Have you ever thought about getting your first job? Where would you work? What would you have to do? Well, what if your first job was working the overnight shift at a pizzeria making sure the animatronic puppets don't come into contact with humans? That is exactly what happens in Five Nights at Freddy's, the runaway hit horror game, that has become one of Unspookable's most requested topics to cover. What is it about this game that has captured our imaginations? And why do we seek the thrills of being jump scared? That and more on today's episode of Unspookable. Host: Elise Parisian Written by: Ellenor Riley-Condit Created, Produced, Edited by: Nate DuFort Music Direction and Composition: Jesse Case: https://www.jessecasemusic.com/ Logo by: Natalie Khuen http://nataliek.myportfolio.com Special thanks this week to: Blythe and Bella Episode artwork by: graphicsm_ https://www.instagram.com/graphicsm_ You can find Unspookable on Twitter and Instagram at:https://twitter.com/ImUnspookablehttps://www.instagram.com/unspookablepodcast/ Unspookable is a production of Soundsington Media committed to making quality programing for young audiences and the young at heart. To find out more go to http://www.soundsingtonmedia.com Advertise on Unspookable: advertising@airwavemedia.com

Have you ever heard of The Backrooms? Maybe you've come across this strange never-ending series of liminal spaces on TikTok or on YouTube or maybe some games that you've played. The Backrooms are one of our most frequently requested topics and we were curious to explore why their flickering fluorescent lights, yellow walls, and endless mazes have captured your imaginations. That and more on this episode of Unspookable.

Have you heard the name Mary Shelley before? If not, we're sure you've heard of her book Frankenstein or the creature born within its pages. Did you know that Shelley's book is often referred to as the beginning of modern day science fiction? Or that it's original title was Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus? We're going to be digging into this and more as we find out why this book is so scary and the lasting imprint it has had on horror and the ethical questions surrounding life and death on this episode of Unspookable.

Many of us have smart devices in our homes. Siri, Alexa, robot vacuums, and more have become a part of our daily lives. They learn our tastes and preferences, our routines, but what if that wasn't where the learning stopped? What would happen if these devices could learn just like humans, replicate our behaviors, and maybe, just maybe, become smarter than us? We'll discuss that and more as we tackle all things artificial intelligence on this episode of Unspookable.

Have you heard of the Netflix series Stranger Things? If so, have you ever thought about the experiments that happened at Hawkins National Laboratory and what purpose they served? Government experiments have always been the source of conspiracy theories, from the Philadelphia Experiment and MK-Ultra to the Montauk Project and beyond. We're separating fact from fiction and diving deep into experiments of the mind on this episode of Unspookable.

Many of us are scared of the dark, but have you ever stopped to wonder why? This fear might actually serve a larger purpose intended to keep us safe. Through history, our own evolution, and the influence on our own social perceptions, we will discuss our complicated relationship with the dark on this episode of Unspookable.

What is reality? Are we living in a simulation? Big questions, right? This season Unspookable is listening to your suggestions on some truly mind blowing topics inspired from games, TikTok, and beyond. We're digging into quantum physics, philosophy, dreams, and more this week as we set out to answer the question "What is a glitch in the matrix?"

Spooky season is almost here and we're excited to share that we’re bringing you an all new season of Unspookable beginning Tuesday, September 27th. We've been hearing your requests for topics and are thrilled to present episodes based on The Backrooms, Glitches, the story that inspired the Netflix series Stranger Things and much, much more. Unspookable is a family friendly look at the histories and mysteries behind your favorite scary stories, myths and urban legends. Each week host Elise Parisian digs into the history, brain science, and power dynamics behind such topics as Bloody Mary, Charlie Charlie, and Ouija Boards to find the stories behind the scares. (Recommended for ages 8+) Unspookable has been called one of the "Best podcasts for kids of all ages" by Time Out New York, one of the “7 Podcasts Big Kids Will Love” by The New York Times, one of the "10 Best Podcasts for Children" by the Irish Examiner, appeared multiple times across Canada on CBC Radio's Podcast Playlist, on NPR station WHYY's Kid's Listening Hour, has been featured by Podcast Magazine, The AV Club, Fast Company, and more.

Have you ever heard of the Bermuda Triangle? If you have, it's hard not to have also heard some of the strange theories as to why this area within the Atlantic Ocean has claimed so many ships and airplanes over the years. Could it be aliens? A rift in both space and time? The remnants of the lost city of Atlantis? Or is there a possibly a less exciting, but more scientifically plausible answer? We'll discuss all of this and more on this special double sized episode of Unspookable.

The month of December brings a whole host of traditions for people all across the world. For us on Unspookable, this time of year brings some of the strangest creepy creatures we get to see. After all – it wouldn’t be the holidays for us if we didn’t get to throw in something spooky. So consider it your gift to us to countdown some of the weirdest, witchiest holiday traditions we could scare up on this special holiday episode of Unspookable.

Have you ever laid awake, watching the minutes on the clock pass by, just wishing there was a magical way to fall asleep to pleasant dreams? Well, you maybe surprised to hear that throughout time and many cultures that there are all kinds of men and beasts that could do just that. We're taking a walk through the land of slumber to discuss The Sandman and all things sleep on this episode of Unspookable.

