What happens when an invisible killer sweeps across a continent and fear spreads faster than the disease itself?

In this episode of Folklore & Bullshit, Keegan and Amber explore one of history’s darkest moments: the Black Death. From plague ships arriving in medieval Europe to the terrifying symptoms that devastated entire communities.

But the plague wasn’t the only thing spreading.

As fear took over, people searched for answers. They blamed poisoned wells, witches, “bad air,” and entire groups of people, leading to tragic consequences. We dive into the strange cures, terrifying beliefs, and the folklore that grew around one of history’s deadliest diseases.

References:

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Plague. CDC. Updated July 25, 2024. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/plague/
2. World Health Organization. Plague. WHO. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/plague
3. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Black Death. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://www.britannica.com/event/Black-Death
4. History.com Editors. Black Death. HISTORY. Updated May 19, 2023. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/black-death
5. Benedictow OJ. The Black Death, 1346-1353: The Complete History. Boydell Press; 2004.
6. Kelly J. The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time. Harper Perennial; 2005.
7. Cantor NF. In the Wake of the Plague: The Black Death and the World It Made. Free Press; 2001.
8. NPR. Did Surviving the Black Death Change Human Genetics? National Public Radio. Published October 19, 2022. Accessed July 8, 2026. https://www.npr.org/
9. Barreiro LB, Klunk J, and colleagues. Research on genetic adaptation following the Black Death. Published in Nature. 2022.
10. de’ Mussi G. Historia de Morbo. Fourteenth-century chronicle describing the siege of Caffa and the spread of plague.