Listen Now

Hey folks, we've decided to bring back the tradition of telling ghost stories on Christmas! Join us for some "true" ghost stories that take place during Christmas, and stay for some interesting science about FEAR! PS -- the Covid vaccine is safe, GET IT GUYS Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps REFERENCES: The Shipwright's Arms Pub and Haunted ass Inn The go fund me -- throw em a buck will ya Bramshill House The Legend of the Mistletoe Bough Hidden Brain Podcast - science of fear Triune Brain theory Why we like horror movies! The Woman Who HAS NO FEAR Christmas Hauntings! The Gift of Fear Insane "Haunted House" aka torture chamber (do not go!) Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

Firstly: If you're struggling with drug or alcohol addiction please seek help -- you are loved and we want you to stay with us, fam. SAMHSA Drug and Alcohol addiction hotline Or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) Full show notes and links at www.zeropercentscared.com This episode we get into the nitty gritty of the TRUE TALES behind the various legends of headless horsemen! Horsepeople? Whatever! Then we discuss the super gross scientific world of DECAPITATION! We cover animals that wreak headless revenge (and or sex), the nutbag crazy world of head transplants, and we discover how long a head can live after it's been cut off! Its longer than you think!! Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps REFERENCES: Full text of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Facts that inspired the tale! The Great Jack-o-Lantern Blaze Sleepy Hollow Cemetary Dolly Parton saves the world The legend of EL MUERTO!!!! A snake's revenge on the chef that killed him Animals that can live with no heads (ewwww) The history of head transplantation First Human Head Transplantation -- a review of the ethics and stuff by science! First guy to get a head transplant backs out (smart move dude) Can a Severed Head Live On? Guillotine Head experiments (so gross) Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

Hello! As a thank you to our dedicated listeners, we recorded a Halloween astrological intervention with Zero Percent Scared's resident astrologer, Kristina Semos!  You can find Kristina in all her glory at AstroOils.com! Join us as Kristina breaks down exactly how craptastic this Halloween will be for us all. BEWARE, ALL THOSE WHO DON'T LISTEN!! Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps

Hey hey we're back! Just in time for a super-rare Halloween blue moon!  And we have returned just in time to give you the legends and sciencey lowdown all about the big beautiful (and creepy, horrible) moon and how it may or may not affect our moods, emotions, and super violent hand-chopping throat slicing tendencies. Join host Sarah Cox and sciencey expert Dr. Mysteryface as we break it down -- and don't forget tomorrow re-tune-in for an astrological review of how the 2020 blue moon is going to screw with us all!  Let us know what you think! Email! We genuinely would love to hear from you! HIT THIS LINK: stories@zeropercentscared.com FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps References: Mythology of the Full Moon: https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/deep-dive-the-mythology-of-full-moons Overview of the full moon's bullsh!t:https://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/bad-moon-rising-myth-full-moon/story?id=3426758 Does the full moon make people MAD as in crazytown? https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20131029-does-a-full-moon-make-people-mad Crackdown on lunar filled CRIME!!! http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/southern_counties/6723911.stm Same same in Chicago!https://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Full-moon-theories-can-be-murder-Police-2867896.php    

Hey all fellow quarrantinos! Are you lonely? Wishing you had an imaginary friend right about now? Well, after listening to today's episode you my have another think coming. Our episode starts with a good article for all us isolated folk, then we jump into an episode chock full of scary tales and scinecy goodness about the most unsettling of playmates -- the imaginary friend. We discuss them in popular culture, why science says they're actually a good thing for kids (though creeptastic), then we tell some tales about why some of these charming pals are DEFINITELY DEMONIC. Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps References: This is why you can't remember yesterday - the psychological effects of isolation. Imaginary Friends in Psychology Today The truth about imaginary friends - Science Friday Giant list of scaryass and some normal imaginary friends in popular culture Invisible friends across four countries - J. Bradley Wigger The psychological significance of play with imaginary companions in early childhood - Tracy R. Gleason Relationship Between Chinese Children's Imaginary Companions and Their Understanding of Second-Order False Beliefs and Emotions Longitudinal Outcomes of Young High-Risk Adolescents With Imaginary Companions When your Daughters Imaginary Friend Might Not Be So Imaginary (audio) Haunted Walks, episode 81, Imaginary Friends (podcast audio) Apophenia Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

Hi everyone? Coping well with the quarantine?  Cool, us neither. As palliative care, join us this episode as we regale our favorite M.D with strange stories of HAUNTED HOSPITALS! Guys, nurses are heroes and they ALSO tell the scariest stories ever! Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com References: THANK YOU HEALTHCARE WORKERS Scary healthcare stories on reddit Allnurses.com's paranormal happenings thread! FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!  

Hey folks! How’s your social isolation going? Seeing squirrels carrying sacks marching around your house yet? Craving hugs as much as we are? In this episode we talk about the psychological and physical impacts of being socially isolated. We also talk Wendigos, a slenderman krampus love child that is caused by isolation and starvation. Don’t become a Wendigo, people. Also, if you’re making sourdough bread from scratch, we don’t want to hear it.   Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps References:  How Loneliness from Coronavirus Isolation Takes its Own Toll. (2020) How extreme isolation warps the mind. (2014) Social isolation, loneliness and health in old age: a scoping review. (2017) The risks of social isolation (2019) Why does being lonely make you ill? (2013) Hallucinations and $100,000: the poker player who shut himself in a pitch-black room for weeks. (2019) Solitary confinement and health. (2019) Solitary confinement placement and post-release mortality risk among formerly incarcerated individuals: a population-based study (2020). How Wendigos Work Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

In a unfortunately timely episode, we talk about the fact that viruses are essentially magic. Dark. Science. Magic.  Everyone be safe out there. Wash your hands, stay inside, and email us. We’re quarantined and lonely. Let us know what you think! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps References:  Wessner DR. The Origin of Viruses (2010) Brouillette M. Viral ‘fossils’ in our DNA may help us fight infection (2016) Dewannieux M et al., (2006) Chuong EB (2016) Thermohilic Viruses Yara Virus, the crazy new Brazilian thing Was an ancient virus responsible for human consciousness? Erin Garcia de Jesus (2020) Bats’ immune defenses may be why their viruses can be so deadly to people Radiolab Patient Zero Sara Reardon (2016)  HIV’s Patient Zero exonerated Comment on the origin of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Calisher et al., (2020) Statement in support of the scientists, public health professionals, and medical professionals of China combatting COVID-19 Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

Today we are going straight to the good stuff and talking Alien Implants with our fave M.D., Dr. Mysteryface! She is here to break down the science and no-so-science to the bat-shiz crazy world of apodiatrist who removed and analyzed alleged alien implants. We cover isotopes, surgeries, and a lot of stuff Sarah can’t even pronounce! DO YOU BELIEVE??? Please say yes it’ll really help Sarah feel validated, k? Let us know what you think! Alien implants real or no? Look at that isotope stuff and tell me what it means! Email! stories@zeropercentscared.com FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps References: Alien Implants Wiki The Dogon tribe Alien mystery! Betty and Barney Hill, famous abductees Alien Abductee narratives Dr. Leir, podiatrist and alien implant good guy Dr. Leir’s caseboook: alien implants Dr. Leir's last article Patient 17, documentary on Dr. Leir and implant analysis Results from the spectrographic scan of Patient 17s implant Dr. Leir’s last article Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

WHAT?? We're up to 50 episodes! You guys! Thanks so much for listening! Join us for another solo episode by Sarah -- this week we discuss the strange and controversial world of ghost EVPs or electronic voice phenomenon! Sarah discusses ghost shows, the methods they use to record unearthly voices and even PLAYS SOME FOR YOU!!! She also goes into science stuff so don't worry science nerds! Let us know what you think! Are ghosts real and can they talk to us? Email us! stories@zeropercentscared.com FYI: The best way to support the pod is by telling a friend to subscribe, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps References: Wikipedia on EVPs Listen to EVPs in this episode here Association of TransCommunications (kinda weird, but has EVPs!) American Association of Electronic Voice Phenomena NeuroQuantology: Journal of Neuroscience and Quantum Physics Scientist claims EVPs persist, even in controlled environments The study PDF is here, check it out. What the eff is a Spirit Box The Unsolved episode w/ a Spirit Box The statistical analysis of a spirit box thing EVP Ratings THE CIAs take on EVPs!!!! Skeptics take on EVPs (boo!) New York Paranormal Society's take (yay!) The interdimensional hypothesis! Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!  

