Batagay (aka Batagaika) Crater goes by many names. Scientists call it a retrogressive thaw megaslump; the internet may know it best as the Doorway to the Underworld. And since it opened up in the Siberian permafrost over half a century...

Achilles, just slain in the Trojan War, arrives in the Underworld and is greeted by Sibyl of Cumae— a prophetess and also the realm’s local guide. Though it gets a bad rap, Sibyl is determined to prove to the newcomer that hell is...

If you’ve been distracted looking at the amazing photos The James Webb Space Telescope has taken, not to worry. Here are three other stellar stories from the last year of space science!

In which Mike Rugnetta teaches you about Ma'ui, prominent hero of many cultures in Oceania, aka the Pacific Island nations. Ma'ui is just the kind of hero we're interested in here at Crash Course. He's a culture hero, he's a an...

What if Andy Warhol had it wrong, and instead of being famous for 15 minutes, we're only anonymous for that long? In this short talk, Juan Enriquez looks at the surprisingly permanent effects of digital sharing on our personal privacy....

Sisyphus was both a clever ruler who made his city prosperous, and a devious tyrant who seduced his niece and killed visitors to show off his power. While his violation of the sacred hospitality tradition greatly angered the gods, it...

One day, twin brothers Junajpu and Ixb'alanke discovered their father's hidden ballgame equipment and began to play. Hearing their vigorous game, the lords of the underworld sent a messenger to challenge the boys to a match. Despite the...

Psyche was born so beautiful that she was worshipped as a new incarnation of Venus, the goddess of love. But human lovers were too intimidated to approach her, and Apollo recommended her father abandon her on a crag where she would marry...

The underworld is overcrowded, and Zeus has ordered Hades to let some spirits out. Hades arranges all the souls of the dead in a line before Cerberus. When one of his three heads bites down on the soul in front of it, they'll get...

One day, Persephone was frolicking in a meadow with the nymph, Cyane. As they admired a flower, they noticed it tremble in the ground. Suddenly, the earth split, and a terrifying figure arose. It was Hades, god of the underworld. He...

Ancient Egyptians believed that in order to become immortal after death, a spirit must first pass through the underworld - a realm of vast caverns, lakes of fire, and magical gates. Needless to say, one needed to come prepared. But how?...

The marriage of Orpheus, the greatest of all poets and musicians, to Eurydice, a wood nymph, was heralded as the perfect union. Anyone could tell the couple was deeply in love. So when their wedding ceremony ended in Eurydice's untimely...

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'...

Howcast - Check out Part 2 of this Shadows of the Damned walkthrough and beat Act 2-1 with this online demo.

Howcast - Check out part 1 and see how to beat Devil May Cry, the third-person action hack and slash from Capcom.

Howcast - Check out this Shadows of the Damned walkthrough and beat Act 1-1 with this online demo.

In many mythologies, music is associated with the explosion of life and bursts of creativity. But it’s also used to explore the dark side of human nature: the desire to manipulate our surroundings, or to control others.

In Greek mythology, the magnificent mother and daughter duo Demeter and Persephone were the bringers of food and fair weather and were worshiped in lush harvest celebrations. But their story has a darker side – one involving violence,...

For the Ancient Egyptians, the cycle of life itself began and ended with Isis and Osiris. Their story is one of the oldest known myths, and it informed spiritual beliefs, power structures, and gender roles in Ancient Egypt and beyond....

Not quite deities and definitely not human, cats have stalked our cultural imagination since ancient times. As demons, defenders, evil sidekicks, and sleek companions, they play many roles in culture and myth. But what makes cats so...

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...

Learn about Dwarf Planet Candidate Orcus with the Dwarf Planet Song! Orcus may potentially be a Dwarf Planet in our Solar System! Brought to you by KLT!

This video explores five fun facts about Cerberus.

This video explores five fun facts about Gorgons.