Monsters are our subconscious perversions, our twisted fears realized, but what causes their creation, and how are they made? This hour, we look at fantastical creatures, terrifying beasts, and the scariest monsters of all: humans.

GUESTS:

Natalie Lawrence: Historian of science and the author of Enchanted Creatures: Our Monsters and Their Meanings
Surekha Davies: Historian of science, speaker, and monster consultant for radio, tv, and film. She writes a newsletter called “Strange and Wondrous: Notes from a Science Historian,” and is the author of books including Humans: A Monstrous History
Margery Cuyler: Author of 62 children’s books including Monster Mess, Bonaparte Falls Apart, Skeleton Hiccups, and the forthcoming Stompie the Zombie

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Colin McEnroe, Lily Tyson, and Dylan Reyes contributed to this show. This show originally aired on July 31, 2025.

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Monsters: A look at the real, the fake, and the friendly