For this episode of Strange Matters we share a number of spooky and creepy stories and encounters that have been sent into us by listeners. These disturbing paranormal listener stories include possible hauntings, unexplained phenomena, and strange encounters.
Thanks to everyone who sent us in their personal stories! For our next listener based episode we are looking for local myths and urban legends from all over the world. If you know of any interesting or strange legends or stories from where you live, please feel free to share it with us at our email, or send us a message on our Facebook Page or Twitter!
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The story of the “Boy in the Box” was a tragic yet intriguing unsolved mystery that took place in the 1950’s. A young boy, not much older than 3-4 years, was found placed in a box and tossed on the side of the road. This young lad was carefully placed inside the box and left in the ditch of a country road in Philadelphia. Medical examination revealed that the cause of death was multiple blows to the head however a brown substance that coated the boys esophagus raises many questions. Despite almost 60 years of investigations the identity and story behind this boys death remains shrouded in mystery. Despite many theories, some more convincing than others, many of the investigators have died without knowing what really happened to this boy
The “Moving Coffins of Barbados” tells of a massive tomb built to house the bodies of the Chase family on the island of Barbados. This seemingly inexplicable story states that upon opening of the tomb the massive led caskets were found tossed about within the tomb without any explanation. Government officials became involved, inspected and sealed the tomb with additional layers of security but to no avail. Years later when the tomb was opened again, the coffins had been violently thrown about the inside of the tomb. Without any possible explanation, the bodies were exhumed and laid to rest in a separate location. What could possibly explain this? Could it be supernatural or possibly some sort of logical explanation exists? Perhaps we will never know, however it seems likely that this mystery could have been fabricated from the beginning. Tune in and learn all about these mysteries in our latest episode.
In this episode of Strange Matters we present a number of particularly weird and bizarre ways that people have died. Though there are countless ways death can occur, for this discussion the focus is on rare and unusual cases. With that in mind Sean has collected a handful of some of the strangest ways people have died.
The first strange death covered is Spontaneous Human Combustion. In these cases, it is reported that a person burst into flames without any obvious source of ignition or fuel. All that is left of these people are a pile of ashes where their bodies last lay.
Next comes the strange case of dancing mania, specifically the Dancing Plague of 1518. In this bizarre event, hundreds of people suddenly and without any reason began to dance non stop out in the streets for days at a time. Some of these people literally danced to their own death, grooving until their bodies could not function any longer.
Another case of strange deaths occurred on two separate occasions, when disasters involving food products caused the drowning deaths of numerous people. The Boston Molasses Disaster and the London Beer Flood are two of the only instances in which groups of unfortunate people were swept up in a spreading wave of something normally edible and ended up drowning.
Franz Reichelt steps up next with his own unique and strange death. Franz was an inventor at heart and worked hard to create a working parachute suit pilots could wear. Unfortunately his tests jumps were not successful. Adamant to prove the worth of his invention, Franz decided to test his own design by jumping off the Eiffel Tower to display the effectiveness of his parachute… Things didn’t quite go as planned however, as Franz would not be remembered by his ingenious invention, but rather for his foolish death.
The last, and perhaps strangest, topic is a rare mental disorder known as Cotard Delusion, also called Walking Corpse Syndrome. This illness describes an afflicted person who actually believes that they are already dead. Though extremely uncommon, this mental condition has lead several living people to unfortunately meet their own demise as they refuse to take care of their bodies, since in their own mind they are already dead.
Please enjoy hearing all about several of the most unusual and strangest ways to die!
In this episode Sean & Eric of Strange Matters team up with The Eastern Border Podcast, hosted by Kristaps Andrejsons, to delve into all the strange events and urban legends that surround the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster. The incident at the Chernobyl Power Plant is the worst nuclear disaster in human history so far, as dozens of workers and emergency helpers died from lethal radiation poisoning and the entire population of Chernobyl and Pripyat were ordered to evacuate. One of the most disturbing facts to come out of this event is that it could have all been avoided if the proper safety measures had been taken, along with the fact the men in charge of the power station were not competent in their duties.
In the first part of this episode we go over the background, causes, and aftermath of the disaster. Then for the second half of the episode we of course cover our favorite myths and urban legends that have come from Chernobyl. Ranging from mutated men, government conspiracies, strange creatures, and even alien intervention, we discuss the stranger side of this nuclear disaster. We hope you enjoy learning and hearing all about the dark history and legends of Chernobyl and its tragic story.
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In this Strange Matters Short, Sean presents the case of the Original Night Stalker, one of America’s most infamous and prolific unsolved serial criminals. The Original Night Stalker (ONS) was a serial killer in Southern California who targeted lone women and couples, breaking into their homes at night and sexually assaulting and killing those inside. Later DNA evidence proved that the ONS was also the East Area Rapist, a criminal responsible for over 50 rapes in Northern California. After linking these two series of crimes, police discovered that this one man was responsible for dozens of rapes, attacks, and deaths, making him the worst unsolved criminal in California history.
The Original Night Stalker was one of the most brutal and terrifying killers in recent times. Hundreds of police investigators and neighborhood watch patrols had no luck in finding or stopping this man, as he continued his attacks at will for several years. The ONS was cunning and meticulous in his planning, he was known to prowl his target’s neighborhoods for weeks beforehand, and on several times even sneaked into his victims home’s and unloaded any guns, leaving them defenseless against him.
Who the Original Night Stalker was is still unknown, no leads or suspects have ever been found that could be responsible for these crimes. It is not even known if the man behind these attacks is currently alive or not. Whether the identity of this criminal will ever be found, remains a complete mystery to this day.
What could be more terrifying? You are in your home late at night… hoping to be alone. Then suddenly it happens… a knock at the front doorstep. You quietly walk over to the door, peer through the peep hole and see two young children, with jet black eyes.
Stories of these “black eyed children” became popular in the 1990’s. Ever since rumors and stories have been circulating and growing on the internet. These children are usually described as showing up in pairs and asking for permission to enter your home or vehicle. Most people describe their encounters as being consumed with an overwhelming since of fear and impending danger. Little is known about what happens if you invite these children into your home. However it’s likely not good. All you have to do, is turn them away.
What are these “creatures” that pose as children? What is their purpose and what do they want? Tune in for this episode where Eric shares a couple of the creepiest stories of the “black-eyed children” around!