Guess what, Dr. Kelly is back! This week join us as we discuss The EVIL EYE, how it's having a moment, it's history, and the weird science Kelly dug up about it. Notice: if you're particularly clever, check out the link below and build an evil eye sensing pair of ski goggles! We also go on several tangents, including one about the amazing bat immune system.  Get excited people! Question of the week: How should you explain taxidermy to a 4 year old? Email us answers, stories@zeropercentscared.com FYI: The best way to support the pod is by subscribing, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps References: Evil eye Wiki Great BBC article on the Evil Eye NY Times: Beware the Evil Eye. Or Buy One, Just for Kicks Meghan Markle's Evil Eye Bracelet Gigi Hadid's evil eye shoes So much evil eye crap on Etsy! La Llorona Tangent : Limpia ceremonies Hypothosis: The electrophysiological basis of the evil eye belief SOMEONE MAKE THESE GOGGLES! The Evil Eye: A Casebook by Allan Dundes The economic origins of the evil eye belief Want to ward of the evil eye? Just be nice. Abstract for the above paper Amazing ways to ward off the evil eye! Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!

Join us today for a terrifying, depressing and somehow funny voyage into all things La Llorona -- aka 'the weeping woman', a child stalking madwoman who OBVI has postpartum psychosis like a mofo. We have so many insane stories in this episode, so get in here!  Email us stories! I MEAN IT, email us! stories@zeropercentscared.com FYI: The best way to support the pod is by subscribing, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps References: La Llorona, Wikipedia La Llorona, the weeping woman of the southwest US Theater screens La Llorona instead of Detective Pikachu The Return of La Llorona, Texas Observer Postpartum Depression, Wikipedia Postpartum info, from the CDC Scholarly articles on Postpartum Depression Postpartum depression in men The creepy island of the dolls!!!!  Youtube vids of the island of the dolls Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram!  

Sarah reads the strangest stuff sometimes, and lucky you, she shares it with you this week. Join her in another solo episode to hear about endangered sea fairies, talking mummies and how dark matter might be information which means GHOSTS DEFINITELY EXIST.  We love you, so email us! stories@zeropercentscared.com Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram! The best way to support the pod is by subscribing, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps References: Scottish fish farm rejected because FAIRIES Sexy Archaeologists make a mummy speak! Information has mass and dark matter = ghosts Stop Worrying! There probably is an afterlife by Greg Taylor

Today we explore the insane, disturbing and occasionally frickin adorable world of mass psychogenic disorders, aka Mass Hysteria. Meowing nuns, dancing plagues, dogs and cats living together!! MASS HYSTERIA!!! Email us! stories@zeropercentscared.com Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram! The best way to support the pod is by subscribing, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps References:  The mysterious dancing mania and mass psychogenic illness  Tarantism, dancing mania and demonopathy (via pub med) 15 cases of mass psychogenic disorder Ghost haunts toilet in Bangladesh, sends thousands into mass panic  Why does mass hysteria affect mostly women?  Mass hysteria at a New York high school Mirror Neurons are frickin awesome  Women in the middle ages (spoiler: kinda sucked) Life as a nun in the middle ages (spoiler: mostly sucked) Gender and women's mental health (via the WHO)  

