Across multiple mythologies, the term “mother of monsters” is used frequently on the likes of women such as Echidna, Lamia, and Angrboda. But in Mesopotamian mythology, the mother of monsters is Tiamat, who’s less of a woman, and more of...

Hellhounds, the fearsome canine beasts of the underworld who often serve as guardians to the very gates of hell, pop up in a wide variety of cultural folklore throughout history. They're also fairly commonplace in the stories we tell in...

This influential ancient monster from Chinese mythology predates the written word. Inspired by ancient bronze and jade iconography detailing the face of a bulging-eyed, gapping-mouthed beast, the Taotie creature is both mysterious and...

A sky deity falling from the sky sounds bad, right? Not if it’s the Kasogonagá! From the mythology of the Toba peoples of South America, this god of lightning, thunder, and rain appears as a small, hairy anteater-like creature and needs...

The pontianak, or kuntilanak, has long been a staple of Malay horror. In addition to serving as an allegory for the tension between traditional and modern cultural and spiritual practices, these monsters gave name to a real city. In this...

Although able to appear as a beautiful young woman, the jorōgumo is really a deadly spider monster in disguise. This episode dives into the fascinating world of yōkai and the long history of beautiful women and spiders in Japanese...

Throughout American history people of the African Diaspora have been called so many things...all the things...but what does it truly mean, and how does it impact or affect the way we see ourselves.

The average carbon footprint of a person in the US is 16.5 tons –TONS. So, what can you actually do decrease this number and make a meaningful difference?

Where did the concept of a hobby come from? And how did humans turn the things they do purely for fun into side hustles and competitions that actually pay the bills?

Will we ever shake hands again?! With the current state of the world, no one can really say. But that got us wondering... why do we shake hands in the first place? Today, Danielle traces the history of the handshake from Babylonia and...

What motivates someone to disguise their race, gender, religion, etc.? Today Danielle explores the complicated history of passing in the United States.

You may not know their names, but the theremin and the wilhelm scream are ubiquitous in horror films. Today, Danielle and special guest Dr. Emily Zarka tell the spooky tales of how these iconic sounds ended up in your favorite movies!

Prom has become the defining moment of many American students' high school experiences. But why has a single night of partying come to represent a crucial coming of age moment? Today, Danielle examines the history of prom and how...

When did we start defining sexual orientation and how did that result in "straight" becoming a synonym for "heterosexual"? Today Danielle follows the winding history of the word through medical terms, lavender linguistics, and community...

It's a weird time to be alive. A pandemic is sweeping the world and life as we know it has gone through a seismic shift in a matter of weeks. But this isn't the first time humans have encountered an epidemic. Today, Danielle (from the...

When picturing a jury, you probably imagine 12 people - no more, no less. But did you know there is no hard and fast rule about how many members are required on a jury? Today, Danielle looks at the differences between petit and grand...

We all have news cycle fatigue. If it’s not struggling to find reliable sources online, then it’s figuring out how to sift through the myriad of competing (and sometimes conflicting) headlines that roll across our TV screens, cell phones...

What's the history behind public housing? Why do governments all over the world subsidize housing for the public. Today, Dannielle look at the evolution of housing projects and how the government got into the landlord game.

The day is finally here! Your baby has arrived and you're officially a new parent! But how long until that new baby smell wears off and you're forced to return to work and find reliable childcare? Today Danielle looks at the history...

Origin of Everything takes a field trip to Washington, D.C. and explores the painful history and legacy of America's Civil War. Danielle looks at Confederate and Union Civil War monuments and what spurred their construction after the war.

In the internet age what's the point of libraries? Do we even still need these brick and mortar buildings when a lot of knowledge can be found online? Today, Danielle examines the history of libraries around the world and what role they...

Why do so many anthems and patriotic songs from across the globe sound the same? Today Danielle joins forces with Cory from 12tone and Moti from The Ling Space to find out what makes a tune suitable for patriotic songs and how those...

The US imprisons more people than any other country in the world. Today, Danielle explores why so many Americans are incarcerated and why we've turned to private prisons to hold that population.

With ongoing protests across the United States and the globe against law enforcement violence and extrajudicial killings of people in Black, brown, and impoverished communities, the world is contemplating the place of police in our...