MYTHS

The Mothman statue in Point Pleasant, West Virginia.

A New Documentary Investigates West Virginia’s Infamous Mothman

Point Pleasant residents first spotted the infamous cryptid in 1966—now, there’s a Mothman statue, a museum, and even a festival for it.

He's (probably) not hiding in your shower.

The Real-Life Origins of 15 Urban Legends

From Maryland’s Goatman to the "real" corpses in haunted houses, here are the sort-of true stories behind all your favorite urban legends.

Weekend at Errol Flynn’s: When John Barrymore’s Friends Stole His Corpse From the Morgue for One Last Prank

Drew Barrymore recently corroborated this epic Hollywood legend, but it’s still highly questionable.

Loch Ness Monster statue in Inverness, Scotland

Cryptid Currency: How the Loch Ness Monster Became a Force in Scotland’s Economy

Through cruises, museums, and other tourist attractions, the Loch Ness Monster adds roughly £41 million to Scotland's economy in a typical year.

Does Putting a Penny in the Microwave Really Make It Shrink?

Putting metal in the microwave is never a good idea—especially if you're inspired by a viral social media hoax.

Wouldn't you love to go down in history as the person who proved the existence of the Loch Ness Monster?

Is Nessie Out There? Keep Your Eye on This Loch Ness Livestream to Find Out

This round-the-clock livestream could very well be the key to proving if the Loch Ness Monster is real.

A photo of the Pompeii ruins from November 2019.

Explore Two of Pompeii’s Excavated Homes in This Virtual Tour

Before the Mount Vesuvius eruption of 79 C.E., these homes in Pompeii featured gardens and impressive art collections.

"Ohio: An Unnatural History" is fittingly open through Halloween 2020.

Grassman, Mothman, and Ohio’s Other Mythical Creatures Are On Display at the Rutherford B. Hayes Museum

"Ohio: An Unnatural History" at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library and Museum profiles nearly a dozen mythical creatures that have captured the imaginations of locals.

8 Cursed Movie Productions

From 'The Wizard of Oz' to 'Poltergeist,' these movies were so troubled that they've developed a reputation for being cursed.

Washington State Department of Transportation Tweets Images of Possible Sasquatch Sighting

Images captured near Washington's State Route 20 and I-90 show a figure that bears a strong resemblance to Bigfoot.

10 Things You Might Not Know About the Illuminati

It’s rumored that Beyoncé and Jay-Z are members (among a host of other celebrities), and that the group is behind some of the last century’s most historically important events, like the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

A Brief Guide to Iceland's 13 Mischievous Yule Lads—and Their Ogre Mother

Whether it was one of the 13 Yule Lads stealing the little food your family had or being eaten by Grýla, Icelandic kids had a lot to worry about around the holidays.

George Varian, Ladies Home Journal // Public Domain, Courtesy of HathiTrust

When Theodore Roosevelt’s Son Snuck a Christmas Tree into the White House

President Theodore Roosevelt was well-known as a conservationist, but that wasn't necessarily the reason there was no White House Christmas tree in 1902.

The Most Famous Mythical Creature in Each State

The Loch Ness monster might be in Scotland, but we have some pretty fantastic beasts right here in America.

Elisabeth Demidoff's tomb in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris

The Russian Countess Who Supposedly Wanted Company in Her Tomb

Did the Russian aristocrat Elisabeth Demidoff really offer the family fortune to anyone who would spend a year and a day in her tomb?

Thomas Schoch, Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0

Australia’s Sacred Uluru Monolith Is Closing to Tourists for Good This Weekend—So Tourists Are Rushing to Climb It

Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock, is a sacred site to the Anangu people. As of Saturday, it will be permanently closed to tourists looking to climb it.

50 Common Myths, Busted

1. Vikings never wore horns on their helmets—at least not until an 1876 staging of Wagner's opera 'The Ring of the Nibelung.'

Metropolitan Museum of Art, Wikimedia Commons // CC0 1.0

7 Myths About Mummies

Science has revealed historical truths about mummies, but they just can't shake their association with curses, myths, and Halloween.

9 Myths About Theodore Roosevelt

Our 26th president was a man larger than life—and is forever much larger than life, thanks to the fact that he's on the side of a mountain. But as with any such figure, myths and legends arise. So we’re here to explain the truth behind some popular storie

Environmental DNA Evidence Suggests the Loch Ness Monster Could Be a Giant Eel

A genetic analysis of the waters of Loch Ness found an unusually high amount of eel DNA, indicating that Nessie may not be an elusive plesiosaur after all.

13 Facts About the Tooth Fairy

In the United States, children who leave a newly lost tooth under their pillow know to expect a nocturnal visit from the Tooth Fairy, who might leave a shiny quarter, a new toothbrush, or perhaps even a crisp $20 bill!

Pennsylvania Has Become a Hotbed of Bigfoot Sightings

If you find yourself in the Keystone State, your chances of sneaking a peek at a Sasquatch just went up.

6 Wild Furby Myths That People Actually Believed in the ‘90s

The NSA, Pentagon, and Norfolk Naval Shipyard thought Furbys were a national security threat, so they banned the toys from their premises in 1999.

The Curious (and Possibly Murderous) Origins of Punxsutawney Phil's Name

Punxsutawney Phil's moniker might have something to do with the royal family, a pair of heinous groundhog murders, and some good old-fashioned small-town competition.

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