Today Sarah gives us a solo look at Ed and Lorraine Warren, the original ghost busters! They're also the most adorable demonologist couple ever, though some say they're nothing but money hungry publicity hound charlatans. What do you think? Let us know! Email us! stories@zeropercentscared.com References: Wiki entry on the Warrens The Warrens' website (omg guys it's so bad I feel bad) Atlas Obscura article Criticisms of the Warrens The Strange Afterlife of Ed and Lorraine Warren Connecticut Mag profile of the Warrens Annabelle (gulp) The Perron Family Haunting Amityville Amityville ghost boy photo (get it away!) The Warren Werewolf case The Devil made me do it case Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram! The best way to support the pod is by subscribing, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps

We have SO MANY AWESOME stories for you on our second listener stories episode. Thanks everyone for writing in and please keep the stories coming! Dolls, dog, football, cat, door, floor, lamp. Email us stories! I MEAN IT, email us! stories@zeropercentscared.com References: The free sleep paralysis show (The Nightmare, 2005) The costs-money sleep paralysis show with an effects budget (The Nightmare, 2015) The Mutter, a 'medical oddities' Museum Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter (@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram! The best way to support the pod is by subscribing, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps

People seem to experience time-slips all of the time, but is it really just a troupe of victorian era cosplayers or heaps of concentrated hallucinogenic flora? Or could it be actual wormholes because PHYSICS! Email us! stories@zeropercentscared.com References:  Slips in time and space. By Rosemary Ellen Guiley  Time storms. By Jenny Randles  The Moberly Jourdain time slip  An Adventure. By C. A. E Moberly  Other time slip stories from Mysterious Universe Salvia divinorum aka drug bush!What is Space-Time? By Adam Mann Scientists dismiss the idea of travel through wormholes. By RUDN University  Are wormholes real? By Sabrina Stierwalt Time Travel Via Wormhole Breaks the Rules of Quantum Mechanics. By Bill Andrews  ‘We can build a real time machine’ By Thomas Scheidl  Stephen Hawking hosted a party for time travelers, but no one came. By Mark Kaufman  Time Traveller photos Swiss ring found in unsealed Ming era tomb Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter(@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram! Of course, the best way to support the pod is by subscribing, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps  

What’s more christmasy than a kid devouring, giant tongued goat demon carrying a hell-bound basket?  Pretty much everything! But we’re here for all you christmas haters with some Krampus love. We are here for you, email us whatever you want: stories@zeropercentscared.com References: The Origin of Krampus, Europe’s Evil Twist on Santa. Where Did Krampus Come From? The Untold Truth of Krampus. Krampus: Saint Nicholas’ Dark Companion SantaCon: https://www.santacon.info/ Andrewsarchus “Superb Skull of a Gigantic Beast” Relationship of Cetacea (Artiodactyla) Among Mammals: Increased Taxon Sampling Alters Interpretations of Key Fossils and Character Evolution Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter(@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram! Of course the best way to support the pod is by subscribing, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps

Santa is a macroscopic quantum particle! Join us as we discuss the weird world of real Santa sightings! Also, happy holidays and how you guys doing? We are here for you, email us whatever you want: stories@zeropercentscared.com References: How St Nick became Santa Claus encounters Foo Fighters Norad's Santa Tracker The Physics of Santa and His Reindeer. David Mikkelson  Rebuttals to the above (SANTA SCIENCE!!!) Proof that Santa Exists by Henry Gee  Double slit experiment explained! By Jim Al-Khalili  About.com Santa Sightings stories Find us Online! If you like Zero Percent Scared, help us grow by spreading the word on Twitter(@ZeroScared), Facebook, or Instagram! Of course the best way to support the pod is by subscribing, you can use this link to make it cray easy: https://plnk.to/Zps

And the “Most Amazing House in the Galaxy” award goes to... the Winchester Mystery House! But from what we can tell, probably not haunted. Ghosts, what are you waiting for? Move into this joint. Prime. Real. Estate. Sarah Winchester Getting lost makes the brain go haywire by Will Hunt.  The hidden ways that architecture affects how you feel by Michael Bond. Professor Kate Jeffrey Ghost Adventures Winchester mansion episode (warning: so dumb)