Dracula: The Myths That Made the Vampire

Glowing plants and mushrooms are a staple of science fiction and fantasy environments, but did you know these fantastical elements are based on real organisms? This episode should be called glowing non-animal organisms but that doesn't really roll off the tongue. We discuss fungi ...  Show more

CW: Discussions of Religious persecution, and brief descriptions of torture, execution, and abduction. This episode also discusses an area that is currently experiencing violent political strife. During the Spanish Inquisition, an era of intense persecution of the Jewish communit ...  Show more

Vampires have sucked on our attention for centuries, thriving on our fears. But they reached a new height in 1897, when Irish author Bram Stoker published his novel, Dracula. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 

Dive into the captivating world of vampire lore as we unravel the centuries-old history of these immortal creatures. From ancient myths to modern pop culture, join us on a mesmerizing journey through the evolution of vampire legends. Discover the origins, folklore, and endurin ...

Commonly associated with Count Dracula, the blood-sucking character in Bram Stoker’s quintessential novel, vampires continue to seduce. But where exactly did the vampire myth originate from? BBC Serbian’s Milica Radenković Jeremić has been researching the cultural history of vamp ...  Show more

For hundreds of years, people have been afraid of blood-sucking creatures that rise from the dead.

But where does the vampire myth actually come from, what happened to the people accused of being a vampire, and what if there was a simple, bio ...