Origins: Urban Legends

A hiker spots a large, ape-like creature walking through the woods. Neighbors discover hoof prints on their roofs. Swimmers see a dark, snake-like shadow moving under the water. Urban Legends: Creatures, part of Full Tilt’s Origins series, examines the origins and reported sightings of four mysterious creatures. Are they simply myths and legends, or could they be real? Many believe that some stories were invented to increase newspaper sales, while some people insist that they have seen and interacted with the creatures. 

Cupboards open and shut by themselves. Could it just be the wind? Or is it a ghost? A man dressed in clothing from the Revolutionary War is seen wandering an old fort. Is it a prank, or a lost soul? Explore spooky unanswered questions like these and many others, in Urban Legends: Hauntings, part of Full Tilt's Origins series. The origin of exorcisms is examined and eyewitness accounts are discussed. Listeners will also learn about Jerome, Arizona, and how an entire town has been haunted for many years by the same ghost.

A broken mirror means seven years of bad luck. Spooky events are more likely to happen on Friday the 13th. A black cat is a sign of trouble to come. Knock on wood if you don’t want something you’ve said to come back to haunt you. These are common superstitions. But where did they come from, and are any of them true? In Urban Legends: Superstitions, part of Full Tilt’s Origins series, listeners will explore the history of these beliefs. 

Strange lights are seen dancing above a ridge of mountains in Appalachia - too quick to be satellites and too random to be planes. Large symbols have been pressed into fields of crops, visible from high in the air. Are they messages, or are they the work of people playing a trick? Urban Legends: Close Encounters, part of Full Tilt’s Origins series, presents timelines, stories, and fun facts about aliens and UFOs. Listeners will discover thrilling tales of alien abductions and UFO sightings, and will be invited to consider an age-old question.