In this year's annual holiday special, I examine the roots of the Christmas tree custom to determine its origins and whether it is indeed a pagan survival, as many claim. Check out the show merch, perfect for gifts!  Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com. Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episode's publication. Tracks include "The Coil Winds," "Basketliner," "Shine and Wither," "Felted Rows," "A Catalog of Seasons," "Cover Letter," "Illa Villardo," and "Evidence Room." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons. Other music: "A Very Brady Special" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this holiday special minisode from last year, I tackle the claims of entheogen theorists who suggest, falsely, that almost all Christmas traditions really derive from Siberian cultures' use of hallucinogenic mushrooms! Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which makes a great gift!  Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Further support the show by giving a one-time gift at paypal.me/NathanLeviLloyd or finding me on Venmo at @HistoricalBlindness.  One song used in this episode, "July," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special presentation, I share an episode of the wonderful podcast Plodding Through the Presidents, in which hosts Howard and Jessica Dorre discuss the many myths, mysteries, and scandals surrounding the early presidents who shaped our country. In this episode from their archives, they explore the role of the Illuminati in the Election of 1800 between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, and then they talk with Mark Cheathem, a history professor at Cumberland University who teaches a course on conspiracy theories, about the so-called Corrupt Bargain of 1824. Check out Plodding Through the Presidents wherever you get your podcasts, and visit the webpage for this episode here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This holiday bonus minisode presents my personal thoughts on the upcoming holiday, in the wake of the election, reflecting on the establishment of the national holiday during the Civil War. Music on this episode is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons. Tracks include "September," "Tumult," "Harbor," and "Seeker." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the conclusion of my series on Jack the Ripper, I look the many claims and theories purporting to solve the crimes, their weaknesses and how far Ripperologists go to sell books. Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episode's publication. Tracks include "Cicle DR Valgal," "Cicle Vascule," "Cicle Deserrat," "Access Road 214, "Cicle Gerano," and "Oneiri." Other music is copyright Alex Kish. Visit alexkishmusic.com to contact him for musical compositions. Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," "daedalus," and "Wake Up" are by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first part of a 2-parter, I look closely at a genuine historical mystery, THE true crime case, which launched an entire genre of non-fiction research: Jack the Ripper. In part one, I look at the actual murders. Listener discretion is advised. Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episode's publication. Tracks include "Brimevil," "Cicle Vascule," "Winter in Black," "Cherry Heath," and "Leatherbound." Other music is copyright Alex Kish. Visit alexkishmusic.com to contact him for musical compositions. Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," "daedalus," "daemones," and Daylight PON II," are by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons. yyH0vVR1eVTKrCw0S06x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In my last episode of October, I consider the legends of 16th-century arch-killers, or what we might consider serial killers today, cave-dwelling highway robbers who were also said to be cannibals and sorcerers, like Sawney Bean and Christman Genipperteinga, whose kill count reached the thousands according to the cheap and lurid chapbooks and ballads that spread their tales to terrified readers. But how much of their stories was pure folklore? Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episode's publication. Tracks include "Black Ballots," "Game Lands," "Invernen," "Winter in Black," and "Cicle Gerano." Other music is copyright Alex Kish. Visit alexkishmusic.com to contact him for musical compositions. Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special presentation, I introduce a spooky podcast for your October listening pleasure, and present a full episode for you to enjoy. Step into the world of the unknown and unravel the dark history and infamous legends of the American South. Join host Brandon Schexnayder as he journeys into the heart of this rich and fascinating region, uncovering its ghostly stories, haunted places, and eeriest tales through captivating storytelling, in-depth historical research, and an immersive audio soundscape. From the Bell Witch of Tennessee to the haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium, the ghostly tales of the Myrtles Plantation, the Curse of Lake Lanier and beyond, get ready for an unforgettable experience that brings history to life and uncovers the truth behind classic tales of the paranormal. Find Southern Gothic wherever you listen to podcasts, with direct links at https://podfollow.com/southern-gothic. Episode synopsis: Folks in Charleston claim that the old Unitarian Church Graveyard is haunted by the apparition of a woman in white; but this just isn’t any woman, it is the spirit of Annabel Lee, the lost love of Edgar Allan Poe. In this episode, Brandon explores the historical events of Poe’s early life that led him to a brief stay in Charleston, the legend of the woman in white, and the possibilities as to whether this haunting really was true or not Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As we start off October, let's consider the appalling act that is foundational to much monster folklore and horror literature: cannibalism, which some anthropologists have revealed to be, in most cases, a total myth. Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episodes publication. Tracks include "Cicle Vascule," "Black Ballots," "Winter in Black," "Access Road 138," "Access Road 442," and "Olivia Wraith." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy" and "daemones," are by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a new standalone episode that follows on from my series on fascism, I seek historical precedent to better understand the threat of the fake electors scheme employed by Trump in his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.  Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episodes publication. Tracks include "Game Lands," "Delicates," "The Gran Dias," "Olivia Wraith," "Access Road 138," "Cicle Deserrat" and "Brer Krille." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons.  Other music: "Leaving Home" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the conclusion of my series on the rise of fascism in Italy and Germany in the 1920s, I make further legitimate comparisons to modern American politics and Trumpism. Continued insistence that there are no grounds for such comparisons at this point borders on denialism. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/historical today to get 10% off your first month. Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episodes publication. Tracks include "Cicle DR Valga," "Game Lands," "Access Road 442," "Black Ballots," "Olivia Wraith," "Cicle Gerano," "A Pulse of Rain," "Maisie Dreamer," "Cicle Deserrat" and "Winter in Black." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," "Oneiri," and "Cold War Echo," are by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons. Other music: "Spacial Harvest" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a new series on the rise of fascism in Italy and Germany in the 1920s, I make pertinent comparisons to modern American politics and Trumpism. It's time to call MAGA out for what it is without any further hedging. Likenesses can no longer be ignored. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/historical today to get 10% off your first month. Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episodes publication. Tracks include "Black Ballots," "Cicle DR Valga," "Olivia Wraith," "Access Road 442," "Cicle Gerano," "A Pulse of Rain," "Maisie Dreamer," "Cicle Deserrat" and "Winter in Black." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," "Plague," and "Seeker," are by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the conclusion of my series on Erich von Däniken and his books popularizing the ancient astronaut theory, I look further into the weakness of his evidence and the outright hoaxes he has either promoted or perpetrated.   Switch to Mint Mobile and get a new 3-month unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month. Visit MINTMOBILE.com/BLINDNESS! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/historical today to get 10% off your first month. Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episodes publication. Tracks include "Cherry Heath," "An Oddly Formal Dance," "Cicle Deserrat," "Leatherbound," and "Cicle Vascule" Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy and "Wake Up" is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0). Other music: "Leaving Home" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first part of a new 2-part series, I revisit someone I spoke about recently, Erich von Däniken, in order to more thoroughly examine the weaknesses of his claims and inaccuracies of his arguments. It's time to talk about ancient astronauts in more depth. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/historical today to get 10% off your first month. Switch to Mint Mobile and get a new 3-month unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month. Visit MINTMOBILE.com/BLINDNESS! Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episodes publication. Tracks include "Black Ballots," "An Oddly Formal Dance," "Sudden Courier," "Cicle Gerano," "Borough," "Brer Krille," and "The Gran Dias." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the conclusion to this 2-part series, I look at claims about 18-19th century technology in antiquity, such as claims of ancient electrical devices, the Baghdad Battery and the Dendera Light, and Christopher Dunn's claims that the Great Pyramid was a power plant and a hydrogen maser. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/historical today to get 10% off your first month. Switch to Mint Mobile and get a new 3-month unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month. Visit MINTMOBILE.com/BLINDNESS! Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episodes publication. Tracks include "Zeriba Village," "Cicle Deserrat," "Lacaille," "Cicle DR Valga," "Leatherbound," and "Cicle Gerano." Additional music, including "daemones" and "Remedy for Melancholy," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the first half of a 2-part series examining claims of lost ancient high technology, I look at specific examples of advanced technology in the past that seems to have been lost to time, with a focus on the legendary inventions of Archimedes. Switch to Mint Mobile and get a new 3-month unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month. Visit MINTMOBILE.com/BLINDNESS! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/historical today to get 10% off your first month. Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Further support the show by giving a one-time gift at paypal.me/NathanLeviLloyd or finding me on Venmo at @HistoricalBlindness.Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episodes publication. Tracks include "Tarte Tatin," "Game Lands," "Cicle Vascule," "Delicates," and "Cicle Gerano." Additional music, including "Wake Up" and "Remedy for Melancholy," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the conclusion of this series on myths and misconceptions about pyramids and ancient Egypt, I finally talk about ancient astronaut claims, addressing the scifi/fantasy brand of pyramidology popularized on the History Channel and Joe Rogan. Switch to Mint Mobile and get a new 3-month unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month. Visit MINTMOBILE.com/BLINDNESS! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/historical today to get 10% off your first month. Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Further support the show by giving a one-time gift at paypal.me/NathanLeviLloyd or finding me on Venmo at @HistoricalBlindness. Some music on this episode was licensed under a Blue Dot Sessions blanket license at the time of this episodes publication. Tracks include "Cicle DR Valga," "Access Road 214," "Black Ballots," "Cicle Vascule," "Tarte Tatin," "Game Lands," "The Gran Dias," "Cherry Heath," "Delicates," "Access Road 442," "Rambling," and "Dusting." Additional music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the fifth part of this 6-part series on pyramid myths, 19th-century Egyptomania gives way to Tutmania and the fake news hoaxes of the early 20th century keep Egyptian myths popular among conspiracists, occultists, and psychic grifters. Switch to Mint Mobile and get a new 3-month unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month. Visit MINTMOBILE.com/BLINDNESS! Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Further support the show by giving a one-time gift at paypal.me/NathanLeviLloyd or finding me on Venmo at @HistoricalBlindness. Some background music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," "daemones," "daedalus," "Wake Up," and "Oneiri," is by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0). Additional Music: "The Bee Sting" copyright Creepy Pizza. Check out Creepy Pizza on bandcamp. Other music copyright Alex Kish. Check out his work at https://www.alexkishmusic.com/. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the fourth part of this 6-part series on pyramid myths, Western culture becomes obsessed with all things Egyptian in the 19th century, and thus the myths of the pyramids evolve and deepen. Switch to Mint Mobile and get a new 3-month unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month. Visit MINTMOBILE.com/BLINDNESS! Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Further support the show by giving a one-time gift at paypal.me/NathanLeviLloyd or finding me on Venmo at @HistoricalBlindness. Some background music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," "daemones," "Comatose," and "daedalus," are by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0). Additional Music: "Leaving Home" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the third of pf this series on the myths of the pyramids, I trace the false stories about the monuments as they pass from Arabic folklore into European pseudohistory and the occult. Switch to Mint Mobile and get a new 3-month unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month. Visit MINTMOBILE.com/BLINDNESS! Direct all advertising inquiries to advertising@airwavemedia.com. Visit www.airwavemedia.com to find other high-quality podcasts! Find a transcript of this episode with source citations and related imagery at www.historicalblindness.com sometime before the release of the next episode. Pledge support on Patreon to get an ad-free feed with exclusive episodes! Check out my novel, Manuscript Found!  And check out the show merch, which make perfect gifts!  Further support the show by giving a one-time gift at paypal.me/NathanLeviLloyd or finding me on Venmo at @HistoricalBlindness. Some background music, including "Remedy for Melancholy," "Wake Up," "daemones," "Daylight PON II," "daedalus," "Comatose," and "Salue," are by Kai Engel, licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY 4.0). Additional Music: "Dragon and Toast" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices