TopPodcast.com
Menu
  • Home
  • Top Charts
  • Top Networks
  • Top Apps
  • Top Independents
  • Top Podfluencers
  • Top Picks
    • Top Business Podcasts
    • Top True Crime Podcasts
    • Top Finance Podcasts
    • Top Comedy Podcasts
    • Top Music Podcasts
    • Top Womens Podcasts
    • Top Kids Podcasts
    • Top Sports Podcasts
    • Top News Podcasts
    • Top Tech Podcasts
    • Top Crypto Podcasts
    • Top Entrepreneurial Podcasts
    • Top Fantasy Sports Podcasts
    • Top Political Podcasts
    • Top Science Podcasts
    • Top Self Help Podcasts
    • Top Sports Betting Podcasts
    • Top Stocks Podcasts
  • Podcast News
  • About Us
  • Podcast Advertising
  • Contact
Not in our directory?
Add Show Here
Podcast Equipment
Center

toppodcastlogoOur TOPPODCAST Picks

  • Comedy
  • Crypto
  • Sports
  • News
  • Politics
  • True Crime
  • Business
  • Finance

Follow Us

toppodcastlogoStay Connected

    View Top 200 Chart
    Back to Rankings Page
    History

    Lunatics Radio Hour: The History of Horror

    Lunatics Radio Hour is a non-fiction history podcast about the history of horror and the horror of history. Each episode explores real, documented events where fear, violence, survival, and the unknown shaped human lives and cultures. The show also traces how historical events influenced film, examining how real-world horrors became the stories and images that appear on screen.

    Topics include dark history, psychological phenomena, folklore rooted in fact, and the historical roots of horror cinema. Most episodes focus on researched historical subjects. Occasional short fiction stories are included and clearly labeled.

    If you’re drawn to the darker side of history and the real events behind horror films, Lunatics Radio Hour explores where history, fear, and cinema intersect.

    Advertise

    Copyright: © 2022 Lunatics Radio Hour

    • Apple Podcasts
    • Google Play
    • Spotify

    Latest Episodes:
    Episode 213 - The History of Séances Oct 20, 2026
    Show notes

    As the veil thins, Abby talks about the history of séances and the human need to understand what happens after we die.

    Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow us on social media @ TheLunaticsProject.

    Get Lunatics Merch ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

    Join the discussion on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠⁠. Check out Abby's book ⁠⁠⁠⁠Horror Stories⁠⁠⁠⁠. Available in eBook and paperback.

    Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

    Sources

    • Smithsonian Magazine Article by Abbott Kahler: The Fox Sisters and the Rap on Spiritualism

    • A Magician Among The Spirits by Houdini, available on Project Gutenberg

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


    Episode 212 - The History of Full Moon Madness Oct 13, 2026
    Show notes

    This week Abby and Alan talk through the history of the belief in full moon madness and "lunatics."

    Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠.

    Follow us on social media @ TheLunaticsProject.

    Get Lunatics Merch ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.

    Join the discussion on ⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠. Check out Abby's book ⁠⁠⁠Horror Stories⁠⁠⁠. Available in eBook and paperback.

    Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.


    Sources

    • Pagan Grimoire article by Rebecca Swanner: Moon Gods and Goddesses: Deities of Lunar Magic and Mysticism

    • Etymonline article on the history of the word Lunatic

    • NASA article on Moon Phases

    • History.com article by Melinda Beck on European Wolf Trials

    • PubMed Studies:

      • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1454923/

      • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25756232/

      • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8924138/

      • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17256692/

      • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31012946/

      • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26498230/

      • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33571126/

      • https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10363673/

    • Fred Sebastian, "Bad Moon Rising: The Persistent Belief in Lunar Connections to Madness," CMAJ (2005). This is particularly useful because it covers Paracelsus, Blackstone, Bethlem, John Haslam, and Benjamin Rush.

    • Nigel Walker, "The Insanity Defense before 1800," The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science (1985), for the history of insanity and criminal responsibility in English law.

    • TIME, "Miscellany: Lunatic," March 7, 1932, for the Else Flothmeier case.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


    Episode 211 - The History of Black Cat Superstition Oct 06, 2026
    Show notes

    This week Abby and Alan talk about the history of Black Cat lore. From how cats were worshiped in ancient Egypt, to how the European and American Witch Trials helped to turn cats into a symbol of the spooky!

    Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠.

    Follow us on social media @ TheLunaticsProject.

    Get Lunatics Merch ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

    Join the discussion on ⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠. Check out Abby's book ⁠⁠Horror Stories⁠⁠. Available in eBook and paperback.

    Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


    Episode 210 - The History of Atomic Horror: Part 3 - Nuclear Winter Sep 29, 2026
    Show notes

    In the final part of our series on Atomic Horror, we look at the fear of nuclear war and the possibility of what could happen after the bombs stopped falling. During the Cold War, scientists began studying the potential global effects of a large-scale nuclear exchange, including the concept of nuclear winter, in which smoke and soot from widespread fires could block sunlight and cause severe climate changes.

