Monstrum

When did clowns—the characters who filled our childhoods with juggling and balloons—become so creepy? For centuries, clowns have worn two faces: as irreverent entertainers, and tricksters who could break social norms. So when stories of scary clowns pop up all over popular culture, it's a sign that we're wondering who clowns really are behind the costume. Do they want to make us laugh? Or scream?

Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board, Bloody Mary and Ouija are scary and entertaining rites of passage for kids and teens to participate in. But do these games actually work? And why do we love to scare each other so much at sleepovers?

Maybe it’s the unblinking eyes, staring at you, emotionless, day and night. Or, perhaps it’s their small size acting as a cloak of innocence. Or their human-like appearance that makes them seem just slightly too real. However, you want to spin it—there’s something creepy about dolls.

Unlocking the Mysteries of SCP: From Secure, Contain, Protect to Unearth, Expose, Fascinate! Dive deep into the shadowy world of the SCP Foundation as we peel back the layers of secrecy surrounding these enigmatic entities. Discover the untold stories of containment, explore the unexplainable anomalies, and join us on a journey to unravel the secrets that have captivated the most curious minds.

North America’s most famous cryptid, Sasquatch is a bipedal hairy humanoid with history pre-dating European colonization with numerous sightings even up to the present day. From cave paintings to video documentation, Sasquatch is a uniquely American monster. Why has the legend endured, and what does it say about humanity?

Existing somewhere between boogeyman, scapegoat, and temperamental fae, the known trickster called Púca is an animal-spirit that was once dreaded across Ireland, the Channel Islands, and England.

The half-human half-fish Nixie may look very familiar at first. But these shape-shifting monsters with their eerie songs that lure humans to the watery depths are much older, and much scarier, than the mermaids we know from pop-culture.

The lines between demon, spirit, and deity are often blurred in the cultures of the Indian subcontinent, where the clear “good vs. evil” dualism that is seen more commonly in the Western hemisphere don’t exist in quite the same way. The complex nature of a nocturnal entity called Nishi reflects this, although it does fall firmly into the malevolent end of the spectrum.

Pokémon are inspired by flora and fauna, science, religion, yokai and other supernatural beings. But the series is teeming with not just Japanese folklore, but versions of monsters from across the globe made cute with softened features.

Humans have domesticated animals as beasts of burden for thousands of years and the vital role horses play in the evolution of culture in particular has inspired countless equine folklore, but none are quite like the centaur.

Advances in technology are always met with some degree of technophobia – and villainization. Anxieties about humans being replaced by machines immediately emerged alongside voices praising their life-enhancing benefits. What is it about the blending of man and machine that scares us – but also thrills us?

Unicorns are all over the place in popular culture these days - movies, TV shows, toys, clothing and books for children and adults alike. But you might be interested to learn that the majestic, all-white horse with a spiralized horn on its forehead is just one version of the many varieties of unicorns that have appeared in folklore throughout history.