Crash Course
Monsters. They're Us, Man: Crash Course World Mythology
This week, we're starting our discussion of Mythical Creatures with the WORST creatures. Monsters. What makes a monster monstrous though? Mike Rugnetta will guide you through the fine line between a magical creature and a monster....
Crash Course
Coyote and Raven, American Tricksters: Crash Course World Mythology
Mike Rugnetta continues to teach you about Tricksters in myth, and this time we're headed to the Americas. Coyote and Raven appear in stories from many Native American groups, and more often than not, they're tricky. They're also often...
TED-Ed
TED-Ed: The Maya myth of the morning star | TED-Ed
Chak Ek', the morning star, rose from the underworld to the surface of the eastern sea and on into the heavens. His brother K'in Ahaw, the sun, followed. Though Chak Ek' had risen first, K'in Ahaw outshone him, and the resentful Chak Ek'...
Crash Course
Humans and Nature and Creation: Crash Course World Mythology
In which Mike Rugnetta brings you the final installation of our unit on creation myths. This week, we're talking about human beings and their relationship to the natural world. It turns out foundational stories have a lot to teach us...
Crash Course
Mythical Caves and Gardens: Crash Course World Mythology
This week, Mike Rugnetta is teaching you about mythical gardens and caves, which appear in cultures all over the world. Caves and gardens can stand for different things, but in the two stories we're talking about today, they tie into the...
Curated Video
Indonesia Religion
New ReviewMany people in Indonesia believe in the spiritual power behind objects and forces, and most societies have organized ceremonies and rituals to mollify these spirits. In Indonesia, traditional animist beliefs have been combined with the...
Curated Video
Indonesia Values and Belief Systems
New ReviewTogetherness defines the collectivist rhythm of Indonesians’ lives. In Indonesian society, the role of the individual is subordinate to that of the group. Although development has brought many imported, impersonal elements of urban life...
PBS
Why the Dragon is Central to Chinese Culture
New ReviewThe Chinese dragon is one of the world’s most globally recognized monsters. Playing a major role throughout Chinese history, they were both creators and destroyers and controlled the elements. They've influenced everything from politics...
PBS
Who Is This Japanese Yōkai That Is Obsessed With Your Butt?
New ReviewWhat looks like a reptile-amphibian hybrid, has a dish shaped skull, smells like fish, is child-like and out to steal your crops and drown your livestock? The Japanese water yokai, Kappa.
PBS
How a Classic Children’s Book Introduced Kids (and Adults) to Their Inner Demons
New ReviewAs a kid, the monsters in Where the Wild Things Are were downright frightening. But thinking about the book as an adult, it’s clear there’s something deeper to this fantastically monstrous story.
PBS
A Giant Monster With a Giant Problem
New ReviewIn this episode, we explore the legacy of the monumental 1933 film, King Kong, its groundbreaking special effects, and the complex racial and colonial undertones that continue to shape our understanding of this timeless classic.
PBS
Is This North American Sea Serpent Real or a Hoax?
New ReviewMany say that the waters of America’s Northern coasts are home to an elusive sea serpent of legend. Named Caddy! Or Cadborosaurus, for long. Sightings and testimonials go back generations. Who is Caddy? And why are serpentine water...
PBS
Lost in the Backrooms: Exploring the Internet's Creepiest Liminal Space
New ReviewEver felt like a place seems real yet oddly unsettling? Welcome to The Backrooms, a digital folklore phenomenon that blurs the lines between reality and fiction, exploring the eerie and uncanny through playful, yet terrifying,...
PBS
La Lechuza: The Shape-Shifting Witch-Owl
New ReviewYou're walking home, a little tipsy, guided only by the moonlight. Suddenly, you sense something watching you: an unnervingly large owl with a human face! This is La Lechuza, a malevolent witch-owl from Tejano and Mexican folklore.
PBS
How The Internet Created Its Own Viral Monster
New ReviewA grainy 2007 video from Fresno, California, sparked an internet phenomenon—the Fresno Nightcrawlers. From cryptid lore to viral fame, this video explores how a 20-second clip turned into a legend, inspiring countless theories, debates,...
PBS
The Hat Man And The Shadow People
New ReviewCountless people claim to have seen the Hat Man—a shadowy figure in a wide-brimmed hat—while experiencing sleep paralysis, bringing on an overwhelming sense of dread. Why do so many people, throughout time and across different cultures,...
PBS
Nosferatu Is Dracula…Maybe
New ReviewWhy do vampires shift from terrifying to seductive and back again? Let's explore the long history of the vampire’s transformation—from monstrous fiend to gothic heartthrob—and what it says about our fears, desires, and identity. Sexy…...
PBS
The Terrifying Reign of the Beast of Gevaudan
New ReviewBetween 1764 and 1767, a mysterious creature terrorized the French countryside, leaving over 100 dead. Was it a monstrous wolf, a cryptid, or something more sinister? This is the chilling true story of the Beast of Gévaudan — a real-life...
PBS
The Most Puzzling UFO Case of the 20th Century
New ReviewIn 1952, a terrifying creature was spotted in Flatwoods, West Virginia — a 10 feet tall creature with glowing eyes, a spade-shaped head, and cloaked in a metal skirt. Was it an alien, a Cold War experiment, or mass hysteria?
PBS
King Kong pt. 2
New ReviewSince his 1933 movie debut, King Kong’s impact on our culture has been persistent. For nearly a century, Kong’s story has changed to reflect, and sometimes comment on, our society’s issues with racism, sexism, and fear of the unknown....
PBS
Why Does A Ghost Whale Terrorize The Japanese Coast?
New ReviewLore of the ghostly whale skeleton, Bake-kujira, brings an ominous twist to stories of the revered marine giants in Japan. The entity is an omen of misfortune that emerged during the rise of industrial whaling in the 20th century. Is it...
Curated Video
Angkor Wat – Ancient Temple Complex in Cambodia
Angkor Wat, hidden in Cambodia's jungles for centuries, is a monumental temple complex surrounded by water-filled ditches, showcasing 1,700 artistic reliefs depicting Indian mythology and the god-like king Suryavarman II. Discovered in...
Curated Video
'The Twisted Tree': Norse mythology
Pupil outcome: I can understand how Burge uses Norse mythology to create a terrifying villain. Key learning points: - Odin is a Norse god who is associated with wisdom, poetry and death. - Odin sacrificed his eye in order to gain...
Curated Video
Exploring the use of mythology in 'The Twisted Tree'
Pupil outcome: I can understand the plot and some of the Norse mythology that it includes. Key learning points: - Odin is the god of wisdom who sacrificed an eye for greater understanding. - Martha is believed to be a descendant of Odin....