovery.

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Beware the Eye Worm

Beware the Eye Worm

Have you ever had an itchy eye? Has your eye ever been red and burning, or have you ever had swelling and discharge from it? These are common symptoms of conjunctivitis. It can be the result of allergies, irritants, bacteria, or viruses. In many cases, the issue will go away on its own, either by flushing the eye, or even taking antihistamines. Sometimes a doctor will prescribe an antibiotic. But what would you do if you suddenly saw something pass through your vision? Checking in the mirror you see it’s a worm? Congratulations, you have just met loa loa, the eye worm.

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Muti: Ritual Sacrifice as Medicine

Muti: Ritual Sacrifice as Medicine

Today when we think of medicine, we think of drug stores, pharmacies. Medicine comes in many forms, from cough syrup to painkillers and more. We don’t generally think about where it came from, how it was discovered, who first thought of it. I’d venture to guess that many people don’t know that penicillin was discovered by mistake, and began as a form of mold. If we go back even further, there are stories of people using mummies, grinding up their bodies for medicinal purposes. In South Africa, some forms of medicine, called muti, have utilized rituals consisting of dancing, chanting, playing drums, and sacrifice. These sacrifices over time, have come to be known as muti killings.

Muti Market
Muti Market in Johannesburg, South Africa
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Dangerous Plants: Gympie-Gympie

Dangerous Plants: Gympie-Gympie

When we think of plants, we generally think of gardens, flowers, vegetables, and herbs. There are plants we keep in our home, in our garden, or visit when out in nature. Some plants are pretty and smell nice, some provide shade, some are even used for medicinal purposes. Then there are those we rarely think of. Poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, all of which tell us in their name to stay away. There are others though, that can be far more deceiving. The Gympie-Gympie plant is an excellent example. Based on its name alone, one would think it’s something small, cute, harmless. In reality, the gympie-gympie plant is one of the most dangerous plants you can come into contact with.

gympie-gympie
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Mad Scientist: Andrew Ure

Andrew Ure
Andrew Ure
Andrew Ure

Andrew Ure was born on May 18, 1778, in Glasgow, United Kingdom. The son of a wealthy cheesemonger, he received an expensive education, studying at both Glasgow University and Edinburgh University. He received his MD from the University of Glasgow in 1801 before spending a brief time with the army, serving as a surgeon. In 1803, he finally settled in Glasgow; becoming a member of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons.

In 1804, at the newly formed Andersonian Institution (now the University of Strathclyde), Ure became a professor of chemistry and natural philosophy. He gave evening lectures on chemistry and mechanics, which he encouraged the average working man and woman to attend. With audiences of up to 500, his lectures inspired the foundation of numerous mechanical institutions throughout Britain.

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Mercy Brown: The Last New England Vampire

Mercy Brown: The Last New England Vampire

Imagine if you will, a disease so deadly, that hospitals were built specifically for those who contracted it. A disease that killed one in seven people, and those who had it, were given an 80% chance of dying. A disease that was highly contagious and believed to be genetic. A disease called “consumption” due to the rapid weight loss it caused (leading people to believe it was consuming them from the inside) in addition to fatigue, night sweats, coughing up white phlegm and in some cases, foamy blood. The disease is Tuberculosis, and in the 1800’s, was believed to be caused by vampirism. Poor Mercy Brown was thought to be one of those vampires.

Tuberculosis hospital
A look inside a hospital, where tuberculosis patients were lined up for care.
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What’s in the Water: Carmen Esparza

What's in the water: Carmen Esparza

Water is the essence of life. Approximately 60% of the human body is made up of water. A person can only survive 3-4 days without water. Today, we have the convenience of buying bottled water, or getting it from the tap at home. Sure, we know what’s in our water when it comes with a label, but what about when it doesn’t?

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