    We look at the science behind the nuclear winter theory, the 1983 TTAPS study, and the way these ideas influenced public fears about nuclear war. We also examine films including The Day After, Threads, Dr. Strangelove, and other movies that imagined what life might look like before, during, and after a nuclear conflict.

    From atomic monsters to nuclear apocalypse, this final chapter of Atomic Horror looks at how horror films reflected one of the defining fears of the Cold War.

    Support the show on Patreon⁠.

    Follow us on social media @ TheLunaticsProject.

    Get Lunatics Merch ⁠here⁠. Join the discussion on ⁠Discord⁠. Check out Abby's book ⁠Horror Stories⁠. Available in eBook and paperback.

    Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


    Episode 209 - The History of Atomic Horror: Part 2 - Attack of The Mutants Sep 22, 2026
    Show notes

    In Part Two of our history of atomic horror, Abby and Alan look at how filmmakers moved beyond the initial fear of nuclear weapons and began exploring the effects of radiation, mutation, and scientific experimentation.

    From giant insects and oversized animals to shrinking and enlarging humans, the atomic age created a new generation of monsters. We look at films including Them!, The Incredible Shrinking Man, The Amazing Colossal Man, The Fly, Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, and The Hills Have Eyes, along with the continued evolution of Godzilla and other atomic monsters.

    We also explore Nevada’s nuclear testing sites and how the real-world landscape of atomic testing became part of American horror, from atomic tourism to films about people transformed by radiation.

    Listen to Part Two of our history of atomic horror and hear how nuclear anxiety continued to shape horror movies long after the first atomic monsters appeared.

    Support the show on Patreon.

    Follow us on social media @ TheLunaticsProject.

    Get Lunatics Merch here. Join the discussion on Discord. Check out Abby's book Horror Stories. Available in eBook and paperback.

    Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

    Listen to The Great Atomic Power.

    Sources

    • PBS article Atomic Tourism in Nevada

    • The “True” Story Behind The Hills Have Eyes on Reynold’s by Stephen Basdeo.

    • Mubi Article: Through the Eyes of America: Wes Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes by Matt Carlin

    • Science History Institute article by Judith Kaplan: Francis Crick, Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, and Maurice Wilkins: These four scientists codiscovered the double-helix structure of DNA, which formed the basis for modern biotechnology.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


    Episode 208 - The History of Atomic Horror: Part 1 - The Atomic Age Sep 15, 2026
    Show notes

    The atomic bomb changed the world in 1945, but it also changed the way people imagined horror.

    In Part One of our history of Atomic Horror, Abby and Alan look at how the Manhattan Project, the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, nuclear testing, and the beginning of the Atomic Age influenced science fiction and horror cinema. As the threat of nuclear destruction became part of everyday life, filmmakers began turning those fears into stories about monsters, mutations, alien invasions, and the destruction of humanity.

    We look at some of the films that helped establish Atomic Horror, including The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Godzilla, and The Day the Earth Stood Still. We explore how these movies reflected fears about nuclear weapons, radiation, scientific experimentation, and the possibility that humanity had created something it could no longer control.

    This is the beginning of the Atomic Horror story, from the development of the atomic bomb to the monsters that emerged from the nuclear age.

    Support the show on Patreon.

    Follow us on social media @ TheLunaticsProject.

    Get Lunatics Merch here. Join the discussion on Discord. Check out Abby's book Horror Stories. Available in eBook and paperback.

    Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

    Sources

    • A Nightmare on Film Street article by Kimberly Elizabeth: Oppen-Horrors or: How I Recommended 10 Atomic Horror Movies to Blow Your Mind

    • History.com article on the Manhattan Project

    • An Atomic Heritage Foundation article by Paul Tibbets and Curtis LeMay: Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – 1945

    • PBS.org article Letter from Albert Einstein to FDR, 8/2/39


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


    Episode 207 - The History of Divining and Dowsing Rods Sep 08, 2026
    Show notes

    This week Abby and Alan discuss dowsing and divining rods, and how people believed a forked stick could reveal hidden water, buried treasure, minerals, or even supernatural forces.

    From early references to divining rods and their connections to magic and folklore to the rise of water dowsing in Europe and America, we trace how a simple forked branch became an instrument of supernatural belief.

    We look at the people, practices, and ideas behind dowsing rods, including rhabdomancy, the occult traditions surrounding magical wands, early modern beliefs about hidden forces, and the long-running debate over whether dowsing actually works. Along the way, we explore the folklore and history that turned an ordinary stick into a supposed supernatural tool.

    Follow us on social media @ TheLunaticsProject.

    Get Lunatics Merch here.

    Join the discussion on Discord.

    Check out Abby's book Horror Stories. Available in eBook and paperback.

    Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


    Episode 206 - The History of Victorian Era Death Rituals Sep 01, 2026
    Show notes

    Death was a major part of everyday life in the Victorian era, and people developed elaborate ways to mourn, remember, and preserve the dead. In this episode of Lunatics Radio Hour, we explore the history of Victorian funerary traditions and the social and historical circumstances that shaped them in Britain and the United States.

    We look at Victorian mourning customs, postmortem photography, mourning jewelry, human hair art, funeral rituals, embalming, funeral biscuits, mourning stationery, death masks, and Victorian cemeteries. We also examine how the American Civil War helped popularize embalming in the United States and how Queen Victoria's mourning for Prince Albert influenced Victorian mourning culture.

    Along the way, we separate historical practices from later myths, including the popular story of Victorian "tear catchers."

    Finally, we trace these traditions into Gothic literature and horror movies, looking at how Victorian cemeteries, mourning clothes, old photographs, preserved bodies, and memorial objects became part of the visual language of supernatural horror.

    Because the Victorians weren't trying to make death scary. They were trying to find ways to live with it.

    Follow us on social media @ TheLunaticsProject.

    ⁠Get Lunatics Merch here⁠.

    Join the discussion on ⁠Discord⁠.

    Check out Abby's book ⁠Horror Storie⁠s. Available in eBook and paperback.

    Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

    ⁠Support the show⁠.


    Sources

    • The Gettysburg Compiler: Until We Meet Again: Victorian Mourning Practices by Ziv Camri

    • The National Museum of Funeral History: 19th Century Mourning

    • Eat Your Sorrow With These Victorian Funeral Biscuits: Atlas Obscura

    • Another Atlas Obscura article: Clearing Up Myths About Victorian ‘Postmortem’ Photography

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


    Episode 205 - The History of Witch Bottles Aug 25, 2026
    Show notes

    This week Abby and Alan dig into the strange history of witch bottles, a form of folk magic once used to protect from witchcraft, curses, and supernatural attacks. We explore where the practice came from, how witch bottles were made, why they were hidden in fireplaces, walls, and beneath floors, and what archaeologists have discovered centuries later.

    From 17th-century England to colonial America, witch bottles reveal a fascinating intersection of folklore, magic, superstition, and everyday life. We’ll also look at the objects and rituals believed to make these bottles work, and how this obscure piece of folk magic eventually found its way into the imagery and traditions of modern horror.

    If you’re interested in witchcraft, folk magic, occult history, supernatural folklore, haunted history, paranormal traditions, and the real history behind horror, this one is for you.

    Lunatics Radio Hour explores the history behind the things that scare us.

    Follow us on social media @ TheLunaticsProject.

    ⁠⁠Get Lunatics Merch here⁠⁠.

    Join the discussion on ⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠.

    Check out Abby's book ⁠⁠Horror Storie⁠⁠s. Available in eBook and paperback.

    Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

    ⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠.


    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


    Episode 204 - The Ultimate Horror Sequel Villain: The Scary Scuffle Sequel Part 2 Aug 18, 2026
    Show notes

    The Scary Scuffle reaches its bloody finale!

    In Part Two of our horror villain tournament, the remaining sequel monsters and villains face off in a series of one-on-one battles to determine who will be crowned the ultimate champion. Every matchup is judged on strength, abilities, durability, intelligence, and, of course, their overall potential to ruin your day.

    Abby is joined by Dan Roberts and Kate Rotunda as we break down the final matchups, argue for our picks, and decide which horror sequel villain deserves the title.

    Who will survive the bracket? Who will be eliminated? And who will walk away as the winner of the second-ever Scary Scuffle?

    Let the final fights begin.
    Follow us on social media @ TheLunaticsProject.

    ⁠⁠⁠Get Lunatics Merch here⁠⁠⁠.

    Join the discussion on ⁠⁠⁠Discord⁠⁠⁠.

    Check out Abby's book ⁠⁠⁠Horror Storie⁠⁠s⁠. Available in eBook and paperback.

    Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.

    ⁠⁠⁠Support the show⁠⁠⁠.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices


    1 2 3 27 Next

    Related Podcasts

    Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History

    1

    Dan Carlin’s Hardcore History History
    More Perfect

    2

    More Perfect Government
    Casefile True Crime

    3

    Casefile True Crime Games & Hobbies
    The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe

    4

    The Way I Heard It with Mike Rowe History
    BackStory

    5

    BackStory History
    The Black Dahlia Serial Killers

    6

    The Black Dahlia Serial Killers History
    footer-logo

    Contact Us

    Toll Free: 844-670-7747

    Links

    • Home
    • Top Charts
    • Networks
    • Apps
    • Independents Podcasts
    • Podcast Advertising
    • Podcast News
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Analytics & Insights

    Stay Connected

      Privacy, Terms of Use & Our Code of Ethics Protecting Content Creators Copyrights