Some urban legends are so unique that our brains want them to be true. That is certainly the case with Trevor Henderson's 2018 creation of a cryptid that has captured our imaginations and infiltrated such games as Minecraft and Roblox. What makes this creature so scary, yet so appealing? We're talking all things Siren Head on this episode of Unspookable.

Video games have become a big part of our lives. They exercise our motor skills and problem solving abilities, help us build community and relationships, and more than anything...they're just fun! But did you know that in the early days of gaming technology many people actually feared video games and the arcades that housed them? There were rumors of mind control, injury, and even disappearances surrounding one game in particular...Polybius. We look into this mysterious arcade game's history and the conspiracies it birthed on this episode of Unspookable.

There are many tales of monsters throughout history - stories that come and go. But, in the Scottish Highlands, there is a legend of a creature whose first recorded sighting in the sixth century A.D. has only grown larger and gained more interest as the years go by. When we asked our listeners what stories we should tell this season, the single most requested tale was that of... the Loch Ness Monster. Prepare to hear about the origins, hoaxes, and possible explanations for everyone's favorite cryptid on this episode of Unspookable.

Have you ever heard a story about your hometown that you questioned whether or not it was true? Maybe there's a story about a famous person, or something that was invented in your hometown... or maybe there's a legend of a creature that has lurked in the local woods for over one hundred years. If you've ever heard of the New Jersey Pine Barrens ,these are exactly the kinds of stories that have been told locally for generations. Prepare to question local folklore with us today as we talk about The Jersey Devil on this episode of Unspookable.

This week, Unspookable is excited to share the first episode of Of Fae & Fiends. New episodes released weekly starting March 23, 2021. You can find Of Fae & Fiends wherever you get podcasts. Lizzie (10) returns to her ancestral home in Maine to make an amazing discovery: the woods behind the farmhouse contain a doorway to the mystical realm of Faerie. But a dark storm looms over the horizon of Fae: Lizzie’s Great-Uncle Carlow has enlisted a goblin army to conquer the World Tree, and has set his sights set on our world after… All that stands in Carlow’s way is Lizzie and her unlikely friends: Kyle, a talking goat, and Garrett, a swashbuckling weasel. Written and produced by audio drama pioneer Fred Greenhalgh, OF FAE & FIENDS is a Faerie Tale with teeth - a place where monsters sometimes eat children, but the courageous can fight back. This lavishly produced modern faerie tale features 30+ actors, cinematic sound design, and an original orchestral score. For families and kids at heart, ages 7 – 177.

Have you ever heard of Area 51? What about Roswell, New Mexico? What if the supposed alien-related events and conspiracies surrounding these two locations were actually true? As we close out our time looking at the existence of aliens, it's time to look at what we believe versus what we want to believe - all of that on the season finale of Unspookable.

Think about the last time you saw an alien. Was it in a book? Watching a movie? What did it look like? Now, it’s impossible to say exactly when the idea of aliens first occurred to humans on Earth and even more impossible to trace exactly how we conjured up the little green humanoid creatures with big eyes that you're most likely imagining, but today we're going to try and do just that. We’ll be talking about all things extra-terrestrial on this special two-part episode of Unspookable.

You see a crew-less vessel approaching through the fog on a moonless night at sea.. can you trust that your eyes were telling you the truth? Is there really a ship sailing with no one aboard? We've talked about the creatures that lurk in the ocean's depths, but what about the traces of the humans that have crossed those same waters? We'll look at these questions and the legend of Ghost Ships on this episode of Unspookable.

A lot of us have heard the word Illuminati, but what does it mean? Is there really a secret group of people controlling society from the shadows? There are conspiracy theories in the world today about these very questions and so much more, but where do these ideas come from? And why do people keep spreading them? Finding and agreeing on the truth can be hard sometimes and we'll talk about that and more on this episode of Unspookable.

Whether you find them cute or creepy, it's hard not to have a strong feeling about this week's topic...Spiders. Why are so many of us afraid of these arachnids? And what does it say about us as humans that something so small can be so terrifying? We'll unravel this web and more on this episode of Unspookable.

What do you think of when you hear the word mummy? Some of us may imagine a bandaged figure, arms outstretched, stumbling through the desert, but did you know that mummification of the dead served another purpose? Mummification is just a small part of a sacred ritual of Going Forth By Day as captured in something we call The Egyptian Book of the Dead. But this is no book at all as we will find out on this episode of Unspookable.

This week Unspookable presents REACH: A Space Podcast for Kids a weekly, family friendly exploration of our galaxy (and beyond!) with hosts Brian Holden and Meredith Stepien. Built for kids and based on questions from kids, REACH educates with entertaining segments, fun at-home experiments, and interviews with subject matter experts & thought partners from leading institutions like the Adler Planetarium, Cosmosphere, and more. Subscribe today, and get knowledge...within your Reach. A co-production between Soundsington Media and Sandy Marshall. Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get podcasts.

Did you know that more than eighty percent of our ocean is unexplored? Is that why just thinking of the oceans vastness leaves some of us feeling uneasy? Or is it something more? What lurks in its dark, unmapped depths? We look to uncover this mystery and more as we discuss the Kraken on this episode of Unspookable.

Have you ever heard a story that left you wondering whether or not it was true? Have you ever wondered how some local legends became legends in the first place? We'll look at one of these stories and the actions that amplified it as we discuss the Mothman on this episode of Unspookable.